Neuropteridium elegans (Brongniart, 1928) Schimper

Kustatscher, Evelyn, Dellantonio, Elio & Van Konijnenburg-Van Cittert, Johanna H. A., 2014, The ferns of the late Ladinian, Middle Triassic flora from Monte Agnello, Dolomites, Italy, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59 (3), pp. 741-755 : 743-744

Neuropteridium elegans (Brongniart, 1928) Schimper in Schimper and Schenk, 1879

Fig. 3A.

1828 Nevropteris elegans Brongniart ; Brongniart 1928b: 54 (name only).

1828 Nevropteris elegans Brongniart ; Brongniart 1828a: 247, pl. 74: 1, 2.

1844 Neuropteris elegans Brongniart subgenus Neuropteridium Schimper ; Schimper and Mougeot 1844: 80, pl. 39.

1879 Neuropteridium elegans (Brongniart) Schimper ; Schimper, and Schenk 1879: 117.

1978 Neuropteridium elegans (Brongniart) Schimper et Mougeot ; Grauvogel-Stamm 1978: 26, pl. 2: 3.

2006 Neuropteridium elegans (Brongniart) Schimper ; Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert et al. 2006: 946–948, pl. 1: 1, 2, 8, text-fig. 5A (see for more exhaustive synonymy).

Material.— MGP 191/35, 194/83 A – B, two basal frond fragments belong to this species (in one case with the counterpart as well); Monte Agnello (Dolomites, N-Italy), early late Ladinian.

Description.— The frond fragments reach 65 mm length and 18 mm width ( MGP 194/83, Fig. 3 A). Roundish pinnules

7–9 mm long and 5–7 mm wide) arise from the rachis (3.5–4 mm wide). The pinnules have a typical neuropterid venation pattern.

Discussion.— Three species are distinguished in the Triassic of Europe; Neuropteridium elegans , Neuropteridium voltzii Brongniart, 1828 ) Schimper in Schimper and Schenk, 1879 and Neuropteridium grandifolium ( Schimper and Mougeot, 1844) Compter, 1883 (for more discussions see Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert et al. 2006). Neuropteridium elegans is characterized by the smallest fronds, N. grandifolium is distinguished by its large, obtuse pinnules (50 X 25 mm) with an auriculate basis and N. voltzii has a broad rachis (10 mm) and relatively long pinnules (40–50 [max 80] mm X 10 mm).

Stratigraphic and geographic range.— Early Anisian (Buntsandstein) of the Germanic Basin (e.g., Brongniart 1828a, b; Blanckenhorn 1886; Gothan 1937; Grauvogel-Stamm 1978), Pelsonian (late Anisian) to late Ladinian of the Dolomites Kustatscher and Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert 2005; Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert et al. 2006).