Sprecher
Beschreibung
Poręba is an Upper Silesian Late Triassic locality containing numerous well-preserved macro- and microremains of plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. The sediments belong to the upper part of the Patoka Member of the Grabowa Formation and were deposited in a braided river system under a monsoonal climate regime. The fragmented preservation of the remains indicates relatively long transport.
The sporomorph assemblage is characteristic of the local Classopollis meyeriana Zone, subzone b, indicating a middle–late Norian age. Both spore-producing plants (lycopsids, sphenopsids, and ferns) and gymnosperms are present, although conifers predominate. Megaspores confirm the occurrence of heterosporous lycopsids, including spikemosses. In contrast, all macroremains belong to conifers. Three types of female seed scale–bract complexes and three types of male cones indicate the presence of at least three conifer species: two representing evolutionarily older members of the order Voltziales and one belonging to the family Cheirolepidiaceae. Most sterile twigs and detached leaves show similar Brachyphyllum–Pagiophyllum-type morphology. However, no branches have been found organically connected to cones, preventing reconstruction of complete plants. Numerous fragments of charred wood assigned to Agathoxylon keuperianum indicate frequent wildfires.
Arthropods are represented by isolated cuticle fragments, possibly belonging to scorpions, and by a single incomplete beetle elytron. Annelids are represented by relatively numerous clitellate cocoons.
This research was funded by the National Science Centre, grant no. 2021/43/B/ST10/00941.