DOI: 10.5061/dryad.g9r36
title: Data from: X-rays and virtual taphonomy resolve the first Cissus (Vitaceae) macrofossils from Africa as early diverging members of the genus

description: PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Fossilized seeds similar to Cissus (Vitaceae) have
 been recognized from the Miocene of Kenya, though some were previously
 assigned to the Menispermaceae. We undertook a comparative survey of
 extant African Cissus seeds to identify the fossils and consider their
 implications for the evolution and biogeography of Cissus and for African
 early Miocene paleoenvironments. METHODS: Micro-computed tomography (µCT)
 and synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) were used to
 study seed morphology and anatomy. Virtual taphonomy, using SRXTM data
 sets, produced digital fossils to elucidate seed taphonomy. Phylogenetic
 relationships within Cissus were reconstructed using existing and newly
 produced DNA sequences for African species. Paleobiology and paleoecology
 were inferred from African nearest living relatives. KEY RESULTS: The
 fossils were assigned to four new Cissus species, related to four modern
 clades. The fossil plants were interpreted as climbers inhabiting a mosaic
 of riverine woodland and forest to more open habitats. Virtual taphonomy
 explained how complex mineral infill processes concealed key seed
 features, causing the previous taxonomic misidentification. Newly sampled
 African species, with seeds most similar to the fossils, belong to four
 clades within core Cissus, two of which are early diverging. CONCLUSIONS:
 Virtual taphonomy, combined with X-ray imaging, has enabled recognition of
 the first fossil Cissus and Vitaceae from Africa. Early-divergent members
 of the core Cissus clade were present in Africa by at least the early
 Miocene, with an African origin suggested for the Cissus sciaphila clade.
 The fossils provide supporting evidence for mosaic paleoenvironments
 inhabited by early Miocene hominoids.
description: Cissus barbeyana SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 barbeyana De Wild. & T.Durand (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 16406)Cibar521Liso16406 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus bosseri SRXTM DTS
 videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 bosseri Desc. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 3140)Cibos530Phill3140 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus dasyantha SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 dasyantha Gilg & M.Brandt (BR Herbarium sheet collector no.
 13410)Cidas516Loui13410 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus dinklagei SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through the lowermost part of a herbarium
 fruit of Cissus dinklagei Gilg & M.Brandt (K Herbarium sheet collector
 no. 5207)Cidin520Leeu5207 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus integrifolia 1
 SRXTM DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 integrifolia (Baker) Planch. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 8517,
 a)Ciint534Tayl8517 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus integrifolia 2
 SRXTM DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 integrifolia (Baker) Planch. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 8517,
 b)Ciint535Tayl8517 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus lebrunii SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 lebrunii Dewit (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 1592)Cileb523Nkon1592 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus oreophila SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 oreophila Gilg & M.Brandt (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 693)Ciore525Harl693 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus petiolata SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 petiolata Hook.f. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 492)Cipet519Kefr492 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus pileata SRXTM DTS
 videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 pileata Desc. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 18981)Cipil531Humb18981 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus planchoniana
 SRXTM DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 planchoniana Gilg (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 606)Cipla526Roby606 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus polyantha 1 SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 polyantha Gilg & M.Brandt (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 5208)Cipol537Deig5208 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus polyantha 2 SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 polyantha Gilg & M.Brandt (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 1643)Cipol538Saca1643 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus populnea SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 populnea Guill. & Perr. (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 350)Cipop528Olde350 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus rondoensis SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 rondoensis Verdc. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 523)Ciron529Bidg1553 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus sciaphila SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 sciaphila Gilg (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 101)Cisci545Adam101 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus smithiana SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 smithiana (Baker) Planch. (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 416)Cismi522Huls416 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus tiliifolia SRXTM
 DTS videoVideo of digital SRXTM
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 tiliifolia Planch. (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 240)Citil524Eilu240 SRXTM
 DTS.mpgCissus dinklagei µCT DTS
 videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 dinklagei Gilg & M.Brandt (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 5207)Cidin520Ieeu5207 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus integrifolia 1
 µCT DTS videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 integrifolia (Baker) Planch. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 8517,
 a)Ciint534Tayl8517 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus integrifolia 2
 µCT DTS videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 integrifolia (Baker) Planch. (K Herbarium sheet collector no. 8517,
 b)Ciint535Tayl8517 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus populnea µCT DTS
 videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a herbarium fruit of Cissus
 populnea Guill. & Perr. (K Herbarium sheet collector no.
 350)Cipop528Olde350 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus crenulata µCT DTS
 videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a fossilized seed (the holotype)
 of Cissus crenulata Adams, Collinson, S.Y. Smith & Bamford comb. nov.
 (NHMUK specimen V33753)V33753 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus andrewsii µCT DTS
 videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a fossilized seed (the holotype)
 of Cissus andrewsii Adams, Collinson, S.Y. Smith & Bamford sp. nov.
 (NHMUK specimen V68501)V68501 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus rusingensis
 (holotype) µCT DTS videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a fossilized seed (the holotype)
 of Cissus rusingensis Adams, Collinson, S.Y. Smith & Bamford sp. nov.
 (KNM specimen R117.1981.314)R117.1981.314 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus rusingensis
 (paratype) µCT DTS videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a fossilized seed (a paratype) of
 Cissus rusingensis Adams, Collinson, S.Y. Smith & Bamford sp. nov.
 (KNM specimen R117.1981.476)R117.1981.476 µCT
 DTS.mpgCissus psilata µCT DTS
 videoVideo of digital µCT
 tomograms in transverse section through a fossilized seed (the holotype)
 of Cissus psilata Adams, Collinson, S.Y. Smith & Bamford sp. nov.
 (NHMUK specimen V68506)V68506 µCT
 DTS.mpg