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Palynology
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Cretaceous (Albian–?early Santonian) palynology and

stratigraphy of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole, northern
Western Desert, Egypt
ab a a
Amr S. Deaf , Ian C. Harding & John E. A. Marshall
a
School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS),
University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
b
Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt
Accepted author version posted online: 08 Aug 2013.Published online: 01 Apr 2014.

To cite this article: Amr S. Deaf, Ian C. Harding & John E. A. Marshall (2014) Cretaceous (Albian–?early Santonian)
palynology and stratigraphy of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole, northern Western Desert, Egypt, Palynology, 38:1, 51-77, DOI:
10.1080/01916122.2013.828662

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01916122.2013.828662

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 Palynology, 2014
Vol. 38, No. 1, 51–77, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01916122.2013.828662

Cretaceous (Albian–?early Santonian) palynology and stratigraphy of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole,
northern Western Desert, Egypt
Amr S. Deafa,b*, Ian C. Hardinga and John E. A. Marshalla
a
School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS), University of Southampton, European
Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK; bGeology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt
A palynological analysis has been conducted on the Cretaceous sediments of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole, in the
northern Western Desert, Egypt. The palynomorphs recovered have been analysed both qualitatively and quantita-
tively, and permit a refinement of the original stratigraphy with the identification of four time-rock units. These have
been divided into four informal sporomorph units and one dinoflagellate cyst palynozone. These biozones are, from
oldest to youngest: the Afropollis jardinus-Tricolporopollenites-Elaterosporites klaszii Assemblage Zone (early–mid
Albian), the Elaterosporites verrucatus-Sofrepites legouxae-Cretacaeiporites Assemblage Zone (late Albian–early
Cenomanian), the Sofrepites legouxae Partial Range Zone (early–?mid Cenomanian), the Proteacidites cf. africaensis
Total Range Zone (mid–late Cenomanian) and the Canningia senonica Total Range Zone (early?
Downloaded by [Dr Amr S. Deaf] at 08:38 24 July 2014

Santonian). A barren interzone has been identified immediately below the youngest palynozone, and this may be
related to the unfavourable lithology (i.e., limestone and dolostone). The absolute abundances of spores and pollen
represent the first quantitative description of an Egyptian Albian–Cenomanian palynofloral, a flora that is character-
istic of the Albian–Cenomanian Elaterate Phytogeographical Province. The early Santonian palynoflora is
exclusively marine phytoplankton; terrestrial palynomorphs representative of the Senonian Palmae Province are
completely absent. The quantitative and semi-quantitative distributions of Afropollis jardinus are compared with
similar semi-quantitative distributions of this species from other wells in the northern Western Desert of Egypt, and
this permitted the identification of a mid Albian–early Cenomanian Afropollis jardinus ‘acme’ as an important local
biostratigraphical event in the mid Cretaceous.
Keywords: Cretaceous; zonation; biostratigraphy; northern Western Desert; Egypt

1. Introduction The upper Cretaceous is generally composed of pre-

Egypt is currently located in the subtropical arid zone
and thus all its exposed sediments and sedimentary
rocks have been subjected to extensive and deep weath-
ering and are therefore palynologically barren. Most of
the palynological research conducted on Egyptian
Cretaceous successions has been based on deep borehole
samples taken from exploratory boreholes (e.g.,
Abdelmalik et al. 1981; Penny 1986; Omran et al. 1990;
Schrank & Ibrahim 1995; Mahmoud & Deaf 2007; El
Soughier et al. 2010), which were drilled during hydro-
carbon exploration activity in the northern part of the
Egyptian Western Desert.
The middle Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian)
mixed clastic-carbonate rocks represented by the Khar-
ita, Bahariya and lower Abu Roash formations of the
northern basinal area of Egypt were mainly deposited
in shallow marine (brackish to coastal) to inner neritic
open marine conditions (Hantar 1990; Kerdany &
Cherif 1990). These conditions were unfavourable for
the proliferation of planktonic foraminifera and calcar-
eous nannofossils and, thus, no independent age con-
trol is available, at least for the Kharita succession.
Campanian (Turonian–Santonian) middle to upper
shelf deposits (upper Abu Roash and Khoman ‘B’
formations), and of deeper upper to middle slope
deposits (Khoman ‘A’ Formation) for the Campanian–
Maastrichtian interval, which is mainly represented by
thick carbonate successions (Hantar 1990; Kerdany &
Cherif 1990). Most of the independently calibrated pal-
ynological research has been produced as unpublished
internal reports by oil exploration companies. Thus the
planktonic foraminifera-calibrated palynological work
of Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) and Abdel-Kireem et al.
(1996) on upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Maastrich-
tian) samples from the Kahraman-1 and Abu
Gharadig-1 boreholes in the northern Western Desert
of Egypt is one of the few attempts to provide micropa-
laeontologically-calibrated palynological data. Our
attempts to provide an independent calibration using
calcareous nannofossils has proved unsuccessful. Smear
slides made from 10 samples of the carbonate succes-
sion of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole produced rare speci-
mens which were considered of no biostratigraphical
significance.

