First occurrence of bryophytes in the São Paulo Basin, Cenozoic

Abstract

This is the first report on fossil bryophytes, in fact of the first find of well-preserved fossils of the group in Brazil. Isotachis simonesii, a new species of hepatica is proposed based on carbonized gametophytes from the type area of the Itaquaquecetuba Formation (Cenozoic, São Paulo Basin). The climatic habit of Isotachis, as well as of leaf form previously assigned to that stratigraphic unit, suggest a humid paleoenvironment, probably tropical (rain) forest.