Eathiestrobus
Eathiestrobus mackenziei is a fossil conifer cone found in the Kimmeridge Clay Formation near Eathie, on the Black Isle in Scotland. It is the oldest fossil currently known in the family Pinaceae.Etymology
The genus name Eathiestrobus refers to the place it was found, Eathie, in Scotland, and strobus, which means cone. The species name mackenziei honours Mr. W. Mackenzie, who collected the specimen and donated it to the Hunterian Museum in 1896.Description
The holotype of Eathiestrobus mackenziei consists of an incomplete, 8 cm long seed cone. It is held in the Hunterian [Museum and Art Gallery] in Glasgow, and was originally identified as Pityostrobus, but later re-examined and reclassified as a new genus and species in 2012.Significance
Eathiestrobus extends the fossil record for the family Pinaceae by around 20 million years. The oldest fossil Pinaceae previously known were from the Early Cretaceous. Eathiestrobus is also important because it clarifies the characteristics of the seed cones of Pinaceae, making it easier to identify members of the family in the fossil record.