*Corresponding author. Email: amr.daif@science.au.edu.eg; asdeaf75@yahoo.com

Ó 2014 AASP – The Palynological Society

 52 A.S. Deaf et al.
Thus in most Egyptian palynological work, palynos-
tratigraphers have correlated different palynomorph
assemblages with similar ones from other palaeogeo-
graphically-related areas in order to date Egyptian Cre-
taceous successions. As a result several informal, yet
sometimes concept-incompatible (i.e., acme versus total
range), palynological zonal schemes (e.g., El-Shamma
1991; Aboul Ela & Mahrous 1992) have been proposed
for different parts of the Cretaceous of Egypt. The infor-
mal zones proposed by Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) repre-
sent the most complete palynological zonal scheme for
the Egyptian middle–upper Cretaceous sedimentary suc-
cession. Our zonal scheme uses index taxa that have
been recorded in the same phytogeographical province
and have micropalaeontologically-calibrated age ranges.
By using the same definitions as Schrank & Ibrahim
(1995), an attempt has been made to develop a unified
zonal scheme for the middle–upper Cretaceous of the
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northern Western Desert.
The goals of this project were to: (i) integrate lithos-
tratigraphical and biostratigraphical schemes for the
Abu Tunis 1x borehole; (ii) propose an informal
unified palynozonal scheme for the middle–upper Cre-
taceous of the northern Western Desert; (iii) correlate
Figure 1. Simplified structural geological map of Egypt showing the location of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole (modified from
Kerdany & Cherif 1990).
biostratigraphical results with those from other palaeo-
geographically-related areas, such as the African
and South American phytogeographical provinces for
sporomorphs, and the Tethyan Realm for dinoflagel-
late cysts; (iv) provide the first quantitative description
of the Egyptian Albian–Cenomanian palynoflora, and
(v) complete a taxonomic study of all of the recorded
taxa, especially of the stratigraphically-significant
forms.
2. Geological setting and lithostratigraphical history
The north Western Desert of Egypt is a vast area repre-
senting the western part of a tectonically active struc-
tural province referred to as ‘the unstable shelf’ by
Said (1962; Figure 1). Tectonism has played a major
role in the development and closure of several small
rift basins in this area. The oldest of these basins was
developed in the late Palaeozoic, probably during the
Late Permian, but most of these basins developed
around the earliest Cretaceous (Guiraud 1998;
Guiraud et al. 2001), with late Santonian folding caus-
ing inversion in most of the basins (Guiraud 1998).
The Western Desert is characterised by a northward-
 Palynology
dipping plain comprising Eocene and Miocene carbo-
nates, overlain by Pliocene and Quaternary sediments
along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast and the Nile
Delta areas (Hantar 1990).
Deposition of the uppermost lower Cretaceous
sediments occurred during a regressive phase, and flu-
vial processes deposited the Albian Kharita Forma-
tion, which dominates a large part of the Western
Desert (Said 1990). In contrast, the upper Cretaceous
sediments indicate a major transgressive phase. During
the late Cenomanian, regional subsidence related to
Neotethyan rifting took place across the northern
African margin, and a marine transgression covered
the entire northern African plate. As a result, transi-
tional fluvial to shallow marine deposits of the Bahar-
iya Formation accumulated in the Western Desert.
During the Turonian, marine conditions generally per-
sisted across most of the Western Desert, where a thick
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carbonate succession of the the Abu Roash Formation
was deposited in the extreme northern Western Desert
(Said 1990), where the Abu Tunis 1x borehole is
located. However, the late Turonian Laramide tectonic
event caused uplift and basin inversion in some of the
basins in the northern Western Desert (Said 1990), and
probably affected at least the central part of the
Matruh Basin in which the Abu Tunis 1x borehole is
located. However, by Coniacian times most of the
northern Western Desert became inundated by another
marine transgression, during which carbonates of the
Khoman ‘B’ Formation were deposited (Said 1990). By
the late Santonian, right lateral movement between
Africa and Laurasia resulted in northwest-directed
compressive forces across the northeastern margin of
the African plate (Meshref 1990; Guiraud et al. 2001).
These compressive forces in turn resulted in a series of
N-W folds (i.e., the Syrian Arc System) associated with
thrust faults across the northern Western Desert
(Meshref 1990; Guiraud et al. 2001). As a result,
another regression occurred during the Santonian.
Continuing deposition of the lower Khoman ‘B’ For-
mation in the extreme north gave way southward to
marine clastic sedimentation across the Western
Desert. During the Campanian–Maastrichtian, exten-
sion and subsidence dominated the northern
Eastern African margin (Guiraud & Bosworth 1999;
Guiraud et al. 2001), and most of the Western Desert
was again covered by deep marine waters, resulting in
deposition of a thick sequence of chalky limestone
known as the Khoman ‘A’ Formation (Said 1990).
3. Material and methods
Seventy-seven ditch cutting samples were collected
from between 2225–1067 m (7300 and 3500 ft) in the
Abu Tunis 1x borehole. The borehole was drilled in the
Faghur area, at the centre of the Matruh Basin, east of
53
the Faghur-Maamura High and north of the Umbarka
Subbasin: Lat. 31
160 0800 N, and Long. 26
500 4100 E
by Western Desert Operating Petroleum Company
(WEPCO) (1968). A summary of the samples with
depths and total recovery of palynomorphs is provided
in Appendix 1.
Palynological processing involved acid digestion
using 36% hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 60% hydro-
fluoric acid (HF) (e.g., Phipps & Playford 1984; Green
2001). One tablet of a known quantity (12,542 grains/
tablet with V  3.3%) of modern Lycopodium spores
(made by the Department of Quaternary Geology,
Lund University, batch no. 124961) was added, for
absolute abundance analysis, to each sample after the
first HF decanting. Samples were boiled in 15 ml of
36% HCl for 1–2 minutes after being washed and
sieved through a 15 mm mesh to remove neo-formed
fluorides. Two permanent microscope slides were pre-
pared using Elvacite 2044 as a mounting medium.
Slides, residues and samples are stored in the Geologi-
cal Museum, Geology Department, Faculty of Science,
Assiut University, Egypt.
Processed samples yielded well-preserved and
diverse assemblages of miospore-dominated palyno-
morphs and less frequent occurrences of lower-diver-
sity dinoflagellate cysts. Qualitative analysis was
carried out using an Olympus (BX41) transmitted-light
microscope (serial no. 8B25715) equipped with an
Infinity-1 digital camera for imaging. An alphabetical
list of the palynomorphs recorded in the Abu Tunis 1x
borehole is shown in Appendix 2. Quantitative analysis
(grains/gram) was determined by applying in the for-
mula (1) of Stockmarr (1971) as follows:
S c  Lt  t
c¼ ð1Þ
Lc  w
where
c ¼ concentration ¼ total number of specimens/
gram of dried sediment
Sc ¼ number of specimens counted
Lt ¼ number of Lycopodium spores/tablet
t ¼ number of tablets added to the sample
Lc ¼ number of Lycopodium spores counted
w ¼ weight of dried sediment (g)
The first 250 grains were chosen for count as they pro-
vide a total maximum error of 7% in grain concentra-
tion according to the curve of Stockmarr (1971). To
detect any rare species, a further scan of the rest of
each mounted sample residue was also made.
4. Palynostratigraphy
4.1. Introductions
A review of Egyptian palynological literature has
shown that some of the previously proposed age
 54 A.S. Deaf et al.
assignments have been misinterpreted because they
refer to species ranges, which have no independent age
control, or to sedimentary sequences of doubtful ages
or to processing cuttings with their inevitable cavings.
Therefore, dating of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole
was accomplished using independently-calibrated
age ranges of index taxa compiled from the literature
(Figure 2), in addition to correlation with accurately-
dated contemporaneous regional and interregional
palynomorph assemblages. Correlation with inter-
continental palynofloral assemblages was made in
the context of the Albian–Cenomanian Elaterates
Phytogeographical Province of Herngreen et al. (1996).
In terms of the dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy,
it is important to note that many of the independently-
calibrated events in the Albian of the European Tethys
(Davey & Verdier 1973; Habib & Drugg 1983; Erba
et al. 1999; Torricelli 2006) cannot be recognised in the
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southern Tethyan region (e.g., Libya and Egypt), pos-
sibly due to environmental exclusion.
Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) argued for early-late Cre-
taceous (Turonian–Coniacian) diachroneity of the bio-
stratigraphical units in terms of their concept and
characteristics in northeast Africa and West Africa.
This was based on these authors extending the range of
Droseridites senonicus into the late Turonian of Egypt
based on independent foraminifera-based dating. Whilst
the biostratigraphical units are defined differently (i.e.,
acme zone versus total range), the species stratigraphical
ranges are not at variance. This late Turonian lower
limit of Droseridites senonicus has also been recorded in
the foraminifera-dated late Turonian of northeast
Nigeria (Lawal & Moullade 1986). The interregional
correlation of biostratigraphical ranges and/or succes-
sive events of selected index angiosperm (e.g., Cretacaei-
porites) and gymnosperm (e.g., Droseridites senonicus)
pollen between the foraminifera-dated Cenomanian–
Coniacian sedimentary sequence of North and West
Africa (Senegal and Ivory Coast: Jardin
e & Magloire
1965; Egypt: Schrank & Ibrahim 1995; Ibrahim 1996)
shows a close match between these two regions
(Figure 3). It does not support the proposed strati-
graphical diachroneity. A greater similarity between
the palynofloral assemblage compositions and strati-
graphical ranges could be proposed in the light of
African plate movement during the Cretaceous. This
tectonic plate was moving anticlockwise towards
Laurasia, as a result of the opening of the southern
Atlantic Ocean, bringing formerly tropical regions into
a more subtropical position by the late Cretaceous
(Figure 4).
Despite the fact that Morocco is confined to the
Albian–Cenomanian Elaterate Phytogeographic Prov-
ince, some differences in the palynofloral assemblages
have been noted. In the Agadir-Essaouira Basin and
in the southwestern Tarfaya Basin, the Albian–Ceno-
manian palynoflora exhibits Albian–Cenomanian Ela-
terate Province characteristics, but contains some
temperate pollen grains, for example Alisporites, Podo-
carpidites, Vitreisporites and Cerebropollenites (Bettar
& M
eon 2001, 2006) which are characteristic of the
Cerebropollenites Province of Herngreen et al. (1996).
Therefore, the micropalaeontologically-dated palyno-
logical work carried out in West Africa (Jardin
e &
Magloire, 1965: Senegal and the Ivory Coast; Bolten-
hagen 1980: Gabon; Lawal & Moullade 1986: Nigeria)
which shows pure Albian–Cenomanian Elaterate Prov-
ince characteristics will be employed here for assigning
dates in the mid and late Cretaceous interval. The local,
partly foraminiferally controlled post-Cenomanian
palynological work of Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) will
also be followed.
The spore and pollen ranges have been used for
biostratigraphical purposes, with dinoflagellate cysts
providing additional supporting evidence. Dinoflagel-
late cyst taxa have been found to be facies-controlled
in the ‘middle’ Cretaceous sediments (Thusu et al.
1988), and additionally they are extremely diluted by
an abundance of microforaminiferal test linings in the
upper Cretaceous carbonate sediments. However, the
dinoflagellate cysts are the only biostratigraphical tools
that can be used to date the upper part of the carbonate
succession. Biozonation and age assessment of the
samples studied was based on the vertical quantitative
distributions by highest occurrence (HO) of all taxa
recovered (Figure 5). Lowest occurrences (LO) of
index sporomorphs were used to define biostratigraphi-
cal units where possible, but HOs were used when suit-
able LOs were lacking. The numbers given in
parentheses after the names of the taxa refer to the
position of these species in the quantitative range chart
(Figure 5).
4.2. Palynological zonation (PZ) and age assessments
PZ1: Afropollis jardinus-Tricolporopollenites-
Elaterosporites klaszii Assemblage Zone (early–mid
Albian)
Samples: This zone includes samples 1 to 28, and spans
a depth from 2225–1814 m (7300 to 5950 ft).
Definition: From the LO of Afropollis jardinus (36) to
immediately below the LO of Sofrepites legouxae (26)
and Elaterosporites verrucatus (27).
Associated taxa: Verrucosisporites obscurilaesuratus (8),
Galeacornea causea (31), Ephedripites irregularis (33),
Rousea delicipollis (44), Triporites sp. (46), Retimonocol-
pites textus (49), Stellatopollis densiornatus (62), Afropol-
lis aff. jardinus (66), Tetracolpites sp. (67), Senegalinium
aenigmaticum (85), Trichodinium castanea (87), Coroni-
fera oceanica (97), Oligosphaeridium albertense (105),
 Palynology 55
Downloaded by [Dr Amr S. Deaf] at 08:38 24 July 2014

Figure 2. Compilation of the biostratigraphical range of most of the important Cretaceous marker species in different phytogeo-
graphical provinces of North and West Africa and north South America and the Tethyan Realm. Sources for African ranges:
Doyle et al. 1982 (1); Hochuli 1981 (4, 11, 12); Hochuli & Kelts 1980 (1); Jan du Ch^ene et al. 1978 (22, 25); Jardin
e 1967 (4, 5, 6,
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14); Jardin
e & Magloire 1965 (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 26); Lawal & Moullade 1986 (6, 7, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26); Schrank & Ibrahim 1995 (2, 4, 6, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 20); Tea-Yassi et al. 1999 (18, 22, 23, 24);
Thusu & Van Der Eem 1985 (13). Sources for NS American ranges: Brenner 1968 (4, 6, 12); Herngreen 1973 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14); Herngreen 1975 (10); Herngreen & Due~ naz Jimenez 1990 (12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21); Muller 1966 (1, 4, 5, 12);
Regali & Viana 1989 (2, 6); Regali et al. 1974 (1, 3, 5, 26). Sources for Tethyan ranges: Clark & Verdier 1967 (28, 30, 31); Jan du
Ch
ene et al. 1978 (33); Roncaglia & Corradini 1997 (34); Schrank & Ibrahim 1995 (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34);
Torricelli & Amore 2003 (30, 31, 32, 34).
 56 A.S. Deaf et al.
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Figure 3. Cretaceous palynological biozonation correlation in North and West Africa and Northern South America (modified
after Schrank 1992) and the palynological zonation proposed in the present study.
Oligosphaeridium complex (106), Oligosphaeridium
poculum (107), Pseudoceratium anaphrissum (111),
Pseudoceratium securigerum (112).
Remarks: The microflora of this interval is character-
ised by the first appearance of Afropollis and elaterate
pollen grains (Figure 5; Plate 1). Tricolporate (e.g.,
Tricolporopollenites) and triporate (e.g., Triporites)
angiosperm pollen also first appeared in this interval
(Figure 5; Plate 2), whilst the tricolpate pollen (e.g.,
Tricolpites) present in the Aptian sediments of this
borehole are still present (Deaf 2009). Pteridophyte
spores and gymnosperm pollen grains dominate the
microfloral assemblage. Few of the angiosperm pollen
taxa which are present in the late Barremian are found
in this interval (Deaf 2009). The phytoplankton assem-
blage is more abundant than in the underlying interval,
rising from a maximum 1170 and average 105 cysts/
gram to a maximum 1750 and average 130 cysts/gram,
but with decreasing species diversity (from 25 species
in the underlying interval to 12 species).
Discussion concerning age assessment: WEPCO (1968)
did not determine an age for the samples encompassed
by this palynozone, instead marking the succession
with a ‘no information’ label. The present study defines
an early Albian age for the base of this zone using the
LO of Afropollis jardinus (Figure 5), which occurs
immediately above the HO of the two marker Aptian
forms Afropollis operculatus and Afropollis zonatus
(Figure 6). The extinction of these two species was
used by both Doyle et al. (1982) and Schrank & Ibra-
him (1995) to document the Aptian/Albian boundary
in West Africa and Egypt respectively. Afropollis jardi-
nus is widely accepted as entering the stratigraphical
record in the early Albian in the Elaterates Phytogeo-
graphical Province (Figure 2). In West Africa, it has
been recorded from foraminifera-dated rocks of early
Albian age in Senegal (as S. CI. 156 Incertae sedis) by
Jardin
e & Magloire (1965), and in Gabon-Congo-Sen-
egal by Doyle et al. (1982). In northern South America,
this taxon has been recorded from foraminifera-dated
sediments of early Albian age: in Brazil (Herngreen
1973, 1975; Regali et al. 1974; Regali & Viana 1989),
Peru (Brenner 1968), and in Colombia from sediments
dated by ammonites as being of late Albian–early
Cenomanian age (Herngreen & Jimenez 1990). Finally,
from the western North Atlantic DSDP Site 418A,
Afropollis jardinus was also recorded (as Reticulatas-
porites jardinus Type 3) from foraminifera-dated rocks
of late Albian–early Cenomanian age (Hochuli & Kelts
1980).
The early–mid Albian boundary can be distin-
guished within this zone by the LO of Elaterosporites
klaszii, which is widely accepted to document the base
of the mid Albian in the Elaterates Phytogeographical
Province (Figure 2). This taxon has been recorded in
Senegal and the Ivory Coast from foraminifera-dated
rocks of mid Albian–mid Cenomanian age (Jardin
e &
Magloire 1965; Jardin
e 1967). Foraminifera-dated
 Palynology 57
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Figure 4. Palaeogeographical maps showing the position of North Egypt during Albian (a) and Turonian (b) times (after
Lawver et al. 2004).

