Spore assemblage out of a lower carboniferous shale from Spitzbergen

Abstract

The sporae dispersae recovered from a carbonaceous shale of Lower Carboniferous age from Spitzbergen have been described. In all, 28 genera and 67 species are reported, out of which 6 genera, viz. Iugisporis, Corbulispora, Velamisporites, Rostratispora, Orbisporis and Clavisporites, and 30 species are new. This spore flora is compared with the spore assemblages of Lower Carboniferous (incl. Namurian) age from Canada, U.S.A., Scotland, Central Europe, European and Asian U.S.S.R. and Turkey. It has been concluded that the lndex-Spore-Association signifying Lower Carboniferous age is comprised by one or more of such genera as Convolutispora, Cincturasporites, Labiadensites, Tripartites and Rotaspora. A number of other genera, less broadly distributed but found often associated with the index genera of Lower Carboniferous strata, are Corbulispora, Velamisporites, Orbisporis, Monilospora, Clavisporis, Tendosporites, Perianthospora and Grandispora.