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The study shows that 13
of the families identified have in these
ambers their earliest known representatives;
in some cases they are the only records for
the entire Mesozoic or even the entire known
fossil record. The majority of identified
families currently maintain a saproxylic
(they feed on tree debris) and / or
detritivore lifestyle. On the contrary to
some other ambers deposits, there are no
families that could affect the
resin-producing trees and therefore could
not influence the release of large
quantities of resin in the gymnosperm
forests of the Cretaceous, as had been
defended so far.
Of the total families
identified in Spain and France, only five
are present in both areas. This fact is
surprising considering the paleogeographic
and temporal proximity between these areas.
The paleogeographic isolation of the Iberian
plate during a large part of the Mesozoic,
which could favor a high rate of endemism,
some taphonomic or sampling bias and / or
paleobotanical or paleoenvironmental
characteristics that could be different at
the regional level, are different ideas that
are described as an explanation for this
phenomenon.
Some of the coleopteran
families identified in these ambers may act
as flower pollinators today. The study of
these groups is helping to unravel issues of
great importance on the origin and
diversification of flowering plants. |
