Description of a new species,Globotruncana pseudoconica and remarks on its relation to Globotruncana conicaWhite and Globotruncana falsostuartiSigal

A new, strongly spiroconvex Globotruncana species,Globotruncana pseudoconica nov. sp., is described from the Maastrichtian of Tunisia. It is distinguished from Globotruncana conicaWhite in morphology and phylogeny. Some Maastrichtian, strongly spiroconvex specimens referred to as Globotruncana conicaWhite, are shown to be identical to Globotruncana pseudoconica nov. sp. The new species reveals close affinity with Globotruncana falsostuartiSigal from which it has evolved during the middle Lower Maastrichtian.     

Revised radiolarian zonation of the Upper Cretaceous Izumi inter-arc basin (SW Japan)

The radiolarian zonation of the Izumi Group is revised for an integrated biostratigraphy across the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary, together with the ammonite occurrence, fission track and magnetostratigraphic calibration of the acidic tuff key beds. The significance of direct correlation in the same sections, between macro- and micro-fossils (i.e. between relatively near-shore nektonic and turbiditic planktonic-fauna) is discussed in relation to the litho- and bio-facies of the Izumi group. Late Cretaceous paleoceanographic changes inferred from the studied radiolarian fauna represent a regional marker event for the chronostratigraphic correlation of continental shelf to turbidite deep-sea sequences, which accumulated on a mid latitudinal margin facing towards the NW paleo-Pacific. The proposed Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary is at the limit between Pachydiscus awajiensis and Nostoceras hetonaiense ammonite zones. This boundary corresponds to the radiolarian last occurrence of Amphipyndax pseudoconulus (= A. enesseffi), Archaeodictyomitra sliteri, Dictyomitra formosa, D. koslovae and Rhopalosyringium magnificum at the top of the Myllocercion acineton Assemblage Zone (uppermost Campanian), and the first occurrence of Clathrocyclas gravis and Dorcadospyris sp. A, at the base of the Maastrichtian C. gravis Assemblage Zone. The new data settle partly a chronostratigraphic discrepancy between radiolarian and ammonite zonations in the Izumi Group, which was pointed out previously by Ishida et al. (2010).     

Planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments at the Santonian-Campanian boundary of Northern Tunisia

The Santonian-Campanian boundary in Northern Tunisia has been studied in Oued el Khannga section, based on biostratigraphic and paleoecological analysis. The detailed biostratigraphic analysis allows us to define the stratigraphic distribution of diverse planktonic foraminifera and to establish a continuous biozonation. Sixty-six planktonic foraminiferal species belonging to 13 genera have been identified and two Tethyan planktonic foraminiferal zones have been organized, indicating the upper Santonian - lower Campanian age. These zones are: Dicarinella asymetrica (Total Range Zone) and Globotruncanita elevata/Globotruncana arca (Concurrent range zone). A major turn over event was recorded in this interval including the extinction of several species characterized by complex morphotypes with a double keel such as the genera of Dicarinella, Marginotruncana. In fact, the extinction of the index species D. asymetrica is the most important event which defines the Santonian-Campanian boundary. Many representative species of the genera Globotruncanita and Globotruncana occurred, for the first time, in the uppermost of the Santonian and thrived close to the Santonian-Campanian boundary. In addition some surviving species with a simple morphotype, which are considered like opportunistic taxa, crossed the boundary. This various responses of planktonic foraminifera and the fluctuation in diversity and in the number of species may be related to an increase in temperature and a deep outer shelf upper bathyal environment deposit.     

Biostratigraphy and stage boundaries of the upper Cretaceous–early Paleogene successions in southern Galala area,North-Eastern Desert,Egypt

The foraminiferal contents of three surface sections [Gebel Tarboul, Wadi Tarfa (WT) and Bir Dakhl (BD) sections] in southern Galala area, North-Eastern Desert, Egypt, have been studied in detail and used in biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy of the upper Cretaceous–Paleogene successions. Sixty-nine planktonic foraminiferal species belonging to 23 genera have yielded 17 biozones. They are given in ascending order: Globotruncana aegyptiaca Interval Zone (IZ), Gansserina gansseri IZ, Contusotruncana contusa–Racemiguembelina fructicosa IZ, Abathomphalus mayaroensis IZ, P1c, P2, P3, P3a, P3b, P4, P4a, P4b, P4c, P5, E1, E2, E3, E4 and E5. Moreover, local and widespread regional hiatus was detected in the pelagic to hemipelagic sequence during Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary in southern Galala Sub-basin. This hiatus corresponds to the Early Maastrichtian–Early Eocene in Gebel Tarboul, the interval between Late Maastrichtian–Early Paleocene throughout WT sequences and Late Maastrichtian–Late Paleocene in BD section.     

