1. INTRODUCTION Most pteridologists recognise Selaginella BEAUV as the only genus of extant plants in the family Selaginellaceae MILDE that contains about 700, mainly tropical, species (TRYON & TRYON, 1981). Anisophyllous Selaginella-like fossils are also known from the Bolsovian onwards and THOMAS (2005) concluded that they were close enough to the aniso- phyllous species of extant Selaginella to be included in that genus. However, the presence of three, not two, pairs of leaves necessitated the erection of a new sub-genus, Hexaphyllum THOMAS, 2005. Nevertherless, Selaginella is a rare genus in the Carboniferous with approximately ten named species and even some of these have not been described in sufficient de- tail. Therefore, it was a great surprise when we found frag- ments of two tiny twigs of a Selaginella after dissolving a small rock fragment with coalified leaves. This sample was taken from the borehole number H 42 in Amasra during the ICCP 575 meeting’s field excursion in Turkey in 2010. 2. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The sedimentation of the Upper Devonian and Visean marine carbonates changed into terrestrial deposition during the Upper Visean and Lower Namurian in the Bartin-Amasra Basin (Der- man and Özçelik, 1993). The Namurian Alacaağzi Formation, (up to 570 m thick in the Amasra coalfield), is formed of sand- stone, siltstone and claystone sequences with thin uneconomi- cal coal seams in its upper part (CANCA, 1994; KEREY et al., 1986). The Westphalian Kozlu Formation (Langsettian), is up to 900 m in thickness and composed of conglomerates, sand- stones, mudstones and 18 mineable coal seams (CANCA, 1994; Ab STRA CT Shoot fragments of a new species of Selaginella BEAUV are described from the Bolsovian (Carboniferous Period) of Amasra, Turkey. The shoots are heterophyllous with three paired ranks of different sized leaves enabling it to be referred to the subgenus Hexaphyllum THOMAS. The size, shape and epidermal details of the leaves enable it to be differentiated from other Pennsylvanian species and referred to a new species Selaginella amasrae ŠIMŮNEK & THOMAS, sp. nov. This new record extends the early distribution of the subgenus suggesting that it first appeared in eastern Variscan Euramerica and the intermontane basins of central Europe, before spreading into the foreland ba- sins of western Euramerica. Keywords: Selaginella, Carboniferous, Turkey Geologia CroaticaGeologia Croatica A new species of Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) from the bolsovian (Carboniferous Period) of the Zonguldak – Amasra Coal basin, north-western Turkey  Zbyněk Šimu° nek1 and Barry A. Thomas2 1 Czech Geological Survey, Klárov 3/131, 118 21 Praha 1, Czech Republic; (zbynek.simunek@geology.cz) 2 Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY231NL, UK; (bat@aber.ac.uk) doi: 104154/gc.2012.23 Geologia Croatica 65/3 345–350 1 Tab. 2 Pls. Zagreb 2012 Geologia Croatica 65/3Geologia Croatica 346 KEREY et al., 1986). The younger Karadon Formation (mostly Duckmantian, Bolsovian and Asturian) comprises up to 550 m of conglomerates, sandstones and mudstones, and the lower part of this section contains the four most economical coal seams in the Amasra coalfield (CANCA, 1994). The sediments in the lower parts of the Karadon Formation are grey to dark grey while in the upper parts they are reddish grey in colour. The subsequent Permian Aritdere Formation contains red coloured conglomerates, sandstones and mudstones and is unfossiliferous. 3. MATERIAL AND METHODS A small fragment of black claystone with Cordaites UNGER leaves was taken from the borehole core Amasra, no. H 42, from a depth of 626.5 m (Hema Endüstri a.ş). This sample comes from the Karadon Formation and its age is Bolsovian (Moscovian) (CANCA, 1994). The cuticles were prepared by ŠIMŮNEK using standard methods (KERP 1990; KRINGS & KERP, 1997 and KERP & KRINGS, 1999). The plant remains were released from the rock using concen- Table 1: Comparison of the species S. gutbieri (GÖPPERT) THOMAS, S. stachygynandroiodes (GEINITZ) THOMAS, S. zeilleri (HALLE) THOMAS and S. amasrae ŠIMŮNEK and THOMAS. S. g ut bi er i ( G Ö PP ER T) TH O M A S S. st ac hy gy na nd ro io de s (G EI N IT Z) T H O M A S S. ze ill er i ( H A LL E) TH O M A S S am as ra e ŠI M Ů N EK an d TH O M A S LATERAL LEAVES Size <5 mm long 2 mm wide 6 mm long 2 mm broad 4.5–5.5 mm long 1.2 mm broad 1.2 mm long 600 μm broad Angle of spread 50° 60–68° 60–68° 15° Apex Acute to acuminate Elongate-acute to acuminate Elongate-acute to acuminate Elongate -acute Margin Apical third serrate Entire Entire Dentate Epidermal cells 42x10 μm 50–120x10–15 μm 70x15–20 μm c. 40x15 μm Stomata 42x28 μm 60x20 μm 60x20 μm 35x20 μm MEDIAN LEAVES