Late Jurassic foraminifera from the southern Waschberg-Ždánice Unit (Klentnice beds, Lower Austria)

Abstract

Abstract Foraminiferal assemblages from Upper Jurassic Klentnice beds in Lower Austria are described and analysed. The early late Tithonian assemblages comprise 75 foraminiferal taxa and simple diversities reach up to 31 taxa per sample, pointing to comparatively high diversity in general. The assemblages are dominated by lenticulinid forms (Genera Astacolus, Lenticulina, Saracenaria, Vaginulinopsis). Trocholina is the most common genus and present in all samples. Other frequent genera are Marssonella and Neobulimina. Co-occurrence of epifaunal (grazing) herbivores and epi- to deep infaunal active deposit feeders points to mixed assemblages from different sources and supports the concept of turbiditic systems as prevailing sedimentary regimes in the basinal setting.