Biostratigraphie,paléoécologie et zones d’acmé des foraminifères planctoniques au passage Crétacé-Paléogène dans la Téthys (Tunisie et Espagne) et l’Atlantique (France)

Biostratigraphical high-resolution analyses and quantitative data confirm that deposition is continuous across the K-Pg transition in several sections in Tunisia (El Kef, stratotype section) and Spain (Agost and Caravaca sections) located in the Tethyan realm and the Bidart sections in the Atlantic realm, without any relevant hiatus. The Upper Maastrichtian assemblages of planktic foraminifera from these sections are largely dominated by small biserial heterohelicids. They are associated to common species having planispiral test (i.e. globigerinelloids), trochospiral test (i.e. hedbergellids, rugoglobigerinids globotruncanids), to rare triserial heterohelicids (i.e. guembelitriids) and trochospiral species showing tubulospines (i.e. schackoinids). Stratigraphical ranges of these diverse taxa through the late Maastrichtian in the Tethyan and Atlantic realms show very few changes in the planktonic foraminiferal assemblages and most of the species are present in the Abathomphalus mayaroensis biozone. By our high-resolution sampling and the intensive research for the A. mayaroensis index species in the uppermost Maastrichtian samples, we confirm that this species is omnipresent up to the top of the Maastrichtian. Therefore, A. mayaroensis is present in almost all samples which are late Maastrichtian in age, but this species became very scarce in the uppermost Maastrichtian samples. This scarceness could be due to a climate cooling. A sharp decrease in relative abundance of the deep dwellers species, like as Abathomphalus intermedius and A. mayaroensis as well as in other keeled globotruncanids is observed at the studied sections from the Tethyan realm (indicative of low latitude) across the latest Maastrichtian. At the K/Pg boundary, all the globotruncanids disappeared. They are considered specialists living in tropical-subtropical deep seawater habitat. At this boundary, large and ornate heterohelicids also disappeared. Therefore, all the studied sections show that about 90 % of the Maastrichtian species became extinct according to a catastrophic mass extinction pattern. Only about 10 % crossed the K/Pg boundary and survived during the earliest Danian. The minor difference in the number of disappeared taxa is related to their latitude location or environment paleodepth. The changes in the species relative abundance, observed in the successive planktic foraminiferal assemblages, make it possible to recognize the Acme-stage 0 typical of the upper Maastrichtian interval. It is characterized by the highest species richness of Globotruncanids and heterohelicids specialists of tropical to subtropical marine conditions, the Acme-stage 1 typical of the Guembelitria cretacea Zone, and in particular of the Hedbergella holmdelensis Subzone dominated by “opportunists” species belonging to Guembelitria, the Acme-stage 2 which corresponds to the Pv. eugubina Zone dominated mainly by specimens belonging to Palaeoglobigerina and Parvularugoglobigerina and the Acme-stage 3 which characterizes mainly the Ps. pseudobulloides Zone dominated by biserial species belonging to Chiloguembelina and Woodringina.     

Conodont biostratigraphy of the Early Triassic in eastern Slovenia

The Early Triassic is a critical interval for the study of recovery from the terminal Permian mass extinction, as there are small-scale extinction events, which may have contributed to the delayed recovery. The systematic measuring and sampling of a 12-m-thick section at the Mokrice locality in eastern Slovenia has resulted in the recovery of a conodont fauna from the Olenekian beds. Four conodont zones have been recognized. These zones are in ascending order as follows: the Hadrodontina aequabilis Zone, Platyvillosus corniger Zone, Platyvillosus regularis Zone, and Triassospathodus hungaricus Zone. These conodont zones confirm the proposed conodont biozonation sequence in western Slovenia and have correlation value especially for the western marginal Tethys. Multielement conodont apparatuses of Triassospathodus hungaricus and Platyvillosus regularis have been reconstructed based on conodont elements that were recently obtained from the Slovenian sections. Although the S₂element was not found, the apparatus indicates that the conodont species “Spathognathodus” hungaricus should be assigned to the genus Triassospathodus.     

