How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence
Molecular age estimates for the Eucalypteae (family Myrtaceae) suggest that the eucalypts, possibly associated with fire, have been present for ~65 million years. In contrast, macrofossils and fossil pollen attributable to three important eucalypt genera (Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus) in the E...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
CSIRO Publishing
2016
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/55064 |
id |
ftunivnewengland:oai:rune.une.edu.au:1959.11/55064 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivnewengland:oai:rune.une.edu.au:1959.11/55064 2023-08-27T04:04:43+02:00 How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence Macphail, Mike Thornhill, Andrew H School of Environmental and Rural Science orcid:0000-0002-0325-5725 2016-11-25 https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/55064 en eng CSIRO Publishing 10.1071/BT16124 https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/55064 une:1959.11/55064 Journal Article 2016 ftunivnewengland 2023-08-10T19:51:30Z Molecular age estimates for the Eucalypteae (family Myrtaceae) suggest that the eucalypts, possibly associated with fire, have been present for ~65 million years. In contrast, macrofossils and fossil pollen attributable to three important eucalypt genera (Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus) in the Eucalypteae date to ~51–53 million years ago (mid-Early Eocene) in Patagonia, eastern Antarctica and south-eastern Australia. At present, there is no fossil evidence to show that eucalypts had evolved before this epoch, i.e. when Australia was part of eastern Gondwana, although this seems probable on the basis of molecular-dated phylogenetic analyses. The primary reason is the absence of macrofossils, whereas the earliest fossil eucalypt-type pollen recorded (Myrtaceidites tenuis) is attributed to Angophora and Corymbia, not Eucalyptus. This pollen type is recorded in Australia and Antarctica but not in New Zealand or South America. The only Myrtaceidites morphospecies found in Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene deposits in Australia is M. parvus, whose affinity lies with multiple extant Myrtaceae groups other than the Eucalypteae. In the present paper, we review current phylogenetic and microfossil databases for the eucalypts and assess this evidence to develop a 'consensus' position on the origin and evolution of the eucalypts in the Australian region. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Research UNE - University of New England at Armidale, NSW Australia New Zealand Patagonia |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Research UNE - University of New England at Armidale, NSW Australia |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnewengland |
language |
English |
description |
Molecular age estimates for the Eucalypteae (family Myrtaceae) suggest that the eucalypts, possibly associated with fire, have been present for ~65 million years. In contrast, macrofossils and fossil pollen attributable to three important eucalypt genera (Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus) in the Eucalypteae date to ~51–53 million years ago (mid-Early Eocene) in Patagonia, eastern Antarctica and south-eastern Australia. At present, there is no fossil evidence to show that eucalypts had evolved before this epoch, i.e. when Australia was part of eastern Gondwana, although this seems probable on the basis of molecular-dated phylogenetic analyses. The primary reason is the absence of macrofossils, whereas the earliest fossil eucalypt-type pollen recorded (Myrtaceidites tenuis) is attributed to Angophora and Corymbia, not Eucalyptus. This pollen type is recorded in Australia and Antarctica but not in New Zealand or South America. The only Myrtaceidites morphospecies found in Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene deposits in Australia is M. parvus, whose affinity lies with multiple extant Myrtaceae groups other than the Eucalypteae. In the present paper, we review current phylogenetic and microfossil databases for the eucalypts and assess this evidence to develop a 'consensus' position on the origin and evolution of the eucalypts in the Australian region. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Macphail, Mike Thornhill, Andrew H School of Environmental and Rural Science orcid:0000-0002-0325-5725 |
spellingShingle |
Macphail, Mike Thornhill, Andrew H School of Environmental and Rural Science orcid:0000-0002-0325-5725 How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence |
author_facet |
Macphail, Mike Thornhill, Andrew H School of Environmental and Rural Science orcid:0000-0002-0325-5725 |
author_sort |
Macphail, Mike |
title |
How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence |
title_short |
How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence |
title_full |
How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence |
title_fullStr |
How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence |
title_full_unstemmed |
How old are the eucalypts? A review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence |
title_sort |
how old are the eucalypts? a review of the microfossil and phylogenetic evidence |
publisher |
CSIRO Publishing |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/55064 |
geographic |
New Zealand Patagonia |
geographic_facet |
New Zealand Patagonia |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica |
op_relation |
10.1071/BT16124 https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/55064 une:1959.11/55064 |
_version_ |
1775353079678369792 |