GeolCarp_Vol62_No4_309

www.geologicacarpathica.sk

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA

, AUGUST 2011, 62, 4, 309—332 doi: 10.2478/v10096-011-0024-9

Biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the Lower Cretaceous

sediments in the Outer Western Carpathians (Silesian Unit,

Czech Republic)

MARCELA SVOBODOVÁ

, LILIAN ŠVÁBENICKÁ

, PETR SKUPIEN

and LENKA HRADECKÁ

Institute of Geology AS CR, v.v.i., Rozvojová 269, 165 00 Praha 6, Czech Republic; msvobodova@gli.cas.cz

Czech Geological Survey, Klárov 3, 118 21 Praha 1, Czech Republic; lilian.svabenicka@geology.cz; lenka.hradecka@geology.cz

Institute of Geological Engineering, VSB-Technical University Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava, Czech Republic;

petr.skupien@vsb.cz

(Manuscript received June 4, 2010; accepted in revised form March 17, 2011)

Abstract: Almost black shale filling fissures in the Štramberk Limestone belonging to the Silesian Unit, Outer Western
Carpathians contain prolific and poorly to moderately well preserved spores, pollen, organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts,
foraminifers, and calcareous nannofossils. A detailed micropaleontological analysis of the proved stratigraphical interval
from the Valanginian to the Albian indicated sedimentary conditions of brackish, restricted marine, shallow-marine and
neritic sedimentation. Moreover, it drew attention to occasional influence from the Boreal province in the depositional area
of the NW part of Tethys, especially during the Early Valanginian and Hauterivian, as supported by the presence of high-
latitude nannofossils and organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts. Terrestrial miospores form a significant component of
palynoassemblages and give evidence of continent proximity in the Valanginian-Barremian interval. Samples were ac-
quired from isolated fissure fills in the Štramberk Limestone and, therefore, they do not represent a continuous section.

Key words: Lower Cretaceous, Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic, Silesian Unit, paleoecology, biostratigraphy,
microfossils.

Introduction

The western part of the Silesian Unit, situated in the NE of
the  Czech  Republic  (Fig. 1),  includes  marine  clastic  sedi-
ments  which  consist  predominantly  of  dark  grey,  black  and
light green-grey claystones. These rocks are generally rich in
marine  microfossils,  including  foraminifers,  organic-walled
dinoflagellate cysts and calcareous nannofossils, but they are
rather  poor  in  spore-pollen  content.  This  study  presents  the
results of an integrated biostratigraphic and paleoecological
analysis  of  the  Lower  Cretaceous  deposits  from  the  Štram-
berk vicinity. Cretaceous sediments together with the Štram-
berk Limestone form isolated tectonic slices grouped within
three  complexes  –  Kotouč,  Skalky  and  Trúba  (Fig. 2).
Picha et al. (2006) included all local Cretaceous deposits and
local  lithostratigraphic  units  in  the  area  of  Štramberk  under
the name “Kotouč Facies” of the Hradiště and Baška Forma-
tions  with  stratigraphical  range  of  Hauterivian  to  Cenoma-
nian. The carbonate sediments have been intensively studied
previously (Houša & Vašíček 2005). The Lower Cretaceous
pelitic deposits of the Štramberk area have been periodically
studied with the focus on biostratigraphy, but no similar in-
tegrated  study  has  been  presented  yet.  The  object  of  this
study are pelitic deposits in two quarries and their biostrati-
graphy,  paleoenvironmental  interpretation  and  correlation
with  regional  stratigraphic  succession.  This  paper  follows
the  study  of  the  Albian-Cenomanian  microfossils  in  the
Štramberk  area  by  Svobodová  et  al.  (2004),  Švábenická  &
Hradecká  (2005)  and  nannoplankton  stratigraphy  of  the
Silesian Unit (Švábenická 2008).

Geological background

The Silesian Unit represents a nappe in the structure of the

Outer Western Carpathians thrust over the Subsilesian Nappe
and partly over the Miocene fill of the Carpathian Foredeep
from east to west. This unit consists of Upper Jurassic to Oli-
gocene-Miocene sediments. Three developments were distin-
guished by Eliáš (1970): frontal slope setting (Baška Subunit),
basinal setting (Godula Subunit) and the Kelč Subunit.

Initial sedimentation in the Baška Subunit is connected with

the Štramberk Limestone representing a part of the original

Fig. 1. A sketch map of the structural outline of the Silesian Unit with
the Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry and Obecní lom Quarry indicated.

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reef complex which probably bordered the SE margin of the
West European Platform. Deposition of the Štramberk Lime-
stone probably lasted from the latest Kimmeridgian to the Ear-
ly Berriasian (Houša & Vašíček 2005).

According to Picha et al. in Picha & Golonka (2006), the

Štramberk carbonate platform, rimmed by coral reefs, was the
source of clastics and debris. Gravitational slides and turbidite
currents  transported  smaller  and  larger  blocks  or  fragments
from the rim (edge) of the platform as far as the floor of the
adjacent  basin  during  the  Early  and  mid-Cretaceous.  More-
over,  in  the  course  of  later  tectonic  transport,  large  tectonic
slices  of  carbonate  platform  were  separated  from  softer,  less
competent  rocks  situated  on  the  slopes  of  the  platform.  This
process resulted in a melange, with larger blocks from the car-
bonate  platform  having  the  character  of  klippen.  Eliáš  &
Stráník (1963) and Picha et al. (2006) assigned the limestones,
together with grey to black-grey pelitic deposits of the Štram-
berk area, to the Kotouč Facies. The Kotouč Facies generally
corresponds to the Hradiště and the Baška Formations of the
Silesian Unit.

Concerning the Štramberk area, Houša (1975, 1990) and

Houša  &  Vašíček  (2005)  proved  that  during  the  Early  Creta-
ceous,  deposition  of  the  Štramberk  Limestone  intermittently
passed  into  carbonate  sedimentation  (the  Olivetská  hora  and
Kopřivnice Limestone). This is proved by calpionellids and am-
monites. The Olivetská hora Formation occupies the middle to
lower  parts  of  the  Upper  Valanginian.  The  Kopřivnice  Lime-
stone contains, in addition to abundant brachiopods and echino-
derms, Upper Valanginian ammonites. Here, besides carbonate
deposits,  black-grey  claystones  and  siltstones  are  also  found.
Deposits which contain ammonites of the Valanginian and Ear-
ly Hauterivian age (Houša & Vašíček 2005) were designated as
the Plaňava Formation (Houša 1975). In addition to them, still
other similar grey or green-grey pelites exist: they alternate with
sandstones and conglomerates (containing pebbles, cobbles and
blocks of Štramberk Limestone) or form infillings of cavities in

the  Štramberk  Limestone.  These  sediments  are  of  Albian  to
Cenomanian  age  (Svobodová  et  al.  2002).  Houša  (1975)  as-
signed  this  sediment  to  the  Chlebovice  Member  (sometimes
also  Chlebovice  Conglomerate).  Block  accumulations  in  the
Štramberk area consist of two major groups of bodies (Fig. 2):

a) The western part of Kotouč Hill (Figs. 3, 4) which consists

of block accumulations (over 400 m thick before their exploita-
tion by the Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry) and forms a continuous
strata succession from the uppermost Jurassic (Tithonian) to the
Cenomanian  or  Lower  Turonian.  These  accumulations  (in  the
so-called  Kotouč  Facies)  pass  laterally  into  the  stratigraphic
units of the Hradiště Formation. Many fissures, open joints and
cavities  in  the  limestone  are  filled  with  different  clayey  lime-
stones and claystones (grey, dark grey, green-grey, red, Fig. 3).
Houša  (1975)  distinguished  three  major  bodies  of  the  Štram-
berk Limestone separated by the Mendocino and Clarion faults.

b) The massif of “Skalky” (Horní Skalka Quarry) and

“Zámecký vrch Hill” (Castle Hill, Castle Quarry) consists of
several independent bodies of block accumulations, exposed
in the abandoned Obecní lom Quarry (Municipal Quarry)
(Fig. 2).

Relevant micropaleontological studies

Miospores of the Lower Cretaceous deposits of the Sile-

sian Unit from the localities of Štramberk-Kotouč and Obec-
ní lom Quarries have been described by Vavrdová (1964a,b,
1981),  Svobodová  (1998)  and  partly  by  Svobodová  et  al.
(2004).  Organic-walled  dinoflagellate  cysts  from  the  Baška
Subunit  were  studied  by  Svobodová  &  Vavrdová  (1987),
Svobodová et al. (2004), and those from the Godula Subunit
by  Skupien  (1997,  1998,  1999,  2003a,b,  2004),  Skupien  et
al.  (2002,  2003a,b,  2009),  Skupien  &  Vašíček  (2002),  and
Boorová  et  al.  (2004).  Early  Cretaceous  foraminifers  from
the  Baška  Subunit  of  the  Silesian  Unit  in  the  vicinity  of
Štramberk  were  studied  by  Homola  &  Hanzlíková  (1955),
Hanzlíková  (1962,  1966,  1969),  Hanzlíková  &  Roth  (1963)
and  Švábenická  &  Hradecká  (2005).  Hanzlíková  (in  her
monograph  of  1972)  mentioned  a  sporadic  occurrence  of
foraminifers  in  the  Godula  Subunit.  Twenty  years  later,
Hanzlíková returned to her previous study of the Lower Cre-
taceous  sediments  by  her  presentation  in  the  Excursion
Guidebook of the 18

European Colloquium on Micropale-

ontology  in  Czechoslovakia  (Menčík  et  al.  1983).  Calcare-
ous  nannofossils  from  black  claystones  of  the  Hradiště
Formation  (Nová  Dědina  site  near  Frýdlant  nad  Ostravicí)
were  studied  by  Švábenická  (in  Skupien  et  al.  2003a).  The
distribution of nannofossil species, their abundance and bio-
stratigraphic  interpretation  from  both  quarries  was  partly
published by Švábenická (2008).

Material

Material was obtained from sediments of the Kotouč Facies,

Baška Subunit, that fill fissures in the Štramberk Limestone of
the abandoned Obecní lom Quarry (Fig. 2) and the Štramberk-
Kotouč Quarry (Figs. 3, 4). Samples were obtained from iso-

Fig. 2. A map of the main limestone bodies in the vicinity of Štram-
berk with the position of quarries. Position of samples in the Obecní
lom Quarry (Municipal Quarry).

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Fig. 3. Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry; the Štramberk Limestone with dark clay fills of the Plaňava Formation near the Mendocino fault (middle
part of the figure). Photo P. Skupien.

Fig. 4. Detailed positions of samples in the Štramberk-
Kotouč Quarry. For lithology and GPS see Table 1 (this
study) and fig. 5 in Svobodová et al. (2002).

lated  exposures  of  fissure  fillings,  from  the  tectonically  de-
formed  depressions  and  from  infillings  of  cavities  in  the
Štramberk-Kotouč  Quarry  (Fig. 3).  Pelitic  sediments  reach
their largest extent and highest thickness near the Mendocino
and  Clarion  faults.  They  belong  to  the  Plaňava  Formation;
samples were collected from its lower, middle and upper parts.
No  continuous  exposures  of  these  deposits  have  been  found
yet  because  sediments  of  the  Štramberk  area  are  represented
by breccia, tilloid conglomerate and oligostrome. Samples 1, 2
and 4/OB were taken in the claystones of the Hradiště Forma-

tion at the southern limit of the limestone body of the Obecní
lom Quarry. Sample 3/OB was obtained from a fissure in the
NE wall (Fig. 2). The samples are represented by fine detrital
sediments (red-brown, light green-grey, dark grey to black
claystones and siltstones) (Table 1, Fig. 3).

Coding of the samples from the Obecní lom Quarry con-

sists of two parts – the first part denotes the sample number
and the second one the sampling site (Obecní lom Quarry –
OB). Coding of the samples from the Štramberk-Kotouč
Quarry consists of three parts: the first part denotes the sam-

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 4, 309—332

pling site (Štramberk – Š), the second one the sample num-
ber (e.g. 22), and the third one the quarry level (VII).

