In the present study, over 3000 m of Upper Cretaceous sediments (Tarbur Formation) in seven stratigraphic, columnar sections were studied. The area is located in the Zagros mountain ranges of southwestern Iran, attributed to the converging continental Arabian Shield, and is interpreted as the result of subduction and collision. Based on foraminiferal studies of the Tarbur Formation in the sections, we have established many new biozones in the stratigraphic sections. However, investigations of the biozones indicate that there is no lithostratigraphic variation between the Upper Cretaceous and Lower Paleocene sediments in some of the studied sections. The concept of widespread formations and lithologic correlations is not applicable in this area, probably as a result of the tectonic unrest at that time. The biostratigraphic boundary between the Cretaceous and the Lower Paleocene is nevertheless well defined by the intraformational boundary in the sections.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.