Terrestrial palynology and age assessment of the Gedaref Formation (eastern Sudan)

This paper presents the first palynological results from subsurface strata of the Gedaref Formation, a succession of intercalated sandstones and mudstones in eastern Sudan.The top of the formation yielded a well preserved and fairly diversified sporomorph assemblage.Palm pollen, which are typical elements in contemporaneous West African coastal basins, were recorded in the present material, namely Longapertites, Mauritiidites, Monocolpites, Proxapertites and Spinizonocolpites. The coexistence of marker species such as Cristaeturites cristatus, Foveomonocolpites bauchiensis, Mauritiidites crassibaculatus, Monocolpites marginatus, Periretisyncolpites giganteus, Proteacidites sigalii, Proxapertites operculatus, Racemonocolpites cf. racematus, Retidiporites magdalenensis, Retitricolpites clarensis and Scabratriporites samoilovitchii indicates a Maastrichtian age for the top of the Gedaref Formation which was previously thought to be of Jurassic age.The occurrence of abundant structured phytoclasts, membraneous tissues and very little amorphous material suggests deposition in high energy fluvial settings close to the source vegetation. The frequent occurrence of pollen grains assigned to the Palmae group supports the prevalence of warm-humid conditions during the deposition of the studied sediments.