Calpionellid zones of the Tithonian-Berriasian exotic limestone clasts from the Outer Carpathians, Poland

•Calpionellids and chitinoidellids (24 species) were described of exotic limestones.•Chitinoidella, Crassicollaria and Calpionella zones were recognized.•CL imagining was useful for better identification of these microfossils.•Calpionellid zonations and the age of the Štramberk-type limestones are discussed.•Microfacies of limestones with calpionellids are presented.

Calpionellids and chitinoidellids were identified from exotic limestone clasts occurring in flysch deposits of the Early Cretaceous to Oligocene age from the Silesian and Subsilesian nappes of the Polish Outer Carpathians. They represent the remnants of carbonate sedimentation along the northern and southern margin of the Severin-Moldavidic Basin, areas which are no longer preserved on the surface. Chitinoidellid and calpionellid assemblages characterize the Chitinoidella, Crassicollaria and Calpionella zones (latest early Tithonian-early Berriasian). The calpionellid zonation for the Western Carpathians was used for the present study, but some difficulties were encountered resulting from the application of this zonation. Cathodoluminescence imaging (CL) was useful for the identification of these microfossils in samples containing sparse and poorly preserved specimens, especially in the studied shallow-water limestone (the so-called Å tramberk-type limestones).

Graphical abstractDownload high-res image (603KB)Download full-size image