Nilssoniopteris longifolius Chang from the Middle-Late Jurassic of China: Implications for Bennettitales-insect interactions

The good preservation of a new specimen allows us to recognize Nilssoniopteris longifolius Chang from the Middle-Late Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation near Daohugou Village, Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, China. The presence of syndetocheilic stomata suggests that the leaf belongs to Bennettitales. The occurrence of various types of insect feeding damage on a single lamina indicates that the interactions between Bennettitales and insects were more complex than previously assumed. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

This study identified a new specimen of Nilssoniopteris longifolius Chang from the Middle-Late Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation near Daohugou Village, Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, China. The presence of syndetocheilic stomata indicates that the leaf belongs to Bennettitales. The various types of insect feeding damage on a single lamina suggest that the interactions between Bennettitales and insects were more complex than previously thought.