Identification of two new species of Meliolinites associated with Lauraceae leaves from the middle Miocene of Fujian, China.

Several studies have investigated both the paleoclimate and the well-preserved fossil remains from the middle Miocene found in China's Fujian Province. This study describes two new species of Meliolinites, including their fungal hyphae, reproductive structures, and spores. The distribution of modern Meliolaceae indicates that they live in warm, humid, subtropical to tropical climates. Moreover, the fossil leaves and the epiphyllous fungal remains, indicate the prevalence of a warm, humid, subtropical to tropical climate in this area during the middle Miocene. In addition, it was observed that the surrounding cells of the fungi found on the uninfected host leaves were normal, whereas the infected host leaves themselves were abnormally dim. These features are a reflection of self-protection, and it can, therefore, be inferred that the host leaves were alive when they were infected. The present study used fossil angiosperm leaves with cuticles obtained from the Fotan sediments from Fujian to investigate not only the taxonomy of the fossils but also to interpret the paleoclimate and paleoecology.