{{Short description|Extinct genus of conifers of the family Araucariaceae}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = Late Carboniferous-Maastrichtian {{fossil range|317|66}} | image = Dadoxylon-chalala.jpg | image_caption = ''Agathoxylon'' fossil trunks from the Bumi Hills area of Zimbabwe | taxon = Agathoxylon | authority = Hartig 1848 | type_species = {{extinct}}''Agathoxylon cordaianum'' | type_species_authority = Hartig 1848 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text | synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true |title={{small|''Agathoxylon'' synonymy}} |''Agathoxylon''<br/>{{small|P.Greguss 1952}}<ref>{{cite web|year=1996|title=Index Nominum Genericorum (ING). A compilation of generic names published for organisms covered by the ICN: International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants. [previously: organisms covered by the International Code for Botanical Nomenclature]|editor1=E.R. Farr |editor2=G. Zijlstra|url=http://botany.si.edu/ing/}}</ref> |''Araucariopsis''<br/>{{small|Caspary}} |''Araucarioxylon''<br/>{{small|Kraus}}<ref name="Torrey1923">{{cite book |last1=Torrey |first1=R. E. |year=1923 |chapter=The comparative anatomy and phylogeny of the Coniferales Part 3: Mesozoic and Tertiary coniferous woods |title=Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada |publisher=Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History |series=3 |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=38–103}}</ref> |''Cordaioxylon''<br/>{{small|Felix}} |''Cordaixylon''<br/>{{small|Grand}} |''Cordaites'' |''Dadoxylon''<br/>{{small|Endlicher}} |''Dammaroxylon''<br/>{{small|J.Schultze-Motel}} |''Palaeoxylon''<br/>{{small|A.T.Brongniart}} |''Peuce''<br/>{{small|Lindley & W.Hutton}} |''Platyspiroxylon''<br/>{{small|P.Greguss}} |''Simplicioxylon''<br/>{{small|G.Andreánszky}} }} }}
'''''Agathoxylon''''' (also known by the synonyms '''''Dadoxylon''''' and '''''Araucarioxylon'''''<ref name=":0" />) is a form genus of fossil wood, including massive tree trunks. Although identified from the late Palaeozoic to the end of the Mesozoic,<ref name=Giraud>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/0034-6667(91)90014-T|title=Les espèces du genre Dadoxylon depuis 1962: Leur répartition et leur évolution du Permien à la fin du Mésozoïque|year=1991|last1=Giraud|first1=Bernadette|journal=Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology|volume=67|issue=1–2|pages=13–39|bibcode=1991RPaPa..67...13G }}</ref> ''Agathoxylon'' is common from the Carboniferous to Triassic.<ref name=fossilwood/> ''Agathoxylon'' represents the wood of multiple conifer groups, including both Araucariaceae<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Ângela Cristine Scaramuzza |last2=Siegloch |first2=Anelise Marta |last3=Guerra-Sommer |first3=Margot |last4=Degani-Schmidt |first4=Isabela |last5=Carvalho |first5=Ismar |date=December 2021 |title=Agathoxylon santanensis sp. nov. from the Aptian Crato fossil Lagerstätte, Santana Formation, Araripe Basin, Brazil |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0895981121004788 |journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences |language=en |volume=112 |article-number=103633 |doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2021.103633|bibcode=2021JSAES.11203633S |s2cid=244110901 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> and Cheirolepidiaceae,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Thevenard |first1=Frédéric |last2=Chernomorets |first2=Oleksandra |last3=Moreau |first3=Jean-David |last4=Neraudeau |first4=Didier |last5=Philippe |first5=Marc |date=2022-08-30 |title=A review of the Hirmeriellaceae (Cheirolepidiaceae) wood |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/iawa/43/4/article-p428_5.xml |journal=IAWA Journal |volume=43 |issue=4 |pages=428–447 |doi=10.1163/22941932-bja10099 |s2cid=252025365 |issn=0928-1541|url-access=subscription }}</ref> with late Paleozoic and Triassic forms possibly representing other conifers or other seed plant groups like "pteridosperms".<ref name=":1" />
==Description== ''Agathoxylon'' were large trees that bore long strap-like leaves and trunks with small, narrow rays.<ref name=fossilwood/> Often the original cellular structure is preserved as a result of silica in solution in the ground water becoming deposited within the wood cells. This mode of fossilization is termed permineralization.
