Abstract

Even though the records of Tetraploa spores from Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary strata along with spore-pollen assemblages are numerous and well documented, no foliicolus Tetraploa macroconidia have been reported to date. Here, we report the first occurrence of conidia assignable to modern Tetraploa Berk. & Broome (Tetraplosphaeriaceae: Pleosporales: Dothideomycetes) on cuticular fragments of compressed monocot leaf recovered from the middle Siwalik sediments (Late Miocene; 12–8 Ma) of Himachal Himalaya, India. We determine their taxonomic position based on detailed macromorphological comparison with similar modern and fossil taxa and discuss their palaeoecological significance in terms of the present-day ecological conditions of modern analogues. This finding also represents an essential data source for understanding Tetraploa's evolution and diversification in deep time.

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