Organic tentaculitoids from the Kowala Formation (Devonian) of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland

Abstract

A palynological investigation was carried out on samples obtained from the Givetian/Frasnian interval in the formation comprising stromatoporoid-coral dolomites and limestones from the Kowala 1 borehole (south-central Poland). These carbonate bank to reef deposits have not previously been subjected to palynological studies. The analysed samples revealed the presence of organic tentaculitoids, which are particularly uncommon. According to their morphological features all observed forms were classified into the subclass Dacryoconarida, of which only representatives from the order Nowakiida were recognised. An organic tentaculite with an associated partially preserved mineral shell was found for the first time. Palynological investigation allowed the palynostratigraphy of this interval to be established as Cristatisporites optivus–Spelaeotriletes krestovnikovii, from the East European Miospore zonation (late varcus up to transitans conodont zones).