==Systematics== As a genus, ''Dadoxylon'' was poorly defined, and apart from Araucariaceae, has been associated with fossil wood as diverse as Cordaitales,<ref>{{cite book|author=D.H. Scott|year=1909|title=Studies in fossil botany. Vol. 2 Spermophyta|publisher=Adam and Charles Black, London.}}</ref> Glossopteridales and Podocarpaceae. Furthermore, it may be the same form genus as ''Araucarioxylon'', hence the usage ''Dadoxylon'' (''Araucarioxylon'').<ref name=Philippe>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.crpv.2010.10.010|title=How many species of Araucarioxylon?|year=2011|last1=Philippe|first1=Marc|journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol|volume=10|issue=2–3|pages=201–208|bibcode=2011CRPal..10..201P }}</ref> The genus ''Agathoxylon'', classified under the family Araucariaceae,<ref name="kn">{{cite journal|author=Frank H. Knowlton|year=1889|title=New species of fossil wood (''Araucarioxylon arizonicum'') from Arizona and New Mexico|journal=Proceedings of the United States National Museum|volume=11|issue=676|pages=1–5|url=http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/13045/1/USNMP-11_676_1888.pdf|doi=10.5479/si.00963801.11-676.1}}</ref> has nomenclatural priority over the genera ''Araucarioxylon'' and ''Dadoxylon''.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology|year=2001|volume=113|pages=287–297|title=Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Gondwanan homoxylous woods: a nomenclatural revision of the genera with taxonomic notes|author=M. Bamford and M. Philippe|issue=4|doi=10.1016/S0034-6667(00)00065-8|pmid=11179718|bibcode=2001RPaPa.113..287B |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12150653}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|journal=Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology|year=2008|volume=148|pages=184–207|title=A key to morphogenera used for Mesozoic conifer-like woods|author=M. Philippe and M. Bamford|issue=2–4|doi=10.1016/j.revpalbo.2007.09.004|bibcode=2008RPaPa.148..184P |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0034666707001108|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite journal|journal=Taxon|year=2014|volume=63|pages=177–184|title=Which name(s) should be used for Araucaria-like fossil wood?—Results of a poll|author=R. Rößler, M. Philippe, J. van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, S. Mcloughlin, J. Sakala and G. Zijlstra|issue=1 |doi=10.12705/631.7|bibcode=2014Taxon..63..177R |hdl=1874/306568|s2cid=42143019 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259272368|hdl-access=free}}</ref>
Several ''Dadoxylon'' species, such as ''D. brandlingii'' and ''D. saxonicum'' have been identified as ''Araucarites''.<ref name=Mencl>{{cite journal|doi=10.1127/0077-7749/2009/0252-0269|title=Silicified wood from the Czech part of the Intra Sudetic Basin (Late Pennsylvanian, Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic): Systematics, silicification and palaeoenvironment |year=2009|last1=Mencl|first1=Václav|last2=Matysová|first2=Petra|last3=Sakala|first3=Jakub|journal=Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen|volume=252|issue=3|pages=269|bibcode=2009NJGPA.252..269M }}</ref> ''D. arberi'' and ''D.'' sp.1 were synonymised with the glossopterid species ''Australoxylon teixterae'' and ''A. natalense'', respectively; while ''D.'' sp. 2 was transferred to ''Protophyllocladoxylon''.
===Species=== *''Agathoxylon arizonicum'' [=''Araucarioxylon arizonicum''] Chinle Formation, Arizona, New Mexico, United States Late Triassic *''Agathoxylon africanum'' <small>(Bamford 1999)</small> [=''Araucarioxylon africanum'']: Daptocephalus Assemblage Zone, Middleton Formation and Normandien Formation to Cynognathus Assemblage Zone, Burgersdorp Formation and Driekoppen Formation, Beaufort Group, South Africa,<ref>{{cite journal|journal=South African Journal of Geology|year=2020|volume=123|doi=10.25131/sajg.123.0036|title=Silicified fossil woods from the Late Permian Middleton Formation, Beaufort Group, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa and their palaeoenvironmental significance|author=M.K. Bamford, Bruce Cairncross and H. Lombard|issue=4|pages=465–478|bibcode=2020SAJG..123..465B |s2cid=228943477|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346431230}}</ref> and Lebung Group, Botswana<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Palaeontologica Africana|year=2018|volume=52|pages=194–200|title=Fossil trees from the basal Triassic Lebung Group at the Makgaba site, west of Mokubilo, Botswana|author=M. de Wit, M. Bamford & C. van Waarden|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324248609}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon agathioides'' <small>(Kräusel & Jain)</small>: La Matilde Formation, Argentina *''Agathoxylon antarcticus'' <small>(Poole & Cantrill 2001) Pujana ''et al.'' 2014</small> [=''A. matildense'', ''Araucarioxylon antarcticus'']: Santa Marta Formation and La