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Discoasters of the Blue Clay (Middle Miocene) of Malta and Gozo

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

Minoo Hojjatzadeh
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Unit of Micropalaeontology, University College, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT

Summary

Twenty-three species of the Family Discoasteraceae Vekshina, 1959 recovered from 18 samples of the Blue Clay at Fort Chambray, Gozo, and 31 samples from Fomm-Ir-Rih Bay, Malta, have been studied under light and scanning electron microscopes. Fourteen Middle Miocene species are reviewed, their stratigraphical ranges and importance as marker species discussed. Nine species are described as new. On the basis of the discoaster species present, a Middle Miocene age (NN.6 Discoaster exilis Zone – NN.7 Discoaster kugleri Zone) for the Blue Clay in Malta and Gozo is suggested.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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