Some Ostracoda from the Lower Cretaceous of northern and eastern Spain.

Abstract

Ostracocles from 8 localities in the Lower Cretaceous of northern and eastern Spain are described and ilustrated. Two charophyte species are also recorded. A fauna of 11 species of both marine and non-marine or brackish water ostracodes and two species of charophytes was obtained from predominantly Wealden-facies deposits in northern Valencia Province. In this area the Wealden facies is probably Barremian in age. A nearby locality in southern Tarragona Province yielded 20 specics of marine Ostracoda of which five are recorded here and 15 were dealt with previously in beds of Barremian/Aptian age. The non-marine ostracodes are endemic in nature while the marine ostracodes are relatcd to western European and North American species. Nineteen species of probable Aptian age were obtained from carbonate localities in Tarragona Province and in southern Valencia Province. These species also show relationships to western European and North American Gulf and Atlantic coast species. A small fauna of three species was found in probable Albian carbonate and shale deposits in northern Spain near Santander.