NAME Magnosporites staplinii
AGE Late Cretaceous-Middle Eocene.   AGE span: 88.6...40.4 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Fungi Imperfecti, Amerosporae?.
FIGURE(S)
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Pl.34fig.14.jpg
FIGURE REFERENCE Rouse GE. 1962. Plant microfossils from the Burrard Formation of western British Columbia; Micropaleontology, v. 8, p. 187-218.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY M. staplinii Rouse 1962, p. 210, pl. 5, fig. 23.
LOCATION Burrard Formation, Terminal Dock, the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* As in the generic diagnosis. The wall appears somewhat roughened in the two specimens figured; this is apparently the result of either preservation or maceration, as there is no regularity or continuity to the roughness.
COMMENTS* This is a nondescript spore-like body, for which no clue as to botanical affiliation can be offered. The same species was found by Rouse (MS., 1956) in the clays of the Onakawana lignite beds of northern Ontario. These structures are apparently associated with fresh-water plants, as they are found only in fresh-water deposits. Whether they are spores, sporangia, or remains of one-celled organisms is entirely open to question. The species is named in honor of Dr. Frank L. Staplin, of the Imperial Oil Co. Ltd., Calgary, Alberta.
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Rouse GE. 1962. Plant microfossils from the Burrard Formation of western British Columbia; Micropaleontology, v. 8, p. 187-218.
K&J REMARKS The fungal affinity of these forms is questionable. Hills & Gopal 1967 (p. 1182) listed Magnosporites as a junior synonym of Azolla primaeva (Penhallow) Arnold 1955, without further discussion; this synonymy was accepted by Batten & Kovach 1990 (p. 84). Thus, the present consensus appears to be that Magnosporites may be the poorly preserved remains of an Azolla-type megaspore, but has no fungal affinity.

Rare specimens may show a very reduced trilete mark; spores with similar appearance can be produced by stripping away the outer diagnostic portion of Azolla megaspores (fide L.V. Hills; pers. comm.).
TYPE
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Magnosporites staplinii
SERIAL NUMBER 899
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.