Mesozoic Sediment Stratigraphy and Palynology from the Great Australian Bight

Palynological data from dredged samples collected during BMR Rig Seismic Cruise 66 in the offshore Bight and Duntroon Basins. The bulk of the palynofloras correlate with the Maastrichtian to possibly earliest Paleocene Forcipites longus and Manumiella druggii zones, characteristic of the upper Potoroo Formation. The dataset is provided by Geoscience Australia Data and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Correlating stratigraphic formations based on palynological zone data mentioned in the description
• Modeling ancient depositional environments (paralic to marine) based on sediment and palynomorph evidence
• Investigating sediment provenance and paleo-drainage patterns from recycled palynomorphs
• Reconstructing paleoclimate and vegetation (lowland temperate rainforests) from Campanian-Maastrichtian palynological evidence

Strengths

• Data correlates palynofloras with specific, named geological zones (e.g., Forcipites longus, Manumiella druggii)
• Description provides specific geological context, including formations (Potoroo, Wigunda, Ceduna) and age ranges (Santonian to Maastrichtian)
• Dataset originates from an authoritative government geoscience organization

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Sample data and file size are unavailable for preview

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Palynological investigation of samples dredged from the continental slope and submarine canyon walls during BMR Rig Seismic Cruise 66

Time Range

Mesozoic era, with specific focus on Santonian to Maastrichtian and earliest Paleocene ages, and includes recycled Permian and Early Cretaceous material

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 15:35:18.356910; freshness should be verified

Geography

Great Australian Bight area, southern Australia, specifically the offshore Bight and Duntroon Basins