MIDDLE AND UPPER CARBONIFEROUS (PENNSYLVANIAN) MEGAFLORAL ZONES OF THE DONETS BASIN

Abstract

Based on the published data of O.P. Fisunenko, A.K. Shchegolev and the author’s own materials 10 megafloral zones have been identified in the Pennsylvanian (middle and upper Carboniferous) deposits of the Donets Basin. These zones are analogues of the megafloral zones of the Western European regional scale and enabled to correlate in detail the upper Bahkirian, Moscovian, Kasimovian and Gzhelian deposits of the Donets Basin with the regional substages of the Westphalian, Stephanian and Autunian of Western Europe. The correlation indicates that the lower boundary of the Moscovian Stage is located within the upper part of the Duckmantian Substage, the base of the Kasimovian Stage corresponds to the boundary between the Alethopteris bohemica and Sphenopteris rossica Subzones of the Odontopteris cantabrica Zone within the Cantabrian and the lower boundary of the Gzhelian Stage corresponds to the base of the Stephanian B (sensu stricto). According to the megafloral zonation, the Moscovian Stage corresponds to the uppermost part of the Duckmantian, Bolsovian, Asturian Substages and the lower part of the Cantabrian Substage. The Kasimovian Stage is equated with the upper part of the Cantabrian, Barruelian and Saberian Substages. The Gzhelian Stage represented by two regional stages in the Donets Basin corresponds to two megafloral zones – Sphenophyllum angustifolium and Autunia conferta. The Kalinovian Regional Stage, which is equated with the Sphenophyllum angustifolium Zone, corresponds to the Stephanian B (sensu stricto). The Mironovian Regional Stage, which is equated with the Autunia conferta Zone, corresponds to the Stephanian C (= lower Autunian).