西藏晚白垩世晚Campanian期至早Maastrichtian期菊石群——中国最年轻的菊石群

记述产自西藏南部仲巴县的一个中国目前所知最年轻的菊石群 ,含 2科 4属 6种 ,其中 4新种。据菊石群面貌和它们所产出的层位可以划分出上、下两个组合带 :上部Pachydiscuscf.hidakaensis Libycoceraszhongbaense组合带 ;下部Manambolitescujiangdingensis M .pivaeteaui组合带。产菊石的曲贝亚组的下段和上段的中、下部(82F5 0及其以下层位 )为晚Campanian期 ,上段上部 (即 82F5 2及其以上层位 )为早Maastrichtian期。     

Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) bivalves from the Hameimat Massifs,north of Tebessa,Algeria: Systematics,biostratigraphy, palaeoecological and taphonomical remarks

In the eastern Saharan Atlas, particularly in the northern area of Tebessa Province (NE Algeria), the widely outcropping Cenomanian strata display a highly diversified macrofauna, among which bivalves are prominently represented. Twenty-eight bivalve species are here reported for the first time from the Cenomanian of Hameimat Massifs. Based on the stratigraphic distribution of these bivalves, five bivalve zones were recognized, i.e., Costagyra olisiponensis - Gyrostrea delettrei, Rhynchostreon suborbiculatum - Exogyra conica, Ceratostreon flabellatum, Ilymatogyra africana, and Pycnodonte vesicularis vesiculosa - Rastellum carinatum zones. Correlation to the ammonite biozones of the same region as follows: the Costagyra olisiponensis - Gyrostrea delettrei and the Rhynchostreon suborbiculatum - Exogyra conica zones occur respectively in the Sharpeiceras schlueteri and Mantelliceras saxbii subzones of the lower Cenomanian Mantelliceras mantelli Zone. The Ceratostreon flabellatum Zone is correlated with the middle Cenomanian Acanthoceras rhotomagense Zone. The Ilymatogyra africana Zone is correlated with the upper Cenomanian Calycoceras naviculare and the Metoicoceras geslinianum zones. Finally, the Pycnodonte vesicularis vesiculosa - Rastellum carinatum Zone represents the uppermost Cenomanian. Detailed analysis of biometrical and morphological features of these bivalve specimens provides the most reliable tool within the scope of palaeo-environmental reconstitution and the many palaeo-ecological variables that had driven the development and distribution of these macro-invertebrates. Comparison of these new data to those of adjacent south Tethyian areas supports the homogeneity of the Cenomanian bivalve faunas. Such an affinity underlines more vividly the favorable marine communications and currents driving the geographic dispersal of these bivalves during the Cenomanian.     

Rudist decline in the Maastrichtian Cardenas Formation (East-central Mexico)

Five sections of the Cardenas and Tabaco formations in east-central Mexico have been analyzed by means of bio-, Sr-isotope, and sequence stratigraphy, in order to evaluate their age as well as the timing of rudist decline.Ammonites [Pachydiscus (Pachydiscus) neubergicus (Hauer), Sphenodiscus pleurisepta (Conrad), Coahuilites sheltoni Böse] indicate an early Maastrichtian age for the topmost lower member of the Cardenas Formation and planktic foraminifera [e.g., Globotruncanita stuarti (de Lapparent), Archaeoglobigerina cretacea (d’Orbigny), Globotruncanella petaloidea (Gandolfi), Gansserina gansseri (Bolli), Globotruncana linneiana (d’Orbigny)] a late early Maastrichtian age for the middle member corresponding to the foraminiferal zones CF5 and CF6. Sr-isotope stratigraphic data yield an early late Maastrichtian age (66.93 Ma < 67.98 Ma < 68.96 Ma) for the last rudist assemblage in the topmost upper member of the Cardenas Formation, coinciding with the foraminiferal zone CF4.17 small-scale and 3 large-scale depositional cycles have been identified, which correspond to para- and depositional sequences. The progradational pattern of the large-scale cycles indicates an overall regression trend, which terminated in subaerial exposure of the area, indicated by paleosoils in the red beds of the Tabaco Formation. The correlation of the large-scale cycles with the global sea level charts indicate that eustatic sea level fall caused the regression and led to the exposure during the middle late Maastrichtian. This subaerial exposure resulted in the loss of habitat and thus the disappearance of rudists in east-central Mexico.     

