Detailed biostratigraphy of the Santonian/Campanian boundary interval in Northern Israel

Abstract. One of the best continuous and fossiliferous Late Santonian-Early Campanian successions in Israel is the approximately 6m thick Kabri section in northern Israel. Its chalky marls were deposited in an outer shelf to upper slope environment with minor depth fluctuations. This Santonian/Campanian interval was studied examining calcareous nannoplankton, palynomorphs, ostracods and benthonic and planktonic foraminifera. The planktonic foraminiferal Dicarinella asymetrica - Globotruncanita elevata concurrent range zone was first observed in Israel in the Kabri section. The first occurrence of Aspidolithus parcus parcus herein is characterized by small specimens, difficult to determine by light microscopy. The lower boundary of the Campanian in this sequence was defined by the first occurrence of G. elevata, in accordance with the ammonite stage definition. This datum line nearly coincides with the first occurrence of the nannofossil marker A. parcus parcus and with the base of the Leguminocythereis dorsocostata (S-4) ostracod zone, both slightly above the foraminiferal boundary.