Abstract. Diverse and well preserved palynofloras were recognized in the Lower Cretaceous succession penetrated by well Siqeifa 1- X in northern Egypt. Dinoflagellate cysts such as Subtilisphaera senegalensis was regarded, with the spores Impardecispora apiverrucata and Aequitriradites spinulosus, as important Berriasian to Barremian species. Afropollis operculatus/zonatus pollen and spores such as Balmeisporites holodictyus, Trilobosporites laevigatus and Duplexisporites generalis are diagnostic of Aptian. The lowest occurrences of the pollen Afropollis jardinus, the spore Crybelosporites pannuceus and elaterates such as Elaterosporites klaszii, Elaterocolpites castelainii and Elateroplicites africaensis characterize the Albian/lower Cenomanian interval. The palynofloras enabled the recognition of five spore-pollen and four dinoflagellate zones, which are correlated with regional records, mainly from Egypt and Libya. The vertical distribution of terrestrial and marine palynomorphs, along with palynodebris, reflects two regressive marginal marine cycles during Berriasian-Barremian and Albian-lower Cenomanian times whereas the Aptian witnessed a transgressive open marine (inner shelf) environment. A warm humid palaeoclimate was inferred during deposition of the investigated succession of the borehole, in contrast to the known warm arid to semi-arid climate, suggested for the Northern Gondwana Realm during Early Cretaceous times. This is probably due to the palaeogeographic position of Egypt during Early Cretaceous times or, to a local reason. Palynofloras from Siqeifa 1-X borehole, with Afropollis pollen and elaterates, are of North African aspect and share the broad characteristics of the ‘‘Albian-Cenomanian Elaterates Province’’ of Herngreen et al. (1996). Abundance of spores and araucariacean pollen are transitional features between those in North Gondwana and Southern Laurasia but, unlikely, typical transitional assemblages lack bisaccates conifers and have Gleicheniaceae spores.

Abstract. Diverse and well preserved palynofloras were recognized in the Lower Cretaceous succession penetrated by well Siqeifa 1- X in northern Egypt. Dinoflagellate cysts such as Subtilisphaera senegalensis was regarded, with the spores Impardecispora apiverrucata and Aequitriradites spinulosus, as important Berriasian to Barremian species. Afropollis operculatus/zonatus pollen and spores such as Balmeisporites holodictyus, Trilobosporites laevigatus and Duplexisporites generalis are diagnostic of Aptian. The lowest occurrences of the pollen Afropollis jardinus, the spore Crybelosporites pannuceus and elaterates such as Elaterosporites klaszii, Elaterocolpites castelainii and Elateroplicites africaensis characterize the Albian/lower Cenomanian interval. The palynofloras enabled the recognition of five spore-pollen and four dinoflagellate zones, which are correlated with regional records, mainly from Egypt and Libya. The vertical distribution of terrestrial and marine palynomorphs, along with palynodebris, reflects two regressive marginal marine cycles during Berriasian-Barremian and Albian-lower Cenomanian times whereas the Aptian witnessed a transgressive open marine (inner shelf) environment. A warm humid palaeoclimate was inferred during deposition of the investigated succession of the borehole, in contrast to the known warm arid to semi-arid climate, suggested for the Northern Gondwana Realm during Early Cretaceous times. This is probably due to the palaeogeographic position of Egypt during Early Cretaceous times or, to a local reason. Palynofloras from Siqeifa 1-X borehole, with Afropollis pollen and elaterates, are of North African aspect and share the broad characteristics of the ‘‘Albian-Cenomanian Elaterates Province’’ of Herngreen et al. (1996). Abundance of spores and araucariacean pollen are transitional features between those in North Gondwana and Southern Laurasia but, unlikely, typical transitional assemblages lack bisaccates conifers and have Gleicheniaceae spores.

Abstract Aptian and Albian palynofloras were extracted from a Lower Cretaceous succession penetrated by the Kabrit-1 borehole, northern Gulf of Suez. Representatives of Murospora and pollen such as Afropollis operculatus and A. zonatus are diagnostic of the Aptian palynoflora. Afropollis jardinus, Crybelosporites pannuceus spores and elaterate pollens such as Elaterosporites klaszii and E. verrucatus date the overlying succession as Albian and Upper Albian–lower Cenomanian? Reyrea polymorphus and Cicatricosisporites sinuosus co-occur only in the Albian. The palynofloras are suggestive of shallow marine environment and warm humid palaeoclimate, as directly inferred from the nature and composition of the palynomorph content, which is dominated by pteridophytic spores, along with marine dinoflagellates. The occurrence of rich terrestrial influx of palynomorphs and palynodebris suggests proximity of the depositional sites to source vegetation. The vertical distribution of terrestrial versus marine palynomorphs cannot reflect contemporaneous regressive/transgressive cycles during deposition of the different rock units. The Kabrit-1 palynoflora share general features of the Northern Gondwana province.