Extremely rare sporomorphs and organic-walled dinocysts

without  biostratigraphic  evaluation  were  recorded  in  Štram-
berk-Kotouč  Quarry  –  Š8/VII,  Š22/V—VI,  Š38/IV,  Š41/IV,
Š42/IV—III, Š50/VI. Rare  organic-walled dinoflagellates were
observed  in  Š23/IV,  Š26/IV,  relicts  of  spines  in  Š28/IV  and
Š31/IV,  and  some  radiolarians  were  found  in  black  sediments
(Š7/VII, Š8/VII). Remains of agglutinated foraminifers without

Table 1: Position and lithology of the Lower Cretaceous samples in the Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry and Obecní lom Quarry (positions mea-
sured using GPS, the error of the measurement 5—7 meters).

Sample

Latitude N Latitude E Altitude Lithology and sample localization

Š3/VIII

49°34´59´´ 18°7´5´´

432 m grey claystone, small fissure

Š4/VII

49°34´59´´ 18°7´45´´

357 m light grey siltstone, upper part of the large fissure, Plaňava Formation

Š5/VII

49°34´59´´ 18°7´4´´

345 m dark grey-black claystone, Plaňava Formation

Š6/VII

49°34´59´´ 18°7´4´´

337 m light grey calcareous claystone, lower part of the large fissure, Plaňava Formation

Š7/VII

49°35´0´´

18°7´12´´

354 m dark grey claystone, Plaňava Formation, slumped body

Š8/VII

49°35´2´´

18°7´17´´

347 m dark grey claystone, near the Clarion Fault, Plaňava Formation

Š9/VII

49°35´2´´

18°7´17´´

346 m dark grey claystone near the Clarion Fault, Plaňava Formation

Š10/VI

49°34´59´´ 18°6´52´´

368 m dark grey claystone, northern wall, small cavity in the conglomerate, Chlebovice Member

Š12/VI

49°34´59´´ 18°7´6´´

361 m dark grey claystone, big exposure in the curve of the road, lower part, Plaňava Formation

Š13/VI

49°34´59´´ 18°7´6´´

366 m dark grey claystone, dtto Š12/VI, upper part

Š14/V

49°34´59´´ 18°6´51´´

402 m grey claystone, small fissure, Chlebovice Member

Š15/V

49°34´59´´ 18°6´52´´

397 m dark grey silty to sandy claystone, small fissure, Chlebovice Member

Š16/V

49°34´59´´ 18°6´52´´

395 m light green-grey silty to sandy claystone, small fissure, Chlebovice Member

Š17/V

49°35´1´´

18°7´0´´

400 m grey-black claystone, cross fault near the curve of the road, Plaňava Formation

Š18,19/V

49°35´1´´

18°7´5´´

403 m black claystone with pyrite near Mendocino Fault, big exposure, lower part, Plaňava Formation

Š20/V

49°35´1´´

18°7´4´´

406 m black claystone with pyrite near Mendocino Fault, big exposure, upper part, Plaňava Formation

Š21/V

49°35´3´´

18°7´13´´

397 m dark grey claystone near Clarion Fault, Plaňava Formation

Š22/V–IV

49°35´5´´

18°7´15´´

407 m dark grey claystone near the top of the wall, ?Plaňava Formation

Š23–26/IV 49°34´58´´ 18°6´40´´ 425

m grey siltstone, tectonically deformed big exposure near western part of the Kotou

Quarry

(samples taken every 4 m), ?Hradiště Formation

Š27/IV

49°34´59´´ 18°6´44´´

423 m green-grey claystone, northern wall, 10 m from the crossroads to V. level

Š28/IV

49°34´59´´ 18°6´46´´

429 m dark green-grey claystone, small fissure, Chlebovice Member

Š31/IV

49°35´1´´

18°6´54´´

420 m green-grey claystone inside limestone, Chlebovice Member

Š32/IV

49°35´1´´

18°6´57´´

416 m grey claystone, small fissure, Chlebovice Member

Š33/IV

49°35´1´´

18°6´59´´

421 m red-brown claystone, large fissure of grey and red-brown claystones

Š34/IV

49°35´1´´

18°6´59´´

421 m light grey claystone

Š35/IV

49°35´2´´

18°7´3´´

422 m black claystone, big exposure, lower part, Plaňava Formation

Š36/IV

49°35´2´´

18°7´3´´

422 m red-brownish claystone, dtto Š35/IV, middle part, Plaňava Formation

Š37/IV

49°35´2´´

18°7´3´´

422 m grey claystone, dtto Š35/IV, upper part, Plaňava Formation

Š38/IV

49°35´4´´

18°7´11´´

418 m dark grey claystone near the Clarion Fault, big exposure, Plaňava Formation

Š39/IV

49°35´4´´

18°7´11´´

417 m grey claystone with pyrite near the Clarion Fault, dtto Š38/IV, Plaňava Formation

Š40/V 49°35´7´´

18°7´16´´

412

dark grey non-calcareous claystone with limonite corresponds to sample Š22/V–IV, ?Plaňava
Formation

Š41/IV

49°35´7´´

18°7´18´´

423 m weathered grey non-calcareous claystone, rests of the eastern wall

Š42/IV–III 49°35´1´´

18°6´50´´

397 m block of dark grey claystone inside green-grey claystone of the Chlebovice Member

Š43/IV–III 49°35´1´´

18°6´52´´

426 m green-grey claystone, small fissure, Chlebovice Member

Š44/IV–III 49°35´1´´ 18°6´52´´ 425

dark grey to black claystone under rock shelter, northern wall near crossing to IV. level,
?Plaňava Formation

Š45/III

49°35´2´´

18°6´55´´

440 m dark grey claystone, big depression, ?Plaňava Formation

Š46/III

49°35´2´´

18°6´56´´

437 m grey claystone, big depression (eastern part), ?Plaňava Formation

Š47/III

49°35´2´´

18°6´54´´

432 m light green-grey claystone, east of sample Š46/III

Š48/I

49°35´2´´

18°6´52´´

452 m grey claystone, ?Plaňava Formation

Š49A,
B/VIII

49°34´59´´ 18°7´6´´

432 m black claystone, big fissure, ?Plaňava Formation

Š50/VI 49°34´59´´

18°7´39´´

424

brown-grey claystone, tectonically deformed small exposure near western part of the Štramberk-

Kotouč Quarry

Š51/IX

49°34´51´´ 18°6´54´´

432 m light green-grey claystone, SE part of the eastern wall, small cavity in limestone

Š52/IX

49°34´51´´ 18°6´54´´

432 m light green-grey claystone, dtto Š51/IX

Š53/IX

49°34´48´´ 18°6´51´´

384 m light green-grey claystone, layer between conglomerates, Chlebovice Member

Š54/VIII

49°34´50´´ 18°7´3´´

315 m light green-grey claystone, southern wall, cavity 2 m in diameter

Š55/VIII

49°34´50.7´´ 18°7´3.0´´

318 m light green-grey claystone, dtto 54/IX

1/OB 49°35´19.2´´ 18°7´38.3´´  405 m  dark grey claystone, ?Hradiště Formation
2/OB 49°35´19.2´´ 18°7´38.3´´  407 m  grey claystone, ?Hradiště Formation
3/OB 49°35´18.2´´ 18°7´34.5´´  415 m  grey claystone, big fissure inside limestone, Plaňava Formation
4/OB 49°35´19.7´´ 18°7´39.3´´  423 m  grey claystone, ?Hradiště Formation

taxonomic  determination  were  present  in  Š55/VIII  (Fig. 12).
Many  samples  contained  no  foraminifers  (Š7/VII,  Š8/VII,
Š14/V, Š23/VI, Š24/VI, Š25/VI, Š26/IV, Š27/IV, Š28/IV, Š31/IV,
Š32/IV, Š51/IX, Š54/VIII) or plant microfossils of either ter-
restrial or marine origin (Š37/VII, Š11—12/VI, Š14/V, Š16/V,
Š27—34/IV, Š36—37/IV, Š43/IV—III, Š47/III, Š48/I, Š51—55/IX).
Calcareous  nannofossils  were  observed  in  dark  grey,  dark
green, red-brown and black pelites (Švábenická 2008).

All microfossil groups were recovered from the same samples.

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Methods

Samples for the study of foraminifers, calcareous nannofos-

sils and palynomorphs were subjected to conventional laborato-
ry  procedures  (following  the  methodology  described  in
Svobodová et al. 2004) in the Laboratory of the Czech Geologi-
cal  Survey.  Palynomorphs  were  studied  in  the  glycerine-jelly
slides in the OPTON (light) and CAMECA (scanning electron)
microscopes.  Small  foraminiferal  tests  were  obtained  using  a
sieve with 0.06 mm mesh size. Foraminiferal assemblages were
studied under a binocular light microscope NIKON 102. Photo-
graphs were taken using a scanning electron microscope in the
Laboratory of the Czech Geological Survey. The European and
Mediterranean  planktonic  zonation  of  Robaszynski  &  Caron
(1995) was used for the foraminiferal stratigraphic correlations.
Calcareous nannofossils were studied from simple smear-slides
at  1000   magnification,  using  Nikon  Microphot-FXA  trans-
mitting  light  microscope.  Data  were  correlated  with  the  BC
zones of Bown et al. (1998). Interpretations of province prefer-
ences of the individual nannofossil species were based on Mut-
terlose (1992, 1993), Bown et al. (1998), Mutterlose & Kessels
(2000), and Melinte & Mutterlose (2001).

The deposits provided poorly to moderately well preserved

sporomorphs,  organic-walled  dinoflagellate  cysts,  foraminifers
and calcareous nannofossils. Diversification and abundance of
these microfossils are variable, depending on lithology and gen-
esis of the sediment, weathering, and calcium carbonate and py-
rite  content.  Generally,  light,  green-grey  sediments  with
elevated  calcium  carbonate  content  yielded  foraminifers  and
calcareous  nannofossils,  while  dark,  grey  to  black  sediments
yielded miospores and dinocysts. Due to the predominantly ma-
rine character and the high calcium carbonate content of the de-
posits,  the  preservation  of  most  miospores  was  poor  with  the
exception of the thick-walled sporomorph types.

Results

Obecní lom Quarry

Dark grey claystones sampled from the fills of the Štram-

berk Limestone provided a well-preserved and diverse fora-
miniferal assemblage, but poor and poorly preserved
calcareous nannofossils. Only some sediments contained di-
nocysts and sporomorphs.

Organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts

The most common organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts are

Circulodinium  vermiculatum,  Cribroperidinium  orthoceras,
Kiokansium  unituberculatum,  Oligosphaeridium  complex
and Odontochitina operculata in 1/OB and by Bourkidinium
sp.,  Pseudoceratium  pelliferum,  Systematophora  scoriacea
and others in 3A/OB (Fig. 5).

Miospores

Sporomorphs are represented by prevailing fern spores

(1A/OB) – Cicatricosisporites minutaestriatus, Stapli-

nisporites caminus, Concavissimisporites verrucosus, C. robus-
tus, and conifer species Callialasporites dampieri, C. trilobatus,
Corollina  torosa.  Small  tricolpate  angiosperm  pollen  Psilatri-
colpites sp. occurred only in this sample. The spore-pollen as-
semblage in 2A/OB is less common but well-preserved (Fig. 6).
Spores  Aequitriradites  spinulosus,  Pilosisporites  cf.  crassian-
gulatus,  Concavissimisporites  informis  prevail,  gymnosperm
pollen Callialasporites dampieri, C. trilobatus, Cerebropolleni-
tes macroverrucosus are common. Dark pelites in 3A/OB pro-
vided  the  taxa  Auritulinasporites  deltaformis,  Baculatisporites
comaumensis,  Concavissimisporites  robustus,  Foraminisporites
wonthaggiensis. No angiosperms were recorded.

