Jurassic Osmundaceous Landscapes in Patagonia: Exploring the Concept of Ecological Stasis in the Deseado Massif, Argentina.

ABSTRACT: Herein, we report the presence of a plant paleocommunity, dominated by ferns of the family Osmundaceae, structurally preserved from the only known Mesozoic, fossiliferous geothermal deposits, from the La Matilde Formation (Middle-Upper Jurassic) in the Deseado Massif of Southern Patagonia, Argentina. A total of 13 siliceous chert blocks sampled in an area of approximately 250 m², preserving a monotypic assemblage dominated by Osmundaceae embedded within its original swampy substrate, are documented. Additional Osmundaceae and fewer ferns and conifers are present in the stratigraphically continuous, adjacent chert levels. This association is comparable to those dominated by Osmundaceae in modern swampy settings, such as in high-altitude lagoons in the Paraná Forest in Northeaster

SUBMITTER: Garcia Massini JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11768899 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature