Abstract
A well diversified Campanian/Maastrichtian palynoflora has been recovered from two wells situated in the Atmur Nuqra area of southeast
Egypt. Pteridophytic spores, pollen of gymnosperms and angiosperms as well as dinoflagellates have been identified in addition to
some fungal spores and freshwater algae. Angiosperm pollen include typical members of the Late Cretaceous Palmae Province such
as Monocolpopollenites spp., Longapertites spp., Echitriporites trianguliformis, Scabratriporites simpliformis, Proteacidites sigalii
and Spinizonocolpites baculatus. The Nuqra assemblages are similar to other West and East African assemblages and are outside
(south) of a zone of intermixing with the northern hemispheric Normapolles Province. They are slightly different from the assemblages
mentioned because of the absence of Mauritiidites, Ctenolophonidites, Tubistephanocolpites and others. Racemonocolpites is a pollen
present at Nuqra and in coeval palynofloras in neighbouring Sudan, but it seems to be rare or absent elsewhere in the Late Cretaceous
of northeast Africa.
Among the identified palynomorph taxa are forms (Gabonisporis cristata, Echidiporites cf. barbeitoensis, Monocolpites marginatus,
Racemonocolpites, Spinizonocolpites? kostinensis, Andalusiella mauthei) that are identified for the first time from Egypt.
Based on the occurrence of biostratigraphically significant dinoflagellates such as Andalusiella, Cerodinium granulostriatum,
Trichodinium castanea subsp. bifurcatum and Odontochitina operculata the studied sections are correlated with the Campanian Duwi
(Phosphate) Formation although equivalents of the underlying Quseir and overlying Dakhla Formation may also be present. The
upward increase in relative abundance of marine vs. terrestrial palynomorphs reflects a major marine transgression. Abundance of palm
pollen and of pteridophytic spores related to water ferns (Ariadnaesporites) suggest a prevalence of humid tropical conditions during
the deposition of the sediments examined.