Biostratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous rocks in Gebel Arif El-Naga, northeastern Sinai, Egypt, based on benthonic foraminifera

Sixty-five benthonic foraminiferal species and subspecies are recorded from the Upper Cretaceous rocks of the Gebel Arif El-Naga anticline in northern Sinai. These belong to 36 genera of the Textulariina, Miliolina, Lagenina and Rotaliina and allow subdivision of the Upper Cretaceous succession (Halal, Abu Qada, Wata, Themed and Sudr Formations) into six biostratigraphic zones named as follows: Buccicrenata subgoodlandensis (Early Cenomanian), Pernerina depressa (Late Cenomanian), Cibicides zitteli (Middle Coniacian-Early Campanian), Cibicides praecursorius (Late Campanian), Bolivinoides draco miliaris (Early Maastrichtian), and Bolivinoides draco draco (Late Maastrichtian). These zones are correlated with equivalent units in different regions of Egypt, Libya and Russia. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.