Size <1.6 mm long 0.2 mm broad 2.5mm long 1.2 mm broad 2.5 mm long 1.2 mm broad 950 μm long 300 μm broad Angle of spread 10–15° 40° 40° 10–15° Apex Acute to acuminate Acute Acute Acute Margin Entire Apex slightly dentate Distinctly dentate (teeth up to c. 400 μm long, 150 μm broad and c. 12 cells across at base) Dentate in lower part with teeth up to c. 150 μm long and 50 μm broad and c. 6 cells across at base) Epidermal cells 42x7 μm 20–115x10–15 μm 30-45x12 μm 25x15 μm Stomata 35x18 μm 60x20 μm 60x20 μm 35x20 μm VENTRAL LEAVES Size 2 mm long 0.5 mm broad 1.5 mm long 0.25 mm broad 3 mm long 1 mm broad 550 μm long 200 μm broad Angle of spread >10° >10° c. 5° Parallel to axis Apex Acuminate Acute Margin Dentate Entire Dentate Entire Epidermal cells 42x7 μm 20–60x15 μm 30–45x12 μm 25x10 μm Stomata 35x18 μm 35x18 μm 60x20 μm Not seen Zbyněk Šimůnek and barry A. Thomas: A new species of Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) from the Bolsovian (Carboniferous Period) of the Zonguldak... Geologia Croatica 347 trated (38 %) hydrofluoric acid (HF) and then washed in dis- tilled water. The resulting phytoleims were macerated in Schulze Solution (40 % nitric acid with a little potassium chlorate) for 27 hours and then bleached using 2 % potas- sium hydroxide solution until the whole oxidation products (brown) matter was released. After washing again in distilled water, some of the cuticles were mounted in glycerine jelly for light microscopy. Some leaves were mounted on a metal stub for observation by SEM. 4. DESCRIPTION Fragments of the following taxa were obtained by macera- tion: Selaginella sp., Cordaites sp., Neuropteris sp., Eusphe­ nopteris cf. sauveuri and Eusphenopteris sp. Observations here are restricted to Selaginella. Fragments of Selaginella were mounted on two slides, 550/1–2 (Coll. Nos: ZŠ 467 and 468), that are stored in the collections of the Czech Geo- logical Survey, Prague. The SEM stub with Selaginella leaves is number 63, also in the Czech Geological Survey collections. The largest fragment of Selaginella is a small shoot about 7mm long and 2mm broad, while the other fragments show just a few leaves or portions of leaves. Because they are such small pieces prepared by maceration, comparison with other species known as much larger shoots preserved as recognisable compressions is a little more difficult than usual. Nevertheless, there are recognisable lateral, median and ventral leaves on the Turkish specimens, the sizes of which, outlines and epidermal features were studied under the microscope. The lateral leaves depart at about 15 º from the axis and are about 1.2 mm long, 600 μm broad with elon- gate-acute apices and dentate margins. Epidermal cells are elongated along the leaves, about 40 x 15 μm in size, and stomata are 30 x 20 μm. The median leaves depart at about 10–15° from the axis and are about 950 μm long, 300 μm broad with acute apices and dentate margins in their lower parts. Epidermal cells are elongated along the leaves, about 25 x 15 μm in size, and stomata are 30 x 20 μm. The ventral leaves depart at about 10° from the axis and are about 550 μm long, 200 μm broad with acute apices and entire margins. Epidermal cells are elongated along the leaves, about 25 x 10 μm large. No stomata could be seen. 5. COMPARISON Most plant fossils, like living plants, should be distinguish- able on gross morphological features alone (THOMAS, 1997), but anatomical details of the epidermis have been shown to be valuable taxonomic features in fossil lyco- phytes. THOMAS (1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1976) showed this to be the case in arborescent lycophytes while THOMAS & MASARATI (1982), THOMAS (1985, 1992, 1997), THOMAS, B.A., CLEAL C.J. & BARTHEL, M. (2004), BEK et al. (2001) and THOMAS (2005) have shown the same to be true with herbaceous species. There are three species of Carboniferous Selaginella shoots that have been described in sufficient detail to be wor- thy of comparison with the Turkish specimens. Selaginella gutbieri (GÖPPERT) THOMAS, S. stachygynandroiodes (GEINITZ) THOMAS and S. zeilleri (HALLE) THOMAS are all known from leaf and epidermal characters. Other spe- cies such as Selaginellites elongatus (GOLDENBERG) HALLE and Paurodendron fraiponti (LECLERQ) FRY need re-investigating, while others such as S. cf. leptostachys (GOLDENBERG) THOMAS (BEK et al., 2001) are not known in sufficient detail to make a detailed comparison with the Turkish specimens. The characters of all four species are summarized in Table 1 showing the differences in leaf size, leaf shape and epidermal characters. The most obvious difference between the new Turkish Selaginella and all the others is its much smaller overall size, with its