Late Triassic Palynomorphs from East Antarctica

Fossilized pollen and spores from the Late Triassic Norian age were collected in the Prince Charles Mountains of East Antarctica. The assemblage includes specific taxa like Enzonalasporites vigens and Ovalipollis ovalis, linking it to the Tethyan Onslow Microflora. This record was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network and updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Correlating the Minutosaccus crenulatus Zone age using the listed palynomorph taxa like Samaropollenites speciosus.
• Analyzing the distribution of the Onslow Microflora based on the presence of Laurasian elements such as Duplicisporites scurrilis.
• Investigating paleolatitudinal controls (40-30°S) on fossil assemblages containing taxa like cf. Rimaesporites aquilonalis.
• Studying marine influence in the formation via the recorded spinose acritarchs and the Shublikodinium-Rhaetogonyaulax plexus dinocyst.

Strengths

• First recorded occurrence of a Triassic dinocyst from Antarctica.
• Assemblage contains well-preserved and distinctive taxa enabling biogeographic correlation.
• Links the Antarctic site to coeval assemblages across multiple continents (Madagascar, Australia, India, East Africa).

Limitations

• Sample size and specific row count for fossil specimens are unknown.
• Data is presented in published article formats (PDF, HTML), not as a structured, machine-readable table.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single formation in the Prince Charles Mountains.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Analysis of palynoflora from the upper Flagstone Bench Formation.

Time Range

Late Triassic, Norian age.

Freshness

Record was updated in April 2026.

Geography

Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica.