New Late Cretaceous to earliest Paleogene (Campanian–Danian) dinoflagellate cysts from the Møre Basin, offshore Norway

Abstract

The Late Cretaceous and Paleogene strata of the Norwegian continental shelf are rich and diverse in dinoflagellate cysts. The assemblages are generally well-preserved, which allows high-resolution biostratigraphic studies and sometimes the identification of new species with chronostratigraphic significance. This paper proposes the formal description of eight new species from the Møre Basin, offshore Norway: Adnatosphaeridium tubulosum, Canningia crassimura, Canningia exilimura, Palaeohystrichophora elongata, Palaeoperidinium minusculatum, Senoniasphaera porosa, Trithyrodinium ioannidesii and Trithyrodinium verrucatum. The key diagnostic and morphological features of each species are discussed and compared with those of other forms outside and within the same genera. The new species presented here have been recognised in a stratigraphic interval ranging from the early Campanian to the early Danian; their occurrence can be used in conjunction with previously published markers to enhance the stratigraphic breakdown of wells across the region and wider offshore Northwest Europe.

Keywords:

• dinoflagellate cysts
• Cretaceous
• Paleogene
• taxonomy
• Møre Basin
• biostratigraphy

Acknowledgements

The authors thank A/S Norske Shell and Ormen Lange licence partners Petoro AS, Equinor Energy AS, INEOS E&P Norge AS, and Vår Energi AS for permission to publish this paper. We also thank Petrostrat Limited for allowing the co-author the use of their facilities. The views expressed might not necessarily reflect the views of the licence partners.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.