Meseta Formation, Antarctica<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Cretaceous Research|year=2017|volume=77|pages=28–38|title=Conifer fossil woods from the Santa Marta Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Brandy Bay, James Ross Island, Antarctica|author=Roberto R. Pujana, Maria Eugenia Raffi and Eduardo B. Olivero|doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2017.04.016|bibcode=2017CrRes..77...28P |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316579046|hdl=11336/49454|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>Pujana, R. R., Wilf, P., & Gandolfo, M. A. (2020). Conifer wood assemblage dominated by Podocarpaceae, early Eocene of Laguna del Hunco, central Argentinean Patagonia. PhytoKeys, 156, 81–102. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.156.54175</ref> *''Agathoxylon arberi'' <small>(Seward 1919)</small> [=''Dadoxylon arberi''] *''Agathoxylon australe''[=''Dadoxylon australe''] *''Agathoxylon bougheyi'' <small>Williams</small> [=''Dadoxylon bougheyi'']: Madumabisa Mudstone Formation, Zambia and Somabula Beds, Zimbabwe<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Palaeontologica Africana|year=2016|volume=50|pages=18–30|title=Permo-Triassic palynology and palaeobotany of Zambia: A review|author=Natasha Barbolini, Marion Bamford and Steve Tolan|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298739083}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon cordaianum'' <small>Hartig 1848</small> *''Agathoxylon desnoyersii'' <small>(Phillipe 2011)</small> [=''Araucarioxylon desnoyersii''] *''Agathoxylon duplicatum'' <small>(Vogellehner 1965)</small> [=''Dadoxylon duplicatum'']: Germany<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Erlanger Geologische Abhandlungen|year=1965|volume=59|pages=1–76|title=Untersuchungen zur Anatomie und Systematik der Verkieselten Holzer aus dem Frankischen und Sunthuringischen Keuper|author=D. Vogellehner}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon jamudhiense'' <small>(Maheshwari 1963)</small> [=''Dadoxylon jamudhiense'']: India<ref>{{cite journal|journal=The Palaeobotanist|year=1963|volume=14|pages=267–269|title=Studies on the Glossopteris flora of India - 16. Dadoxylon jamudhiense, a new species of fossil wood from the Raniganj stage of Jharia Coalfield, Bihar|author=H.K. Maheshwari|url=http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/380}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon karooensis'' <small>(Bamford 1999)</small> [=''Araucarioxylon karooensis'']: ''Daptocephalus'' AZ, Middleton and Normandien Formations, South Africa *''Agathoxylon kellerense'' <small>(Lucas and Lacey 1984)</small> [=''Araucarioxylon kellerense'', ''Dadoxylon kellerense'']: Santa Marta Formation, Antarctica *''Agathoxylon lemonii'' <small>Tidwell & Thayn 1986</small>: Dakota Formation, Utah *''Agathoxylon maharashtraensis'' <small>(Prasad 1982)</small> [=''Dadoxylon maharashtraensis'']: India<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology|year=1982|volume=38|pages=119–156|title=An annotated synopsis of Indian Palaeozoic gymnospermous woods|author=M.N.V. Prasad|issue=1–2|doi=10.1016/0034-6667(82)90053-7|bibcode=1982RPaPa..38..119P |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0034666782900537|url-access=subscription}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon parenchymatosum'' <small>(Vogellehner 1965)</small> [=''Araucarioxylon parenchymatosum'', ''Dadoxylon parenchymatosum'']: Forest Sandstone Formation, Botswana<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Botswana Notes and Records|year=1997|volume=29|pages=1–8|title=Fossil wood from the Boteti River and Tshaitshe, Botswana|author=Marion Bamford|jstor=40980182|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40980182}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon pseudoparenchymatosum'' <small>(Gothan 1908) Pujana ''et al.'' 2014</small> [=''Araucarioxylon chilense'', ''A. kerguelense'', ''A. novaezeelandii'', ''A. pseudoparenchymatosum'', ''Dadoxylon kaiparaense'', ''D. kergulense'', ''D. pseudoparenchymatosum'']: Santa Marta Formation, Antarctica *''Agathoxylon santacruzense'' <small>Kloster and Gnaedinger 2018</small>: La Matilde Formation, Argentina *''Agathoxylon santalense'' <small>(Sah & Jain)</small>: La Matilde Formation, Argentina *''Agathoxylon sclerosum'' <small>(Walton) Kräusel 1956</small> [=''Dadoxylon sclerosum'', ''Kaokoxylon sclerosum'']: Malay Peninsula,<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society|year=1933|volume=11|pages=236–241|title=Triassic wood from the Malay States|author=W.N. Edwards|issue=2 (117)|jstor=41559820|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41559820}}</ref> Dwyka Group to Molteno Formation, Stormberg Group, South Africa, and Ntawere Formation, Zambia<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Fossil Evolutionary Botany and Biostratigraphy|year=1984|volume=A.K. Ghosh Commemorative