Calcareous nannoplankton of the Geulhemmerberg K/T boundary section, Maastrichtian type area, the Netherlands

Abstract

Light-microscopic analysis of the calcareous nannoplankton of the Geulhemmerberg section indicates the presence of the Late Maastrichtian Nephrolithus frequens Zone and the Early Danian Biantholithus sparsus Zone, separated by a hiatus encompassing the earliest Danian. SEM analysis, however, indicates the presence throughout the section of Neobiscutum romeinii, N. parvulum and small forms of Cruciplacolithus primus, taxa reported so far only from the Early Danian. If these are in situ, a Danian age for the whole Geulhemmerberg section cannot be excluded.