Late Cretaceous palynoflora from the central part of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform (Islands of Hvar and Šćedro), southern Croatia

This paper provides the first palynological data from four Upper Cretaceous localities from the Islands of Hvar and Šćedro (southern Croatia), in the central part of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform. Studied material represents palynomorphs produced by coastal vegetation and transported to the shallow marine platform areas. Determined vegetation includes diverse hygrophilous, understory vegetation, range of evergreen needle trees attributable to Pinaceae and Podocarpaceae, as well as Araucarian conifers; ginkgo, cycads and/or bennettites. Flowering plants were likely represented by herbaceous forms. The palynoflora is generally indicative of a temperate, warm and humid climate. The occurrence of the Normapolles group with the presence of Plicapollis sp. and Pseudoculopollis sp. point to Turonian or probable Turonian-Coniacian age, and represent the southernmost record of occurrence within the Normapolles palynological province. Dominance of angiosperms and low abundance of ferns suggests an early-Late Cretaceous age. These findings are supported by the micropaleontological analyses and previously determined age of the sauropod dinosaur footprints described on the Island of Hvar. Based on the paleobotanical and palynological data, the dinosaur diet probably included araucarian conifers, ginkgo and angiosperms, and ferns to a lesser extent.