Cretaceous foraminifera from the Turonian succession at Beer, southeastern Devon, England

The planktic foraminifera are, perhaps, the most significant component of the assemblages as many of the taxa recorded in Devon are of southern aspect and are relatively rare in others parts of the U.K. The planktic zonation recognised in this section is, therefore, almost identical with that recorded in Tethyan areas and a precise correlation can be generated. There are relatively large numbers of important taxa such as Helvetoglobotruncana helvetica, Dicarinella imbricata, Marginotruncana sigali, M. pseudolinneiana, M. coronata and M. schneegansi. The benthic foraminifera, by comparison, are relatively rare and are represented by a low diversity assemblage. This is typical of northwestern European chalk successions of Turonian age and is coincident with the highest sea levels of the Cretaceous. In the middle to late Turonian there is a dramatic shallowing event that is recorded world-wide at this level. The assemblage changes towards the top of the accessible succession at Beer record this significant, world-wide event.