New palynological data for Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) deep-marine sandstones of the Western Caucasus, southwestern Russia

A new palynological study of the Western Caucasus reveals that dinoflagellate cysts from the Bagovskaja Formation indicate a late Toarcian age for its upper part, extending the formation's previously known range. The research identifies a dominant dinocyst taxon, Nannoceratopsis spiculata, alongside bisaccate pollen and spores like Cyathidites, providing critical palynostratigraphical insights. This challenges earlier dating based solely on ammonite evidence, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) deep-marine deposits in southwestern Russia.

Goryacheva, A. A., Zorina, S. O., Ruban, D. A., Eskin, A. A., Nikashin, K. I., Galiullin, B. M., Morozov, V. P., Mikhailenko, A. V., Nazarenko, O. V., & Zayats, P. P. (2018). New palynological data for Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) deep-marine sandstones of the Western Caucasus, southwestern Russia. Geologos, 24(2), 127–136. https://doi.org/10.2478/logos-2018-0012