Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of Paleocene ‒ middle Eocene interval at NE Kazeroon

In the present study, calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy was investigated at the Paleocene ‒ middle Eocene interval at northeast Kazerun (Shahneshin anticline). A thickness of 50 m from the upper part of Gurpi ‒ lower part of Pabdeh formations is investigated and mainly consists of marly limestone, marly shale and marl. 180 species from 31 geneus of calcareous nannofossils are identified. According to the index calcareous nannofossils and based on Agnini et al. zonation, zone CNP3 to CNP11 and zone CNE1 to CNE8 are identified at the Paleocene and Eocene interval, respectively. These biozones corresponds with zone NP3 to NP9 (in Paleocene) and NP10 to NP14 (in Eocene), based on Martini zonation. Regarding calcareous nannofossil assemblages and biozones, the Paleocene ‒ Eocene boundary is located between CNP11/NP9 and CNE1/NP10 zones, where the top of Fasciculithus richardii group is recorded. The extinction of Fasciculithus is recorded at 23 m by the last occurrence of Fasciculithus tympaniformis, which is considered as an index for early Eocene. The appearance of some species, such as Rhomboaster spp., Tribrachiatus bramlettei and assymetrical species of Discoaster araneus is recorded at the Paleocene ‒ Eocene boundary similar to other parts of the world.