Diverse early dwarf mistletoes (), ecological keystones of the Eocene Baltic amber biota.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

Extant dwarf mistletoes ( M. Bieb., Viscaceae) are hemiparasites with complex roles in nature. They are one of the most severe pests in northern hemisphere conifer forests, but they also enhance the structural complexity and species diversity of the forests. Here, we describe the first pre-Miocene macrofossils of dwarf mistletoes. The fossils from Eocene Baltic amber provide new insights into the morphological evolution of the lineage and its paleobiogeography.

METHODS

The amber inclusions were investigated with light microscopy and compared with extant Viscaceae and to historic descriptions of lost Baltic amber fossils with affinities to Viscaceae.

KEY RESULTS

Six fossil species of the lineage, comb. nov., comb. nov., sp. nov., sp. nov., comb. nov. and sp. nov., occurred in source forests of Baltic amber, representing the oldest macrofossil evidence of dwarf mistletoes. They share morphological features of their bracts, internodes, fruits, and stomata with extant . Differences from extant dwarf mistletoes, such as the perianth merosity, the nonfusion of squamate bracts and presence of oblanceolate expanded leaves, indicate their affiliation to an ancient lineage of the genus.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of six species of dwarf mistletoes in a single amber deposit suggests was a keystone taxon of the Baltic amber source area. As in extant conifer forests, they probably influenced the structural complexity of the forest, not only leading to more open woodlands but also increasing species diversity, at least at a microhabitat scale.