Upper Maastrichtian? – lower Paleocene dinoflagellate cysts and pollen from turbidites in the Itilli region, Nuussuaq, central West Greenland – first dating of the sediments

Abstract

Dinoflagellate cysts are recorded for the first time from two sections representing the uppermost part of the more than two kilometre thick turbidite succession exposed on the south-east side of the Itilli valley in Nuussuaq, central West Greenland. The cysts were recovered from sections situated immediately below the Tertiary pillow breccia at Ilugissorsuaq and at Qaasersut. The dinoflagellate cysts are rare in these sediments and the diversity appears to be low in both sections. The species Palaeocystodinium cf. P. australinum is rare whereas Phelodinium kozlowskii is very common in the uppermost sample from Ilugissorsuaq. A similar acme of P. kozlowskii has been recovered from the lower Paleocene part of the Kangilia section on the north coast of Nuussuaq. The presence of P. cf. P. australinum and the pollen Wodehousia spinata at Qaasersut indicates the presence of uppermost Maastrichtian to lowermost Paleocene sediments.