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Issue: Vol. 8 No. 2: (In progress) April 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-04-24
DOI: 10.11646/palaeoentomology.8.2.3
Page range: 129-137
Abstract views: 79
PDF downloaded: 8

Discovery of late Eocene amber from the Maoming Basin, Guangdong Province

State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; Institute of Palaeontology, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Earth System Science, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, MEC International Joint Laboratory for Palaeobiology and Palaeoenvironment, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; Southwest United Graduate School, Kunming 650092, China
Liangyungang Comprehensive Inspection Testing Center of Quality Technology, Lianyungang 222000, China
School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; Faculty of Sciences II, Natural Sciences Department, Lebanese University, Fanar-El-Matn, PO Box 90656 Jdeideh, Lebanon
Hubei Land Resources Vocational College, Wuhan 430090, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
late Eocene Maoming amber Youganwo Formation South China

Abstract

The Eocene was characterized by globally warm climates and high biodiversity, making Eocene amber a valuable resource for reconstructing palaeoenvironment and continental palaeobiota. The Maoming Basin in West Guangdong Province, South China, preserves a rich fossil record of Eocene-Oligocene biota, indicative of a humid subtropical climate. Here we report two distinct amber types from the Youganwo Formation of Maoming Basin, found in Huidang village and Yezi village, respectively. The first type, from Huidang village, represents the most abundant and largest amber specimens documented in Guangdong to date, preserved alongside fragments of angiosperm leaves. The second type, from Yezi village, occurs as infills within plant resin/gum ducts, preserved with resin-producing fossilized wood. These findings highlight the Maoming Basin as a significant locality for the late Eocene biota, providing crucial insights into biodiversity and enhancing our understanding of Eocene palaeoecology and palaeoclimate in the region.

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