Miocene Ethiopian amber: A new source of fossil cryptogams

Amber is renowned for the exceptional preservation state of its inclusions, allowing detailed morphological analysis and providing relevant environmental, palaeoecological, geographical, geological information. deposits are predominantly known from North America, Europe, Asia, considered to be rare on continents that formed Gondwana. The recent discovery fossiliferous amber in Ethiopia, therefore, provides an inimitable opportunity close gaps fossil record African terrestrial biota study organisms which otherwise record. Here we show diverse cryptogams preserved highest fidelity Miocene Ethiopian amber. We describe gametophyte fragments four liverworts: Thysananthus aethiopicus sp. nov. (Porellales, Lejeuneaceae), Lejeunea abyssinicoides Frullania shewanensis Frullaniaceae), palaeoafricana Frullaniaceae). Furthermore, a pleurocarpous moss extant genus Isopterygium (Hypnales, Pylaisiadelphaceae) lichen representing order Lecanorales. These new specimens represent first fossils liverworts, mosses, lichens continent render as one few worldwide preserving bryophytes (mosses liverworts) or lichens. Fossil species were recorded Eocene Baltic Oligocene Bitterfeld well Dominican probably also Mexican ambers. Fossils can unequivocally assigned have only been found so far. Neotropical ambers contain taxon date, while most Baltic, Bitterfeld, Rovno ambers, temperate regions. support tropical subtropical origin liverwort included updated list leafy liverworts described Cenozoic date.