TAXONOMY OF STRATIGRAPHICALLY IMPORTANT MID-CRETACEOUS TERRESTRIAL PALYNOFLORAL SPECIES IN THE NORTH WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT

Here we present a detailed taxonomic review of seven of the most important mid-Cretaceous terrestrial palynofloral species in the north Western Desert of Egypt. These species (Crybelosporites pannuceus, Elaterocolpites castelainii, Elateroplicites africaensis, Elaterosporites klaszii, Afropollis jardinus, Cretacaeiporites densimurus, and Reyrea polymorphus) have been consistently used by many workers to reliably interpret the age, paleoclimate, and paleoenvironment of the subsurface sedimentary sequences of the north Western Desert, making them excellent biostratigraphic markers. This review includes: 1) original descriptions, including English translations when necessary; 2) taxonomic remarks explaining critical morphological structures; 3) clear line art drawings displaying important morphological characteristics; and 4) remarks on the previous stratigraphic records of these species in the north Western Desert of Egypt. Thus, this taxonomic review summarizes several years of palynological research, and serves as a “one-stop” reference source.