Key Foraminifera from Upper Oligocene to Lower Pleistocene Strata of the Central Atlantic Coastal Plain

Abstract

Biostratigraphically important planktonic and benthic foraminiferal species from strata of late Oligocene to early Pleistocene age in the central Atlantic Coastal Plain are described and illustrated. Thirty planktonic species are used, in conjunction with a few radiometric ages, to date the strata. The ages derived are: “Silverdale” beds of latest Oligocene age; Pungo River and Calvert formations of late early to early middle Miocene age; Choptank Formation of middle middle Miocene age; St. Marys Formation of late middle to early late Miocene age; “Virginia St. Marys” beds of late Miocene age; Yorktown Formation of early to late(?) Pliocene age; and uppermost “Yorktown,” Croatan, and Waccamaw formations of late Pliocene and early Pleistocene age. Thirty-seven species and subspecies of benthic Foraminifera important for regional correlation are described, and ranges are given for this area. New species described are Bolivina pungoensis, Bolivinopsis fairhavenensis, Epistominella pungoensis, Cibicides cravenensis, C. croatanensis, C. pungoensis, Svratkina croatanensis, Nonion calvertensis, Florilus chesapeakensis, and Elphidium neocrespinae. New subspecies described are Nonion advenum pustulosum and Elphidium latispatium pontium.