Discovery of Late Mississippian (late Serpukhovian)-Early Pennsylvanian (earliest Bashkirian?) foraminiferal assemblages from the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, Iran: Biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental implications

This study reports the new discovery of relatively abundant foraminiferal faunas from the upper Serpukhovian-lowermost Bashkirian? of the Ghaleh Formation in the Shahreza region of the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, Iran. Four successive assemblages spanning the upper Serpukhovian-lowermost Bashkirian? are proposed: (1) Assemblage with Biseriella minima and Eostaffellina paraprotvae; (2) Assemblage with Bradyina cribrostomata; (3) Assemblage with Parastaffella utkaensa and Plectostaffella spp., (4) Assemblage with Plectostaffella ex gr. varvariensis. The newly discovered foraminiferal assemblages of the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone have some species in common with assemblages of the Russian Platform, Donets Basin, Urals, and Western Europe. Ikensieformis aff. mirifica, and Eostaffella igoi, and a new species Ikensieformis persiaensis sp. nov. are described. The microfacies analysis of the Ghaleh Formation limestones suggests a moderate to high-energy shallow marine warm environment, more likely of the inner ramp.