Palynology of Upper Cretaceous (uppermost Campanian–Maastrichtian) deposits in the South Yellow Sea Basin, offshore Korea

Forty-seven samples from Upper Cretaceous sections penetrated by the Kachi-1 and Inga-1 wells in the South Yellow Sea Basin have been analysed for their spore and pollen content. Thirty-five species of 18 spore genera and 54 species of 28 pollen genera are documented. One new monotypic genus, Diporocolpopollenites, and its type species, D. kachiensis sp. nov., are erected, and Dilwynites Harris, 1965, and its type species, D. granulatus Harris, 1965, are emended. There are also three new combinations: Ephedripites eocaenicus (Selling, 1944), E. praeclarus (Chlonova, 1961), and Retitricolpites anguloluminosus (Anderson, 1960). Two palynological zones are erected: anAquilapollenites attenuatus Assemblage Zone, which encompasses deposits that are considered to be latest Campanian–Early Maastrichtian in age, and an Aquilapollenites eurypteronus Assemblage Zone for sections that have been dated as Late Maastrichtian. The assemblages are typical of the Yenisey-Amur Subprovince of the Aquilapollenites (floral) Province. Lowland floodplain to shallow, commonly mesotrophic, lacustrine environments of deposition are indicated. The climate was probably wet subtropical, with rainfall being somewhat higher during the Late Maastrichtian than through the latest Campanian–Early Maastrichtian.