A new legume fruit species from the mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum in Japan

• Published in: Review of palaeobotany and palynology Vol. 257; pp. 35 - 42
• Main Authors: Yabe, Atsushi, Nakagawa, Tomio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2018
• Subjects: Early Miocene; Japan; Legume fruits; Leguminocarpum oguruiensis Yabe et Nakagawa sp. nov; Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum; Oceanic dispersal; Leguminocarpum oguruiensis Yabe et Nakagawa sp. nov; Oceanic dispersal; Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum; Legume fruits; Early Miocene; Japan
• ISSN: 0034-6667; 1879-0615
• DOI: 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2018.06.006

Isolated legume fruits from the early–middle Miocene Shimo Formation of the Uchiura Group in Takahama Town, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, are described in this paper. They are unique in yielding 1-coiled or curved and terete–moniliform shapes with both simple sutures constricting uniformly. A new fossil-species, Leguminocarpum oguruiensis, is designated here. These legume specimens occur together with a number of molluscan fossils that indicate tropical–subtropical shallow marine conditions at the warmest time period during the mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum. The species was probably dispersed by the oceanic currents from southerly areas and inhabited areas with coastal vegetation where warm-temperate forest elements dominated. •Fossil legume fruits co-occurring with shallow marine organisms typical of the mid-Miocene Climate Optimum are reported.•New fossil legume fruit species, Leguminocarpum oguruiensis, is proposed.•The species was derived and dispersed from southerly areas probably by warm oceanic current during the MMCO.