Foraminifers

Foraminiferal microfauna contained high numbers of ag-

glutinated specimens of genera Ammodiscus, Ammobaculites
and  Marssonella  and  diversified  calcareous  benthos.  Plank-
tonic  foraminifers  were  not  found.  Reworked  foraminifers
possibly  indicate  Jurassic  strata  (Fig. 7).  Forty  benthic  spe-
cies  were  determined  (1/OB,  2A/OB  and  2B/OB)  but  the
number  of  specimens  was  very  low.  The  assemblages  are
characterized  by  Lenticulina  nodosa,  Lingulonodosaria  no-
dosaria, Psilocitharella kochi kochi, P. costulata, Citharina
striatula, Astacolus schloenbachi.

Calcareous nannoflora

Poor and poorly preserved calcareous nannofossils are char-

acterized by a high number of Watznaueria barnesiae, by the
presence of “long-ranging species” W. britannica, Zeugrhab-
dotus erectus, Rhagodiscus nebulosus, Lithraphidites carnio-
lensis and Cretarhabdus conicus, and by stratigraphically

Dinoflagellate cysts

Late

Valanginian–

Hauterivian

Late

Barremian

Sample No.

3A/OB

1/OB

Achomosphaera neptunii

Bourkidinium sp.

Circulodinium distinctum

Circulodinium vermiculatum

Cleistosphaeridium? multispinosum

Cribroperidinium edwardsii

Cribroperidinium orthoceras

Endoscrinium campanula

Gonyaulacysta sp.

Hystrichodinium pulchrum

Kiokansium unituberculatum

Kleithriasphaeridium eoinodes x
Muderongia sp.

Odontochitina operculata

Oligosphaeridium? asterigerum

Oligosphaeridium complex

xxx

Pseudoceratium pelliferum

Spiniferites ramosus

Systematophora scoriacea

Systematophora sp.

xxx

Fig. 5. Distribution of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts in sam-
ples from the Obecní lom Quarry.

•

– single occurrence of poorly

preserved cysts, x – less than 4 %, xx – 4—15 %, xxx – 15—30 %.

314

SVOBODOVÁ, ŠVÁBENICKÁ, SKUPIEN and HRADECKÁ

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 4, 309—332

important species Eiffellithus striatus, Cruciellipsis cuvillieri
and Tubodiscus jurapelagicus and some nannoconids (2A
and 2B/OB) (Švábenická 2008).

Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry

Dark grey, greenish-grey and black pelites provided sporo-

morphs and organic-walled dinocysts (Figs. 8, 9).

Miospores

The microflora has a predominant spore component (partic-

ularly schizeacean, gleicheniacean, lycopodiacean affinity) to-
gether with common gymnosperm pollen, both saccate and
inaperturate types. Within the herein studied assemblage, the
following filicaceous types are represented by large forms,

namely  Concavissimisporites  robustus,  C.  verruco-
sus, C. variverrucatus, thick-walled types – Cicatri-
cosisporites (C. hannoverana, C. minutaestriatus, C.
hughesii,  C.  recticicatricosus),  and  Baculatisporites
comaumensis, Foraminisporites wonthaggiensis, Au-
ritulinasporites  deltaformis  (Fig. 8).  Conifers  are
particularly  well  represented  by  abundant  Cal-
lialasporites  dampieri,  associated  with  inaperturate
forms  Eucommiidites  troedsonii,  Cerebropollenites
macroverrucosus.  Corollina  torosa  is  consistently
present  but  in  low  numbers.  None  of  these  samples
provided any angiosperm pollen.

Organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts

Organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst assemblages

are moderately well to well preserved. The diversity
and  abundance  of  the  taxa  are  variable  (Fig. 9).
Proximate  to  proximochorate  dinoflagellate  cysts
predominate:  Circulodinium,  Cribroperidinium,
Muderongia,  Pseudoceratium.  Chorate  cysts  are
represented  by  abundant  genus  Kiokansium,  Oli-
gosphaeridium,  Systematophora.  Acritarchs  were
found in only a few samples (Š5/VII, Š9/VII, Š10/
VI, Š18/V, Š35/IV, Š40/V, Š44/III—IV), being rep-
resented by Wallodinium krutzschii and W. luna.

Biostratigraphic interpretations

Age interpretation of the studied samples was de-

termined on the basis of the presence of index
microfossils.

Obecní lom Quarry

Sediments were evaluated in the stratigraphical

range from the Late Valanginian to the Late
Barremian.

The Late Valanginian age is documented by the

occurrence of foraminifers Lenticulina roemeri, L.
dunkeri and L. pulchella (Meyn & Vespermann
1994).

Fig. 6. Distribution of spore-pollen species in samples from the Obecní lom
Quarry.

•

– 1—5 %;

••

–

6—10 %.

Miospore taxa
Obecní lom Quarry

Sample No.

Barremian

1/OB

?Hauterivian

2A/OB

Hauterivian

3A/OB

Spores
Aequitriradites spinulosus

●

Auritulinasporites deltaformis

●

Baculatisporites comaumensis

Cicatricosisporites minutaestriatus

●

Cicatricosisporites spp.

●

Clavifera triplex

●●

●

Concavissimisporites informis

Concavissimisporites robustus

●

Concavissimisporites verrucosus

●

Cyathidites australis

●

Densoisporites velatus

●

Echinatisporites varispinosus

●

Foraminisporites wonthaggiensis

●

Foveosporites subtriangularis

●

Gleicheniidites minor

Gleicheniidites senonicus

●●

●

Klukisporites sp.

●

Neoraistrickia truncata

●

Osmundacidites wellmanii

●

Pilosisporites cf. crassiangulatus

●

Pilosisporites trichopapillosus

●

Plicatella cf. cristata

●

Plicatella pseudomacrorhyza

●

Retitriletes austroclavatidites

●

Staplinisporites caminus

●

Stereisporites antiquasporites

●

Todisporites minor

●

Gymnosperm pollen
Alisporites similis

●●

●

Callialasporites dampieri

●

Callialasporites trilobatus

●

Cerebropollenites macroverrucosus

●

Corollina torosa

●

Cycadopites cf. carpentieri

●

Cycadopites sp.

●

Eucommiidites minor

●

Pinuspollenites spp.

●●

Podocarpidites ellipticus

●●

●

Taxodiaceaepollenites hiatus

●

Vitreisporites pallidus

●

●●

Angiosperm pollen
Tricolpites sp.

●

Interval Late Valanginian—?Hauterivian is evaluated by di-

nocysts of Bourkidinium sp., Pseudoceratium pelliferum and
Systematophora scoriacea (Leereveld 1997; Skupien 2003b;
Skupien & Smaržová 2011).

The Hauterivian age was proved by foraminifers Lenticuli-

na muensteri and L. pulchella. This age is also supported by
the  presence  of  Psilocitharella  truncata  described  by  Reuss
(1863)  as  Vaginulina  truncata  from  the  Hauterivian  of  SE
Germany. Many foraminiferal benthic species and their strati-
graphic  range  were  correlated  with  foraminifers  from  the
Lower Cretaceous sediments in southeastern Germany. Some
of  the  Reuss’  and  Roemer’s  species,  emended  by  Meyn  &
Vespermann  (1994),  such  as  Laevidentalina  sororia  (syn-
onym  Dentalina  sororia  Reuss),  Psilocitharella  recta  (syn-
onym  Vaginulina  recta  Reuss),  Lenticulina  subangulata
(synonym Cristellaria subangulata Reuss), L. roemeri (syno-

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 4, 309—332

Fig. 7. Distribution of foraminiferal species in samples from the Obecní lom
Quarry.

•

– rare occurrence, R – redeposition.

nym  Cristellaria  Römeri  Reuss),  L.  nodosa  (Robulina  no-
dosa  Reuss)  were  also  found  here.  The  Valanginian  and
Hauterivian  foraminiferal  assemblages  were  correlated  with
foraminifers of the same age from the so-called “Wildflysch”
development  of  the  Gutrathsberg  Quarry  in  Gartenau,  Aus-
tria  (Hradecká  in  Egger  et  al.  1997;  Hradecká  2003).  The
presence of Gavelinella barremiana may document the Late
Hauterivian – lower  part  of  Early  Barremian  interval,  ac-
cording to Holbourn & Kaminski (1995), (Fig. 7).

The latest Hauterivian to Early Barremian (Zone BC11—13,

CC5b—c) is indicated by the nannofossil species Assipetra tere-
brodentarius, Perissocyclus plethotretus, Watznaueria cf. bi-

porta accompanied by higher numbers of nanno-
conids and Micrantholithus spp.

The Late Barremian is documented in sample

1/OB  by  the  dinocyst  species  Odontochitina
operculata  (Leereveld  1995)  (Fig. 5)  and  small
primitive  angiosperm  pollen  of  Psilatricolpites
sp. (Fig. 6). This age has already been supposed
based  on  previous  dinocyst  records  (Leereveld
1995,  1997;  Skupien  1999;  Torricelli  2000;
Skupien & Vašíček 2002).

Based on these results, it can be assumed that

sediments of the Plaňava Formation in the fis-
sures of the quarry are of Hauterivian, probably
latest Hauterivian age. Claystones of the Hradiš-
tě Formation in the southern part of the quarry
represent a tectonic melange of the Hauterivian
and Barremian sediments.

Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry

Integrated biostratigraphic interpretation of the

Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry is shown in Fig. 14.

The Jurassic age was indicated only by calcare-

ous  nannofossils  and  foraminifers.  Reworking  of
these  fossil  groups  into  the  stratigraphically
younger  (Early  Cretaceous)  deposits  is  highly
probable.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  occurrence  of
organic-walled dinocysts of the Valanginian age in
the  same  samples  (Š7/VII,  23/IV,  24/IV,  25/IV,
42/V—III).

Early Valanginian is documented by rare nan-

nofossil  species  Speetonia  colligata  and  Calci-
calathina  oblongata,  and  the  Late  Valanginian
by the influx of Speetonia colligata, and by nan-
noconids and rare pentaliths of Micrantholithus
speetonensis  (BC4  Zone).  The  presence  of  cal-
careous foraminiferal benthos Astacolus linearis
and Lenticulina subangulata confirms this inter-
pretation.

The Late Valanginian—Late Hauterivian inter-

val is supported by organic-walled dinoflagellate
cysts  of  Systematophora  scoriacea,  Circulo-
dinium  vermiculatum  and  Cymososphaeridium
validum  (Leereveld  1995,  1997;  Skupien  et  al.
2003a;  Skupien  &  Smaržová  2011)  together
with  pteridophyte  spores  of  Auritulinasporites
deltaformis,  Foraminisporis  wonthaggiensis  and

Cardioangulina crassiparietalis and by the benthic foramini-
fer Lenticulina nodosa.

Miospore taxa displayed in Fig. 8 fall within the interval of

the Valanginian—Hauterivian according to comparison with the
so-called Wealden sediments in Germany, Great Britain and the
Netherlands  (Döring  1965,  1966;  Burger  1966;  Hughes  &
Moody-Stuart 1969; Kemp 1970; Dörhöfer 1977; Dörhöfer &
Norris 1977; Grebe 1982). A similarity exists between the up-
per  part  of  the  Bückeberg  Formation  (Hils 4  –  up  to  Upper
Valanginian)  of  the  Lower  Saxony  Basin  from  NW  Germany
(Dörhöfer 1977; Dörhöfer & Norris 1977) and the Štramberk-
Kotouč  Quarry  characterized  by  the  diversification  of

Valanginian – Hauterivian (Aptian)
?

Foraminifera
Obecní lom Quarry

Sample No.

2A/OB 3A/OB 3B/OB 4/OB 2B/OB 1/OB

Gaudryina sp.

●

Ammodiscus gaultinus

●

Ammobaculites subcretaceus

●

Marssonella subtrochus

●

Triplasia sp.