sediments from Brazil and Columbia have also indi-
cated this taxon to be of mid Albian–mid Cenomanian
age (M€ uller 1966; Herngreen 1973; Herngreen & Jime-
nez 1990), and it has also been recorded in the Albian–
Cenomanian of Peru (Brenner 1968). In northern Italy,
Elaterosporites klaszii has also been documented from
foraminifera-dated late Albian rocks by Hochuli (1981).
Although the index gymnosperm pollen Galeacor-
nea causea has been recorded from foraminifera-dated
early Cenomanian age material in Senegal (e.g.,
Jardin
e 1967), palynologically-dated studies have
extended its range into the late Albian in Gabon and
northeast Nigeria (Doukaga 1980; Lawal & Moullade
1986). Galeacornea causea was also recovered from
rocks dated by foraminifera and ammonites as being
of mid Albian–mid Cenomanian age in Brazil and
Colombia (M€ uller 1966; Herngreen 1973; Herngreen &
Jimenez 1990). Thus, samples 27 and 28 in Abu Tunis
1x are likely to be of mid Albian age.
Gnetaceaepollenites cf. clathratus occurs in the
uppermost samples of this zone, and was identified in
Senegal by Stover (1963) from sediments of supposed
Cenomanian–Turonian age, and was later recorded
from the late Albian–mid Cenomanian of northeast
Nigeria (Lawal & Moullade 1986).
The occurrence of the gymnospermous tetrad
Droseridites senonicus (Plate 2) in samples 20 and
25 (19 and 23 grains/gram respectively) is problematic
because this species has only been recorded from rocks
of post-mid Albian age. For example, it is known from
 58
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Figure 5. Quantitative (grains/gram) distribution chart by highest appearance of the palynomorphs recovered from the Abu
Tunis 1x borehole.
foraminifera-controlled Coniacian–Santonian sequen-
ces in northeast Nigeria and the Angola Basin
(Morgan 1978; Lawal & Moullade 1986), and in Egypt
from rocks also dated by foraminifera as of late
Turonian–early Santonian age (Schrank & Ibrahim
1995). The older occurrences of this taxon in Abu
Tunis 1x may be due to caving.
A.S. Deaf et al.
Based on the data above, an early to mid Albian
age is justified for this interval. Taken together, the
early–mid Albian age and dominantly sandstone
lithology of samples 1 to 28 suggests that these
samples represent the lower Kharita Formation
(Figure 6), a clastic Albian–Cenomanian unit com-
posed of fine- to coarse-grained sandstones with
 Palynology
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Figure 5. Continued
subordinate shale and carbonate interbeds in the
north Western Desert (Hantar 1990; Kerdany &
Cherif 1990).
Correlation: This zone resembles Sequence X and XI
(early–mid Albian) identified by Jardin
e & Magloire
(1965) in the Senegal Basin, and corresponds exactly to
Zone I (early–mid Albian) of Herngreen (1973) in the
Maranh~ ao Basin, Brazil. There are similar zones
defined in the northern Western Desert of Egypt: Zone
I of Sultan & Aly (1986), in the WD-9-15-1 well and
Zones II–III of Schrank & Ibrahim (1995), in the
Kahraman-1 well. Zone 2 (mid Albian) of Ibrahim
(1996), in the Ghazalat-1 well, corresponds to the
59
upper part of the current zone. In contrast, the Albian
Zone PSII of Mahmoud & Moawad (2002) in the
Sanhur-1X well possibly corresponds only to the
lower part of the current zone (i.e., early Albian),
because it lacks the mid Albian index form Elaterospor-
ites klaszii.
PZ2: Elaterosporites verrucatus-Sofrepites legouxae-
Cretacaeiporites Assemblage Zone (late Albian–early
Cenomanian)
Samples: This zone includes samples 29 to 39, which
cover a depth from 1798–1539 m (5900 to 5050 ft).
 60 A.S. Deaf et al.
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Figure 5. Continued
Definition: From the LO of Sofrepites legouxae (26)
and Elaterosporites verrucatus (27) to the HO of Sofre-
pites legouxae (immediately above the HO of Elatero-
sporites verrucatus).
Associated taxa: Classopollis classoides (19), Ephedri-
pites spp. (20), Araucariacites australis (24), Afropollis
jardinus (36), Tetraporopollenites sp. (39), Rousea deli-
cipollis (44), Tricolpites vulgaris (48), Retimonocolpites
textus (49), Rousea brenneri (50), Tricolpites parvus
(51), Triporopollenites spp. (53), Tricolpites micromunus
(54), Dichastopollenites ghazalatensis (55), Tricolpites
cf. crassimurus (56), Tricolpites sagax (58),
Retimonocolpites ghazalii (59), Stephanocolpites sp.
(60), Stellatopollis barghoornii (61), Stellatopollis den-
siornatus (62), Striatopollis cf. trochuensis (63) Tricho-
dinium castanea (87), Xiphophoridium alatum (95),
Cribroperidinium edwardsii (108).
Remarks: The microfloral assemblage of this interval is
characterised by elaterate pollen grains and a notice-
able increase in abundance of tricolpate angiosperm
pollen. The genus Afropollis also shows a significant
increase from a maximum 1500 (average 400) grains/
gram in the underlying interval to a maximum of 5375
(average 3400) grains/gram. This increase is
 Palynology
accompanied by a decrease in diversity of spore spe-
cies, which are mainly represented by Deltoidospora
and Cicatricosisporites. The abundance of phytoplank-
ton continues to decrease (maximum 244, average 100
cysts/gram) throughout the interval, but with a similar
low diversity (14 species) to the underlying interval.
Discussion concerning age assessment: Sofrepites
legouxae is an index taxon in this interval (Figure 5;
Plate 1), which was found to range from the late Albian
to early Cenomanian in foraminifera-dated rocks of
Senegal by Jardin
e & Magloire (1965), Jardin
e (1967),
and in Brazil by Herngreen (1973) and Herngreen &
Jimenez (1990). Elaterosporites verrucatus is recorded
in Senegal and the Ivory Coast from foraminifera-
dated mid Albian–early Cenomanian sediments
(Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; Jardin
e 1967: Figure 2).
However, in foraminifera- and ammonite-dated rocks
from Brazil, this taxon was recorded from the latest
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mid to earliest late Albian (Herngreen 1973; Regali
et al. 1974; Herngreen & Jimenez 1990), and a single
occurrence has been reported from the middle part
of the ammonite-dated late Albian of Columbia
(Herngreen & Jimenez 1990). Cretacaeiporites densimu-
rus appears in the lower part of this sample interval,
and was first described by Schrank & Ibrahim (1995)
from foraminifera-dated rocks of early–mid Cenoma-
nian age, and was later recorded by Ibrahim (2002)
from the late Albian–early Cenomanian of Egypt. Sin-
gle specimens of other species of this genus have been
found in the upper part of this interval: Cretacaeipor-
ites polygonalis, which has a late Albian–late Cenoma-
nian range in Senegal (Jardin
e & Magloire 1965), and
Cretacaeiporites mulleri, which ranges from the late
Albian up to the Santonian in Senegal and northeast
Nigeria (Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; Lawal & Moullade
1986). In Brazil, Cretacaeiporites mulleri was recorded as
of late Albian–mid Cenomanian age (Herngreen 1973).
Appearing throughout the upper part of this inter-
val, the range of Elaterocolpites castelainii was used to
document the base of the late Albian and top of the mid
Cenomanian in the Elaterates Province in Senegal
(Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; Jardin
e 1967: Figure 2) and
Brazil (Herngreen 1973; Herngreen & Jimenez 1990).
This taxon was also recorded by Hochuli (1981)
from the foraminifera-dated late Albian of southern
Switzerland. Other late Albian–early Cenomanian ela-
terate taxa present in this zone are Elaterosporites acu-
minatus and Elaterosporites protensus (Figure 6).
Elaterosporites acuminatus was reported from the late
Albian–early Cenomanian of Senegal (Jardin
e 1967),
and occurs in the lower part of this interval. Elaterospor-
ites protensus is found in the same samples and was
recorded from foraminifera-dated rocks of mid Albian
to latest Albian/earliest Cenomanian age in Senegal, the
Ivory Coast (Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; Jardin
e 1967)
61
and Brazil (Herngreen 1973; Herngreen & Jimenez,
1990).
Afropollis kahramanensis was recorded by Schrank
& Ibrahim (1995) and Ibrahim (2002) from the forami-
nifera-dated early–mid Cenomanian of Egypt. The for-
mer authors mentioned that the taxon described as
Pollen PO-304 by Lawal & Moullade (1986) from the
supposed late Albian–mid Cenomanian of northeast
Nigeria was identical to their new species; therefore, the
presence of Afropollis kahramanensis in this
interval does not contradict the proposed late Albian–
Cenomanian age. Foveotricolpites gigantoreticulatus
was recorded from foraminifera-dated rocks of
Turonian–Santonian age in Senegal and northeast
Nigeria (Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; Lawal & Moullade
1986). However, Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) and
Schrank & Mahmoud (1998) documented an older
occurrence of this species in the palynologically-dated
Albian–Cenomanian of Egypt. Thus, the presence of
Foveotricolpites gigantoreticulatus in the middle part of
this interval may not conflict with the proposed
late Albian–early Cenomanian age of the interval.
The rare presence of Triporites spp. in this interval
is in accordance with the late Albian–early Cenomanian,
as rare Triporites spp. were recorded from the early
Cenomanian of Senegal (Jardin
e & Magloire 1965).
The questionable occurrence of Droseridites bacu-
lites in this interval, which was described by Ibrahim
(1996) from the palynologically-dated lower Turonian
of Egypt, may be attributed to caving.
As for the dinoflagellate cysts, Florentinia berran
appears in the lower part of the interval, a taxon that
was recorded from the Albian–early Cenomanian of
the southern Tethyan Realm in Morocco and northeast
Libya (Below 1982, 1984; Uwins & Batten 1988). Flor-
entinia laciniata and Florentinia mantellii first appear in
this interval and are known from ammonite-dated
Aptian–early Cenomanian sequences in the Tethyan
Realm: they continue upward into the overlying
intervals.
Based on the presence of the rare late Albian–early
Cenomanian elaterates and the marker angiosperm
forms mentioned above, a late Albian–early Cenoma-
nian age is postulated for the interval.
Samples from this part of Abu Tunis 1x were recog-
nized by WEPCO (1968) as ‘Cenomanian Clastics’.
However, the dominant sandstone composition of sam-
ples 29–39 when combined with the late Albian–early
Cenomanian age proposed here suggests allocation of
these sediments to the upper Kharita Formation.
Correlation: The palynomorph assemblage recorded in
this zone is identical to that described in Zone II (late
Albian–early Cenomanian) of Herngreen (1973) from
the Maranh~ao Basin, Brazil. Similar late Albian–early
Cenomanian assemblages that share some of the
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62
A.S. Deaf et al.
 Palynology 63