Volume|pages=451–461|title=Plants from the Luangwa and Luano Valleys of Zambia and their bearing on age determination|author=W.S. Lacey and R.C. Lucas|url=https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US201301440930}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon termieri'' <small>(Attims) Gnaedinger & Herbst</small>: La Matilde Formation, Argentina *''Agathoxylon ulmitus'' <small>Iamandei & Iamandei 2004</small>: Romania<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae|year=2004|volume=4|pages=137–150|title=New conifers in the Late Cretaceous lignoflora from the South Apuseni|author=E. Iamandei and S. Iamandei|url=https://www.academia.edu/25967003}}</ref> *''Agathoxylon woodworthii'' <small>(Knowlton 1899)</small> [=''Dadoxylon woodworthii'']: United States
==Distribution== ''Agathoxylon'' is common in many parts of the world, found in sites of both Gondwana and Laurasia and reported from southern Africa,<ref name=Nugent/><ref>{{cite book|author=Colin MacRae|year=1999|title=Life etched in stone: Fossils of South Africa|publisher=The Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg}}</ref> Asia,<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1134/S0031030110040131|title=Possible traces of feeding by beetles in coniferophyte wood from the Kazanian of the Kama River basin|year=2010|last1=Naugolnykh|first1=S. V.|last2=Ponomarenko|first2=A. G.|journal=Paleontological Journal|volume=44|issue=4|pages=468|bibcode=2010PalJ...44..468N |s2cid=129151531}}</ref> the Middle East,<ref>{{cite journal|journal=IAWA Journal|year=2012|volume=33|pages=319–326|title=fIrst Report of Araucariaceae wood (Agathoxylon sp.) from the Late Cretaceous of Turkey|author=Hatice Kutluk, Osman Kır and Ünal Akkemik|issue=3|doi=10.1163/22941932-90000097|doi-access=free}}</ref> Europe,<ref name=Mencl/> South America,<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Pesquisas em Geociências|volume=36|pages=223–232|title=O complexo Dadoxylon-Araucarioxylon, Carbonífero e Permiano do Gondwana: estudo taxonômico do gênero Dadoxylon|author=Francine Kurzawe and Sheila Merlotti|url=http://www.pesquisasemgeociencias.ufrgs.br/3602/06-3602.pdf|access-date=2012-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406121626/http://www.pesquisasemgeociencias.ufrgs.br/3602/06-3602.pdf|archive-date=2012-04-06|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite journal|journal=Journal of Paleontology|year=2018|volume=92|number=2|pages=1–22|title=Coniferous wood of Agathoxylon from the La Matilde Formation, (Middle Jurassic), Santa Cruz, Argentina|author=Adriana Kloster and Silvia Gnaedinger|doi=10.1017/jpa.2017.145|bibcode=2018JPal...92..546K |hdl=11336/91290|s2cid=134153671|hdl-access=free}}</ref> and North America.<ref name=fossilwood>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2451.2011.00803.x|title=Fossil wood|year=2011|last1=Falcon-Lang|first1=Howard J.|journal=Geology Today|volume=27|issue=4|pages=154–158|bibcode=2011GeolT..27..154F |s2cid=247666981 }}</ref>
In southern Africa, ''Agathoxylon'' is widespread in the Karoo Supergroup.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Palaeontologica Africana|year=1999|volume=35|pages=25–40|title=Permo-Triassic fossil woods from the South African Karoo Basin|author=Marion Bamford|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279564390}}</ref> In Zimbabwe, it is especially encountered in the Pebbly Arkose Formation,<ref name=Nugent>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/0031-0182(90)90204-K|title=The Zambezi River: Tectonism, climatic change and drainage evolution|year=1990|last1=Nugent|first1=Chris|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|volume=78|issue=1–2|pages=55–69|bibcode=1990PPP....78...55N}}</ref> and also reported frequently from the Angwa Sandstone Formation.<ref>{{cite journal|author =P.M. Oesterlen|year=1990|title=The geology of the Dande West area (western Cabora Bassa Basin) - a preliminary report|volume=14|journal=Annals of the Zimbabwe Geological Survey|pages=12–20}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=D. Love|year=1997|title=The geology of the Chirundu area, Zambezi Valley|journal=Annals of the Zimbabwe Geological Survey|volume=18|pages=18–26}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q106344950|from2=Q5208106}}
Category:Araucariaceae Category:Paleozoic genus first appearances Category:Mesozoic genera Category:Late Cretaceous genus extinctions Category:Paleozoic life of New Brunswick Category:Paleozoic life of Nova Scotia Category:Paleozoic life of Prince Edward Island Category:Fossils of Antarctica Category:Fossils of Argentina Category:Fossils of Botswana Category:Fossils of Germany Category:Fossils of India Category:Fossils of Namibia Category:Fossils of Romania Category:Fossils of South Africa Category:Fossils of Turkey Category:Fossils of Zambia Category:Fossils of Zimbabwe Category:Fossil taxa described in 1848 Category:Prehistoric gymnosperm genera