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Latest Pliensbachian to Early Toarcian palynological record in the Traras basin (northwestern Algeria)

  • S. I. – CAJG-2018 Topic 9
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Abstract

The present study of the Tisseddoûra limestones and Bayada bed formations in Traras basin (NW Algeria) refines our understanding of the palynological content of latest Pliensbachian- Early Toarcian interval. The analysis of 38 samples allowed us to identify a diversity of most of the characteristic of palynomporphs such as spores (Rotverrusporites tenuis, Cyathidites australis, Cyathidites minor, Reticulatisporites castellatus, Lycopodiumsporites reticulatum, Lycopodiumsporites clavatoides), pollen grains (Classopollis torosus, Spheripollenites subgranulatus, Callialasporites segmentatus, and Cerebropollenites sp. associated with acritarchs (Micrhystridium sp., Umbellasphaeridium sp., Baltisphaeridium sp., Acanthodiacrodium sp.), and algae (Tasmanites puntatus, Tasmanites sp., Tytthodiscus sp., Leiosphaeridia sp., Crassosphaera sp., Botryococcus sp., Tapajonites sp., unidentified Prasinophytes) unknown in this Algerian basin until now. The results of qualitative and quantitative analyses of pollen assemblages generated new stratigraphic information on the lower limit of Bayada beds and on the impact of the anoxic event on the low presence of spores and pollen grains in the Polymorphum-Levisoni Zones. Finally, this palynological study, carried out for the first time in Algeria, allowed us to identify pteridophyta spores, gymnosperms, acritarchs, and algae that show a great similarity with palynomorphs found in some northern and southern Tethyan basins.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the anonymous referees who provided useful criticisms and valuable suggestions.

Funding

The study was financially supported by the “Division Laboratoires–Sonatrach.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division Laboratoires-Sonatrach, Avenue du 1er Novembre, Boumerdès, Algeria

    Louisa Samar

  2. Department of Earth and Universe Sciences, University of Tlemcen, P.O. Box 119, Tlemcen, Algeria

    Abbas Marok & Choukri Soulimane

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  1. Louisa Samar
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  2. Abbas Marok
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  3. Choukri Soulimane
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Correspondence to Abbas Marok.

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This paper was selected from the 1st Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences (CAJG), Tunisia 2018

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Samar, L., Marok, A. & Soulimane, C. Latest Pliensbachian to Early Toarcian palynological record in the Traras basin (northwestern Algeria). Arab J Geosci 13, 579 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05553-x

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