Paleocene coccoliths and coccospheres in deposits of the Maastrichtian stage at the `type locality' and type area in SE Limburg,The Netherlands

Three so-called `Tertiary Newcomer Coccoliths'—Cruciplacolithus primus, Neobiscutum parvulum and Neobiscutum romeinii—were found in what are generally believed to be upper Maastrichtian deposits at the ENCI quarry, St. Pietersberg near Maastricht, the CURFS quarry near Houthem and from the Maastrichtian part of the K/T boundary section of the cave system at Geulhemmerberg near Valkenburg, southeastern Limburg, The Netherlands. The mentioned species appear already far below The Berg en Terblijt Horizon at the CURFS quarry and Geulhemmerberg, which is actually supposed to mark the K/T boundary, at the ENCI quarry they range throughout the Maastricht Formation above the Horizon of Lichtenberg. The specimens are well preserved and originate from undisturbed sediment layers, thus it seems that they were not transported into the Maastrichtian sediments by water circulation or burrowing effects. The state of preservation and the presence of intact coccospheres indicate that they are autochthonous. C. primus, N. romeinii and N. parvulum are extremely small in size (800 nm to 2.0 μm), implying that a scanning electron microscope (SEM) must be set at least to 3 K magnification in order to detect them. With a light microscope (LM) at 1 K they cannot be classified, which is probably the reason why previous investigators who studied the same sections based on LM did not mention these species from the upper Maastrichtian. They furthermore appear in very low numbers contributing to around 1% of an associated calcareous nannoflora which is equivalent to the assemblage of the CC26 Nephrolithus frequens Zone of Cepek and Hay (1969). The biostratigraphic setting of the ENCI quarry, CURFS quarry and Geulhemmerberg have been the subject of a long and controversial discussion whether the exposed sediments still belong to the upper Maastrichtian or represent the lower Tertiary. Reworking of macrofossils and microfossils or autochthony of index fossils had been discussed and used to support the different opinions about the chronostratigraphy of these sections. Up to now there has not been any contribution which might lead to convincing data. If C. primus, N. romeinii, and N. parvulum are indeed `Tertiary Newcomer Coccoliths', the sediments exposed above the Horizon of Lichtenberg at the ENCI quarry, and the sediments below The Berg en Terblijt Horizon studied at CURFS quarry and Geulhemmerberg do belong to the NP 1 Biantholithus sparsus Zone, which means they are of Early Paleocene age. However, if these coccoliths already originate in the late Maastrichtian, the definition of the K/T boundary by calcareous nannoflora must be revised.     

New latest Coniacian to middle Campanian foraminiferal data from the lower Zongshan Formation in the Chaqiela section,Gamba, southern Tibet

A first and detailed foraminiferal biostratigraphic work on the lower part of the Zongshan Formation (Limestone I and Calcareous Marl I sequence) in the Chaqiela section, Gamba, southern Tibet, allows the recognition of three latest Coniacian to middle Campanian planktic foraminiferal biozones: Dicarinella asymetrica Total Range Zone, Globotruncanita elevata Partial-Range Zone, and Contusotruncana plummerae Interval Zone. The base and top of the Santonian Stage in the Chaqiela section were placed at the lowest occurrence (LO) of Globotruncana linneiana and the highest occurrence (HO) of Dicarinella asymetrica, respectively. The deposition of the latest Coniacian to middle Campanian sediments of the lower Zongshan Formation in the Chaqiela section seems to have been continuous or at least without any major gap based on the planktic foraminiferal biozones and events.     

