Exine ultrastructure of in situ peltasperm pollen from the Rhaetian of Germany and its implications

Morphology and exine ultrastructure of pollen grains of Triassic peltasperms have been studied for the first time. Pollen grains of Antevsia zeilleri from the Rhaetian of Germany are of the Cycadopites-type and monosulcate; the sculpturing is the same in the apertural and non-apertural areas. The proximal exine includes a row of lacunae covered by a solid, thick tectum and underlined by a foot layer. Pillars are hanging from the tectum between the lacunae. The exine is thinning to a homogeneous layer in the apertural region. The latter is bordered by thicker alveolate areas of the exine, in places resembling a saccus-like ultrastructure. The endexine includes white-line-centred lamellae. The exine ultrastructure is compared with that of pollen of Permian peltasperms. Although pollen types ascribed to Permian peltasperms are completely different in their general morphology, a transformation can be hypothesized by ultrastructural data from Permian Vesicaspora into Triassic Cycadopites extracted from pollen sacs of Antevsia. Comparison with Cycadopites of non-peltaspermalean (Ginkgoalean, Cycadophyte) and unknown affinities has been accomplished. The exine ultrastructure is distinctive enough to differentiate among peltaspermalean, cycadalean and bennettitalean Cycadopites; some ultrastructural features are shared with pollen of modern Ginkgo biloba. More ultrastructural data are needed as well as numerous sections of pollen grains are necessary to reveal original unchanged ultrastructure.

► Pollen of Triassic Antevsia is studied by SEM and TEM.
► The exine ultrastructure is compared with that of pollen of Permian peltasperms.
► A transformation from Permian Vesicaspora into Antevsia pollen is hypothesized.
► The exine ultrastructure in Cycadopites pollen of different affinities is analyzed.