Upper Bajocian to Callovian (Jurassic) dinoflagellate cysts from central Poland

The Upper Bajocian - Bathonian organic-rich claystone succession and the Lower Callovian sandy, marly and gaize (dispersed biogenic silica) deposits of central-southern Poland yield diverse and well-preserved dinoflagellate cyst floras dominated by ctenidodinioids, principally Ctenidodinium combazii, Dichadogonyaulax sellwoodii and Korystocysta spp. Atopodinium and Wanaea are also common. The stratigraphical distribution of dinoflagellate cysts within the Upper Bajocian to Lower Callovian has provided a detailed correlation between the Polish area and the North Sea area (chronostratigraphy and dinoflagellate cyst zonation). The dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphical events are of correlative value and are consistent with interpretations based on the macrofaunas. The Middle-Late Callovian yielded no dinoflagellate cysts. The British zonation (RIDING & THOMAS 1992, POULSFN & RIDING, in press) is demonstrated to be useful for the Polish sections. Some marker species have differences in their first or last appearances in Poland compared to those reported from England.