●

Psilocitharella truncata

●

Psilocitharella kochi

●

Psilocitharella costulata

●

Lenticulina nodosa

●

Lenticulina polonica

Lenticulina dunkeri

●

Lenticulina pulchella

●

Lenticulina roemeri

●

Lenticulina muensteri

●

Gavelinella barremiana

●

Lingulonodosaria nodosaria

●

Saracenaria triangularis

●

Saracenaria pyramidata

●

Marginulinopsis jonesi

Marginulina declivis

●

Lagena globosa

●

Tristix acutangula

●

Tristix aff. reesidei

●

Vaginulinopsis radiata

R R

Frondicularia nikitiny

Frondicularia concinna

●

Citharina lepida

Citharina striatula

●

Astacolus cf. gratus

●

Astacolus djaffaensis

●

Astacolus schloenbachi

●

Hemirobulina cephalotes

●

Pyramidulina sceptrum

●

Pseudonodosaria humilis

●

Laevidentalina linearis

●

Laevidentalina nana

●

Laevidentalina siliqua

●

Laevidentalina pseudochrysalis

●

Dentalina distincta

●

Planularia tricarinella

●

Hemirobulina linearis

●

Epistomina ornata

●

Epistomina caracolla

●

Trocholina aff. remesiana

●

Trochammina cf. inflata

●

Patellina subcretacea

●

Conorotalites aff. intercedens

●

Pseudopyrulinoides sp.

●

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 4, 309—332

schizeacean  spores.  Contrary  to  Hils 4  spore
content, specimens of  Trilobosporites fsp. are
very rare in dark pelites of the Kotouč Quarry.
This fact is probably due to the older age of the
Bückenberg locality (most of the samples from
the  Štramberk-Kotouč  Quarry  correspond  to
the Late Valanginian—Hauterivian age).

Planktonic foraminifers Hedbergella

delrioensis and H. sigali (Fig. 13) allow us to
parallel  these  deposits  with  the  Hedbergella
delrioensis/sigali planktonic Zone that spans
the interval from the latest Valanginian to the
Hauterivian/Barremian  boundary.  The  strati-
graphic range of the planktonic Zone Hedber-
gella  delrioensis—H.  sigali  (samples 6/VII
and  49A/VII,  Fig. 13)  was  determined  using
the  planktonic  zonation  of  Robaszynski  &
Caron (1995). Nevertheless, according to later
research (Coccioni et al. 2007), H. delrioensis
is  limited  to  the  Albian.  Thus,  based  on  the
newly proposed planktonic zonation by Coc-
cioni et al. (2007), the planktonic Zone Hed-
bergella  infracretacea  and  H.  semielongata
corresponds  to  H.  sigali—H.  delrioensis  by
Robaszynski & Caron (1995).

The Early Hauterivian age is indicated by

the  first  occurrence  of  dinocyst  species
Muderongia staurota (Duxbury 1977; Leere-
veld  1997;  Skupien  &  Smaržová  2011),  by
benthic foraminifers Astacolus bronni, Lingu-
lonodosaria  nodosaria,  Lenticulina  sp.  and
by  the  first  occurrence  of  Lenticulina  saxo-
cretacea and L. roemeri (Figs. 10, 11).

The Late Hauterivian age is proved by the

nannofossil  species  Eiffellithus  striatus
(BC8—BC9 Zone) accompanied by Perissocy-
clus  plethrotretus,  Tegumentum  octiformis
and  Tegulalithus  septentrionalis.  This  age  is
supported by dinoflagellate assemblages with
Batioladinium  jaegeri,  Cymososphaeridium
validum, Gardodinium trabeculosum, Hystri-
chosphaerina  schindewolfii  and  Kleithria-
sphaeridium  fasciatum  (Prössl  1990;  Stover
et al. 1996; Leereveld 1997), and by pterido-
phyte spores of Baculatisporites comaumensis,
Cicatricosisporites  hannoverana,  Conca-
vissimisporites robustus, and C. verrucosus.

The Aptian age is documented only by or-

ganic-walled  dinoflagellate  cysts,  namely
Chlamydophorella  nyei,  Palaeotetradinium
silicorum,  Protoellipsodinium  touilis,  Ste-
phodinium  coronatum.  Biostratigraphically
most  important  are  the  species  Pseudocera-
tium  polymorphum  and  Hystrichosphaerina
schindewolfii  (Davey  1982;  Below  1984;
Costa  &  Davey  1992;  Skupien  &  Vašíček
2002; Skupien 2003b).

The latest Aptian-EarlyAlbian age is sup-

ported by nannofossil species Predisco-

Fig. 8. Distribution of spore-pollen species in samples from the Štramberk-Kotouč
Quarry.

•

– present.

Valanginian–Hauterivian

Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry

Sample No.

Miospores

Š9

Š10/

Š13/

Š17/

Š18/

Š20/

Š21/

Š35/

Š37/

Š39/

Š40/

Š44/

-I

Š4

Spores
Aequitriradites spinulosus

●

Auritulinasporites deltaformis

●

Baculatisporites comaumensis

●

Biretisporites sp.

●

● ●

Cardioangulina cf. crassiparietalis

●

Cibotiumspora juncta

●

Cibotiumspora jurienensis

●

Cicatricosisporites dorogensis

●

Cicatricosisporites cf. hannoverana

●

Cicatricosisporites hughesii

●

Cicatricosisporites minutaestriatus

●

Cicatricosisporites recticicatricosus

●

Cicatricosisporites spp.

●

● ● ●

●

Clavifera rudis

●

Clavifera triplex

●

Concavissimisporites multituberculatus

●

Concavissimisorites robustus

●

Concavissimisporites variverrucatus

●

Concavissimisporites verrucosus

●

Concavissimisporites sp.

●

● ● ● ●

Contignisporites sp.

●

Coronatispora telata

●

Cyathidites australis

●

● ●

●

Cyathidites minor

●

● ● ●

●

● ●

Densoisporites velatus

●

Dictyophyllidites equiexinus

●

Echinatisporites varispinosus

●

Foraminisporites wonthaggiensis

●

Foveotriletes sp.

●

Foveosporites pseudoalveolatus

●

Foveosporites subtriangularis

●

Gleicheniidites minor

●

Gleicheniidites senonicus

●

● ●

●

● ●

●

● ●

Klukisporites pseudoreticulatus

●

Klukisporites variegatus

●

Impardecispora apiverrucata

●

Laevigatosporites ovatus

●

Osmundacidites wellmanii

●

Neoraistrickia truncata

●

Pilosisporites semicapillosus

●

● ●

●

● ●

●

Plicatella crimensis

●

Plicatella macrorhyza

●

Plicatella pseudomacrorhyza

●

Plicatella sp.

●

● ●

●

Retitriletes austroclavatidites

●

● ●

Retitriletes semimuris

●

Staplinisporites caminus

●

● ●

●

Stereisporites antiquasporites

●

Stoverisporites cf. lunaris

●

Todisporites minor

●

Trilobosporites hannonicus

●

Trilobosporites sp.

●

Verrucosisporites major

●

Verrucosisporites rarus

●

Gymnosperm pollen
Alisporites similis

●

● ● ● ● ● ●

●

Araucariacites australis

●

● ● ●

Callialasporites dampieri

●

● ●

●

● ● ● ● ● ● ●

●

Callialasporites trilobatus

●

● ●

Cerebropollenites macroverrucosus

●

Corollina torosa

●

Cycadopites cf. carpentieri

●

Cycadopites cf. follicularis

●

Cycadopites sp.

●

● ● ●

●

● ● ●

Eucommiidites minor

●

● ● ●

●

● ● ●

Eucommiidites troedsonii

●

Podocarpidites ellipticus

●

● ● ●

Taxodiaceaepollenites hiatus

●

● ● ● ● ●

●

Vitreisporites pallidus

●

● ● ●

●

● ● ● ● ● ● ●

317

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Fig. 9. Distribution of organic-walled dinoflagellate species in samples from the Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry.

•

– single occurrence of

poorly preserved cysts, x – less than 4 %, xx – 4—15 %, xxx – 15—30 %, xxxx – more than 30 %.

Hauterivian

Dinoflagellate cysts
Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry

Late Valanginian–Late Hauterivian

Early

latest Early–Late

Late

Sample No.

Š1

Š2

Š3

/IV

–III

Š3

/III

Š1

Š3

/IV

–III

/III

Š1

Š2

Š4

Š5

Achomosphaera neptunii

●

x x x x xx x

Aptea polymorpha

Batioladinium jaegeri

●

Bourkidinium granulatum

●

x x x x

●

Callaiosphaeridium asymmetricum

Cassiculosphaeridia magna

Cauca parva

Chlamydophorella nyei

Chlamydophorella sp.

Circulodinium brevispinosum

●

x xxx

Circulodinium distinctum

●

x xx x xx xx xx xx xxx x

Circulodinium sp.

●

Circulodinium vermiculatum

●

x xxx x xx x x x

Cleistosphaeridium? multispinosum

x x

xxx

Cometodinium habibii

●

xx x x x x xxx

Cometodinium? whitei

●

Coronifera oceanica

Cribroperidinium edwardsii

●

cf.

xxx

Cribroperidinium orthoceras

●

xx cf. xx xx x x xx x

●

Ctenidodinium elegantulum

xxx

Ctenidodinium sp.

Cyclonephelium vannophorum

Cymososphaeridium validum

●

cf.

x x x xx x x

●

Dapsilidinium multispinosum

●

Desmocysta sp.

Dichadogonyaulax sp.

Dissiliodinium globulus

Dinogymnium albertii

●

cf.

Endoscrinium cf. campanula

●

x x x

Exochosphaeridium sp.

●

x x

●

Florentinia mantellii

Gardodinium trabeculosum

Gonyaulacysta cretacea

Gonyaulacysta extensa

Gonyaulacysta

sp.

x x x x x x

Hystrichodinium pulchrum

x x x x x

Hystrichodinium voigtii

Hystrichosphaerina schindewolfii

cf. x x x x

●

Kallosphaeridium sp.

●

Kiokansium unituberculatum

●

xx cf. x x xx x x xxx x xx

●

Kiokansium sp.

●

xxx

Kleithriasphaeridium eoinodes

●

x x x x x

Kleithriasphaeridium fasciatum

●

x x

Muderongia neocomica

●

Muderongia macwhaei

●

x xxx

Muderongia microperforata

●

Muderongia pariata

x x

Muderongia staurota

Muderongia tabulata

●

Muderongia sp.

●

x x

Occisucysta sp.

cf. Occisucysta tentoria

Odontochitina operculata

Oligosphaeridium cf. albertense

Oligosphaeridium? asterigerum

●

xx x x x

●

Oligosphaeridium complex

●

xx xx x x xx xx x

●

x xx

Oligosphaeridium dividuum

Oligosphaeridium perforatum

●

Oligosphaeridium poculum

Oligosphaeridium pulcherrimum

Palaeotetradinium silicorum

Pareodinia sp.

●

Pervosphaeridium sp.

Prolixosphaeridium sp.

Protoellipsodinium clavulum

Protoellipsodinium spinosum

Protoellipsodinium touile

Pseudoceratium gochtii

318

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Fig. 9. Continued from previous page.

Fig. 10. Distribution of foraminiferal species in samples from the
Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry. – rare occurrence, – frequent.

sphaera columnata (BC23 Zone) sensu Kennedy et al. (2000).

The Albian age is indicated by foraminifers Gavelinella

cenomanica and Lingulogavelinella pazdroae (Fig. 14) (Ga-
wor-Biedowa 1972). Nannofossils with Eiffellithus turriseiffe-
lii indicate the youngest age, Late Albian (BC27/UC0 Zone).

The first occurrence of nannofossil species Watznaueria

biporta  is  usually  mentioned  from  the  Albian  (Burnett
1998);  nevertheless,  this  species  has  been  observed  already
in the lower part of the Early Cretaceous in association with
Micrantholithus  speetonensis  in  the  Early  Valanginian,  and
in the overlying strata.

Biostratigraphic affinities of spore-pollen assemblages are

not always obvious. Only some miospore taxa of the present
assemblage have stratigraphic correlative significance within
the Neocomian, in terms of their restricted vertical range or
appearance/disappearance. Distribution of the organic-walled
dinoflagellate cysts is similar to assemblages from the Pieni-
ny Klippen Belt and Central Carpathians (Skupien 2003c;
Skupien et al. 2003c).

