The cored borehole Lübtheen 27/82

Report of the project:

• Micropaleontology of sedimentary sequences of Germany
• Mikropaläontologie des tieferen Untergrundes von Deutschland

Range chart of selected taxa Source: BGR

For Miocene dinocyst biostratigraphy in northern Germany usually the zonation of Powell (1992) who has summarized and modified former northwest European zonations has been applied. With regard to certain Middle Miocene index fossils which are controlled by facies or having precursors, the application of Powell’s zonation is problematical.

Investigating the Lower and Upper Pritzier formation of the cored borehole Lübtheen 27/82 (Köthe 2000), the zonation of De Verteuil & Norris (1996) which was first erected for the Miocene of the Atlantic Margin of the USA was found to be very applicable. By using the highest occurrence of Distatodinium paradoxum and Systematophora placacantha, the lowest occurrence and the highest occurrence of Cannosphaeropsis passio, the highest occurrence of Palaeocystodinium golzowense and Hystrichosphaeropsis obscura as dinocyst datums the zones DN 5 (middle Middle Miocene) through DN 9 (late Late Miocene) could be identified.

The zones DN 5, DN 6 and the lower and middle part of zone DN 7 correlate with the Unipontidinium-aquaeductum-Zone of Powell (1992). The upper part of zone DN 7 and the lowermost part of zone DN 8 correlate with the Achomosphaera-andalousiensis-Zone. Most part of the zone DN 8 and the lower part of DN 9 correlate with the Gramocysta ("Heteraulacacysta")-verricula-Zone. The upper part of DN 9 correlates with the Amiculosphaera-umbracula-Zone.

Correlating both the zonation of Powell (1992) and De Verteuil & Norris (1996) with the geochronology, the Lower Pritzier formation is of Middle Miocene age. Whereas the Upper Pritzier formation according to De Verteuil & Norris (1996) is of Late Miocene age, while according to Powell (1992) the Middle/Late Miocene boundary lies within the uppermost part of the Upper Pritzier formation.

Biostratigraphical value of selected index marker by POWELL (1992) Source: BGR

Index marker of the zonation by De Verteuil & Norris (1996) Source: BGR

Literature:

• Powell, A.J. (1992): A Stratigraphic Index of Dinoflagellate Cysts. - Chapman & Hall: 1-281; London.
• Köthe, A. (2000): Dinozysten der Pritzierer Schichten in der Bohrung Lübtheen 27/82. - In: Bülow, W. von [Hrg.]: Geologische Entwicklung Südwest Mecklenburgs seit dem Ober-Oligozän. - Schriftenreihe für Geowissenschaften, 11: 157-179, 2 Abb., 2 Tab., 6 Taf.; Berlin.
• Verteuil, L. De & Norris, G. (1996): Dinoflagellate cyst zonation and allostratigraphy of the Chesapeake Group. - In: Verteuil, L. De & Norris, G.: Miocene dinoflagellate stratigraphy and systematics of Maryland and Virginia. - Micropaleontology, 42, supplement, part 1: 1-82, 25 figures, 11 plates, 8 tables; New York.