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The upper Jurassic-lower Cretaceous stratigraphy of the Minqar-IX well in Shushan Basin, north Western Desert, Egypt was previously established based on dinoflagellate cysts assemblages recovered from only few, vertically and widely-spaced, cuttings samples. However, the current collection of a large number of closely-spaced samples enabled the identification of five informal spore-pollen palynozones (PZ) with high resolution. The identified miospore zones are used here to distinguish different formations and to recognize unidentified rock successions. Three palynozones, from base to top, for the lower Cretaceous, PZ 1 to PZ 3, identify the Alam El-Bueib Formation. PZ 1 (Assemblage Zone) corresponds to the lower Alam El-Bueib Formation (Berriasian-early Hauterivian) and is distinguished by the occurrence of Impardecispora apiverrucata-Auritulinasporites scanicus-Deltoidospora halii spores. PZ 2 (Taxon Range Zone) calibrates with the middle Alam El-Bueib Formation (late Hauterivian-early Barremian) and is characterized by the occurrence of Dicheiropollis etruscus pollen. PZ 3 (Assemblage Zone) is identified from the upper Alam El-Bueib Formation (late Barremian) and is characterized by the occurrence of the pollen Stellatopollis sp.-Tricolpites sp.-Afropollis aff. jardinus-Retimonocolpites ghazalii association. PZ 4 (Assemblage Zone) identifies the Alamein Formation (Aptian) based on the occurrence of the Aequitriradites norrissii-Impardecispora uralunsis-Murospora florida. Higher up in the studied borehole interval the PZ 5 (Assemblage Zone) was distinguished, which corresponds to the Kharita Formation (middle Albian) and is distinguished by Afropollis jardinus-Elaterosporites klaszii-Cretacaeiporites densimurus. The current results reflect the potential of miospores as powerful stratigraphic tool for dating the largely non-marine sequences, where diverse dinoflagellate cysts are lacking and/or facies-controlled.

The upper Jurassic-lower Cretaceous stratigraphy of the Minqar-IX well in Shushan Basin, north Western Desert, Egypt was previously established based on dinoflagellate cysts assemblages recovered from only few, vertically and widely-spaced, cuttings samples. However, the current collection of a large number of closely-spaced samples enabled the identification of five informal spore-pollen palynozones (PZ) with high resolution. The identified miospore zones are used here to distinguish different formations and to recognize unidentified rock successions. Three palynozones, from base to top, for the lower Cretaceous, PZ 1 to PZ 3, identify the Alam El-Bueib Formation. PZ 1 (Assemblage Zone) corresponds to the lower Alam El-Bueib Formation (Berriasian-early Hauterivian) and is distinguished by the occurrence of Impardecispora apiverrucata-Auritulinasporites scanicus-Deltoidospora halii spores. PZ 2 (Taxon Range Zone) calibrates with the middle Alam El-Bueib Formation (late Hauterivian-early Barremian) and is characterized by the occurrence of Dicheiropollis etruscus pollen. PZ 3 (Assemblage Zone) is identified from the upper Alam El-Bueib Formation (late Barremian) and is characterized by the occurrence of the pollen Stellatopollis sp.-Tricolpites sp.-Afropollis aff. jardinus-Retimonocolpites ghazalii association. PZ 4 (Assemblage Zone) identifies the Alamein Formation (Aptian) based on the occurrence of the Aequitriradites norrissii-Impardecispora uralunsis-Murospora florida. Higher up in the studied borehole interval the PZ 5 (Assemblage Zone) was distinguished, which corresponds to the Kharita Formation (middle Albian) and is distinguished by Afropollis jardinus-Elaterosporites klaszii-Cretacaeiporites densimurus. The current results reflect the potential of miospores as powerful stratigraphic tool for dating the largely non-marine sequences, where diverse dinoflagellate cysts are lacking and/or facies-controlled.

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