Sedimentology, stratigraphy, and micropalaeontology of the Upper Triassic reefal series in Eastern Sulawesi (Indonesia)

An Upper Triassic (Upper Norian-Rhaetian) carbonate complex, composed of open marine to reefal deposits, has been investigated for the first time in Eastern Sulawesi. The age is based on the occurrence of benthic foraminifera, and also of the Upper Sevatian to Rhaetian conodont Misikella posthernsteini Kozur and Mock. Palynological assemblages contain Upper Triassic-Lower Jurassic palynomorphs. The scleractinian coral Retiophyllia seranica and the chaetetid sponge Blastochaetetes intabulata, together with Solenoporacean algae, are the main framebuilders of the reefal facies. tire carbonate series, composed of conodont bearing limestones, reefal deposits, and intertidal/supratidal cryptalgal laminites, shows a general regressive trend from a marginal to an inner platform environment. The relationship between microfaunal distribution and sequence analysis is discussed. per Triassic foraminifers and palynomorphs of Eastern Sulawesi show affinities to microfaunas of the Australian-Indonesian southern Tethyan domain, and the general organisation of the platform should be investigated through further studies from Banda Sea dredgings.