Le Silurien et le Dévonien basal dans le Nord de la province de Seville (Espagne)

In the studied area, on the southern slope(«Ossa-Morena Zone) of the Sierra Morena (Spain) the Silurian and earliest Devonian (Lochkovian = approximately Gedinnian) consist of about 130 m of black, argillaceous, largely euxinic graptolitic slates, which, by the intermezzo of the dark «Limestones with Orthoceras and Scyphocrinus (late Ludlow and Pridolian), are divided into two inequal units, namely the Lower and Upper Graptolitic Slates. The occurence of 21 Graptolite zones and horizons was established, starting off with the basal Llandovery (A. acuminatus zone) and ending up with the Upper Lochkovian (M. hercynicas zone). This condensed tripartite graptolitic sequence, both lithologically and faunally, compares closely with the typical development of the Palaeotethys, as known from Thuringia, Carnic Alps, Sardinia and Northwest Africa. Certain graptolite species and details of the graptolitic succession (for instance across the Wenlock-Ludlow junction) that were hitherto known only or essentially from Thuringia, are recognized also in southern Spain.     

Une faune de Mollusques bivalves duNamurien des Pyrénées centrales francaises

New outcrops of Carboniferous sediments in the Zone axiale of the Central French Pyrénées yielded florae and faunae of Namurian age. Among this lot of fossils, the Molluscs Bivalvia are worth particular attention. They were collected from detritical layers, located near the Ardengost Limestone; the various lithological characteristics of these layers are briefly described. The palaeontological study allows to record 13 species; among them, 11 were previously mentioned from the Namurian but it is underlined here that the determination of species remains difficult. The clear predominance of the epifauna and the fineness of the sediments agree to suggest quiet environments. At last, this fauna corroborates the great rise, during the Upper Carboniferous, of the class Pteriomorpha amongst the Bivalvia.     

Global radiolarian zonation for the Pliensbachian, Toarcian and Aalenian

Jurassic radiolarians from 220 samples in Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C., Williston Lake, B.C., east-central Oregon, Baja California Sur, southern Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Turkey, Oman, Japan and Argentina were studied in order to construct global zonation for the Pliensbachian, Toarcian and Aalenian stages. Well-preserved faunas from continuous stratigraphic sections in Queen Charlotte Islands provide the most detailed record for this time interval, and all collections are tied to North American ammonite zones or assemblages. Collections from nearly all other areas lack independent dating except for early Toarcian carbon-isotope dating in Slovenia and late Aalenian ammonites in Spain.A database of 197 widely distributed updated taxonomic species was used to construct a Unitary Association (UA) zonation for the interval. A global sequence of 41 UAs was obtained for the top of the Sinemurian to the base of the Bajocian. The first and the last UAs represent the Late Sinemurian and the Early Bajocian respectively. The remaining 39 UAs were merged into nine zones (four Early Pliensbachian, one Late Pliensbachian, one Early Toarcian, one Middle-Late Toarcian, and two Aalenian) according to prominent radiolarian faunal breaks and ammonite data. The new zones are the Canutus tipperi - Katroma clara Zone (latest Sinemurian/earliest Pliensbachian); Zartus mostleri - Pseudoristola megaglobosa, Hsuum mulleri - Trillus elkhornensis and Gigi fustis - Lantus sixi zones (Early Pliensbachian); Eucyrtidiellum nagaiae - Praeparvicingula tlellensis Zone (Late Pliensbachian); Napora relica - Eucyrtidiellum disparile Zone (Early Toarcian); Elodium pessagnoi - Hexasaturnalis hexagonus Zone (Middle and Late Toarcian); Higumastra transversa - Napora nipponica Zone (early Aalenian); and Mirifusus proavus - Transhsuum hisuikyoense Zone (late Aalenian). These zones can be correlated worldwide and link previously established UA zonations for the Hettangian-Sinemurian and the Middle to Upper Jurassic. The new zonation allows high-resolution dating in the studied interval and provides a solid basis for analyzing faunal turnovers and the paleobiogeography of Jurassic radiolarians.     

