Palynological assemblage of the Lower Devonian of Hezhang, Guizhou, southwestern China

Abstract

Abundant and diverse palynomorphs are firstly recovered from the Lower Devonian Danlin Formation of the Caoziping Section, Hezhang, Guizhou Province, southwestern China. A palynological assemblage, summarized as Retusotriletes triangulatus–Latosporites ovalis–Apiculiretusispora plicata (TOP) assemblage, contributes a better understanding of the Early Devonian flora of South China. Hezhang TOP palynological assemblage is dominated by trilete spores and includes 36 genera and 72 species of spores. Qualisaspora sinuata and Gneudnaspora divellomedia var. divellomedia, are for the first time discovered from the Lower Devonian of China. The TOP assemblage dates the Danlin Formation as Pragian to early Emsian (Early Devonian) and indicates a coastal palaeoenvironment with co-occurrences of acritarchs and scolecodonts. As a supplementary part of Lower Devonian palynological flora of South China, the Hezhang palynological assemblage shows similarities to those in Euramerica, northern Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Australia in spore components and abundances, suggesting closely-related Early Devonian floras of South China, Euramerica, and Gondwana.