Radiolarian Biostratigraphy of Peninsular Malaysia — An update

Abstract

Radiolarian cherts are common in the late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic of the western belt of Peninsular Malaysia. The cherts were deposited in deep marine environment. Sixteen radiolarian assemblage zones were recognized. The oldest is Trilonche minax zone in the Frasnian, Late Devonian. Two zones were identified namely Albaillella deflandrei and Albaillella indensis zones of Late Tournaisian, Early Carboniferous. Eight zones were recognized in Permian namely Pseudoalbaillella lomentaria, Pseudoalbaillella scalprata m. rhombothoracata and Pseudoalbaillella longtanensis zones, Early Permian; Pseudoalbaillella globosa, Follicucullus monacanthus, and Follicucullus porrectus zones, Middle Permian; Neoalbaillella ornithoformis and Neoalbaillella optima zones, Late Permian. Five zones recorded in Triassic are Entactinosphaera chiakensis, Triassocampe coronata, Triassocampe deweveri, Oertlispongus inaequispinosus and Capnodoce zones. Most of the Permo-Triassic biozones were identified from the Semanggol Formation. The radiolarian biozones are very important for age determination of rocks which were deposited in deep marine environment where other fossils are very rare.