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Fossil woods from the Upper Permian Bainmedart Coal Measures, northern Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica

Created 17/10/2025

Updated 17/10/2025

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Upper Permian silicified gymnospenn woods from the Bainmedart Coal Measures (Amery Group) near Beaver Lake, East Antarctica, are described as two new species, Australoxylon bainii and A. mondii, on the basis of morphometric and qualitative characters - including ray anatomy, tracheid shape, and cross-field pit structure. Australoxylon mondii has two forms, one of which is characterised by a distinctive ray architecture comprising semidetached rows of ray cells with intervening gaps bridged by sporadic joins. Wood of Vertebraria could not be distinguished from Australoxylon mondii on microanatomical characters, which suggests that these two organ taxa may represent different parts of the same glossopterid plant. Many characters used traditionally in wood taxonomy could not be applied owing to substantial variation or preservational differences both within and between specimens. Three types of presumed biogenic cavities occur in the woods. Coprolite-containing cavities distributed in seasonal bands represent rare evidence for Permian wood-boring arthropods. Other, irregularly distributed cavities and appositions were probably fonned by pathogenic fungi. Growth-ring analysis indicates a markedly seasonal climate with low to moderate interseasonal variation in wood production. Significant intraseasonal influences on growth are also evidenced by numerous false rings.

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Title Fossil woods from the Upper Permian Bainmedart Coal Measures, northern Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/en/dataset/d7ab9c12-a9fd-483c-9b5a-8406ada79188
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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      ],
      [
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      ],
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      ],
      [
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      ],
      [
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      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Fossil woods from the Upper Permian Bainmedart Coal Measures, northern Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/fossil-woods-from-the-upper-permian-bainmedart-coal-measures-northern-prince-charles-mountains-