elaterate and angiosperm pollen grains (but not Sofre-
pites legouxae) are those of sequences IX of Jardin
e &
Magloire (1965) in the Senegal Basin, and Subzone Ia
of Lawal & Moullade (1986) in the upper Benue Basin,
northeast Nigeria. The same applies to the assemblage
of intervals 3–4 in the Manndra 1 well and intervals
c–d in the Algerian Oued Melah 1 well of Foucher
et al. (1994). Similar late Albian–early Cenomanian
zones (but also lacking Sofrepites legouxae) have also
been documented from the Egyptian northern Western
Desert, for example, Zone III of Aboul Ela & Mahrous
(1992) in the East Tiba-1 well, Zone IV of Schrank &
Ibrahim (1995), in the Kahraman-1 well, and assem-
blage ‘A’ of Ibrahim (2002), in the Abu Gharadig-5
well. The upper part of Zone II (mid/late Albian–early
Cenomanian) of El-Beialy et al. (2011) in the Gebel
Rissu-1 well is similar to the current palynozone, and
this time S. legouxae was recorded.
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average 120 cysts/gram) but with a consistently low
diversity (10 species), and provides an important
characteristic for dating the interval.
Discussion concerning age assessment: Proteacidites cf.
africaensis, which is widely accepted to document the
base of the mid Cenomanian in the western part of the
Elaterates Province (e.g., Jardin
e & Magloire 1965;
Lawal & Moullade 1986) first appears in the overlying
interval (in Sample 47), and thus delineates the lower
boundary of the mid Cenomanian. Consequently, the
present interval may be of early Cenomanian age.
Florentinia berran, which was found in sediments as
young as the early–mid Cenomanian in Egypt
(Schrank & Ibrahim 1995; Ibrahim 2002), apparently
becomes extinct in the lower part of the overlying inter-
val, thus favoring an early–mid Cenomanian age for
this interval. Interestingly, an exact match of the bio-
stratigraphical events recorded herein: the highest

occurrence of Elaterocolpites castelainii, the occurrence

of Elaterosporites klaszii, Afropollis jardinus, and rare
PZ3: Sofrepites legouxae Partial Range Zone (early– triporate pollen grains, with those recorded in the
?mid Cenomanian) Zone V (early–?mid Cenomanian) of Schrank &
Samples: This zone spans samples 40 to 46 and a depth Ibrahim (1995) also supports an early–?mid Cenoma-
from 1509–1417 m (4950 to 4650 ft). nian age for the current zone.
Definition: From the HO of Sofrepites legouxae (26) to WEPCO (1968) referred to the interval comprising
the LO of Proteacidites cf. africaensis (35). samples 40 to 46 as ‘Cenomanian Clastics’. The
Associated taxa: Deltoidospora spp. (1), Crybelosporites mixed, clastic-carbonate lithology of these samples
pannuceus (2), Cicatricosisporites orbiculatus (4), Bal- and the presumed early–?mid Cenomanian age indi-
meiopsis limbatus (18), Classopollis classoides (19), Ephe- cates this part of the sequence can now be identified
dripites spp. (20), Elaterosporites klaszii (21), as the lower Bahariya Formation (Figure 6), as the
Araucariacites australis (24), Elaterocolpites castelainii lower part of this formation in the north Western
(25), Afropollis jardinus (36), Rousea delicipollis (44), Desert is composed of sandstones with alternating
Cretacaeiporites mullerii (45), Triporites spp. (46), Rou- with shales and frequent limestone horizons. This
sea cf. miculipollis (47), Florentinia mantellii (99), Floren- formation conformably overlies the Kharita
tinia laciniata (103). Formation and underlies the Abu Roash Formation
Remarks: Sporomorphs are represented by pterido- (Norton 1967).
phyte spores, pollen from xerophytic gymnosperms, Correlation: Regional comparisons of Egyptian (early–
two elaterate, and five angiosperm pollen species. The mid Cenomanian) palynozones reveal that Zone V of
phytoplankton assemblage shows a slight increase in Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) in the Kahraman-1 and
abundance over the interval below (maximum 370, Abu Gharadiq-18 wells, Zone 3 of Ibrahim (1996) in
3——————————————————————————————————————
———
Plate 1. The sample and slide number, depth, England Finder coordinates and the position of the taxon on the quantitative
range chart (numbers in parentheses) are indicated for all specimens. The scale bar represents 20 mm. 1–5. The Albian angiosperm
pollen Afropollis jardinus Doyle et al. 1982, 1, slide AT-89A, 5750 ft, Rl 3; 2, slide AT-110A, 4300 ft, L46/3; 3, slide AT-89B, Q22;
4, slide AT-93,5500 ft, N19/3; 5, slide AT-110A, 4300 ft, L46/3, (36). 6–10, 14 - Mid Albian elaterate gymnosperm pollen grains:
6, 8. Elaterosporites verrucatus (Jardin
e & Magloire) Jardin
e 1967, slide AT-88A, 5800 ft, M31/3, slide AT-93A, 5500 ft, J23/3,
(27). 7, 14. Elaterosporites acuminatus (Stover) Jardin
e 1967, slide AT-93A, 5500 ft, G45/4, slide AT-91A, 5600 ft, H32, (28). 9.
Elaterosporites protensus (Stover) Jardin
e 1967, slide AT-90A, 5650 ft, Ul 6, (29). 10. Elaterosporites klaszii (Jardin
e & Magloire)
Jardin
e 1967, slide AT-97A, 4950 ft, G13/4, (21). 13, 15–17 - Late Albian elaterate gymnosperm pollen grains: 13, 15–17. Sofre-
pites legouxae Jardin
e 1967, 13, slide AT-93A, 5500 ft, M32/3; 15, slide AT-86B, 5900 ft, Q30; 16, slide AT-93A, 5500 ft, T23/2;
17, slide AT-95A, 5100 ft, H17/3, (26). 11, 12, 18–22 - Late Albian-Mid Cenomanian pollen grains: 11. Cretacaeiporites mullerii
Herngreen 1973, slide AT-103A, 4650 ft, U25, (45). 12. Cretacaeiporites polygonalis (Jardin
e & Magloire) Herngreen 1973, AT-
94A, 5150 ft, K32/3, (52). 18. Ephedripites irregularis Herngreen 1973, slide AT-77B, 6350 ft, C19/2, (33). 19. Gnetaceaepollenites
cf. clathratus Stover 1964, slide AT-83A, 6050 ft, K44/1, (30). 20. Galeacornea causea Stover 1963, slide AT-84A, 6000 ft, K46,
(31). 21. Afropollis kahramanensis Ibrahim & Schrank 1995, slide AT-88A, 5800 ft, Q38/1, (42). 22. Foveotricolpites gigantoreticu-
latus (Jardin
e & Magloire) Schrank 1987, slide AT-92A, 5550 ft, LI 3/3, (57).
Downloaded by [Dr Amr S. Deaf] at 08:38 24 July 2014

64
A.S. Deaf et al.
 Palynology 65
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Figure 6. The Abu Tunis 1x borehole with lithological column, sample positions, original age dating, key biostratigraphical
events and ages according to the current work.

