Pararaucaria delfueyoi sp. nov. from the Late Jurassic Cañadón Calcáreo Formation, Chubut, Argentina: Insights into the Evolution of the Cheirolepidiaceae

The discovery of 16 cylindrical conifer seed cones at the Estancia Vilán locality in the Late Jurassic Cañadón Calcáreo Formation of Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina, provides anatomically preserved specimens, allowing for the description of a second species of Pararaucaria (Cheirolepidiaceae). The new species, Pararaucaria delfueyoi, is similar in general features to the type species, Pararaucaria patagonica, but has a specifically diagnostic combination of characters that include cone size, seed number, features of histology, and seed size. Specimens are cylindrical with a narrow axis that bears helically arranged bract/scale complexes. The bract and scale diverge from the axis at ∼90° and separate from each other almost immediately. The ovuliferous scale extends toward the margin of the cone and then arches over to enclose two inverted nonwinged seeds within a pocket of tissue. Although the specimens are abraded such that the distal regions of the ovuliferous scales are not preserved, this combination of morphological and histological characters allows for the assignment of P. delfueyoi to the Cheirolepidiaceae with confidence. The co-occurrence of this cone with an undescribed species of Araucaria extends the geographic and stratigraphic ranges of this association, which previously has been known only from the Middle Jurassic of Santa Cruz Province of Patagonia. This extends the knowledge of anatomical variation among seed cones of Cheirolepidiaceae and improves our understanding of homology relationships for conifer seed cone structures.