Palynology of the Permian San Miguel Formation (Paraguay): a tool for correlation between the eastern and western Paraná Basin

PÉREZ LOINAZE, V. S.,; CÉSARI, S. N.; LÓPEZ GAMUNDÍ, O.; BUATOIS, L.,

GEOLOGICA ACTA

UNIV BARCELONA

Año: 2010 vol. 8 p. 483 - 493

1695-6133

The palynological analysis of five samples from three levels in cores of the Mallorquin-1 well (Parana Basin, eastern Paraguay) is presented here. The borehole penetrated the San Miguel Formation, the basal lithostratigraphic unit of the Independencia Group. This palynoflora represents the westernmost palynological record reported from Upper Paleozoic sequences along this basin margin at this latitude. This diverse spore-pollen flora includes several age marker taxa, viz. Verrucosisporites insuetus, Lueckisporites spp., Lunatisporites variesectus, Striatosporites heyleri, Weylandites lucifer, and Tornopollenites toreutos, as well as Reduviasporonites chalastus. The assemblages from the Mallorquin-1 well are assignable to the Lueckisporites virkkiae Zone from the Brazilian sector of the Parana Basin, thus suggesting a Late Cisuralian-Guadalupian age for the section studied and its correlation with the Brazilian Palermo and Irati Formations. Moreover, palynostratigraphic regional correlation can be established with the Tornopollenites toreutos Biozone (northern Brazil), the Striatites and Lueckisporites-Weylandites Biozones (Argentina) and the Striatoabieites anaverrucosus-Staurosaccites cordubensis Biozone (Uruguay). The presence of abundant taeniate pollen also suggests similarities with palynofloras from South Africa and Australia.Verrucosisporites insuetus, Lueckisporites spp., Lunatisporites variesectus, Striatosporites heyleri, Weylandites lucifer, and Tornopollenites toreutos, as well as Reduviasporonites chalastus. The assemblages from the Mallorquin-1 well are assignable to the Lueckisporites virkkiae Zone from the Brazilian sector of the Parana Basin, thus suggesting a Late Cisuralian-Guadalupian age for the section studied and its correlation with the Brazilian Palermo and Irati Formations. Moreover, palynostratigraphic regional correlation can be established with the Tornopollenites toreutos Biozone (northern Brazil), the Striatites and Lueckisporites-Weylandites Biozones (Argentina) and the Striatoabieites anaverrucosus-Staurosaccites cordubensis Biozone (Uruguay). The presence of abundant taeniate pollen also suggests similarities with palynofloras from South Africa and Australia.