3——————————————————————————————————————
———
Plate 2. The sample and slide number, depth, England Finder coordinates and the position of the taxon on the quantitative
range chart (numbers in parentheses) are indicated for all specimens. The scale bar represents 20 mm. 1–12, 15–17 - Albian–Ceno-
manian pollen and spores: 1. Tetracolpites sp., slide AT-77B, 6350 ft, G28/2, (67). 2. Tricolpites sagax Norris 1967, slide AT-92A,
5550 ft, G29, (58). 3. Striatopollis cf. trochuensis (Srivastava) Ward 1986, slide AT-86A, 5900 ft, Q42/4, (63). 4. Stephanocolpites
sp., slide AT-91A, 5600 ft, Q23/3, (60). 5. Tricolpites parvus Stanley 1965, slide AT-94A, 5150 ft, M36, (51). 6. Tricolpites cf. cras-
simurus (Groot & Penny) Singh 1971, slide AT-85A, 5950 ft, J20/4, (56). 7. Rousea delicipollis Srivastava 1977, slide AT-71A,
6650 ft, D34/2, (44). 8. Tricolpites micromunus (Groot & Penny) Singh 1971, slide AT-75A, 6450 ft, Q43/3, (54). 9. Triporopollen-
ites sp., slide AT-94A, 5150 ft, S45, (53). 10. Rousea cf. miculipollis Srivastava 1975, slide-AT-97A, 4950 ft, P38/2, (47). 11. Protea-
cidites cf. africaensis (Jardin
e & Magloire) Schrank & Ibrahim 1995, slide AT-85A, 5950 ft, O42, (35). 12. Tricolporopollenites sp.,
slide AT-93B, 5500 ft, W14/3, (43). 15. Droseridites baculites Ibrahim 1996, slide AT-92A, 5550 ft, Q40/4, (71). 16. Droseridites
senonicus Jardin
e & Magloire 1965, slide AT-77B, 6350 ft, P27/4, (72). 17. Crybelosporites pannuceus (Brenner) Srivastava 1977,
5600 ft, slide AT-91A, L44, (2). 13, 14, 18–22, 24 - Cretaceous pollen and spores: 13, 14, 19–22. Retimonocolpites textus (Norris)
Singh 1983, 13 and 14, slide AT-94A, 5150 ft, N28/3; 19 and 20, slide AT-89A, 5750 ft, K40/1; 21, slide AT-94A, 5150 ft, G31/4;
22, slide AT-94A, 5150 ft, G31/4, (49). 18. Dichastopollenites ghazalatemis Ibrahim 1996, slide AT-88B, 5800 ft, X37/2, (55). 24.
Retimonocolpites variplicatus Schrank & Mahmoud 1998, slide AT-90A, 5650 ft, Q30, (41). 23. Botryococcus sp. (freshwater
algae), slide AT-99B, 4850 ft, R42/4, (75). 25. Fungal fruiting body, slide AT-109B, 4350 ft, N34/4, (74).
 66 A.S. Deaf et al.
the Ghazalat-1 well and assemblage ‘B’ of Ibrahim
(2002) in the Abu Gharadiq-5 well can be correlated
with the present zone.
PZ4: Proteacidites cf. africaensis Total Range Zone
(mid–late Cenomanian)
Samples: This zone includes samples 47 to 62 and
covers a depth from 1402–1173 m (4600 to 3850 ft).
Definition: Total range of Proteacidites cf. africaensis
(35).
Associated taxa: Deltoidospora spp. (1), Crybelosporites
pannuceus (2), Alisporites cf. grandis (17), Balmeiopsis
limbatus (18), Ephedripites spp. (20), Elaterosporites
klaszii (21), Retimonocolpites variplicatus (41), Tricol-
poropollenites sp. (43), Senegalinium aenigmaticum
(85), Trichodinium castanea (87), Surculosphaeridium
cf. longifurcatum (88), Xiphophoridium alatum (95),
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Florentinia spp. (94), Florentinia mantellii (99).
Remarks: The assemblage of this interval shows char-
acteristics similar to the underlying interval, but with a
continuing decrease in the abundance and diversity of
spores (maximum 48/average 24 grains/gram, and only
two species), the complete disappearance of gymno-
sperm pollen grains at the end of the interval, and the
occurrence of nine angiosperm pollen taxa. Phyto-
plankton increase in abundance (maximum 3160, aver-
age 140 cysts/gram), but have a very low species
diversity (8 species).
Discussion concerning age assessment: The inception of
Proteacidites cf. africaensis at the base of this interval
is taken here to mark the lower boundary of the mid
Cenomanian interval, as it was recorded in West
Africa, in Senegal and Nigeria (Jardin
e & Magloire
1965; Jardin
e 1967; Lawal & Moullade 1986) and
Brazil (Herngreen 1973), from foraminifera-dated
rocks of mid–late Cenomanian age.
The occurrence of Afropollis jardinus in these sam-
ples requires explanation. The extinction of this species
has been shown to be diachronous across palaeotropi-
cal African regions, occurring either in the early or mid
Cenomanian, a character attributed by Doyle et al.
(1982) to palaeoclimatic influences. In the foraminif-
era-dated Gabon reference section for Afropollis spe-
cies, Doyle et al. (1982) found that the abundance of
Afropollis jardinus declined in the early Cenomanian
Subzones C-XIIb and C-XIIc, and disappeared before
the appearance of Proteacidites africaensis (as Triorites
africaensis) in mid-late Cenomanian age sediments
(Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; Jardin
e 1967). However, in
Senegal Doyle et al. (1982) noted that Afropollis jardi-
nus diminishes in the early mid Cenomanian – later
than in the Gabon section – and disappeared by the
end of the mid Cenomanian, contemporary with the
appearance of Proteacidites africaensis. Doyle et al.
(1982) interpreted this persistence of Afropollis
jardinus through the mid Cenomanian as due to more
favourable (wetter) conditions. An interpretation that
was later supported by Schrank (2001) as that Afropol-
lis thrived in humid coastal areas. The same scenario
could also apply to Egypt, which was at a palaeolati-
tude similar to those of Senegal, and where Afropollis
jardinus may have persisted into the mid Cenomanian
due to local humid coastal conditions.
The HO of Afropollis jardinus is found at the top of
both the foraminifera-dated Zone V of Schrank &
Ibrahim (1995) and Assemblage Zone ‘B’ of Ibrahim
(2002), both of which are known to be of early–mid
Cenomanian age. Therefore, the HO of Afropollis jar-
dinus in sample 53 in Abu Tunis 1x is used to delineate
the upper boundary of the mid Cenomanian. Afropollis
kahramanensis, which was recorded in the foraminif-
era-dated lower–middle Cenomanian rocks of Egypt
(Schrank & Ibrahim 1995; Ibrahim 2002), has its HO
at the same level as the HO of Afropollis jardinus. Ela-
terosporites klaszii has its highest occurrence in the
lower part of this interval, and is known to terminate
in the mid Cenomanian in the Elaterates Province
(Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; M€ uller 1966; Jardin
e 1967;
Herngreen 1973; Herngreen & Jimenez 1990: Figure 2).
The presence of Cretacaeiporites densimurus is also
consistent, as it has its uppermost occurrence at the
top of the mid Cenomanian in Egypt (Schrank &
Ibrahim 1995; Ibrahim 2002). The late Cenomanian
age of the upper part of this zone is inferred from the
upward continuation of Proteacidites cf. africaensis
and from the very rare occurrence (and later complete
disappearance) of the gymnosperm pollen Classopollis
spp.. In Senegal, Jardin
e & Magloire (1965) recorded
high abundances of Classopollis spp. (up to 80%) from
the Barremian to the mid Cenomanian, which then
declined rapidly and became extinct by the end of
the late Cenomanian. Similarly, Schrank & Ibrahim
(1995) and Ibrahim (2002) recorded rare final occur-
rences of Classopollis in the middle Cenomanian rocks
of Egypt.
A mid–late Cenomanian age is therefore assigned
to this interval based on the presence of the index
gymnosperm and angiosperm taxa mentioned above.
The mid to late Cenomanian age combined with the
dominantly carbonate lithology of the samples in this
palynozone suggests the unit should be identified as
the upper Bahariya to lower Abu Roash formations.
WEPCO (1968) did not recognise such subdivisions
in their original study of Abu Tunis 1x, but the
new assignments are consistent with the known litholog-
ical and age characteristics of the Abu Roash
Formation, a limestone sequence with interbeds of shale
 Palynology
and sandstone known to range in age from late Ceno-
manian to Turonian (Hantar 1990). The Abu Roash is
conformably underlain by the Bahariya Formation and
overlain by the Khoman ‘B’ Formation.
Correlation: The characteristics of this palynozone
strongly resemble the mid–late Cenomanian Sequence
VII of Jardin
e & Magloire (1965) in the Senegal Basin
& the ‘Triorites’ africaensis Zone (II) of Lawal &
Moullade (1986), upper Benue Basin, northeast
Nigeria. Zone III (late Cenomanian) of Herngreen
(1973), Brazil, only equates to the upper part of the
present zone. Other zones similar to the current one
have been identified in the northern Western Desert.
These include Zone VI of Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) in
the Kahraman-1 and Abu Gharadiq-18 wells, and
Zone 4 of Ibrahim (1996) in the Ghazalat-1 well, both
zones having been allocated a ?mid–late Cenomanian
age. Zone I (late Cenomanian) of El Beialy et al.
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(2011) in the Gebel Rissu-1 well could also correspond
to the current zone, as the latter authors have equated
their zone to the aforementioned Zone VI of Schrank
& Ibrahim (1995). This could be further supported by
the mid Cenomanian Elaterosporites klaszii and Creta-
caeiporites densimurus, which occur in the current zone
as they do in the lower part (samples 3–5) of Zone I of
El Beialy et al. (2011).
PZ5: Canningia senonica Total Range Zone (?early
Santonian)
Samples: This zone includes samples 73 to 74 and cov-
ers a depth from 991–975 m (3250 to 3200 ft). The two
overlying samples, 75 and 76, are barren. Sample 77 is
separated from 75 and 76 by an unconformity surface
(identified in the well log by WEPCO 1968) and
exhibits very poor dinoflagellate cyst recovery and was
deemed barren (Figure 5).
Definition: Total range of Canningia senonica (79).
Associated taxa: Alisporites cf. grandis (17), Spiniferites
spp. (77), Exochosphaeridium bifidum (80), Dinogym-
nium spp. (82), Senegalinium aenigmaticum (85), Tri-
chodinium castanea (87), Surculosphaeridium cf.
longifurcatum (88), Downiesphaeridium sp. (92).
Remarks: Palynological assemblages from this zone are
dominated by phytoplankton, with only one terrestrial
palynomorph being present: the gymnosperm Alispor-
ites cf. grandis.
Discussion concerning age assessment: Canningia senon-
ica (Plate 3) appears in both samples 73 and 74
(Figure 5), a species characteristic of the Santonian–
Maastrichtian. Canningia senonica has been recorded
from the ammonite-dated late Santonian of the Isle of
Wight, southern England (Clarke & Verdier 1967),
from the foraminifera-dated early Santonian–late
67
Maastrichtian of Egypt (Schrank & Ibrahim 1995),
and from the nannoplankton-dated late Campanian of
Italy (Torricelli & Amore 2003).
This interval contains a few long-ranging species
of pre-Coniacian to Maastrichtian age, such as
Chlamydophorella discreta which appears first in this
interval, a species which has its highest occurrence in
the late Santonian of the Isle of Wight (Clarke &
Verdier 1967), and ranges in Egypt from the early
Cenomanian to the Turonian (Schrank & Ibrahim
1995). Isabelidinium acuminatum was recorded (as
Deflandrea acuminata) from the ammonite-dated late
Santonian of the Isle of Wight (Clarke & Verdier
1967), and from the foraminifera-dated Coniacian–
Santonian of Algeria (Foucher et al. 1994). Dinogym-
nium denticulatum, recorded from the ammonite-dated
Late Santonian of the Isle of Wight (Clarke & Verdier
1967), from the foraminifera-dated sequences of
Coniacian–Maastrichtian age in Egypt (Schrank &
Ibrahim 1995), and of Coniacian–Santonian age in
Algeria (Foucher et al. 1994). Eucladinium gamban-
gense, which was identified by Cookson & Eisenack
(1970) from the Senonian rocks of Australia, occurs
at the base of this interval.
There are no index angiosperm pollen taxa for the
Turonian, such as Foveotricolpites giganteus or Foveo-
tricolpites gigantoreticulatus, which are characteristic
of the early Turonian–Santonian in West Africa (e.g.,
Jardin
e & Magloire 1965; Lawal & Moullade 1986;
Schrank & Ibrahim 1995). Nor is Droseridites
senonicus present, diagnostic of the late Turonian–early
Santonian (Lawal & Moullade 1986; Salard-Chebol-
daeff 1990; Schrank & Ibrahim 1995; Ibrahim 1996).
Thus, based on the presence of the early Santonian
index form Canningia senonica and the complete
absence of index Turonian sporomorphs mentioned
above, an early Santonian age is proposed for this
interval. The WEPCO report (1968) did not allocate an
age to this part of the borehole succession.
The proposed ages and carbonate lithology of sam-
ples 73 and 74 suggest this part of the sequence can be
assigned to the lower Khoman ‘B’ Formation, which is
easily recognised in north Egypt by its white chalk/
chalky limestone lithology. This unit unconformably
overlies the Abu Roash Formation in the Abu Tunis
1x borehole (as is the case in many basins of the north
Western Desert), and conformably underlies the
Khoman ‘A’ Formation. The Khoman ‘B’ Formation
has been allocated a Coniacian–Santonian age (Hantar
1990; Kerdany & Cherif 1990).
Correlation: The dinoflagellate Zone 8 (early Santo-
nian) of Schrank & Ibrahim (1995), in the Kahraman-1
well in the northern Western Desert of Egypt, is the
only zone that correlates to palynozone 5.
Downloaded by [Dr Amr S. Deaf] at 08:38 24 July 2014

