Research Grants
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Early Cretaceous Monkey-puzzle seed cones (Araucariaceae) from Northwestern Gondwana
Project summary:
The extant distribution of Araucariaceae is mainly restricted to the southern hemisphere, yet its fossil record indicates a nearly global presence during the Mesozoic. This project investigates Early Cretaceous seed cones from the La Paja Formation (Barremian–Aptian, 120–112 Ma) of northwestern Gondwana (Colombia). This rare low-latitude fossil assemblage has the potential to provide further insights into the family's evolutionary and biogeographic history. This research will utilize X-ray micro-computed tomography to generate detailed three-dimensional internal reconstructions.
First Name:
Highest degree:
Msc. Biology
Year obtained:
2024
Applicant Status:
Current student
United States
Gymnosperms, Fossils
Relevant publications (minimum 1, maximum 4):
Palma-Castro, H. D., Benavides-Cabra, C. D., and Herrera, F. (2025). A new conifer record from the late Aptian of La Paja Formation from Veléz, Santander (Colombia). Acta Palaeobotanica, 65(2), 131–145. https://doi.org/10.35535/acpa-2025-0005
Palma-Castro, H. D., Carvalho, M. R., Mason-Gamer, R. J., Bomfleur, B., and Herrera, F. (2026). A century of paradox: Re-investigating paradoxopterid ferns with new material from the Early Cretaceous of Northwestern Gondwana. International Journal of Plant Sciences (in press). https://doi.org/10.1086/740565
Palma-Castro, H. D. (2024). Palaeodiversity of the fossil flora from the La Paja Formation, Lower Cretaceous of Colombia. Thesis Master in Sciences – Biology. Bogotá, Colombia: Universidad Nacional de Colombia. https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/handle/unal/85645
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Applicant Details
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Previous publications
Budget: $
2000
University of Illinois Chicago
Affiliation:
Grant Assessment
email:
Last Name:
Hector
Palma