Results are presented of a quantitative biostratigraphic study of the calcareous nannofossils from the upper Miocene Metochia section (Gavdos Island, Greece) located in the eastern Mediterranean. The study allows the completion of the calcareous nannofossil Zonal Scheme for the Mediterranean Neogene. Parts of the scheme have already been proposed earlier for the Pliocene-Pleistocene (Rio et al. 1990b) and for the latest Oligocene to early late Miocene (Fornaciari and Rio 1996, Fornaciari et al. 1996).

The Metochia section proved to be a suitable section for high-resolution biostratigraphic studies. It has a detailed planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and a robust chronology based on the astronomical calibration of the sedimentary cycles (Krijgsman et al. 1995, Hilgen et al. 1995). Age estimates for the nannofossil biohorizons recognized in the section were obtained through direct correlation to this astrochronology. Five out of seventeen biohorizons were selected for biostratigraphic purposes and to define the (sub)zonal boundaries. They are (in stratigraphic order): LO (Last Occurrence) of Discoaster hamatus Martini and Bramlette 1963, equivalent to the base of Subzone MNN10a, dated at 9.53 Ma; FCO (First Consistent Continuous Occurrence) of Discoaster pentaradiatus (Tan 1927) Bramlette and Riedel 1954, equivalent to the base of Subzone MNN10b, at 9.37 Ma; PB (Paracme Beginning) of Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilicus (Gartner 1967) Gartner 1969, equivalent to the base of Zone MNN11a, at 8.76 Ma; FO (First Occurrence) of Amaurolithus spp. (A. primus (Bukry and Percival 1971) Gartner and Bukry 1975), equivalent to the base of Subzone MNN11b, at 7.42 Ma, and FO of Nicklithus amplificus (Bukry and Percival 1971) Raffi Backman and Rio 1998, equivalent to the base of Subzone MNN11c, at 6.69 Ma. We compared our biochronology with data available from other Mediterranean sections (Sprovieri et al. 1996, Negri et al. 1999, Negri and Villa 2000, Bonomo 2001), and with the nannofossil biochronology from low-latitude oceanic reference sections (Raffi et al. 1995, Backman and Raffi 1997). Our results evidence differences and similarities: some of the recently proposed events in the Tortonian-Messinian (e.g., FO and FCO of Reticulofenestra rotaria Theodoridis 1984, FO of Amaurolitus delicatus Gartner and Bukry 1975) proved not to be reliable and do not improve the biostratigraphic resolution by calcareous nannofossils in the time interval under consideration. On the other hand, the five selected biohorizons can easily be reproduced elsewhere in the Mediterranean, and are considered useful for correlations to the extra-Mediterranean realm.

On the north-eastern margin of the Danish Basin (part of the Mesozoic North Sea Basin) the Upper Pliensbachian to Toarcian succession represents the early phase of delta outbuilding, involving marine shelf, distal prodelta and proximal prodelta environments. The marine shelf conditions are characterized by calcareous foraminiferal assemblages dominated by the suborder Lagenina. The prodelta environments are typified by low-diversity agglutinated assemblages concentrated in discrete stratigraphical horizons. In total seventeen foraminiferal species were recognized, the following five of which are described here for the first time: Haplophragmoides propygmaeus, Ammobaculites bivarians, Ammobaculites nanogyrus, Kutsevella spilota, and Bulbobaculites vermiculus. The taxonomic treatment has also lead to a revised biostratigraphic scheme subdividing the foraminiferal succession into six assemblages confined to discrete stratigraphical intervals.

Radiolarians and planktonic foraminifera are documented in the chert and limestone alternations in the Yigitler section from the Circum Troodos Massif Sedimentary Succession in northern Cyprus. Based on the stratigraphic ranges of radiolarians, the examined samples from the Middle Lefkara Formation can be assigned to six biozones: Bekoma bidartensis (RP7), Buryella clinata (RP8), Phormocyrtis striata striata (RP9), Theocotyle cryptocephala (RP10), Dictyoprora mongolfieri (RP11) and Thyrsocyrtis (Pentalacorys) triacantha (RP12) zones. The planktonic foraminifera recovered from the examined samples are assigned to Morozovella velascoensis IZ (P5), Morozovella subbotinae PRZ (P6), Morozovella aragonensis/Morozovella formosa formosa CRZ (P7), Morozovella aragonensis PRZ (P8) and Acarinina pentacamerata PRZ (P9) zones. These zonal assignments indicate a Late Paleocene to early Middle Eocene age for the Middle Lefkara Formation.

A foraminiferal assemblage comprising Nummulites longilocula n. sp., Globigerina dinodensis n. sp., Turborotalia sp. A, Chiloguembelina aff. C. cubensis, Nonionella cf. N. wemmelensis and Nonionella aff. N. pauciloba has been recovered from a stratigraphic interval between the last occurrence of Turborotalia cerroazulensis s. l. and the first occurrence of Cassigerinella chipolensis in an apparently continuous sequence of calcareous sediments exposed near Dinod village in Cambay Basin, Gujarat, India. The assemblage also includes sparingly occurring Nummulites retiatus, radiate Nummulites spp., discoidal Pellatispira spp., calcareous nannofossils and radiolaria; furthermore, the assemblage is found to be occupying a stratigraphic position between the last appearance of Discocyclina and the first appearance of Nummulites fichteli. Planktonic foraminiferal zones P17-P18 have been clearly demarcated in the sequence, and the new assemblage clearly denotes a distinctive passage from the older zone to the younger; thus a provisional P17-P18 transition Zone with an age range of latest Eocene to earliest Oligocene is assigned to it. The distinctive features and the new foraminiferal species of this assemblage, seemingly in contrast with the standard zonal boundary character, are described, and their bearing on the nature of the Eocene- Oligocene boundary in the Cambay Basin sequence is discussed. The assemblage, with its new foraminiferal data, lends further credence to several analogous records of foraminiferal transition found in similar passage beds occurring elsewhere.

In a first systematic study of Cretaceous ostracods from Antarctica, a middle to upper Campanian fauna from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula, is described. Previously, the existence of these microfossils has only been mentioned in passing by a few authors. The material was sampled at Hamilton Point on the southeastern part of the island. The fauna contains a moderately rich and diverse association of marine ostracods, which are assigned to thirteen genera, including: Cytherella, Cytherelloidea, Bairdia, Bythocypris, Argilloecia?, Paracypris, Majungaella, Mandelstamia, Rostrocytheridea, Cytheropteron, and Eocytheropteron. In addition, Trachyleberididae gen. et sp. indet. and one indeterminate taxon occur. Among the sixteen species present, two are described as new: Mandelstamia antarctica n. sp. and Rostrocytheridea hamiltonensis n. sp.