The Lower Carboniferous Prolycospora Claytonii Zone of Western Pomerania and its equivalents in Belorussia and Northwestern Europe

Abstract

Zona Prolycospora Claytonii dolnego karbonu Pomorza Zachodniego i jej odpowiedniki w Białorusi i Europie północno-zachodniej The upper boundary o f the Prolycospora claytonii (Cl) Zone o f Western Pomerania is defined at the first appearance of Lycospora pusilla Somers. Spore assemblages from this zone are compared with those from the equivalent deposits of Belorussia, and stratigraphical correlations between Belorussia, Poland and northwestern Europe are attempted. The palynological, conodont and other biostratigraphical data suggest that the zone spans the uppermost part of the Hastarian Stage and the Ivorian Stage. Taxonomic relationships between some important miospore taxa are discussed, and one new combination is proposed. Schopfites claviger Sullivan, Raistrickia clavata (Haquebard) Playford, and Spelaeotriletes pretiosus (Playford) Neves & Belt are recorded from Belorussia for the first time.