Cretaceous radiolarian zonation in the Polish part of the Pieniny Klippen Belt (Western Carpathians)

The Albian to Turonian deposits in the Polish part of the Pieniny Klippen Belt comprise pelagic and shaly turbidite facies. They represent shallow (shelf) to deep-water environments, and they are relatively rich in radiolarian fauna. Over 70 radiolarian species of the Carpathian Tethyan low latitude realm were identified in over 200 samples from 18 sections in the deposits of the Pieniny, Branisko, Niedzica and Czorsztyn successions of the Pieniny Klippen Belt. 17 horizons containing abundant and well-preserved radiolarian fauna have been chosen for analysis. These data were processed with the BioGraph 2.02 computer program (Savary & Guex 1991) based on the Unitary Associations (U.A.) method. The program produced a sequence of 11 U.A. which were used for constructing the radiolarian zonal scheme. Three radiolarian zones and five subzones (Holocryptocanium barbui Zone with Stichomitra tosaensis, Squinabollum fossile, Thanarla pulchra, Torculum dengoi and Obeliscoites maximus subzones, Hemicryptocapsa prepolyhedra Zone and Hemicryptocapsa polyhedra Zone) have been proposed far the interval investigated.