Occurrence of Dryobalanops Gaertn. (Dipterocarpaceae) in the late Miocene of Bengal basin, India and biogeography of the genus during the Cenozoic of Southeast Asia. Issue 4 (2nd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Biswas, Anwesha; Khan, Mahasin Ali; Bera, Subir
• Is Part Of: Botany letters. Volume 166:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 434
• Page End: 443
• Publication Date: 2019-10-02
• Subjects: Petrified wood -- Dryobalanops -- Miocene -- phytogeography -- paleoclimate -- India; Botany -- Periodicals; Botany; Botany; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodical; 580
• DOI: 10.1080/23818107.2019.1672102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2381-8107

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We report here the occurrence of petrified wood resembling the modern dipterocarp Dryobalanops from the Neogene (late Miocene) of the Bengal Basin, India. We have determined the taxonomic position by comparing its anatomical features with similar extant and fossil specimens and have finally identified this late Miocene wood as Dryobalanoxylon neosumatrense . The record of this new member of Dipterocarpaceae indicates that it was present in a tropical, warm and humid eastern India during the late Miocene. Considering all earlier fossil records of Dryobalanops we suggest that this taxon was a common forest element in Asia during Neogene-Quaternary time. We also review in detail the biogeographic history of this taxon and suggest a possible migration route.