Direct correlation of Tithonian/Berriasian boundary calpionellid and calcareous nannofossil events in the frame of magnetostratigraphy: new results from the West Balkan Mts, Bulgaria, and review of existing data

Magnetostratigraphy, calpionellid and calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the upper Tithonian and lower Berriasian of section Barlya in the West Balkan Mts are herein presented. The studied interval comprises the magnetozones from M21r to M17r, with a large interval of partial remagnetization. It has been directly correlated with a continuous succession of the calpionellid Chitinoidella, Praetintinnopsella, Crassicollaria and Calpionella zones, and with the nannofossil zones from NJT 15b to NK-1. The accumulated evidence in the last twenty years on the magnetostratigraphy, calpionellid and calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and events across the J/K boundary in the European Tethys has provoked the authors to plot the main micropalaeontological events against magnetostratigraphic column in order to assess the extent of diachronism of these events. Data from Slovakia, Poland, Italy, Austria, Hungary, France, Spain and Bulgaria has shown specific behaviour of different calpionellid and nannofossil events with respect to the column of the magnetic polarity chrons, which have been considered as ‘isochronous’ or at least less diachronous than the microfossil events. Thus, some rather consistent events have appeared, such as the first occurrences (FOs) of calpionellids Calpionella grandalpina, Crassicollaria brevis, Calpionella minuta and Remaniella ferasini, and the FOs of calcareous nannofossils Nannoconus globulus minor, Hexalithus geometricus, Nannoconus wintereri, Nannoconus steinmannii minor and Nannoconus kamptneri minor. The J/K boundary, as widely accepted, has been traced in section Barlya at the base of the Calpionella alpina Subzone.