Siliceous microfossils of the Upper Cretaceous Mishash Formation,Central Negev,Israel

New finds of siliceous microfossils, mainly diatoms, are reported from hard limestone levels in the Campanian cherty Mishash Formation, Negev, Israel. Twenty taxa were recognized, of which Melosira campaniensis and Trinacria negeviensis are new species. Representatives of Ebridians are reported for the first time from Cretaceous sediments. Calcareous nannofossils are usually few and poorly preserved. The diversity of the micro- and nannofossil assemblages vary through the succession and points to fluctuations in the palaeoenvironmental conditions from restricted to more normal marine. The moderate preservation of the opaline microfossils within the limestones is probably the result of early diagenetic lithification.