Paleoenvironmental interpretations (Štramberk-

Kotouč and Obecní lom Quarries)

Paleoenvironmental interpretation of the Štramberk-Ko-

touč Quarry is shown in Fig. 14.

Organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts

From the paleoecological point of view, the assemblage of

organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts reflects the conditions of a
shallow  neritic  sea  (Wilpshaar  &  Leereveld  1994;  Leereveld
1995; Michalík et al. 2008). A brackish environment is repre-
sented  by  the  genus  Muderongia  (up  to  35 %  of  the  assem-
blage in sample Š35/IV) and Odontochitina (12 % in sample
1/OB).  Shallow-marine  (littoral)  types  (e.g.  Circulodinium,
Cribroperidinium  and  Pseudoceratium)  markedly  prevail  only
in samples Š35/IV, Š39/IV and characterize the nearshore sedi-
mentation. Open-marine dinoflagellate types (Achomosphaera,
Spiniferites, Oligosphaeridium) occur in low numbers.

Early

Hauterivian

Hauterivian–

Albian

Foraminifera
Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry

Sample No.

Š1

Š5

Š 21

Š2

V–

Š3

Š4

– III

Ammodiscus gaultinus

○

Spirillina sp.

■

Patellina subcretacea

■

Astacolus bronni

■

Trocholina remesiana

■

Saracenaria triangularis

■

Astacolus humilis

■

Dentalina sp.

■

Verneuilinoides neocomiensis

■

Epistomina ornata

■

Lenticulina nodosa

■

Lenticulina saxocretacea

■

○

○ ■

■

Planularia complanata

■

Gaudryina trochus

■

Marssonella subtrochus

■

Tritaxia plummerae

■

Ramulina aculeata

■

Marginulina bullata

■

Lenticulina muensteri

○ ■ ■

Ammobaculites subcretaceus

■

Dentalina sororia

■

Tristix acutangula

■

Marssonella oxycona

■

Lenticulina subangulata

■

Lenticulina roemeri

■

Hauterivian

Dinoflagellate cysts
Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry

Late Valanginian–Late Hauterivian

Early

latest Early–Late

Late

Sample No.

Š5/

Š7/

Š13/

Š18/

Š21/

Š23/

Š24/

Š25/

Š38/

Š42/

–I

Š39/

Š4

III

Š10/

Š12/

Š35/

Š44/

–I

Š4

III

Š9/

Š17/

Š20/

Š40/

Š50/

Pseudoceratium pelliferum

●

xx x xx x x x x

●

Sentusidinium sp.

●

Spiniferites ramosus

●

x x x x

Spiniferites sp.

●

x x x x xx

Stephodinium coronatum

Subtilisphaera perlucida

Subtilisphaera sp.

●

x x x

Surculosphaeridium sp.

Systematophora areolata

Systematophora complicata

●

Systematophora cf. cretacea

●

x x x

Systematophora scoriacea

●

xxxx cf.

●

x xxx xxx x xx xxxx xxxx xxxx

●

Systematophora silybum

x x x xxx

Systematophora sp.

●

xxx

x x

Tanyosphaeridium boletus

Tanyosphaeridium isocalamus

Tanyosphaeridium magneticum

Tanyosphaeridium sp.

●

Tenua hystrix

Wallodinium krutzschii

●

x xx x x

●

Wallodinium luna

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Fig. 11. Distribution of foraminiferal species in samples from the
Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry. – rare occurrence, – frequent.

Fig. 12. Distribution of foraminiferal species in samples from the
Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry. – rare occurrence, – frequent,

– abundant.

Organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts consist almost entirely

of  the  warm-water  (Tethyan)  taxa  that  indicate  a  relatively
high surface temperature of the sea. Rare cold-water (Boreal,
Leereveld  1995)  organic-walled  dinoflagellate  cysts  Batiola-
dinium  jaegeri,  Hystrichosphaerina  schindewolfii  and  Oli-
gosphaeridium perforatum were also found in several samples
(Š9/VII, 12/VI, 17/V, 20/V, 39/IV, 44/IV—III, 46/III).

The proximity of a continent is documented by miospore

terrestrial admixture in marine sediments. Rather humid cli-
mate conditions during the Early Cretaceous have been simi-
larly recorded in southern Britain and the Netherlands
(Sladen & Batten 1984).

Calcareous nannoflora

Generally, calcareous nannofossils provide only sporadic

information about paleoecological conditions and the paleo-

geographic situation of the depositional area. In any case, if
present, calcareous nannoflora documents marine water of
normal salinity.

Nannofossil assemblages are usually dominated by

Watznaueria  barnesiae,  an  eurytopic  and  environmentally
tolerant cosmopolitan species. The most common occurrence
of this species accompanied by W. britannica was recorded in
the lowermost part of the Lower Cretaceous (sample Š16/V).
According  to  Melinte  &  Mutterlose  (2001),  the  dominance
of  W.  barnesiae  reflects  cooler,  humid  conditions  and  well
mixed surface waters.

Nannoconus is usually mentioned as an index of neritic or

shallow continental marine and epicontinental sea conditions
(Roth & Krumbach 1986). Its occasional occurrence can high-
light the depth fluctuation and shallowing in the depositional
area. According to Melinte & Mutterlose (2001), high numbers
of nannoconids reflect warmer conditions and rather stable sur-
face stratification. These authors described periods with domi-
nance of nannoconids alternating periods with dominance of W.
barnesiae in the Berriasian—Valanginian interval. Unfortunate-
ly, it was impossible to verify this hypothesis in the studied ma-
terial because no continuous section was available.

Some assemblages contain nannofossils mentioned as “pre-

dominantly Tethyan taxa” (sensu Bown et al. 1998). They in-
clude  higher  numbers  of  nannoconids  (only  occasional
component  of  assemblages  –  see  Fig. 15)  and  placoliths  of
Cruciellipsis  cuvillieri,  Speetonia  colligata,  Tubodiscus  spp.
and Calcicalathina oblongata. Mutterlose (1992) and Melinte
& Mutterlose (2001) marked the genera Nannoconus, Micran-
tholithus  (here  M.  obtusus  and  M.  hoschulzii)  and  Conu-
sphaera (here C. rothii) as typical Tethyan genera.

Boreal influx was recorded in the following stratigraphic

horizons (Fig. 15):

1. Upper Valanginian (upper part), Zone BC4, rare occur-

rence  of  penthaliths  of  Micrantholithus  speetonensis  (en-
demic Boreal species sensu Bown et al. 1998) and placoliths
of  Sollasites  horticus.  These  species  are  accompanied  by
Tethyan  taxa  such  as  common  nannoconids,  Conusphaera
rothii, and others (Š39/IV).

Foraminifera
Štramberk-Kotouč
Quarry

Late Valanginian

–Late Hauterivian

Albian Hauterivian

Sample No.

Š1

Š3

Š4

III

Š4

Š3

Ammodiscus gaultinus

■

Psilocitharella recta

■

Epistomina ornata

■

Lenticulina sp.

■

Ammobaculites
subcretaceus

■

Marssonella subtrochus

■

Lenticulina saxocretacea

○

■

Tristix acutangula

■

Spiroloculina sp.

■

Marssonella oxycona

■

Lenticulina roemeri

■

Trocholina aff. remesiana

■

Turrispirillina sp.

■

Verneuilinoides sp.

■

Astacolus bronni

■

Astacolus linearis

■

Astacolus gratus

■

Hemirobulina linearis

■

Triplasia sp.

■

Laevidentalina linearis

■

Laevidentalina sororia

■

Lenticulina

sp.

■

Bigenerina

sp.

■

Patellovalvulina sp.

■

Frondicularia

sp.

■

Lenticulina muensteri

■

○

Gaudryina

sp.

■

Psilocitharella kochi

■

Planularia complanata

■

Ramulina sp.

Nodosaria nuda

■

Citharina striatula

■

Psilocitharella

sp.

■

Textularia

sp.

■

Haplophragmium aequale

■

Lingulonodosaria

nodosaria

■

Pyramidulina

sp.

■

Foraminifera
Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry

Lower Cretaceous

Sample No.

Š3

III

Š4

–III

Š4

–III

Š5

III

Ammodiscus sp.

○

■

Ammodiscus gaultinus

■

Trochammina depressa

■

●

Guttulina sp.

■

Lenticulina sp.

■

Bigenerina sp.

■

Turrispirilina sp.

■

Trocholina aff. remesiana

■

Marssonella subtrochus

■

Textularia sp.

■

Marssonella oxycona

■

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Fig. 13. Distribution of foraminiferal species in samples from the Štramberk-Kotouč
Quarry. – rare occurrence, – frequent, – abundant.

2. Hauterivian, Zone interval BC6—BC8—9. The occurrence

of high-latitude (Boreal) species Crucibiscutum salebrosum
and Sollasites horticus (Š5/VI and 2A/OB) is obvious.

Late Hauterivian high-latitude (Boreal) species Crucibis-

cutum salebrosum (Š9/VII) and N. inornatus (Š12/VI) were
recorded  in  Zone  interval  BC8—BC9,  and  species  Seribis-
cutum  primitivum,  Tegulalithus  septentrionalis,  Nannoconus
inornatus  (Š10/VI),  and  Vagalapilla  matalosa  (Š45/III)  in
Zone BC9.

A similar “Boreal nannoplankton excursion” observed in

Romanian Carpathians during the Valanginian was explained
by Melinte & Mutterlose (2001) rather as a sea-level fluctua-
tion than a climate change.

The endemic Boreal nannofossil species

Micrantholithus  speetonensis  was  also  ob-
served in the Tlumačov Marl, Magura Group
of  Nappes,  Outer  Western  Carpathians
(Švábenická  et  al.  1997).  Its  presence  docu-
ments  an  influx  of  high-latitude  nannoflora
into  the  depositional  area  of  the  NW  part  of
the Tethys during the Valanginian. However,
boreal nannofossils including M. speetonensis
have not been recorded in the Central Western
Carpathians  (Halásová  in  Skupien  et  al.
2003b). This phenomenon reflects the differ-
ent  paleogeographical  position  of  the  two
depositional  areas.  The  depositional  area  of
the  Outer  Group  of  Nappes  was  situated  on
the  southeastern  passive  margin  of  the  Euro-
pean  Platform  (Stráník  et  al.  1996),  about
100 km SE from its present location, and was
probably occasionally influenced by cold wa-
ters from the Boreal realm. Melinte & Mutter-
lose  (2001)  mentioned  M.  speetonensis
accompanied by few other Boreal nannofossil
species  from  the  Eastern  and  Southern  Car-
pathians, Romania, and South Dobrogea area
(Moesian  microplate),  Romania,  in  the  Late
Valanginian.

Foraminifers

Light grey or greenish claystones with

high content of gypsum grains (probably of
diagenetic origin) in washed material contain
a high proportion of the foraminiferal genus
Lenticulina

(Š34/IV,

Š35/IV,

Š36/IV)

(Figs. 10,  12,  13).  The  depositional  environ-
ment  indicates  well  oxygenated  shelf  water.
This  is  documented  by  the  rare  presence  of
small  tests  of  planktonic  genus  Hedbergella
(Š6/VII,  Š49A/VIII).  Lenticulina,  Astacolus
and  Saracenaria  together  with  high  conical
trocholinids  (Trocholina  and  Turrispirillina)
are relatively common in the deposits of both
quarries.  They  represent  epifaunal  deposit-
feeders typical of neritic environments (Kout-
soukos  &  Hart  1990).  Inner  to  middle  shelf

environments of the Early Albian age are characterized mainly
by Marssonella (Koutsoukos & Hart 1990). These autors de-
fined several morphogroups according to the shape of fora-
miniferal tests and used them for a paleoenvironmental
reconstruction of the Cretaceous marine successions. An oxy-
gen-depleted zone was recorded in black shales of the Valang-
inian and Hauterivian age.

