Borings in xylic tissues of the tree fern Tempskya in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Czech Republic
Abstract
Mineralized xylic tissues of the tree fern Tempskya are often found in fluvial to tidal sandstones of Late Cenomanian at the Pecínov locality (west Central Bohemia). The trunks of Tempskya represent false stems as they are composed of small ramifying stems and adventious roots. For this non-compact composition of Tempskya xylic tissues, numerous holes and irregularitics of the surfaces tend to be interpreted as primary shapes. However, several studied finds have provided relatively regular, tubular holes to tunnels that are best interpreted as analogous to Thalassinoides in xylic substrates transported to ebb-tidal delta. In the Systematic Appendix, the name Pecinolites boreki n. igen. n. isp. is suggested for them.