New records of Jurassic petrified wood in Jianchang of western Liaoning, China and their palaeoclimate implications

Abstract

Diverse and rich fossil wood records have been documented from the Mesozoic of Liaoning Province, NE China. The Tiaojishan Formation (mainly distributed in Beipiao, Chaoyang, Fuxin and Jianchang regions) is one of the most significant horizons for the Jurassic petrified wood in Liaoning Province. Previously, wood fossils of this formation were mainly reported in Beipiao and Chaoyang regions, whereas fossil wood record was merely known in Jianchang region. Here we describe new fossil wood specimens from the Tiaojishan Formation in Jianchang County, western Liaoning. Two fossil wood taxa, i.e., Protaxodioxylon jianchangense Tian et Wang sp. nov. and Xenoxylon peidense Zheng et Zhang were recognized on the basis of anatomical features. These fossil wood records add new data for understanding the fossil wood diversity, floral composition and palaeoclimate of the Tiaojishan Formation. The occurrence of Xenoxylon and Protaxodioxylon implies a cool temperate, wet and seasonal climate condition with interannual variations during the Middle to Late Jurassic transition in western Liaoning region.