New Upper Carboniferous palynofloras from Southern Pyrenees (NE Spain): Implications for palynological zonation of Western Europe

Abstract

In the western European basins, the paleoflora of late Pennsylvanian-early Permian transition is still a matter of discussion in terms of its age determination and biostratigraphic ranges. This study represents a review of the Upper Carboniferous and Permian stratigraphy of the Central and Eastern Pyrenees from continental successions with interbedded volcanic-volcaniclastic rocks, coupling new palynological data and known palynological assemblages to calibrate them with recent SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages dates obtained in previous works. In this light, the first continental unit overlying the Variscan basement bears a Gzhelian palynological association, which fits perfectly with the isotopic SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating of the associated pyroclastic rocks (304.6 ± 1.5 Ma and 300.4 ± 1.4 Ma).

In order to provide a solid base to characterize the Carboniferous-Permian microflora evolution in the western Tethys sub-basins, we have compared radiometrically dated palynological assemblages of the Euramerican Province such as Spain, southern France, the Alps and Sardinia (Italy). The new biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic information presented here confirms the validity of the classical Carboniferous Palynological Zonation of Western Europe.