PALINOLOGIA KAMBRU DOLNEGO BLOKU GÓRNOŚLĄSKIEGO W REGIONIE KRAKOWSKIM

Abstract

PALYNOLOGY OF THE LOWER CAMBRIAN IN THE UPPER SILESIAN BLOCK, KRAKÓW REGION

Abstract. The paper reviews the palynological studies carried out to date on Cambrian deposits of the Upper Silesian Block explored by boreholes drilled in the Kraków region. Differentiated assemblages of organic microfossils characteristic of the lower Cambrian deposits of the Borzęta and Goczałkowice formations from the Upper Silesian Block were documented in 13 boreholes. The oldest Lower Cambrian microfossil assemblages, which are typical of the Borzęta Formation, occur in the Kraków region in 10 boreholes, but their morphological differentiation is rather poor. On the other hand, the assemblages from the Goczałkowice Formation are characterized by a significant diversity and variability of forms. Thus, in three boreholes, it helped to find assemblages which were typical of particular members distinguished in the formation, namely: the Głogoczów Bioturbated Sandstones Member and the Pszczyna Siltstones with Trilobites Member. Microflora associations, documented in the Głogoczów Bioturbated Sandstones Member, are characterized by finely ornamented acritarchs with Ichnosphaera – a new index genus. The acritarcha assemblages of the Pszczyna Siltstones with Trilobites Member are characterized by the presence of morphologically differentiated specimens and predominance of the Lower Cambrian Skiagia species.