Abstract Aptian and Albian palynofloras were extracted from a Lower Cretaceous succession penetrated by the Kabrit-1 borehole, northern Gulf of Suez. Representatives of Murospora and pollen such as Afropollis operculatus and A. zonatus are diagnostic of the Aptian palynoflora. Afropollis jardinus, Crybelosporites pannuceus spores and elaterate pollens such as Elaterosporites klaszii and E. verrucatus date the overlying succession as Albian and Upper Albian–lower Cenomanian? Reyrea polymorphus and Cicatricosisporites sinuosus co-occur only in the Albian. The palynofloras are suggestive of shallow marine environment and warm humid palaeoclimate, as directly inferred from the nature and composition of the palynomorph content, which is dominated by pteridophytic spores, along with marine dinoflagellates. The occurrence of rich terrestrial influx of palynomorphs and palynodebris suggests proximity of the depositional sites to source vegetation. The vertical distribution of terrestrial versus marine palynomorphs cannot reflect contemporaneous regressive/transgressive cycles during deposition of the different rock units. The Kabrit-1 palynoflora share general features of the Northern Gondwana province.

Abstract Aptian and Albian palynofloras were extracted from a Lower Cretaceous succession penetrated by the Kabrit-1 borehole, northern Gulf of Suez. Representatives of Murospora and pollen such as Afropollis operculatus and A. zonatus are diagnostic of the Aptian palynoflora. Afropollis jardinus, Crybelosporites pannuceus spores and elaterate pollens such as Elaterosporites klaszii and E. verrucatus date the overlying succession as Albian and Upper Albian–lower Cenomanian? Reyrea polymorphus and Cicatricosisporites sinuosus co-occur only in the Albian. The palynofloras are suggestive of shallow marine environment and warm humid palaeoclimate, as directly inferred from the nature and composition of the palynomorph content, which is dominated by pteridophytic spores, along with marine dinoflagellates. The occurrence of rich terrestrial influx of palynomorphs and palynodebris suggests proximity of the depositional sites to source vegetation. The vertical distribution of terrestrial versus marine palynomorphs cannot reflect contemporaneous regressive/transgressive cycles during deposition of the different rock units. The Kabrit-1 palynoflora share general features of the Northern Gondwana province.

Abstract The basal mudstones from the El-Nom borehole in the Gebel Abraq area in southern Egypt have yielded a diverse and relatively well preserved terrestrial palynoflora that includes Balmeisporites holodictyus, Crybelosporites pannuceus, Foveotricolpites gigantoreticulatus, Nyssapollenites albertensis, Retimonocolpites variplicatus and Rousea delicipollis. These suggest an Albian–Cenomanian age and deposition in a fluvio-deltaic environment; no marine phytoplankton is reported. The fern-dominated palynoflora and the overwhelming presence of kaolinitic clays suggest a warm, humid palaeoclimate. According to available knowledge, the mudstones in the Gebel Abraq area, equivalents of the so-called ‘‘Timsah Formation’’, might be correlated with an older rock unit, the Maghrabi Formation, based on the new palynological age assessment. This new definition of local stratigraphy implies that the Bernice sheet of geological map of Egypt [Klitzsch, E., List, F., Po¨hlmann, G., 1987. Geological map of Egypt, sheet NF 36 NE Bernice, 1: 500000. Conoco and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, Cairo] ought to be reconsidered.

Abstract The basal mudstones from the El-Nom borehole in the Gebel Abraq area in southern Egypt have yielded a diverse and relatively well preserved terrestrial palynoflora that includes Balmeisporites holodictyus, Crybelosporites pannuceus, Foveotricolpites gigantoreticulatus, Nyssapollenites albertensis, Retimonocolpites variplicatus and Rousea delicipollis. These suggest an Albian–Cenomanian age and deposition in a fluvio-deltaic environment; no marine phytoplankton is reported. The fern-dominated palynoflora and the overwhelming presence of kaolinitic clays suggest a warm, humid palaeoclimate. According to available knowledge, the mudstones in the Gebel Abraq area, equivalents of the so-called ‘‘Timsah Formation’’, might be correlated with an older rock unit, the Maghrabi Formation, based on the new palynological age assessment. This new definition of local stratigraphy implies that the Bernice sheet of geological map of Egypt [Klitzsch, E., List, F., Po¨hlmann, G., 1987. Geological map of Egypt, sheet NF 36 NE Bernice, 1: 500000. Conoco and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, Cairo] ought to be reconsidered.