Biostratigraphy of the Santonian in the SW margin of the Holy Cross Mountains near Lipnik, a potential reference section for extra-Carpathian Poland

Abstract

The set of outcrops near the village of Kije, on the SW margin of the Holy Cross Mountains provides a nearly complete Santonian succession that has a great potential to become a Santonian reference section in Poland. The Coniacian/Santonian boundary is defined here by the first occurrence (FO) of the inoceramid bivalve species Cladoceramus undulatoplicatus (ROEMER 1852). The uppermost Santonian is characterized by common Sphenoceramus patootensiformis (SEITZ 1965). The top of the stage (and the base of the Campanian Stage) is documented by the last occurrence (LO) of the crinoid species Marsupites testudinarius  SCHLOTHEIM 1820). The substage division of the Santonian is based on inoceramids, with the lower boundary of the Middle Santonian indicated by the LO of Cladoceramus undulatoplicatus and the base of the Upper Santonian by the FO of representatives of Cordiceramus muelleri (PETRASCHECK 1906) group.