A technique for the extraction of palynomorphs from the Eocene amber

Abstract

Amber is fossilized form of resin produced as the metabolic exudates from plants that serve defensive and protective biological purposes as well as other ecological functions. By virtue of excellent preservation potential of the amber, a diverse array of biota in extraordinarily pristine condition was recovered within the fossilized resins from Cambay Basin. In the present study, a new extraction method has been devised to retrieve palynomorphs from the early Eocene Vastan amber, Cambay Basin, Gujarat. The method was found useful for the extraction of organic matter and better yield of spore–pollen. The extracted significant palynomorphs such as Dipterocarpuspollenites retipilatus, Myrtaceidites spp., Ctenolophonidites costatus, Polygalacidites spp. demonstrate excellent preservation and clear morphological features as observed in modern ones. This method has provided a new dimension to study the palynofloral diversity and other ecological associations of the amber produced in tropical rainforest ecosystem in low latitude during the early Paleogene warming.