68
A.S. Deaf et al.
 Palynology 69

5. Discussion of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole
palynostratigraphy
Semi-quantitative frequencies are closed scales in
which measured variables depend on each other, and
thus reflect a false picture of real quantitative distribu-
tions of variables measured. Thus, this section deals
with the quantitative (grains/g of sediments) distribu-
tions but combined with semi-quantitative data to
explore effect of data closure on semi-quantitative dis-
tributions, and to enable a wider comparison of quanti-
tative data with its counterparts (i.e., semi-
quantitative) in regional and interregional contexts.
5.1. Albian–Cenomanian Elaterate Phytogeographical
Province
5.1.1. Quantitative characteristics of the Albian–
Cenomanian palynoflora from the present study
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abundance of smooth trilete spores from (17–87%, avg.
53%; 1332–40762, avg. 7663 grains/g) in the late Albian
to (0.8–38%, avg. 11; 9–2195, avg. 639 grains/g) the
Cenomanian are important features. The complete
absence of bi- and tri-saccate gymnospermous pollen
grains, and the abundance (0.4–5.6%, avg. 0.2%; 5–
1394, avg. 270 grains/g) and later disappearance of
Classopollis in the mid–late Cenomanian are also diag-
nostic features.
5.1.2. The regional mid Albian–early Cenomanian
acme of Afropollis jardinus
The species Afropollis jardinus, as mentioned in Section
4.2, shows different biostratigraphical and semi-
quantitative distributions between northeast Africa
and West Africa that have been interpreted to be the
result of palaeoecological factors. Palynological studies
of this taxon in Egypt have so far been semi-quantita-

The palynoflora of the Abu Tunis 1x exhibits a remark-
able similarity to that of the Albian–Cenomanian Ela-
terate Phytogeographical Province of Herngreen et al.
(1996). Features diagnostic for this province are repre-
sented here by the appearance and later increased
abundances of Afropollis jardinus (0.4–54%, avg. 15%;
4–7003, avg. 1219 grains/g), and occurrence of Crybelo-
sporites (0.4–3.6%, avg. 2%; 4–523, avg. 118 grains/g).
Other typical criteria for the recognition of this prov-
ince found in the Abu Tunis 1x borehole are the
appearance and diversification of gymnospermous ela-
terate pollen grains: Elaterosporites (0.4–7.6%, avg.
39%; 4–854, avg. 262 grains/g), Elaterocolpites (0.4%;
40–52 and avg. 46 grains/g), Galeacornea (0.8%;
26 grains/g), and Sofrepites(0.4–2.4%, avg. 1%; 21–465,
avg. 146 grains/g), and the presence of Cretacaeiporites
(0.4–1.6%, avg. 0.9%; 19–174, avg. 75 grains/g). The
diversification of Tricolpites (0.4–3.2%, avg. 1.6%; 25–
319, avg. 90 grains/g), Tricolporites (0.4%; 12–58, avg.
35 grains/g), and Triporites (0.4–1.2%, avg. 0.6%; 12–
119, avg. 43 grains/g) accompanied with a drop in
tive, and no attempt has been made to explore the pos-
sible quantitative significance of the species on a
regional scale. Quantitatively, the temporal abundance
of Afropollis jardinus (Figure 7) shows low concentra-
tions ( 33–738, avg. 350 grains/g; 0.4–17%, avg. 4%)
in the lower Albian of the Abu Tunis 1x well until the
middle Albian–lower Cenomanian marine sediments,
where a peak abundance is recorded of 1400–7003 and
average 2900 grains/g (24–62%, avg. 34%). In an adja-
cent basin, about 51 km to the southwest of Abu
Tunis, Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) recorded a similarly
high relative abundance acme (31–61%, avg. 40%) in
the mid Albian–early Cenomanian of the Kahraman-1
well. The slightly higher percentages of the species in
the mid Albian of the Kahraman-1 well may poten-
tially be attributed to more favourable lithologies, as
there is a greater shale content in this part of the well
when compared to Abu Tunis 1x. Similarly, about
190 km to the southeast of Abu Tunis 1x, the same
mid Albian–early Cenomanian acme (11–64%, avg.
34%) of Afropollis jardinus was recorded from the Bed

