Published December 31, 2009 | Version v1
Journal article Open

Calcareous nannofossils from the stratotype section of the Mzamba Formation, Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • 1. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westsville, South Africa
  • 2. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209 South Africa

Description

The Mzamba Formation is an Upper Cretaceous shallow marine succession, which crops out in a narrow, discontinuous coastal strip from the north-eastern Eastern Cape to southern KwaZulu-Natal; it is equivalent to the St Lucia Formation of the coastal plain of northern KwaZulu-Natal. The calcareous nannofossil assemblage identified in the stratotype section of the Mzamba Formation is represented by 73 species, including Orastrum campanensis which is the first record of this species in Southern Hemisphere. The lower part of the section may be referred to the transitional Upper Santonian–Lower Campanian Zone CC17. The upper part of the section belongs to the Lower Campanian Subzone CC18a or UC14a.

Files

Ovechkina_etal_2009_PalAfr_NannoStratotypeCretaceousMzambaSouthAfrica_MR.pdf