New biostratigraphic evidence (calcareous nannofossils, ostracods, foraminifers, ammonites, inoceramids) on the Middle Coniacian in the eastern Bohemian Cretaceous Basin

The classical locality of Svinary in the eastern Bohemian Cretaceous Basin is the site of new biostratigraphic investigations. Besides some scarce macrofossil evidence, bulk sediment samples were processed to retrieve micropalaeontological assemblages, and calcareous nannofossil smear slides were analysed. The studied material provided calcareous nannofossil assemblages including Micula staurophora, Lithastrinus septenarius and Broinsonia parca expansa, thus documenting the Middle Coniacian (upper part of UC10 Zone and lower part of UC11 Zone). The foraminifera assemblage is relatively rich, planktonic species show a wide stratigraphical range, while the benthic association represented by Neoflabellina suturalis suturalis and Gaudryina carinata is very similar to the Coniacian biozone of Stensioeina granulata-Eponides whitei, valid for the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin. Ostracods are represented by two common cytherellid species, and two rare ornamented species: Imhotepia marssoni? and Pterygocythereis spinosa. Inoceramid bivalves, namely Platyceramus mantelli, and a newly recorded ammonite, Tridenticeras tridens, support the late Middle Coniacian age of the Svinary out crop. New biostratigraphic results are given along with palaeoecological interpretations of newly collected fossil material.