Praealveolina (Foraminifera) species: a tool to date Cenomanian platform sediments

Abstract The comparison of superposed praealveolinid assemblages from the well exposed outcrops in the Iberian Range and the Pyrenees with Prealveolina species from the type localities in Reichel's collection have allowed us to evaluate the stratigraphical range of each species. The species Praealveolina iberica, P. pennensis and P. debilis successively replace each other from Early to Mid Cenomanian; they have been correlated with Mantelliceras mantelli and Acanthoceras rotomagense ammonite zones, and with Rotalipora brotzeni and the lower part of the R. cushmanni planktonic foraminiferal zones. Praealveolina brevis and P. tenuis appear successively during the Upper Cenomanian, but the range of P. tenuis may overlap with the one of P. brevis in the Early Upper Cenomanian; they have been correlated with Calycoceras naviculare and Metoicoceras geslinianum and with R. cushmannni zone. P simplex occurs together with P. brevis and P. tenuis in the Upper Cenomanian. The stratigraphic relationship of P. cretace...