Coconut, Fossil
Description
A single Cocos zeylandica. A small, dark brown, slightly flattened, walnut sized fossil coconut - basically round in shape. Three small depressions at one end are quite squashed (due to pressure from surrounding sediment). Came from Coopers Beach. Dated Early Miocene (24-16 million years). See research notes for further information.
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Object detail
Classification
Credit line
One
of
the
best
indicators
of
how
warm
climate
conditions
became
in
the
early
Miocene
can
be
seen
in
the
presence
of
coconut
palms
in
the
New
Zealand
fossil
record.
A
coconut
palm
(Cocos
zeylandica),
a
small
extinct
species
found
only
in
New
Zealand,
is
known
from
its
fruits
(or
coconuts)
and
represents
a
unique
miniature
variety.
The
coconuts
measure
no
more
than
4cm
in
longest
dimension
and
are
about
the
size
of
a
walnut.
Although
all
specimens
originally
would
have
been
ovoid
in
shape,
they
have
become
squashed
to
varying
degrees
through
the
pressures
of
the
surrounding
sediment.
However,
they
are
easily
identifiable
as
coconuts
in
spite
of
their
small
and
flattened
shape,
as
they
retain
3
round
depressions
at
one
end
that
correspond
to
the
3
'eyes'
present
in
all
modern
coconuts.
Specimens of C. zeylandica are found on Cooper's Beach, Mangonui (Doubtless Bay), Northland, where they have been washed out of carbonaceous sandstone.
Specimens of C. zeylandica are found on Cooper's Beach, Mangonui (Doubtless Bay), Northland, where they have been washed out of carbonaceous sandstone.
Accession number
A96.374
Collection type
Material
Public comments
Found unusual coconut today on cooper's Beach. Size and shape of a nutmeg but with the three eyes in one end. Very different to all the others I have found. 22/10/22
- Steve posted 4 months ago.
Found one today on coopersbeach.7/922. About fifty five mm stunning condition still fairly oval
- Steve posted 6 months ago.
Found 2 of these on 12/3/22 middle of coopers beach after high tides
- John hobdey posted one year ago.
Found 7 of these little beauties over the last week Feb 2022 after the cyclone in varying shapes. The last time I found any was eight years ago.
- Dot posted one year ago.
I really think these are from a more recent past. I found some Feb 2022 after a cyclone event. Perhaps what is more interesting is the huge amount of carbonized wood that also was washed up. There is a shallow reef just out from the beach. Maybe this was an exposed island and these exotic palms established themselves from another location Chile for example. I would love to see the science behind this, I just cannot see how these could have survived millions of years.
- Chris Rust posted one year ago.