Planktonic and benthic foraminifera from the upper cretaceous succession (north Kerman, Central Iran): a tool for paleobathymetry reconstruction

Foosk section of Late Cretaceous age is located in 38 km northeast Kerman. It is approximately 320 m thick and is bounded by the lower Cretaceous conglomerate and the Kerman conglomerate (Paleocene). Lithological aspect of the mentioned deposits is referred to four informal units. Lower unit consists of thick to massive sandstone. Unit 2 is comprised of alternating medium-bedded calcareous sandstones and thin to thick-bedded limestones. The unit 3 includes the medium-bedded limestone which became massive towards the top containing rudists (unit 4). It is overlain by the unconformable Kerman Conglomerate (Paleocene). The microscopic investigation represents limited stratigraphic distribution of foraminifera. The species composition within the identified foraminifera allows us to recognise the following six local biozones: Pseudocyclammina rugosa Zone, Rotalipora cushmani Zone, Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica Zone, Marginotruncana renzi Zone, Cuneolina sp., Zone and Goupillaudina shirazensis Zone. Moreover, alternation of benthic and planktonic foraminifers and quantitative micropaleontological data confirmed variation in paleobathymetry during Cenomanian - Maastrichtian time interval.