Palaeobiogeographical implications of the first fossil wood flora from the Jurassic of Turkey

Abstract

We describe Jurassic fossilized woods from the Gümüşhane and Erzurum regions of Turkey that represent the eastern Sakarya Zone (eSZ) terrestrial biota. We collected 27 fossil wood fragments in total. All 27 fossil wood specimens represent coniferous trees. We assigned ten specimens to Agathoxylon sp. type 1, fourteen to Agathoxylon sp. type 2, two to Protelicoxylon asiaticum and one to Xenoxylon hopeiense. Middle Jurassic woods are represented by Agathoxylon only what does not allow for any palaeobiogeographic inferences. The Late Jurassic wood flora evidences a continuity of Gondwanan eSZ terrestrial areas with the Laurasian ones. The occurrence of Xenoxylon within this Late Jurassic wood flora suggests an abundant water supply under a relatively cool/humid climate. Overall, both floras show important similarities to contemporary fossil wood flora from Iran and, to a lesser extent, to those from Georgia