A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber

<i>Krameropteris</i> is an extinct fern genus found in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber, assigned to the Dennstaedtiaceae, with only one previously described species, i.e., <i>K. resinatus</i>. This study describes a new species, <i>K. calophyllum</i>, also preserved...

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Main Authors: Chunxiang Li, Fanwei Meng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Taxonomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6500/5/1/3
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author Chunxiang Li
Fanwei Meng
author_facet Chunxiang Li
Fanwei Meng
author_sort Chunxiang Li
collection DOAJ
description <i>Krameropteris</i> is an extinct fern genus found in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber, assigned to the Dennstaedtiaceae, with only one previously described species, i.e., <i>K. resinatus</i>. This study describes a new species, <i>K. calophyllum</i>, also preserved in Myanmar amber. The new species is characterized by branched venation with free veinlets terminating in thickened tips, multicellular hairs along the pinnule margins, and submarginal or medial exindusiate sori at the ends of veinlets. Its sporangia are polypod-type, producing trilete spores. This new species represents the second record of an extinct fern genus of the early-diverging Dennstaedtiaceae lineage found in Myanmar amber. <i>Krameropteris calophyllum</i> differs from <i>K. resinatus</i> in its pinnule epidermal characteristics and spore morphology, with the latter exhibiting a conspicuously ornamented perine, covered with sparse tubercles and ridges. The new species provides insights into potential herbivory interactions and the relationship between mid-Cretaceous polypod ferns and the smallest mite ever recorded. These findings suggest that Dennstaedtiaceae exhibited species-level diversity by the mid-Cretaceous, indicating an earlier origin of the family, potentially as early as the Early Jurassic, consistent with recent DNA-based time divergence estimates.
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spelling doaj-art-d0b503e9f87a4d52b0ef0743eec45b1b2025-08-20T02:43:09ZengMDPI AGTaxonomy2673-65002025-01-0151310.3390/taxonomy5010003A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar AmberChunxiang Li0Fanwei Meng1Department of Cenozoic Biological Evolution and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), Nanjing 210008, ChinaSchool of Resources and Earth Sciences, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China<i>Krameropteris</i> is an extinct fern genus found in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber, assigned to the Dennstaedtiaceae, with only one previously described species, i.e., <i>K. resinatus</i>. This study describes a new species, <i>K. calophyllum</i>, also preserved in Myanmar amber. The new species is characterized by branched venation with free veinlets terminating in thickened tips, multicellular hairs along the pinnule margins, and submarginal or medial exindusiate sori at the ends of veinlets. Its sporangia are polypod-type, producing trilete spores. This new species represents the second record of an extinct fern genus of the early-diverging Dennstaedtiaceae lineage found in Myanmar amber. <i>Krameropteris calophyllum</i> differs from <i>K. resinatus</i> in its pinnule epidermal characteristics and spore morphology, with the latter exhibiting a conspicuously ornamented perine, covered with sparse tubercles and ridges. The new species provides insights into potential herbivory interactions and the relationship between mid-Cretaceous polypod ferns and the smallest mite ever recorded. These findings suggest that Dennstaedtiaceae exhibited species-level diversity by the mid-Cretaceous, indicating an earlier origin of the family, potentially as early as the Early Jurassic, consistent with recent DNA-based time divergence estimates.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6500/5/1/3fossil fernCretaceous<i>Krameropteris</i>Myanmar amberDennstaedtiaceaeherbivory
spellingShingle Chunxiang Li
Fanwei Meng
A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber
Taxonomy
fossil fern
Cretaceous
<i>Krameropteris</i>
Myanmar amber
Dennstaedtiaceae
herbivory
title A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber
title_full A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber
title_fullStr A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber
title_full_unstemmed A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber
title_short A New Species of <i>Krameropteris</i> (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Mid-Cretaceous Myanmar Amber
title_sort new species of i krameropteris i dennstaedtiaceae from mid cretaceous myanmar amber
topic fossil fern
Cretaceous
<i>Krameropteris</i>
Myanmar amber
Dennstaedtiaceae
herbivory
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6500/5/1/3
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