Paliobiostratigraphy of Devonian sediments in Chariseh region, NE Esfahan

The Devonian sequence is well- exposed in western chah-riseh village, 60 km northeastern Esfahan city. This sequence consists of padeha and Bahram formations with thickness of 237m and 492 m, respectively. In studied area, Jamal Formation disconformably lies on Bahram Formation. 100 samples were treated from these rock units for palynological studies. Most of the samples of Padeha and Bahram formations contain abundant acritarch and spore taxa. A total of 83 palynomorph taxa and algae were identified in this study. As a result, palynomorph species were arranged in 6 local biostratigraphic zones. Assemblage zones I to IV with total thickness of 517.5 meter, occur in the padeha and Bahram formations and suggest the Frasnian age for the Padeha and major part of Bahram formations. Assemblage zones V and VI also appear in the uppermost part of Bahram Formation with thickness 36 and 78.5 meter, respectively which represent Jamal Formation with an age of Permian. On the basis of identified foraminifera species that occured at the base of Jamal Formation, a biozone (Permian in age) is suggested. Therefore, on the basis of palynological data, there is a major hiatus (the Lower Carboniferous) in the Chariseh area.