Biostratigraphical correlations of the calcareous nannofossil Marthasterites furcatus in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin and Outer Flysch Carpathians,Czech Republic

The first occurrence (FO) of Marthasterites furcatus was correlated with the FOs of other nannofossils, inoceramid bivalves and foraminifers in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin and Outer Flysch Carpathians. The correlation showed that the FO of M. furcatus was diachronous, becoming younger from east to west. In the Silesian Unit it appears in the lower Turonian in association with Eprolithus moratus (UC6b nannofossil Zone). In the Pavlovské vrchy klippes it appears in the upper middle Turonian together with Lithastrinus septenarius (UC9 Zone). In the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, the FO of M. furcatus was observed in the lower upper Turonian just above the FO of Liliasterites angularis. The presence of M. furcatus in Turonian strata is scarce and discontinuous up to its sudden quantitative increase (represented by 5–27% in assemblages) below the FO of the inoceramid bivalve species Cremnoceramus waltersdorfensis and C. deformis erectus in the Turonian–Coniacian boundary interval. The top of the M. furcatus acme was recorded below the FO of Micula staurophora. The second quantitative rise of M. furcatus (12% in assemblage) was found in the lower lower Campanian of the Pavlovské vrchy klippes above the FO of Broinsonia parca parca in the UC14a Zone and the last occurrence of the planktonic foraminifer Whiteinella baltica. Above this second acme M. furcatus disappears. The significantly earlier appearance of M. furcatus in the Silesian Basin may be connected with a southeast-heading surface current from the North European epicontinental sea where the species appeared in the early Turonian too.