西藏定日县贡扎上白垩统浮游有孔虫与桑顿阶/坎潘阶界线的厘定

白垩纪是大洋缺氧及生物灭绝等重大地质事件频发的一个时期,也是全球气候变暖的重要时期。因此,白垩纪研究对于探讨地质历史时期地球的系统演化,尤其是生物与环境之间的协同演化关系,具有十分重要的意义。西藏定日贡扎剖面保存着上白垩统较为完整的地层序列,文中对上白垩统岗巴村口组和宗山组剖面岩石样品中获得的有孔虫化石进行研究,鉴定出有孔虫化石8属22种,识别出Dicarinella asymetrica、Globotruncanita elevata、Globotruncana ventricosa、Radotruncana calcarata等4个有孔虫化石带。根据有孔虫化石确定贡扎剖面的地层时代为晚白垩世桑顿期(Santonian)至坎潘期(Campanian),桑顿阶/坎潘阶界线位于Dicarinella asymetrica带与Globotruncanita elevata带之间。     

A new kogaionid multituberculate mammal from the Maastrichtian of the Transylvanian Basin,Romania

The Latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) terrestrial sedimentary sequences of the Haţeg Basin in Transylvania are well known for the so-called “Haţeg Island” vertebrate faunas, which evolved in endemic (insular?) conditions. In addition to frogs, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, birds and dinosaurs, peculiar multituberculate mammals have been recorded, all belonging to the family Kogaionidae. Here, a new species of the genus Barbatodon is reported from the Maastrichtian Şard Formation in the Transylvanian Basin (Alba County, Romania). Barbatodon oardaensis n. sp. is characterized by M1 cusp formula 3:4:2 and is much smaller than the two other Maastrichtian kogaionids from Transylvania, Barbatodon transylvanicus and Kogaionon ungureanui. The origin and paleobiogeography of kogaionids are discussed.     

Late Campanian to late Maastrichtian bryozoans encrusting on belemnite rostra from the Aktolagay Plateau in western Kazakhstan

Twenty species belonging to fifteen genera of cyclostome and cheilostome bryozoans encrusting belemnite rostra are described from the late Campanian to Maastrichtian of the Aktolagay Plateau, in western Kazakhstan. Due to the moderate to poor preservation of the material, only four cheilostome species are identified down to the species level: Wilbertopora? besoktiensis (Voigt, 1967), ‘Aechmellina’ stenostoma Voigt, 1930, and two new species, ‘Aechmellina’ viskovae and Cheethamia aktolagayensis. All remaining species are left in open nomenclature. Type material of Wilbertopora? besoktiensis from the early Maastrichtian of the Mangyshlak Peninsula in Kazakhstan, has been re-examined. Palaeobiogeographical and implications are discussed. Cheilostomes slightly dominated over cyclostomes in the Aktolagay Plateau fauna encrusting on belemnites in terms of diversity. The dominant colony forms observed were spots and sheets.     

Cenomanian Cephalopods of Bellezma-Aures mountains,NE Algeria: Taxonomy and biostratigraphy

The Cenomanian Smail Marl Formation in the Bellezma and Aures mountains of northeastern Algeria is well exposed and rich in macroinvertebrates, including cephalopods. Twenty-five ammonite species and two nautiloid species from the Thénièt El Manchar, Djebel Metrassi and Djebel Bouarif sections are described and seven assemblage zones proposed as provisional working units: Mantelliceras mantelli–Sharpeiceras laticlavium Assemblage Zone (lower Cenomanian), Mantelliceras dixoni Assemblage Zone (uppermost lower Cenomanian), Cunningtoniceras inerme Assemblage Zone (lower middle Cenomanian), Acanthoceras rhotomagense and Acanthoceras cf. rhotomagense Assemblage Zone (middle middle Cenomanian), Acanthoceras amphibolum Assemblage Zone (upper middle Cenomanian), Acanthoceras jukesbrownei Assemblage Zone (uppermost middle Cenomanian), and Neolobites vibrayeanus Assemblage Zone (lower upper Cenomanian). The lower Cenomanian Mantelliceras mantelli–Sharpeiceras laticlavium Zone is subdivided into the Submantelliceras aumalense, Sharpeiceras schlueteri and Mantelliceras saxbii subzones. The base of the middle Cenomanian is marked by the disappearance of species of Mantelliceras and the appearance of the scleractinian coral Aspidiscus cristatus (Lamarck, 1801), associated with Cunningtoniceras inerme (Pervinquière, 1907). The middle Cenomanian contains abundant A. cristatus and species of Acanthoceras, i.e., A. cf. rhotomagense (Defrance in Brongniart, 1822), A. jukesbrownei (Spath, 1926) and A. amphibolum Morrow, 1935. An ammonite zonal scheme is then applied to the Cenomanian exposed in the Bellezma-Aures mountains located on the southern Tethys margin in Algeria.     

