Buried, not erased: palynofloras in ultra-high-pressure metamorphic rocks
Fossils are rare in metamorphic rocks due to recrystallization and deformation, especially under high-pressure metamorphic conditions. Here, we report the discovery of exceptionally preserved Paleozoic palynofloras in ten graphite-rich samples collected from the Dora-Maira Massif (Western Alps), which underwent blueschist-facies to ultra-high-pressure (UHP) metamorphism (~ 28 kbar, 520 °C). These findings challenge the assumption that fossils cannot survive such conditions, offering a new biostratigraphic tool for reconstructing the geological and tectonic history of metamorphic basement in collisional orogens worldwide.
Authors
- Davide Dana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3296-2365)
- Amalia Spina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1284-2574)
- Rodolfo Carosi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6561-7090)
- Chiara Montomoli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0364-5395)
- Alberto Corno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1041-6758)
- Salvatore Iaccarino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9844-6005)
- Francesco De Cesari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5654-4560)
Institutions
- University of Perugia (IT)
- University of Turin (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2025-10-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-23551-5
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.87
Funders
- Università degli Studi di Perugia