This is indicated by pyrite grains present not only in

washed material but also in palynological slides. Moreover,
relative abundance of scolecodonts (jaws of worms of the
Annelida Polychaeta), which adapt to extreme habitats with
minimum oxygen content according to the Courtinat hypo-
thesis (Courtinat et al. 1989), was observed.

Valanginian–?Hauterivian

Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry
Foraminifera

Valanginian–Albian

? H.

sigali/delrioensis

Sample No.

Š1

Š18

Š3

Š4

III

Š4

III

Š 20

Š9

/ V

Š 6/

Š49A

Ammodiscus sp.

■

● ■

■

Psilocitharella striolata

■

Marginulina elongata

■

Guttulina sp.

■

Turrispirillina sp.

■

Planularia complanata

■

Frondicularia sp.

■

Trocholina aff. solecensis

■

Lenticulina sp.

■

Nodosaria sp.

■

Saracenaria triangularis

■

Dorothia sp.

■

Ammodiscus gaultinus

■

○ ■

■

Gaudryina trochus

■

Spirillina sp.

■

Trocholina sp.

■

Lenticulina muensteri

■

Astacolus linearis

■

Tristix acutalgula

■

Marssonella oxycona

■

Globulina prisca

■

Lenticulina subangulata

■

Spiroloculina

sp.

■

Triplasia sp.

■

Lenticulina nodosa

■

Hedbergella delrioensis

■

Dentalina sororia

■

Hyperammina gaultina

■

Ramulina aculeata

■

Marssonella subtrochus

■

Trocholina aff. remesiana

■

Epistomina ornata

■

Lenticulina saxocretacea

■

Ammobaculites subcretaceus

■

Dorothia filiformis

■

Lingulonodosaria nodosaria

■

Spiroplectammina

sp.

■

Lenticulina roemeri

■

Hedbergella sigali

■

Haplophragmium aequale

■

Citharina striatula

■

Globigerinelloides

sp.

■

321

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Fig. 14. Biostratigraphic ranges of the studied calcareous nannofossils, foraminifers, miospores and organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts
from the Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry and their paleoenvironmental interpretation.

322

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 4, 309—332

Fig. 14. Continued from previous page.

Discussion

As the Štramberk-Kotouč and Obecní lom Quarries do not

allow sampling of the Lower Cretaceous deposits in a com-
plete  section,  a  precise  superposition  of  the  collected  sam-
ples  in  the  stratal  succession  is  unknown.  It  can  be
reconstructed  and  inferred  from  micropaleontological  con-
tent. Stratigraphic interpretations of the various microfossils
are  not  always  consistent.  The  studied  sediments  belong
mainly to the Valanginian—Hauterivian (this study) and Alb-
ian—Cenomanian (Svobodová et al. 2004).

In some cases, nannofossils indicate stratigraphically older

ages of deposits than suggested by other microfossils (compare
Figs. 14 and 15). This can be explained by reworking of nanno-
fossils  into  stratigraphically  younger  strata,  perhaps  into  envi-
ronments  where  paleoecological  conditions  were  not  optimal
for  nannoflora  bloom  (caused  for  instance  by  salinity  fluctua-
tion). Relative abundance of W. barnesiae ranges between 45 %
and 90 % (sample Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry Š16/V). Jeremiah
(2001)  mentioned  nannofossils  dominated  by  Watznaueria  sp.
from the lowermost Cretaceous (Upper Ryazanian) of the North
Sea Basin and correlated it approximately with the lower part of
the zone BC1. Moreover, W. barnesiae has been regarded (by
Melinte  &  Mutterlose  2001)  as  the  Cretaceous  nannofossil
taxon  most  resistant  to  diagenesis.  Assemblages  containing
more  than  40 %  of  W.  barnesiae  are  therefore  thought  to  be
heavily altered by diagenesis (Roth & Krumbach 1986).

The dominant part of the studied samples consist of dark

grey to black claystones. Their occurrences within a limestone
body  belong  to  the  Plaňava  Formation  (all  samples  near  the
Mendocino and Clarion faults in the Kotouč Quarry (Fig. 4),
sample 3/OB in the Obecní lom Quarry (Fig. 2)). These sedi-
ments  were  evaluated  by  microfossils  in  the  stratigraphical
range from the Late Valanginian to the Late Hauterivian. The
small  thickness  of  sediments  confirms  the  interpretation  of
Houša (in Houša & Vašíček 2005). In his opinion, the Plaňava
Formation  represents  slumps  of  the  eroded  and  redeposited
Valanginian and lowermost Hauterivian (based on ammonites
which are redeposited in claystones) sedimentary material. He
expected redeposition in the Early Hauterivian. Our data show
that the destruction of sediments took place in the Late Hau-
terivian  and  probably  earliest  Barremian.  Boreal  elements  in
the Late Hauterivian, documented by nannofossils and organ-
ic-walled dinoflagellate cysts in the grey claystones, have not
been  reported  from  the  Silesian  Unit  yet.  Communication  of
the Outer Carpathian Silesian depositional area with the Low-
er  Saxony  Basin  in  Germany  (across  the  Danish-Polish  Fur-
row)  has  been  documented  by  the  ammonites  in  the
Valanginian  and  earliest  Hauterivian  (Houša  &  Vašíček
2005). Younger migration of subboreal ammonites is indicat-
ed  in  the  Early  Aptian,  probably  through  a  sea  passage  be-
tween  northern  France  and  southern  England.  A  shallow
neritic environment with brackish and terrestrial input is docu-
mented in the Valanginian and Hauterivian.

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Fig. 15. Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry. Occurrence of significant calcareous nannofossils and their biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental in-
terpretation. Nannofossil zones BC and their stratigraphic correlation by Bown et al. (1998), stratigraphic correlation of zone BC23 by
Kennedy et al. (2000).

– input of boreal nannofossils, * – nannofossils of the marked age were reworked into younger sediments. After

Švábenická (2008), modified.

Claystones of the Hradiště Formation around the lime-

stone bodies are tectonic melange of the Hauterivian and
Barremian sediments. This material was tectonically over-
thrust by the neighbouring limestone blocks thereby actually
becoming incorporated within the limestone body.

Younger rocks represent green, green-grey and grey clay-

stones  in  the  conglomerates  (Chlebovice  Member)  or  fills  of
primary cavities in the Štramberk Limestone. Microfossils doc-
ument  sedimentation  of  conglomerates  and  fill  of  cavities  by
claystones in an interval between the Early Albian and the Late
Cenomanian  (Svobodová  et  al.  2004).  Redeposited  grey  clay-
stones  of  Valanginian  to  Hauterivian  age  (redeposition  after
lithification  as  blocks)  were  identified  in  the  conglomerates.
These claystones are similar to claystones of the Plaňava For-
mation. We were unable to demonstrate reworking of sediments
of Barremian to Aptian age. It seems that the chaotic accumula-
tion  in  the  Štramberk  area  originated  by  reworking  of  lime-
stones and claystones (carbonate platform and the coeval slope
deposits)  during  the  Albian  to  Cenomanian.  Gavelinellids,  or-
ganic-walled dinocysts and poor nannofossil assemblages docu-
ment  inner  shelf  and  shallow  neritic  sea  in  the  Albian.  The
deepening of the sedimentary basin during the Cenomanian is
supported  by  higher  numbers  of  planktonic  foraminifers  and
nannofossils. This confirms earlier findings of the quantitative
composition  of  dinocyst  assemblages  which  reflects  a  gradual

deepening of the sedimentary basin of the Silesian Unit from
the Berriasian to the Cenomanian (Skupien 2003b). This is,
however, also a reflection of the rising sea level in the late Early
Cretaceous (according to the 2

-order eustatic curve).

From paleogeographic viewpoint, the block accumulations

form a part of the succession of the continental rise facies of
the Baška Development below the hypothetical Baška Cordil-
lera  (Eliáš  1979).  They  include  slumps,  slides,  fallen  blocks
(olistoliths),  rarely  also  turbidites  (especially  proximal),  the
material of which comes from both the carbonate platform and
the reef complex on the Baška Cordillera and its slopes. The
intervals between gravity flows were characterized by hemipe-
lagic  deposition.  The  redeposition  occurred  in  two  intervals:
probably  in  the  Late  Hauterivian  to  ?earliest  Barremian  (the
Plaňava  Formation)  and  in  the  Albian  to  Cenomanian  (the
Chlebovice Member). Lateral and vertical transitions of these
block accumulations into the ambient sediments did not con-
firm the classical idea that they represent tectonic klippen in-
corporated into the Silesian Unit.

Conclusions

In the depositional area of the Silesian Unit, Baška Sub-

unit, Kotouč Facies:

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Fig. 16. Spores and pollen from Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry and Obecní lom Quarry (scale bar 10 µm). 1 – Concavissimisporites verruco-
sus (Delcourt & Sprumont) McKellar, sample Š21/V; 2 – Concavissimisporites robustus Dörhöfer, Š21/V; 3 – Impardecispora apiverru-
cata  (Couper)  Venkatachala,  Kar  &  Raza;  4  –  Concavissimisporites  informis  Döring,  2A/OB;  5  –  Pilosisporites  cf.  crassiangulatus
(Ivanova) Dörhöfer, 2A/OB; 6 – Pilosisporites semicapillosus Dörhöfer, Š9/VII; 7 – Aequitriradites spinulosus (Cookson & Dettmann)
Cookson & Dettmann, 2A/OB; 8 – Gleicheniidites minor Döring, 3A/OB; 9 – Neoraistrickia truncata (Cookson) Potonié, Š21/V—VI;
10 – Foraminisporis cf. wonthaggiensis (Cookson & Dettmann) Dettmann, Š9/VII; 11 – Staplinisporis caminus (Balme), Š9/VII; 12 – Plica-
tella  macrorhyza  Maljavkina,  3A/OB;  13  –  Plicatella  pseudomacrorhyza  (Markova)  Dörhöfer,  3A/OB;  14  –  Coronatispora  telata
(Balme) Dettmann, Š17/V; 15 – Retitriletes semimuris (Danzé-Corsin & Laveine) McKellar, Š46/III; 16 – Eucommiidites troedsonii
Erdtman,  OB/3A;  17  –  Cerebropollenites  macroverrucosus  (Thiergart)  Schulz,  2A/OB;  18  –  Callialasporites  dampieri  (Balme)  Dev,
2A/OB; 19 – Callialasporites trilobatus (Balme) Dev, 2A/OB; 20 – Cycadopites sp., Š46/III.

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Fig. 17. Organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts from Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry and Obecní lom Quarry (scale bar 20 µm). 1 – Circulodinium
distinctum  (Deflandre  &  Cookson)  Jansonius,  2A/OB;  2  –  Cymososphaeridium  validum  Davey,  Š5/VII;  3  –  Systematophora  scoriacea
(Raynaud) Monteil, Š5/VII; 4 – Oligosphaeridium complex (White) Davey & Williams, Š5/VII; 5 – Circulodinium brevispinosum (Pocock)
Jansonius, Š17/V; 6 – Gonyaulacysta sp., Š21/VI; 7 – Muderongia microperforata (Davey) Monteil, Š35/IV; 8 – Cribroperidinium ortho-
ceras (Eisenack) Davey, Š10/VI;  9  – Kleithriasphaeridium eoinodes  (Eisenack) Davey, Š10/VI;  10 – Pseudoceratium pelliferum  Gocht,
Š35/IV; 11 – Wallodinium krutzschii (Alberti) Habib, Š35/IV; 12 – Muderongia macwhaei Cookson & Eisenack, Š35/IV; 13 – Muderongia
tabulata (Raynaud) Monteil, Š39/IV; 14 – Hystrichodinium pulchrum Deflandre, Š39/IV; 15 – Achomosphaera neptunii (Eisenack) Davey
& Williams, Š50/IV; 16 – Batioladinium jaegeri (Alberti) Brideaux, Š17/V; 17 – Tanyosphaeridium boletus Davey, Š50/IV; 18 – Odonto-
chitina  operculata  (O.  Wetzel)  Deflandre  &  Cookson,  Š50/IV;  19  – Systematophora  silybum  Davey,  Š44/III;  20  – Spiniferites  ramosus
(Ehrenberg) Mantell, Š50/IV.

