High Resolution Planktic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphic Study of Cretaceous /Paleogene Boundary in Kurdistan Region, Northern Iraq

The high-resolution planktic foraminiferal biostratigraphic study
for Cretaceous/ Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary successions of three
exposed sections (Duhok Dam, Sandour & Shaqlawa) in Kurdistan
region, northern Iraq confirmed the existence of a complete section
for K/Pg boundary. The studied sections located in areas that
experienced deep marine sedimentation within the foreland basin
during the transition from Cretaceous to Paleogene, therefore it is
highly required for an integrated and high accuracy study to be
done to record this event. Each section includes the boundary
between Shiranish Formation (late Campanian–Maastrichtian) and
Kolosh Formation (Paleocene–Early Eocene). Sampling was
carried out across the boundary with a sample distance of (0.1-0.2
m). Forty-eight planktic foraminiferal species belonging to eighteen
genera were noted from the examined Shiranish Formation, and
sixteen species belonging to eight genera are recognized from the
studied Kolosh Formation. Depending on the identified planktic
foraminiferal assemblages, three biozones (CF3, CF2 & CF1) are
recorded from the studied uppermost Cretaceous and three
biozones (P0, Pα, P1) with three subzones (P1a, P1b & P1c) are
recorded from lower Paleocene for each section. This study
confirms the existence of Danian sequences in Iraq; evidence
suggests that these sections can be regarded as hitherto the most
perfect K/Pg boundary sections in Iraq, and the Duhok Dam section
is the more distinctive section between them.