MITRA, M.*, J.E. MICKLE, P.G GENSEL, AND E.A WHEELER. Department of Botany, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, Department of Botany, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, Department of Wood and Paper Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC27695. - Aquilapollenites occurs in the southeastern United States.
The early evolution and marked diversification of angiosperms took
place in the Lower and Upper Cretaceous respectively. The distribution
of angiosperms became increasingly provincial in the Late Cretaceous
along with their adaptive radiation. The Normapolles group formed a
significant element of Europe and eastern North America and was
separated from the western North American Aquilapollenites
province by an epeiric sea that presumably provided a barrier to plant
migration. Palynological samples from different lithological units and
stratigraphic sections of Neuse River Cut Off and Tar River localities
of Black Creek Group (Carolina Coastal Plain), ranging in age from
early Campanian to Late Maastrichtian, were examined following
standard maceration. Diverse triporate and tricolporate Normapolles
grains and a few heteropolar, triprojectate Aquilapollenites
pollen were recovered along with dinoflagellates, fungi, fern spores
and gymnosperm pollen. Two of the hypotheses have been proposed to
explain the occurrence of Aquilapollenites in the Normapolles
province. Limited migration of the anemophilous 'triprojectate' from
western to eastern North America could have taken place across the
midcontinental epeiric seaway during the Late Cretaceous, that have
led to the establishments of disjunct populations in some of the
regions of eastern North America. It could also be speculated that the
Aquilapollenites genus could have migrated during marine
regression towards the end of the Late Cretaceous. The findings from
this study have not questioned the integrity of the Late Cretaceous
palynofloral provinces.
Key words: Aquilapollenites, Late Cretaceous, Normapolles