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Fig. 18. Foraminifers from the
Obecní lom Quarry. 1 – Pyra-
midulina sceptrum (Reuss),
2A/OB,

90; 2 – Astacolus

djaffaensis (Sigal), 2A/OB,  80;
3  –  Laevidentalina  linearis
(Roemer),  2A/OB,

80; 4 –

Lenticulina  pulchella  (Reuss),
2A/OB,  90;  5  –  Lenticulina
muensteri  (Roemer),  2B/OB,

60; 6, 7 – Psilocitharella

striolata  (Reuss),  2A/OB,  60;
8  –  Laevidentalina  sp.,  2A/
OB,  70;  9  –  Psilocitharella
cf.  truncata  (Reuss),  2A/OB,

80; 10– Lenticulina nodosa

(Reuss), 1/OB, 70.

Fig. 19.

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Fig. 19. Stratigraphically significant calcareous nannofossils from the Štramberk-Kotouč Quarry. Light microscope, cross-polarized light,
for scale see Fig. 1. 1 – Watznaueria britannica (Stradner) Reinhardt, Š23/IV; 2 – Watznaueria barnesiae (Black) Perch-Nielsen, Š4/VII;
3 – Watznaueria manivitiae Bukry, Š6/VII; 4 – Cyclagelosphaera margerelii Noël, Š33/IV; 5 – Speetonia colligata Black, 0° and 45°,
Š35/IV; 6 – Calcicalathina oblongata (Worsley) Thierstein, Š18/V; 7 – Cruciellipsis cuvillieri (Manivit) Thierstein, Š35/IV; 8 – Tubo-
discus jurapelagicus (Worsley) Roth, Š39/IV; 9 – Ethmorhabdus hauterivianus Black, Š6/VII; 10 – Eiffellithus windii Applegate & Ber-
gen, Š39/IV; 11 – Eiffellithus striatus (Black) Applegate & Bergen, Š5/VII; 12 – Eiffellithus turriseiffelii (Deflandre) Reinhardt, Š48/I;
13 – Clepsilithus cf. maculosus Rutledge & Bown, Š45/III; 14 – Helenea chiastia Worsley, Š39/IV; 15 – Prediscosphaera columnata
(Stover) Perch-Nielsen, Š53/IX; 16 – Zeugrhabdotus erectus (Deflandre) Reinhardt, Š39/IV; 17 – Zeugrhabdotus cooperii Bown, Š39/IV;
18 – Eprolithus floralis (Stradner) Stover, Š53/IX; 19 – Micrantholithus obtusus Stradner, Š39/IV; 20 – Micrantholithus speetonensis
Perch-Nielsen, Š39/IV; 21 – Conusphaera rothii (Thierstein) Jakubowski, Š39/IV; 22 – Favioconus multicolumnatus Bralower, Š47/III;
23 – Nannoconus kamptneri kamptneri Brönnimann, Š39/IV; 24 – Nannoconus ex gr. steinmanii Kamptner, Š39/IV.

1. Although a continuous section could not be studied, and

samples were obtained from isolated exposures, microfossils
document two intervals of sedimentation: Valanginian—Hau-
terivian and Albian—Cenomanian.

2. Chaotic accumulation in the Štramberk area originated

by reworking in two stages: the older stage (probably Late
Hauterivian to ?earliest Barremian) occurred in the Plaňava
Formation and the younger stage (Albian to Cenomanian) in
the Chlebovice Member.

3. Depositional conditions varied through time. Evidence

supports a changeable brackish and littoral to shallow neritic
marine environment.

4. A shallow marine environment is documented by fora-

minifers  Psilocitharella  recta,  P.  kochi,  Citharina  striatula
and  organic-walled  dinocysts  (Circulodinium,  Muderongia,
Pseudoceratium,  Systematophora)  in  the  Valanginian-Hau-
terivian deposits.

5. Deeper sedimentation was recorded in the Aptian—Albi-

an(?) by the presence of rare planktonic foraminifers Hed-
bergella and Globigerinelloides.

6. Oxygen depletion was recorded in black shales of Val-

anginian  and  Hauterivian  age.  Evidence  provided  by  the
presence of sulfide/pyrite grains in washed material and pa-
lynological  slides,  scolecodonts  (worm  jaws  of  the
Polychaeta  group)  and  chitinous  linings  of  microforamini-
fers  as  well  as  low-oxygen-tolerating  benthic  foraminifers,
namely Marssonella, Trocholina.

7. The presence of low-latitude organic-walled dinoflagel-

late  cysts  (Bourkidinium,  Cometodinium,  Florentinia,  Oli-
gosphaeridium,  Protoellipsodinium,  Systematophora,  and
others)  and  calcareous  nannoflora  (Cruciellipsis  cuvillieri,
Speetonia colligata, Tubodiscus spp., Calcicalathina oblon-
gata,  Nannoconus,  Micrantholithus  obtusus,  M.  hoschulzii,
Conusphaera rothii, and majority of nannoconids) document
pertinence to the Tethyan province.

8. The scarce presence of high-latitude nannoflora (Micran-

tholithus  speetonensis,  Seribiscutum  primitivum,  Crucibis-
cutum  salebrosum,  Nannoconus  inornatus,  Tegulalithus
septentrionalis,  and  Vagalapilla  matalosa)  and  organic-
walled dinoflagellate cysts (Batioladinium jaegeri, Hystricho-
sphaerina schindewolfii and Oligosphaeridium perforatum) in
some samples reflects occasional excursions of Boreal elements
into the depositional area of the Silesian Unit, namely NW part
of the Tethys during the Valanginian and Hauterivian.

Acknowledgments: This study was a contribution to the Grant
Project No. 205/01/1582, supported by the Grant Agency of the

Czech Republic and the research programmes of the Institute of
Geology AS CR, v.v.i., AV0Z30130516, of the VSB-TU Os-
trava,  MSM  6198910019,  and  of  the  Czech  Geological  Sur-
vey,  MZP  0002579801.  The  authors  thank  Ing.  A.  Langrová,
Ing. Z. Korbelová, Institute of Geology AS CR,v.v.i., for CAM-
ECA  photomicrographs  (palynomorphs)  and  Ing.  Gabašová,
Czech Geological Survey (foraminifera). Suggestions and fruit-
ful comments of the reviewers Prof. I. Premoli Silva, Prof. A.
Wierzbowski  and  an  anonymous  reviewer  who  helped  us  im-
prove the manuscript.We thank Ing. L. Stašek, Ing. V. Stoček
and Ing. J. Monsport (Kotouč Štramberk Ltd.) for the possibil-
ity to collect samples in the Kotouč Quarry.

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Miospore taxa mentioned in the text

Aequitriradites spinulosus (Cookson & Dettmann) Cookson

Dettmann, 1961

Alisporites similis (Balme) Dettmann, 1963
Araucariacites australis Cookson, 1947
Auritulinasporites deltaformis Burger, 1966
Baculatisporites comaumensis (Cookson) Potonié, 1956
Biretisporites sp.
Callialasporites dampieri (Balme) Sukh Dev, 1961
Callialasporites trilobatus (Balme) Sukh Dev, 1961
Cardioangulina cf. crassiparietalis Döring, 1965
Cerebropollenites macroverrucosus (Thiergart) Schulz, 1967
Cibotiumspora juncta (Kara-Murza) Zhang, 1978
Cibotiumspora jurienensis (Balme) Filatoff, 1975
Cicatricosisporites dorogensis (Kara-Murza) Pocock, 1964
Cicatricosisporites cf. hannoverana Dörhöfer, 1977
Cicatricosisporites hughesi Dettmann, 1963
Cicatricosisporites minutaestriatus (Bolch.) Pocock, 1964
Cicatricosisporites recticicatricosus Döring, 1965
Cicatricosisporites spp.
Clavifera rudis Bolchovitina, 1968
Clavifera triplex (Bolch.) Bolchovitina, 1968
Concavissimisporites informis Döring, 1965
Concavissimisporites multituberculatus (Bolch.) Döring, 1965
Concavissimisporites robustus Dörhöfer, 1977
Concavissimisporites variverrucatus (Couper) Brenner, 1963
Concavissimisporites verrucosus (Del. & Spr.) Delcourt, Dettmann

& Hughes ,1963

Contignisporites sp.
Corollina torosa (Reissinger) Cornet & Traverse, 1975
Coronatispora telata (Balme) Dettmann
Cyathidites australis Couper, 1953
Cyathidites minor Couper, 1953
Cycadopites cf. carpentieri Nilsson
Cycadopites cf. follicularis Wilson & Webster, 1946
Cycadopites sp.
Densoisporites velatus Weyland & Krieger, 1953
Dictyophyllidites equiexinus (Couper) Dettmann, 1963
Echinatisporites varispinosus (Pocock) Srivastava, 1975
Eucommiidites minor Groot & Penny, 1960
Eucommiidites troedsonii Erdtman, 1948
Foraminisporites wonthaggiensis (Cookson & Dettmann) Dettmann,

1963

Foveosporites subtriangularis (Brenner) Döring, 1966
Foveotriletes sp.
Foveosporites pseudoalveolatus (Couper) McKellar
Gleicheniidites minor Döring, 1965
Gleicheniidites senonicus Ross, 1949
Impardecispora apiverrucata (Couper) Venkatachala, Kar & Raza,

1969

Klukisporites pseudoreticulatus Couper, 1958
Klukisporites variegatus Couper, 1958
Klukisporites sp.
Laevigatosporites ovatus Wilson & Webster, 1946
Neoraistrickia truncata (Cookson) Potonié, 1956
Osmundacidites wellmanii Couper, 1953
Pilosisporites cf. crassiangulatus (Ivanova) Dörhöfer, 1977
Pilosisporites semicapillosus Dörhöfer, 1977
Pilosisporites trichopapillosus (Thiergart) Delcourt & Sprumont,

1955

Pinuspollenites spp.

Plicatella cf. cristata (Markova)
Plicatella crimensis (Bolchovitina) Dörhöfer, 1977
Plicatella macrorhyza Maljavkina, 1949
Plicatella pseudomacrorhyza (Markova) Dörhöfer, 1977
Plicatella sp.
Podocarpidites ellipticus Cookson, 1947
Retitriletes austroclavatidites (Cookson) Döring et al., 1963
Retitriletes semimuris (Danzé-Corsin & Laveine) McKellar
Staplinisporites caminus (Balme) Pocock, 1962
Stereisporites antiquasporites (Wilson & Webster) Dettmann, 1963
Stoverisporites cf. lunaris (Cookson & Dettmann) Burger, 1976
Taxodiaceaepollenites hiatus (Potonié) Kremp, 1949
Todisporites minor Couper, 1958
Tricolpites sp.
Trilobosporites hannonicus (Delcourt & Sprumont) Potonié, 1956
Trilobosporites sp.
Verrucosisporites major (Couper) Burden & Hills, 1989
Verrucosisporites rarus Burger
Vitreisporites pallidus (Reissinger) Nilsson, 1958

Organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst taxa mentioned in the text.