correspondingly much smaller leaves. Indeed, because of the small size, it might easily be overlooked if preserved as a compression on dark shale. The larger species, Selaginella gutbieri, S. stachygynan­ droides and S. zeilleri are much more obvious as compres- sions with their spreading lateral leaves and overlapping median leaves. Extant species of heterophyllous Selaginella form full sized leaves close behind their growing apices, so it is extremely unlikely that the Turkish shoots are parts of a larger plant. The size difference of the shoot and its leaves, together with the relatively tight arrangement of its leaves against the stem, the details of its leaf outlines and epidermal cells lead us to the conclusion that the Turkish Selaginella is a new species. 6. SYSTEMATICS Class Lycophyta Family Selaginellaceae Selaginella P. bEAUV, subg. Hexaphyllum THOMAS Selaginella amasrae ŠIMŮNEK & THOMAS, sp. nov. (Pl. 1, Figs. 1–6, Pl. 2, Figs. 1 and 2) Anisomorphic shoot about 2mm broad with three paired ranks of leaves. Lateral leaves spreading at 15° to the long axis, c.1.2 mm long, 600 μm broad near the base, apex elongate-acute, margins dentate, epidermal cells 40x15 μm, stomata 30x20 μm. Median leaves spreading at 10–15° to the long axis c. 950 μm long. 300 μm broad near the base, apex acute, margins dentate in lower part, epidermal cells 20x15 μm, stomata 35x20 μm. Ventral leaves parallel to the axis, 550 μm long and 200 μm broad near the base, apex acute, margins entire, epidermal cells 25x10 μm, stomata not seen. Holotype: Here designated (Pl. 1, Fig. 1), Slide No: 550/1. Repository: Coll. No. ZŠ 467 (slide 550/1) and ZŠ 468 (slide 550/2) Czech Geological Survey, Klárov 3/131, 118 21 Prague 1, Czech Republic. Etymology: Named after the Coalfield where it was col- lected. Geologia Croatica 65/3Geologia Croatica 348 PLATE 1 Selaginella amasrae ŠIMU°NEK & THOMAS sp. nov. Specimen No: ZŠ 467 (Slide No: 550/1) except photo 2 = ZŠ 468 (Slide No: 550/2). 1 Small shoot with its apex to the right, showing lateral leaves (A), median leaves (B) and ventral leaves (C), scale bar = 1 mm 2 Folded basal part of a lateral leaf overlapping part of a lateral leaf scale bar = 200 μm. 3, 4 A median leaf, scale bar = 200 μm (3) and 100 μm (4). 5, 6 Epidermis of lateral leaves showing epidermal cells and stomata, scale bar = 50 μm. (Photo: Z. ŠIMŮNEK) Zbyněk Šimůnek and barry A. Thomas: A new species of Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) from the Bolsovian (Carboniferous Period) of the Zonguldak... Geologia Croatica 349 PLATE 2 Selaginella amasrae ŠIMU°NEK & THOMAS sp. nov. SEM stub. no. 63. 1 Basal fragment of lateral leaf with marginal teeth in SEM, scale bar = 200 μm. 2 Detail of marginal teeth in the leaf margin from Fig. 1, scale bar = 20 μm. 7. DISCUSSION THOMAS (1992, 1997, 2005, 2009) summarised the strati- graphic ranges of the Pennsylvanian Selaginella fossils and suggested that the anisophyllous species made their first ap- pearance in the Bolsovian of the Saar-Lorraine Basin (LAVEINE, 1989) and the Bolsovian of Ovčín (Pokrok), near Radnice, Western Bohemia (BEK et al., 2001). The new Turkish species is comparable in age with these. More are known from the later Asturian, having been described from the Sydney Mines Formation, Nova Scotia, Canada (BELL, 1938), Belgium (KIDSTON, 1911), the Bristol and Somer- set coalfield in England (THOMAS & CLEAL, 1994), Zwickau in Saxony, Germany (THOMAS, 2005), Sarr-Lor- raine, Belgium and the Nyřany Group of Coals, the Nyřany Member Nyřany, Plzeň Basin (Western Bohemia); and Ovčín (Pokrok), near Radnice, and the volcanic horizon di- rectly overlying the Lower Radnice Coal, Radnice Member (Lower Bolsovian), Radnice Basin Western Bohemia (BEK et al., 2001). The new locality extends the early distribution of Car- boniferous anisophyllous species of Selaginella to Turkey. This new record appears to suggest that the subgenus Hexa­ phyllum first appeared in eastern Variscan Euramerica and the intermontane basins of central Europe before spreading into the foreland basins of western Euramerica. The small size of the Turkish Selaginella suggests that many other sim- ilar specimens have been overlooked. It remains to be seen if new discoveries will add information that will give a clearer picture of the origins and distribution of the aniso- phyllous species of Selaginella. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This paper is a contribution to part of the International Geo- science Programme (IGCP Project 575) and was conducted with support of the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (P210/10/0232) and the Research Aim of the Czech Geo- logical Survey (MZP0002579801). 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