Reappraisal of the mississippian palynostratigraphy of the east fife coast, Scotland, United Kingdom

Abstract

Palynomorph assemblages from an extended succession of Mississippian (Viséan) sediments ranging in age from probable late Arundian to the latest Brigantian exposed on the East Fife coast of Scotland, United Kingdom have been investigated. The stratigraphical distribution of miospores closely reflects that established elsewhere in central and southern Scotland. The occurrence of certain stratigraphically significant miospore taxa permits the assignment of chronostratigraphic ages to locally defined lithostratigraphic units. The latest Asbian to Brigantian (VF miospore Biozone) age of the upper part of the Sandy Craig, Pathhead and Lower Limestone formations is confirmed. The Pittenweem Formation and remainder of the Sandy Craig Formation are both assigned to the NM miospore Biozone of Asbian age and the Anstruther Formation is assigned a late Arundian or Holkerian (TC miospore Biozone) age. The Fife Ness Formation, originally assigned to the early Asbian and considered older than the Anstruther Formation, yielded evidence of both the uppermost part of the TC and lower NM miospore biozones and is suggested to be a member of the Pittenweem Formation.