The age and palaeoecology of the St Erth Beds, southern England, based on planktonic foraminifera

• Published in: Geological Magazine
• Main Author: Graham Jenkins, D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1982
• Subjects: Geology; Neogloboquadrina pachyderma; Planktonic foraminifera
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756800025887; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756800025887

Summary Planktonic foraminifera are recorded for the first time from the St Erth Beds but they are small and very rare. A late Pliocene G. inflaia Zone age is postulated on the presence of Globorotalia inflata and dextrally coiled Neogloboquadrina pachyderma . It is suggested that the depth of water at the time of deposition was much less than 100 m, possibly in the photic zone, and the palaeotemperature was in the range of 10–18 °C.