The Mesozoic Herbaceous Lycopsids

The Mesozoic Lacustrine Revolution

The Mesozoic lacustrine revolution (MLR) represents a major evolutionary event in the continental realm (Cohen 2003 ). The decline in taxic diversity at the family level in lacustrine environments that took place during the late Paleozoic–Middle Triassic was reversed later in the Mesozoic, with diversifi cation seeming to have continued to the Quaternary, although potential biases may have affe...

A Field Trip to the Mesozoic

Traveling through time has become extremely popular. Since H.G. Wells’ famed novel, scientists have designed machines that can actually beam you into the future or into the deepness of time with the snap of a finger. Of course, destinations vary. Engineers and architects have a preference for Giza, 4,500 years ago, when the Great Pyramid was built. Resort enthusiasts might fancy the Dulce Vita ...

Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biota

Mesozoic plants and dinosaur herbivory

Thrips pollination of Mesozoic gymnosperms.

Within modern gymnosperms, conifers and Ginkgo are exclusively wind pollinated whereas many gnetaleans and cycads are insect pollinated. For cycads, thrips are specialized pollinators. We report such a specialized pollination mode from Early Cretaceous amber of Spain, wherein four female thrips representing a genus and two species in the family Melanthripidae were covered by abundant Cycadopite...