The heteromorph ammonite genus Ammonitoceras Dumas, 1876 (Ancyloceratidae) in the lower Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Les Ferres Aptian Basin (southeastern France)

Ammonitoceras Dumas, 1876 is a genus of heteromorph ammonites characterized by the presence of a peculiar ontogenetic stage in its inner whorls: the Ammonitoceras stage. But in spite of its wide paleogeographic and biostratigraphic extension throughout the Aptian (Lower Cretaceous), this genus remains poorly known. In the present work we study specimens of Ammonitoceras from the lower Aptian Deshayesites multicostatus (Deshayesites deshayesi Zone) to Dufrenoyia furcata (Dufrenoyia furcata Zone) subzones of the Les Ferres Aptian Basin (southeastern France). The results are as follows: (1) representatives of Ammonitoceras from this area are regarded dimorphic with criocone macroconchs and ancylocone microconchs, (2) their ontogenetic sequence is described, (3) their intraspecific variability is significant and concerns the adult size and the duration of the ontogenetic stages, especially the Ammonitoceras stage, (4) two species are recognized: the earlier Ammonitoceras ucetiae Dumas, 1876, characterized by a brief Ammonitoceras stage on average, and the latter Ammonitoceras lahuseni (Sinzow, 1906), characterized by a longer Ammonitoceras stage on average. The sample of the Deshayesites grandis Subzone (Deshayesites deshayesi Zone) is composed of specimens too fragmentary to be identified at species level.     

Cuvillierinella salentina (Foraminifera,Rhapydioninidae) and its kinship in the Western Mediterranean area during the Campanian–Maastrichtian

Cuvillierinella salentina Papetti and Tedeschi, 1965 and its related species of the Rhapydioninidae family are widely distributed in the Western Mediterranean region by Campanian–Maastrichtian time. C. salentina, the type species of the genus, is studied in rich populations from its Italian type locality, and several other spots from Greece and Spain. It shows great variability: the well-known type coexists with streptospiral tests almost devoid of endoskeleton and wholly planispiral tests with fine mesh-like endoskeleton, as well as many intermediates. Such populations reflect the large capacity of evolution of at least the group of miliolids from which these populations are derived, if not the species itself. The genera Murciella and Cyclopseudedomia are probably the most direct offshoots, but other taxa appear to arise from this species or at least from the same stock of origin. In the same genus and at the same time (middle part of Campanian age, “CsB6a” zone), two new species are described, both hesitating between the streptospiral and planispiral coiling: – C. fluctuans nov. sp., from Greece, A tests being either streptospiral or planispiral, with primary and secondary chamberlets taking the aspect of polygonal isodiametric network and – C. perisalentina nov. sp., from Italy, with persistent streptospiral coiling and disordered arrangement of secondary chamberlets which allow us to consider its relation with species of the genus Pseudochubbina, hitherto of completely enigmatic origin. Assigned to the same genus, from Upper Campanian–Lower Maastrichtian time (“CsB6b” zone), C. aff. pylosensis, probably related to C. pylosensis, is studied from several populations, and constitutes, with the above mentioned species, what is called C. gr. salentina. Based on material from the CsB6b zone, the new genus Metacuvillierinella nov. gen. is introduced; M. decastroi nov. sp., type species of the new genus, known from Greece and Italy, shows characters common to C. gr. salentina, such as milioline to streptospiral nepionic coiling, large endoskeleton mesh, associated with some original characters, such as the unusual conjunction of the advolute coiling and absence of any final unrolling together with very low dimorphism of generation; this results in flat tests, often sigmoid shaped in axial section, very rare in the family. Thus, the genus Cuvillierinella, and especially C. salentina, appears as a possible source, or at least not far from the origin, of a number of taxa related to one another, constituting a large part of the Rhapydioninidae family. They are gathered together inside the new subfamily Cuvillierinellinae, distinct from the subfamily Rhapydionininae sensu stricto (comprising Rhapydionina and Fanrhapydionina) which makes a different and parallel branch, from Upper Campanian (CsB6b zone) to the end of Cretaceous time (CsB7 zone).