3——————————————————————————————————————
———
Plate 3. The sample and slide number, depth, England Finder coordinates and the position of the taxon on the quantitative
range chart (numbers in parentheses) are indicated for all specimens. The scale bar represents 20 mm. 1. The Santonian dinoflagel-
late cyst Canningia senonica Clarke & Verdier 1967, slide AT-131B, 3200 ft, L22, (79). 2–4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19 - Post-
Turonian dinoflagellate cysts: 2, 6, 15. Dinogymnium denticulatum (Alberti) Evitt et a1. 1967, slide AT-l30A, 3250 ft. Q36, slide
AT-130A, P42, slide AT-130B, N29/4, (89). 3, 7. Eucladinium gambangense (Cookson & Eisenack) Stover & Evilt 1978, slide AT-
130A, 3250 ft, K28, slide AT-130B, Q42/4, (93). 4, 13. lsabelidinium acuminatum (Cookson & Eisenack) Stover & Evitt 1978, slide
AT-131A, 3200 ft, U27/2, slide AT-131B, M34, (90). 9. Dinogymnium sp., slide AT-130B, 3250 ft, S45/1, (82). 10. Dinogymnium
sp., slide AT-131B, 3200 ft, U26/3, (82). 12. Chatangiella madura Lentin & Williams 1976, slide AT-134A, 2950 ft, U26, (81).
14. Exochosphaeridium bifidum (Clarke & Verdier) Clarke et al. 1968, slide AT-133A, 3100 ft, C11/3, (80). 17. Cannosphaeropsis
utinensis Wetzel 1933, slide AT-117A, 3950 ft, S33/3, (96). 19. Odontochitina porifera Cookson 1956, slide AT-133A, 3100 ft,
L39/1, (84). 5, 8, 11, 16, 18 - Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts: 5. Trichodinium castanea Deflandre 1935, slide AT-116A, 4000 ft,
L12/4, (87). 8. Xiphophoridium alatum (Cookson & Eisenack) Sarjeant 1966, slide AT-103B, 4650 ft, E43/4, (95). 11, 18. Senegali-
nium aenigmaticum (Boltenhagen) Lentin & Williams 1981, slide AT-110A, 4300 ft, G13/3, slide AT-109A, 4350 ft, S31/1, (85).
16. Odontochitina costata Alberti 1961, slide AT-134A, 2950 ft, V38/2, (83).
 70 A.S. Deaf et al.
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Figure 7. Quantitative and semi-quantitative vertical distribu-
tions of Afropollis jardinus in the Abu Tunis 1x borehole
compared to semi-quantitative distributions in Egyptian wells
and sections from the Senegal and Gabon Albian–Cenomanian.
1–1 well (El-Beialy 1994). Consistency between quanti-
tative and semi-quantitative values through the Afro-
pollis jardinus acme as recorded from marine sediments
of three wells in three different basins supports the con-
tention of Schrank (2001) that this acme may have
been controlled by locally humid conditions associated
with proximity to shallow marine depositional environ-
ments, as the Afropollis-parent plant is thought to have
thrived in humid coastal plans. Interregionally, similar
mid Albian–early Cenomanian (10–40%, avg. 14%)
peaks of Afropollis jardinus have been documented in
Senegal (Doyle et al. 1982). In Gabon, the appearance
of the Afropollis jardinus acme in the early–mid Albian
differs from those recorded in Egypt and Senegal, and
may be due to differences in palaeogeographical posi-
tion and geological history of the basins (Doyle et al.
1982). In this light, acmes of Afropollis are only of
biostratigraphical relevance on a regional – i.e., not
interregional – scale. We believe that the acme event of
Afropollis jardinus in the north Western Desert of
Egypt is an important regional mid Albian–early
Cenomanian bioevent.
5.2. Early Santonian palynofloras in the present study
The early Santonian palynoflora of the Abu Tunis 1x
borehole is exclusively represented by marine phyto-
plankton and completely lacks any terrestrial palyno-
morphs representative of the Senonian Palmae
Province of Herngreen et al. (1996).
5.3. Late Cretaceous uplift of the Faghur area
An unconformity surface was identified by WEPCO
(1968) in the composite log of the Abu Tunis 1x
borehole separating the palynomorph-barren interval
assigned by WEPCO (1968) as of Turonian age from
the overlying dinoflagellate cyst-identified lower
Khoman ‘B’ (early? Santonian) Formation (Figure 6).
This may indicate a short hiatus in deposition and
erosion, which may be related to the Turonian uplift
that affected most of the Western Desert basins (e.g.,
Kerdany & Cherif 1990). By the early Santonian, the
Faghur area had become marine, based on the marine
palynomorphs recorded in the Abu Tunis 1x
borehole.
5.4. A unified mid-Late Cretaceous palynological
zonal scheme for the northern Western Desert
The zonal scheme devised for the Abu Tunis 1x bore-
hole suggests the use of unified biozones i.e. those of
Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) and our zones, which are at
least applicable to the Egyptian Albian–middle Ceno-
manian rocks of the northern Western Desert. This is
because the Albian–Cenomanian diagnostic taxa have
been widely recorded in Egypt and have calibrated
stratigraphical ranges across the Albian–Cenomanian
Elaterate Phytogeographical Province (PZ1-4). There
are some difficulties when dealing with the upper Ceno-
manian rocks. This may be due to change in lithology
and depositional environment from clastic shallow
marine (as in the Kahraman-1 well, Schrank & Ibrahim
1995) to carbonate inner neritic environments towards
the north (as in the Abu Tunis 1x well). More difficul-
ties arise when investigating Turonian and younger
 Palynology
rocks. Palynomorph recovery from post Cenomanian–
Maastrichtian carbonates is rather low due to deeper
neritic marine environments, regional late Cretaceous
tectonism and a global late Cretaceous decline in gen-
era and species diversity. In order to levise a complete
and unified mid-late Cretaceous zonal scheme for the
Egyptian northern Western Desert, it is suggested that
further palynological (preferably age-controlled) work
on successions of adjacent and less tectonically affected
basins that were slightly close to palaeovegetation
cover is needed.
6. Systematic palynology
A. Elaterate pollen
Genus: Elaterosporites Jardin
e 1967
Type species: Elaterosporites verrucatus (Jardin
e &
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Magloire) Jardin
e 1967, p. 244, pl. 2, figs. E-G, pl. 3,
fig. G.
Elaterosporites verrucatus (Jardin
e & Magloire) Jardin
e
1967
Plate 1, figs. 6, 8
Description: Grains with ellipsoidal plano-convex to
sub-hemispherical body with three U-shaped horns on
the convex distal face. Proximal face flat or depressed,
bounded by a 3–8 mm wide annular ring structure par-
allel to the equator ending with protruding ends parallel
to the long axis. These are three U-shaped appendages
with their middle part running parallel to the longest
axis; one is over the distal pole, the other two are posi-
tioned laterally. The appendages are solid, and of
uniform diameter. Exine is granulate to verrucate. Main
body length 38–64 mm and breadth 25–45 mm.
Dimensions: Maximum main body length (2 specimens)
40 (52.5) 65 mm, breadth undetermined due to grain
orientation, annular ring 3–8 mm wide; appendage
length 33 (36.5) 40 mm, width 3.5 (4.5) 5.5 mm.
Remark: Elaterosporites verrucatus can be distin-
guished from Elaterosporites acuminatus (Plate 1, fig-
ures 7, 14) by its 3–8 mm wide annular ring structure
and granulate to verrucate exine (verrucae 1–3.5 mm
wide) versus 8–12 mm wide annular ring and densely
and uniformly packed exine with spines 4–6 mm high
and 2.5–3 mm wide.
Elaterosporites protensus (Stover) Jardin
e 1967
Plate 1, fig. 9
Remark: Stover (1963) distinguished Elaterosporites
protensus from Elaterosporites acuminatus by its larger
size (Elaterosporites acuminatus: 52  28 mm), greater
ring width, and appendages ending with round tips
rather than with sharply-tipped ends as in the latter
71
species. Here dimensions of Elaterosporites protensus
are: maximum main body length (1 specimen) 65 mm,
breadth 35 mm, annular ring 7–9.5 mm wide; append-
age length and width undetermined due to grain orien-
tation. Dimensions of Elaterosporites acuminatus are:
maximum main body length (2 specimens) 39 (44)
49 mm, breadth 27 (28) 29 mm, annular ring 6–8 mm
wide; appendage length 32 (36) 40 mm.
B. Pollen tetrad
Genus: Droseridites Cookson 1947 ex Potoni
e 1960
Type species: Droseridites spinosus (Cookson) Potoni
e
1960, p. 137–139.
Droseridites senonicus Jardin
e & Magloire, 1965
Plate 2, fig. 16
Remark: The present specimens show greater tetrad
diameters than that of the original specimens (12–
19 mm) described by Jardin
e & Magloire (1965). Maxi-
mum tetrad diameter (3 specimens) 19 (21) 22 mm.
7. Conclusions
(1) This work provides the first quantitative distri-
butions of Egyptian post-Aptian palynofloral
assemblages, which, combined with semi-quan-
titative data, enables a wider comparison of
assemblages on regional and interregional
scales. The Albian–Cenomanian palynoflora
recovered from the Abu Tunis 1x
borehole shows characteristics of the Albian–
Cenomanian Elaterate Phytogeographical
Province, whereas the early Santonian palyno-
flora is exclusively represented by marine phy-
toplankton, and completely lacks any
terrestrial palynomorphs representative of the
Senonian Palmae Province.
(2) The qualitative and quantitative distributions
of index palynomorph taxa of the Abu Tunis
1x borehole have enabled the recognition of
four Cretaceous lithostratigraphical units,
which permit new age assignments to sections
of the borehole undated by the drilling com-
pany. These four units have been subdivided
into five palynological zones. A barren inter-
zone is recorded immediately below the upper-
most biozone. An absence of Turonian–
Coniacian palynomorphs may be related to the
unfavourable limestone and dolostone litholo-
gies. An unconformity surface located between
 72 A.S. Deaf et al.
the barren interval and the overlying lower
Santonian may indicate a short hiatus in depo-
sition and erosion, which may be related to the
Turonian uplift and basin inversion of the
Faghur area, which has affected most of the
northern basins of Egypt.
(3) Correlation between the biozones defined for
the Abu Tunis 1x borehole with those of
Schrank & Ibrahim (1995) shows that the new
scheme is applicable at least to Albian–middle
Cenomanian succession in the Western Desert.
However, there are some difficulties correlating
the upper Cenomanian parts of the successions,
which are due to the change in depositional
environments from clastic shallow marine to
carbonate-rich open marine environments in
the more northern basins. Further palynologi-
cal (preferably independently age-controlled)
Downloaded by [Dr Amr S. Deaf] at 08:38 24 July 2014
work on successions in adjacent and less tecton-
ically affected basins may permit the develop-
ment of a complete late Cenomanian–
Maastrichtian palynozonal scheme for the
Egyptian northern Western Desert.
(4) A major synchronicity between the North and
West African late Cretaceous biostratigraphical
units is suggested here, in contrast to the argu-
ment made by Schrank & Ibrahim (1995). The
synchronicity is based on occurrence of forami-
nifera-calibrated biostratigraphical events in
both the North and West African sequences.
The cause of the synchronicity is strongly sug-
gested to be the continuous mid–late Cenoma-
nian anticlockwise north-northeast African
plate movement towards Laurasia as a response
to the breakup of Western Gondwana. This
resulted in North and West Africa being
brought to a similar palaeosubtropical position
and thus under a similar palaeoclimate, whereas
these regions should have similar palynofloral
compositions and similar age ranges.
(5) The quantitative distribution of Afropollis
jardinus recorded from the Abu Tunis 1x bore-
hole sediments shows a mid Albian–early Cen-
omanian acme event that can be correlated
with similar semi-quantitatively identified
acmes of the species in other wells in the north
Western Desert of Egypt, permitting the recog-
nition of this acme event as an important
regional stratigraphical marker.
Acknowledgements
A.S. Deaf thanks the Egyptian Government for generously
funding him a PhD scholarship at University of Southamp-
ton, UK. The authors wish to thank the Egyptian General
Petroleum Corporation for providing well logs and samples
of the Abu Tunis 1x borehole. Thanks are also due to
Mr. Shir Akbari at National Oceanography Centre, South-
ampton (NOCS), University of Southampton, for his help in
the laboratory.
Author biographies
AMR S. DEAF was appointed as a lec-
turer in palynology, stratigraphy and
palaeoecology in the Department of
Geology at Assiut University, Egypt in
2010. He received a BSc in geology in
1997, and an MSc in palynology during
2003, from the same institution. Amr
obtained his PhD for research on the
palynostratigraphy, palaeoclimate,
palaeoecology and hydrocarbon potential of the Cretaceous
of northern Egypt, from the National Oceanography Centre,
University of Southampton, U.K. in 2010. His research inter-
ests are palynology, palaeoceanography and petroleum geol-
ogy, specifically on the Mesozoic of the Middle East.
IAN C. HARDING is a reader in
palaeoceanography, micropalaeontol-
ogy and palynology at the National
Oceanography Centre, University of
Southampton, U.K. He received his
BSc in geology from Nottingham Uni-
versity in 1982, and his PhD in micropa-
laeontology from Cambridge University
in 1986. His research interests are
focused on palaeoclimatic change and palaeoenvironmental
reconstruction using micropalaeontological (palynological)
proxies, especially in the Paleogene. Ian is especially inter-
ested in the development and integration of dinoflagellate
cysts, palynofacies analysis and geochemical indices as palae-
oceanographic proxies particularly during hyperthermal
events and greenhouse-icehouse transitions. He also
researches the sedimentology and micropalaeontology of
taphonomic processes involved in exceptional fossil preserva-
tion, especially high-resolution analysis of laminated and
finely-bedded sediments. Ian was the Chair of the Palynology
Group of The Micropalaeontological Society (TMS) from
2005 to 2010, and was the TMS representative on the board
of the International Federation of Palynological Societies
from 2008 to 2010. He was Director-at-Large of AASP - The
Palynological Society from 2009 to 2011, and is currently the
President of this organisation.
JOHN E.A. MARSHALL is a Profes-
sor of Earth Science at the National
Oceanography Centre, University of
Southampton, U.K. John obtained a
BA in Natural Sciences from University
of Cambridge in 1976, and a PhD from
the Department of Botany, University
of Bristol in 1981. He subsequently
worked at the University of Newcastle
and Gearhart Geodata in Aberdeen. His research interests
range widely and include Mid Palaeozoic mass extinctions,
Devonian terrestrial palaeoclimates and the Earth System,
the spread of Devonian forests, Devonian oil and gas reser-
voirs, early seed plants, the age and environment of early tet-
rapods, organic matter-waste water interactions in waste tips
and thermal maturity determination (including vitrinite and
 Palynology
chitinozoan reflectivity and quantitative spore colour). He
has worked in South America, Greenland, Scotland, Spits-
bergen and China. John was the President of the Commission
Internationale de la Microflore du Pal

