Marine palynostratigraphy and new species from the Cape Roberts drill-holes, Victoria land basin, Antarctica

Abstract

Three research wells were cored near Cape Roberts, McMurdo Sound, during the summers of 1997, 1998 and 1999. Rich marine palynomorph assemblages were obtained from the early Miocene and Oligocene sediments, and almost immediately described at a reconnaissance level by the original on-site science team. In these studies, a number of undescribed species were reported, most strikingly of the distinctive dinoflagellate cyst genus Lejeunecysta. This report continues that work with the description of six new species: ?Cymatiosphaera robertsii, Lejeunecysta acuminata, Lejeunecysta attenuata, Lejeunecysta katatonos, Lejeunecysta rotunda, and Lejeunecysta striata. A new zonation comprising five marine palynomorph biozones is proposed, largely based upon the new taxa. The taxon ranges are derived from earlier published ranges with some minor updates.