Phylogenetic sequences of Lower Cretaceous benthic foraminifera and their use in biostratipgraphy

Abstract

Ten stratigraphically important phylogenetic sequences of benthic index foraminifera in the Lower Cretaceous are described. Their distribution is examined in North West Germany, which belongs to the north temperate facies realm, and they are also found to be, in part, of stratigraphic importance in the Lower Cretaceous throughout the world, including the tethyan facies realm. The development and importance of such phylogenetic sequences for biostratigraphic determinations is emphasized; the paper concludes with a supplementary note about the validity of statistical analyses as applied to phylogenetic Iineages.