eozo€ıque (CIMP) from
2006 to 2010, and a visiting Professor at the Chinese Acad-
emy of Sciences, Nanjing, China from 2010 to 2011. He is
currently Chair of the Sub-Commission on Devonian Stratig-
raphy, and the palynology Editor for the Journal of
Micropalaeontology.
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 Palynology 75

Appendix 1. List of palynological samples from the Abu Tunis 1x borehole showing total recovery of palynomorphs in
grains/gram concentrations
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 76 A.S. Deaf et al.
Appendix 2. Alphabetic list of palynomorphs recorded in
the Abu Tunis 1x borehole
Spores
Balmeisporites cf. holodictyus Cookson & Dettmann, 1958 (9).
Cicatricosisporites orbiculatus Singh, 1964 (4).
Cicatricosisporites sinuosus Hunt, 1985 (13).
Cicatricosisporites spp. (7).
Concavissimisporites spp. (11).
Crybelosporites pannuceus (Brenner) Srivastava, 1977 (2).
Deltoidospora hallii Miner, 1935 (5).
Deltoidospora toralis (Leschik) Lund, 1977 (16).
Deltoidospora spp. (1).
Gleicheniidites senonicus Ross, 1949 (15).
Todisporites minor Couper, 1958 (14).
Trilobosporites laevigatus El-Beialy, 1994 (6).
Triplanosporites sp. (3).
Triporoletes reticulatus (Pocock) Playford, 1971 (12).
Verrucosisproites obscurilaesuratus Pocock, 1962 (8).
Gymnosperm pollen
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Alisporites cf. grandis (Cookson) Dettmann, 1963 (17).
Arucariacites australis Cookson ex Couper, 1953 (24).
Balmeiopsis limbatus (Balme) Archangelsky, 1979 (18).
Classopollis classoides Pflug, 1953 (19).
Classopollis spp. (23).
Cycadopites spp. (22).
Elaterocolpites castelainii Jardin
e & Magloire, 1965 (25).
Elaterosporites acuminatus (Stover) Jardin
e, 1967 (28).
Elaterosporites klaszii (Jardin
e & Magloire) Jardin
e, 1967 (21).
Elaterosporites protensus (Stover) Jardin
e, 1967 (29).
Elaterosporites verrucatus (Jardin
e & Magloire) Jardin
e, 1967
(27).
Ephedripites irregularis Herngreen, 1973 (33).
Ephedripites spp. (20).
Eucommidites treodsonii (Erdtman) Potoni
e, 1958 (34).
Galeacornea causea Stover, 1963 (31).
Gnetaceaepollenites cf. clathratus Stover, 1964 (30).
Inaperturopollenites undulatus Weyland & Greifeld, 1953 (32).
Sofrepites legouxae Jardin
e, 1967 (26).
Angiosperm pollen
Afropollis jardinus Doyle et al., 1982 (36).
Afropollis aff. jardinus Doyle et al., 1982 (66).
Afropollis kahramanensis Ibrahim & Schrank 1995 (42).
Cretacaeiporites densimurus Schrank & Ibrahim, 1995 (38).
Cretacaeiporites mullerii Herngreen, 1973 (45).
Cretacaeiporites polygonalis (Jardin
e & Magloire) Herngreen,
1973 (52).
Dichastopollenites ghazalatensis Ibrahim, 1996 (55).
Foveotricolpites gigantoreticulatus (Jardin
e & Magloire)
Schrank, 1987 (57).
Papillopollis vancampoae Kedves & Pittau, 1979 (40).
Proteacidites cf. africaensis (Jardin
e & Magloire) Schrank &
Ibrahim, 1995 (35).
Retimonocolpites ghazalii Ibrahim, 2002 (59).
Retimonocolpites variplicatus Schrank & Mahmoud, 1998 (41).
Retimonocolpites textus (Norris) Singh, 1983 (49).
Rousea brenneri Singh, 1983 (50).
Rousea delicipollis Srivastava, 1977 (44).
Rousea cf. miculipollis Srivastava, 1975 (47).
Stellatopollis barghoornii Doyle in Doyle et al., 1976 (61).
Stellatopollis dejaxii Ibrahim, 2002 (64).
Stellatopollis densiornatus (Lima) Ward, 1986 (62).
Stellatopollis doylei Ibrahim, 2002 (69).
Stellatopollis limai Ibrahim, 2002 (65).
Stellatopollis spp. (68).
Stephanocolpites sp. (60).
Striatopollis cf. trochuensis (Srivastava) Ward, 1986 (63).
Tetracolpites sp. (67).
Tetraporopollenites sp. (39).
Tricolpites cf. crassimurus (Groot & Penny) Singh, 1971 (56).
Tricolpites micromunus (Groot & Penny) Singh, 1971 (54).
Tricolpites parvus Stanley, 1965 (51).
Tricolpites sagax Norris, 1967 (58).
Tricolpites vulgaris (Pierce) Srivastava, 1969 (48).
Tricolpites spp. (37).
Tricolporopollenites sp. (43).
Triporites spp. (46).
Triporopollenites spp. (53).
Pollen tetrads
Cretacaeiporites densimurus Schrank & Ibrahim, 1995 (70).
Droseridites baculites Ibrahim, 1996 (71).
Droseridites senonicus Jardin
e & Magloire, 1965 (72).
Freshwater algae
Botryococcus sp. (75).
Chomotriletes minor (Kedves) Pocock, 1970 (76).
Fungal fruiting body (74).
Ovoidites parvus (Cookson & Dettmann) Nakoman, 1966 (73).
Dinoflagellate cysts
Canningia senonica Clarke & Verdier, 1967 (79).
Cannosphaeropsis utinensis Wetzel, 1933 (96).
Chatangiella madura Lentin & Williams, 1976 (81).
Chlamydophorella discreta Clarke & Verdier, 1967 (91).
Circulodinim distinctum (Deflandre & Cookson) Jansonius,
1986 (100).
Coronifera albertii Millioud, 1969 (101).
Coronifera oceanica Cookson & Eisenack, 1958 (97).
Coronifera tubulosa Cookson & Eisenack, 1974 (104).
Coronifera spp. (113).
Cribroperidinium edwardsii (Cookson & Eisenack) Davey,
1969 (108).
Cribroperidenium sp. (110).
Dinogymnium denticulatum (Alberti) Evitt et al., 1967 (89).
Dinogymnium spp. (82).
Downiesphaeridium sp. (92).
Eucladinium gambangense (Cookson & Eisenack) Stover &
Evitt, 1978 (93).
Exochosphaeridium bifidum (Clarke & Verdier) Clarke et al.,
1968 (80).
Florentinia berran Below, 1982 (98).
Florentinia laciniata Davey & Verdier, 1973 (103).
Florentinia mantellii (Davey & Williams) Davey & Verdier,
1973 (99).
Florentinia spp. (94).
Isabelidinium acuminatum (Cookson & Eisenack) Stover &
Evitt, 1978 (90).
Litosphaeridium siphoniphorum (Cookson & Eisenack) Davey
& Williams, 1966 (86).
Odontochitina operculata (Wetzel) Deflandre & Cookson,
1955 (78).
 Palynology 77

Odontochitina costata Alberti, 1961 (83). Surculosphaeridium cf. longifurcatum (Firtion) Davey et al.,
Odontochitina porifera Cookson, 1956 (84). 1966 (88).
Oligosphaeridium albertense (Pocock) Davey & Williams, Trichodinium castanea Deflandre, 1935 (87).
1969 (105). Xiphophoridium alatum (Cookson & Eisenack) Sarjeant, 1966
Oligosphaeridium complex (White) Davey & Williams, 1966 (95).
(106).
Oligosphaeridium poculum Jain, 1977 (107).
Pseudoceratium anaphrissum (Sarjeant) Bint, 1986 (111).
Pseudoceratium securigerum (Davey & Verdier) Bint, 1986 Acritarchs
(112). Baltisphaeridium spp. (114).
Pterodinium sp. (102). Micrhystridium spp. (115).
Senegalinium aenigmaticum (Boltenhagen) Lentin & Wil-
liams, 1981 (85).
Spiniferites spp. (77).
Subtilisphaera senegalensis Jain & Millepied, 1973 (109). Microforaminiferal test linings (116)
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