Late Scythian–Anisian ostracods (Crustacea) from the Meged-2 borehole, central Israel

Abstract. Cutting samples from the Zafir Formation in the Meged-2 well (5013–5200 m), central Israel, were examined for ostracods. Seventeen species, belonging to eleven genera, could be distinguished. Five of them are described here as new species: Bairdia megedensis nov. sp., Bairdia bariudini nov. sp., Renngartenella ragilis nov. sp., Renngartenella perii nov. sp. and Patellacythere ephraimi nov. sp. Six species of the genera Renngartenella, Mostlerella and Kerocythere may also represent new taxa, but were left in open nomenclature, due to their rare occurrence in the samples. Only one species has been reported from other localities. Punctate forms of the genus Bairdia and Paracypris sp. are the most common species in the samples. The ostracods indicate a normal open-marine environment of deposition. The ostracod assemblages point to a Late Scythian–Anisian age, confirmed by foraminiferal and palynological data, but this age assignment remains disputed until the new taxa described here have been independently dated.