Simplorabanitina gen. nov. (type species S. simplex sp. nov.) provides further evidences for the high diversity of Nezzazatidae (Foraminifera) in Cenomanian shallow-water carbonate platforms

ABSTRACT

A new genus of the Nezzazatidae is here introduced as Simplorabanitina simplex gen. et sp. nov. from the Cenomanian Sarvak Formation of south-western Iran. The main architectural constraints used to discriminate the new taxon from its close ally Rabanitina Smout lies in the complete lack of skeletal elements collectively called the ‘median plate’ or ‘complex longitudinal plate’, and by the occurrence of pseudo-keriotheca characterising the chamber wall. The new occurrence increases the number of species of Nezzazatidae throughout the shallow-water carbonate platforms of the Arabian Plate prior to the extinction related to the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 of the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary, indicating high diversity. Unlike some other Cenomanian Nezzazatidae that have been commonly found from Mexico to the Middle East, the biogeographic affinity of Simplorabanitina n. gen. seems to be restricted to the Arabian Plate and perhaps might also be found in the coeval successions of NE Africa. 37F231ED-05B8-4BCA-9F9D-2B38AFA55296

KEYWORDS:

• Benthic foraminifera
• cenomanian
• carbonate platforms
• cretaceous
• stratigraphy
• taxonomy
• nezzazatidae

Acknowledgments

Comments and suggestions made by the two journal reviewers Michael D. Simmons (Abingdon) and Michael D. Bidgood (Oldmeldrum) sensibly improved the quality of the present contribution.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).