Taxonomic citations can be found in Williams et al. (1998)

Achomosphaera neptunii (Eisenack, 1958) Davey & Williams, 1966
Aptea polymorpha Eisenack, 1958a
Batioladinium jaegeri (Alberti, 1961) Brideaux, 1975
Bourkidinium granulatum Morgan, 1975
Bourkidinium sp.
Callaiosphaeridium asymmetricum (Deflandre & Courteville, 1939)

Davey & Williams, 1966

Cassiculosphaeridia magna Davey, 1974, emend. Harding, 1990b
Cauca parva (Alberti, 1961) Davey & Verdier, 1971
Chlamydophorella nyei Cookson & Eisenack, 1958
Chlamydophorella sp.
Circulodinium brevispinosum (Pocock, 1962) Jansonius, 1986
Circulodinium distinctum (Deflandre & Cookson, 1955) Jansonius,

1986

Circulodinium sp.
Circulodinium vermiculatum Stover & Helby, 1987
Cleistosphaeridium? multispinosum (C. Singh, 1964) Brideaux, 1971
Cometodinium habibii Monteil, 1991
Cometodinium? whitei (Deflandre & Courteville, 1939) Stover &

Evitt, 1978

Coronifera oceanica Cookson & Eisenack, 1958, emend. May, 1980
Cribroperidinium edwardsii (Cookson & Eisenack, 1958) Davey,

1969a

Cribroperidinium orthoceras (Eisenack, 1958) Davey, 1969
Ctenidodinium elegantulum Millioud, 1969
Ctenidodinium sp.
Cyclonephelium vannophorum Davey, 1969
Cymososphaeridium validum Davey, 1982a
Dapsilidinium multispinosum (Davey, 1974) Bujak et al., 1980
Desmocysta sp.
Dichadogonyaulax sp.
Dissiliodinium globulus Drugg, 1978
Dinogymnium albertii Sarjeant, 1966
Endoscrinium campanula (Gocht, 1959) Vozzhennikova, 1967
Exochosphaeridium sp.
Florentinia mantellii (Davey & Williams, 1966b) Davey & Verdier,

1973

Gardodinium trabeculosum (Gocht, 1959) Alberti, 1961

Appendix

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Gonyaulacysta cretacea (Neale & Sarjeant, 1962) Sarjeant, 1969
Gonyaulacysta extensa Clarke & Verdier, 1967
Gonyaulacysta sp.
Hystrichodinium pulchrum Deflandre, 1935
Hystrichodinium voigtii Alberti, 1961
Hystrichosphaerina schindewolfii Alberti, 1961
Kallosphaeridium sp.
Kiokansium unituberculatum (Tasch, 1964) Stover & Evitt, 1978
Kiokansium sp.
Kleithriasphaeridium eoinodes (Eisenack, 1958a) Davey, 1974
Kleithriasphaeridium fasciatum Davey & Williams, 1966
Muderongia neocomica Gocht, 1957
Muderongia macwhaei Cookson & Eisenack, 1958
Muderongia ”microperforata“
Muderongia pariata Duxbury, 1983
Muderongia staurota Sarjeant, 1966c, emend. Monteil, 1991b
Muderongia tabulata (Raynaud, 1978) Monteil, 1991
Muderongia sp.
Occisucysta sp.
cf. Occisucysta tentoria Duxbury, 1977
Odontochitina operculata (O. Wetzel, 1933) Deflandre & Cookson,

1955

Oligosphaeridium cf. albertense (Pocock, 1962) Davey & Williams,

1969

Oligosphaeridium? asterigerum (Gocht, 1959) Davey & Williams,

1969

Oligosphaeridium complex (White, 1842) Davey & Williams, 1969
Oligosphaeridium dividuum Williams, 1978
Oligosphaeridium perforatum Duxbury, 1983
Oligosphaeridium poculum Jain, 1977b
Oligosphaeridium pulcherrimum (Deflandre & Cookson, 1955)

Davey & Williams, 1966b

Palaeotetradinium silicorum Deflandre, 1936
Pareodinia sp.
Pervosphaeridium sp.
Prolixosphaeridium sp.
Protoellipsodinium clavulum Davey & Verdier, 1974
Protoellipsodinium clavulum Davey & Verdier, 1974, emend.

Duxbury, 1983

Protoellipsodinium spinosum Davey & Verdier, 1971
Protoellipsodinium touile Below, 1981a
Pseudoceratium gochtii Neale & Sarjeant, 1962
Pseudoceratium pelliferum Gocht, 1957
Sentusidinium sp.
Spiniferites ramosus (Ehrenberg, 1838) Mantell, 1854
Spiniferites sp.
Stephodinium coronatum Deflandre, 1936a
Subtilisphaera perlucida (Alberti, 1959b) Jain & Millepied, 1973
Subtilisphaera sp.
Surculosphaeridium sp.
Systematophora areolata Cookson & Eisenack, 1965
Systematophora complicata (Cookson & Eisenack, 1965a) Eisenack,

1969a

Systematophora cf. cretacea Davey, 1979b
Systematophora scoriacea (Raynaud, 1978) Monteil, 1992b
Systematophora silybum Davey, 1979
Systematophora sp.
Tanyosphaeridium boletus Davey, 1974
Tanyosphaeridium isocalamus (Deflandre & Cookson, 1955) Davey

& Williams, 1969

Tanyosphaeridium magneticum Davies, 1983
Tanyosphaeridium sp.
Tenua hystrix Eisenack, 1958
Wallodinium krutzschii (Alberti, 1961) Habib, 1972
Wallodinium luna (Cookson & Eisenack, 1960a) Lentin & Williams,

1973

Foraminiferal taxa mentioned in the text

Ammobaculites subcretaceus Cushman-Alexander, 1930
Ammodiscus gaultinus Berthelin, 1880
Ammodiscus sp.
Astacolus bronni (Roemer, 1841)
Astacolus djaffaensis (Sigal, 1952)
Astacolus gratus (Reuss, 1862)
Astacolus humilis (Reuss, 1863)
Astacolus linearis (Reuss, 1863)
Astacolus schloenbachi (Reuss, 1863)
Bigenerina sp.
Citharina lepida (Schwager, 1863)
Citharina striatula (Roemer, 1842)
Conorotalites intercedens (Bettenstaedt, 1952)
Dentalina distincta (Reuss, 1860)
Dentalina sp.
Dorothia filiformis (Berthelin, 1880)
Dorothia sp.
Epistomina caracolla (Roemer, 1841)
Epistomina ornata (Roemer, 1841)
Frondicularia concinna Koch, 1851
Frondicularia nikitiny Uhlig, 1883
Frondicularia sp.
Gaudryina trochus (d’Orbigny, 1840)
Gaudryina sp.
Globigerinelloides sp.
Globulina prisca Reuss, 1845
Guttulina sp.
Haplophragmium aequale (Roemer, 1933)
Hedbergella delrioensis (Carsey, 1926)
Hedbergella sigali Moullade, 1966
Hemirobulina cephalotes (Reuss, 1863)
Hemirobulina linearis (Reuss, 1863)
Hyperammina gaultina Ten Dam, 1950
Laevidentalina linearis (Roemer, 1841)
Laevidentalina nana (Reuss, 1863)
Laevidentalina pseudochrysalis (Reuss, 1863)
Laevidentalina siliqua (Reuss, 1863)
Laevidentalina sororia (Reuss, 1863)
Lagena globosa (Montagu, 1803)
Lenticulina dunkeri (Reuss, 1839)
Lenticulina muensteri (Roemer, 1839)
Lenticulina nodosa (Reuss, 1839)
Lenticulina polonica Wiśniowski, 1890
Lenticulina pulchella (Reuss, 1839)
Lenticulina roemeri (Reuss, 1839)
Lenticulina saxocretacea Bartenstein, 1954
Lenticulina subangulata (Reuss)
Lenticulina sp.
Lingulonodosaria nodosaria (Reuss, 1863)
Marginulina bullata Reuss, 1845
Marginulina declivis (Schwager, 1865)
Marginulina elongata d’Orbigny, 1840
Marginulinopsis jonesi (Reuss, 1863)
Marssonella oxycona (Reuss, 1860)
Marssonella subtrochus (Bartenstein, 1962)
Nodosaria nuda Reuss, 1863
Nodosaria sp.
Patellina subcretacea Cushman-Alexander, 1930
Patellovalvulina sp.
Planularia complanata (Reuss, 1845)
Planularia tricarinella (Reuss, 1862)
Pseudonodosaria humilis (Roemer, 1841)
Pseudopyrulinoides sp.
Psilocitharella costulata (Roemer, 1863)

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Psilocitharella kochi (Roemer, 1863)
Psilocitharella recta (Reuss, 1863)
Psilocitharella striolata (Reuss, 1863)
Psilocitharella sp.
Psilocitharella truncata (Reuss, 1863)
Pyramidulina sceptrum (Reuss, 1863)
Pyramidulina sp.
Ramulina aculeata (d’Orbigny, 1840)
Ramulina sp.
Saracenaria pyramidata (Reuss ,1863)
Saracenaria triangularis (d’Orbigny, 1840)
Spirillina sp.
Spiroloculina sp.
Spiroplectammina sp.
Textularia sp.
Triplasia sp.
Tristix acutangula (Reuss, 1863)
Tristix reesidei Loeblich & Tappan, 1950
Tritaxia plummerae Cushman, 1936
Trochammina depressa Lozo, 1944
Trochammina inflata (Montagu, 1808)
Trocholina remesiana (Chapman, 1900)
Trocholina solecensis Bielecka & Poźaryski, 1954
Trocholina sp.
Turrispirillina sp.
Vaginulinopsis radiata (Terquem, 1886)
Verneuilinoides neocomiensis (Mjatliuk, 1939)
Verneuilinoides sp.

Calcareous nannofossil taxa mentioned in the text

Lower Cretaceous

Assipetra terebrodentarius (Applegate et al. in Covington & Wise,

1987); Rutledge & Bergen in Bergen, 1994

Calcicalathina oblongata (Worsley, 1971) Thierstein, 1971
Conusphaera rothii (Thierstein, 1971) Jakubowski, 1986
Cretarhabdus conicus Bramlette & Martini, 1964
Crucibiscutum salebrosum (Black, 1971) Jakubowski, 1986

Cruciellipsis cuvillieri (Manivit, 1966) Thierstein, 1971
Cyclagelosphaera margerelii Noël, 1965
Eiffellithus striatus (Black, 1971) Applegate & Bergen, 1988
Eiffellithus turriseiffelii (Deflandre in Deflandre & Fert, 1954)

Reinhardt, 1965

Eiffellithus windii Applegate & Bergen, 1988
Lithraphidites bollii (Thierstein, 1971) Thierstein, 1973
Lithraphidites carniolensis Deflandre, 1963
Micrantholithus hoschulzii (Reinhardt, 1966) Thierstein, 1971
Micrantholithus obtusus Stradner, 1963
Micrantholihus speetonensis Perch-Nielsen, 1979
Nannoconus compressus Bralower & Thierstein in Bralower et al., 1989
Nannoconus globulus Brönnimann, 1955
Nannoconus inornatus Rutledge & Bown, 1996
Nannoconus kamptneri minor Bralower in Bralower et al., 1989
Nannoconus steinmanii minor Deres & Archéritéguy, 1980
Nannoconus steinmanii steinmanii Kamptner, 1931
Perissocyclus plethotretus (Wind & Čepek, 1979) Crux, 1989
Prediscosphaera columnata (Stover, 1966) Perch-Nielsen, 1984
Rhagodiscus asper (Stradner, 1963) Reinhardt, 1967
Rhagodiscus nebulosus Bralower et al., 1989
Rucinolithus windleyae Rutledge & Bown, 1996
Seribiscutum primitivum (Thierstein, 1974) Filewicz et el. in Wise

& Wind, 1977

Sollasites horticus (Stradner et al. in Stradner & Adamiker, 1966
Speetonia colligata Black, 1971
Tegulalithus septentrionalis (Stradner, 1963) Crux, 1968
Tegumentum octiformis (Köthe, 1981) Crux, 1989
Tubodiscus jurapelagicus (Worsley, 1971) Roth, 1973
Vagalapilla matalosa (Stover, 1966) Thierstein, 1973
Watznaueria biporta (Black, 1959) Perch-Nielsen, 1968
Zeugrhabdotus erectus (Deflandre in Deflandre & Fert, 1954)

Reinhardt, 1965

Jurassic—Cretaceous

Watznaueria barnesiae (Black, 1959) Perch-Nielsen, 1968
Watznaueria britannica (Stradner, 1963) Reinhardt, 1964
Watznaueria manivitiae Bukry, 1973
Zeugrhabdotus embergerii (Noël, 1958) Perch-Nielsen, 1984