鉱化化石から探る日本の白亜紀植物の世界

概要

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Permineralization is a particular fossilization process that preserves the anatomical details of plants from the past, sometimes with external features. In extremely well preserved material, even motile sperm released from pollen tubes can be found in the ovule of Permian gymnosperms. Outcrops bearing permineralized plants are not unusual in Japan because of the presence of various mineral sources that enhance permineralization, such as volcanic ash and calcium-rich marine deposits. Among various localities producing permineralized plant remains in Japan, Hokkaido is a well-known and studied area. This paper introduces selected permineralized plant fossils mostly from the Cretaceous Yezo Supergroup of Hokkaido in order to summarize the scientific contributions of earlier studies on these materials, and also to expand general interest in permineralized fossils and promote further studies. The Cretaceous materials of Hokkaido not only preserve a wide range of vascular plants, but also contain various symbionts such as fungi and tissue-boring insects. Plant permineralized fossils present an avenue to the diverse biology of the past.
2005-09-28