20 C VLCAREOUS ALGAE OF THE MIDDLE EAST 



Horizon. Upper Jurassic and bottom Cretaceous of Europe : Lower Cretaceous 

 of the Middle East. 



Material. Numerous random thin-sections. In Iraq seen in the Sarmord 

 Formation (Valanginian-Hauterivian) of Jebel Gara, Mosul Liwa, and Surdash, 

 Sulemania Liwa ; from the Garagu Formation (Valanginian) of Kirkuk well no. 116 

 (subsurface), of Banik (Mosul Liwa) and of Fallujah Well (subsurface : Dulaim 

 Liwa), from the Qamchuqa Formation (Barremian-Aptian) of Kirkuk well no. 116 

 (subsurface) and from Zibar-Isumeran (Mosul Liwa). In the Hadhramaut (Southern 

 Arabia), seen in Barremian-Aptian Orbitolina-limestone from Mintaq, Wady Hajar, 

 and from the Aptian of Ghabar. 



Fig. 2. Reconstruction (after Pia 1920) of A ctinoporella podolica Alth. From top to bottom 

 (1) vertical section (2) decalcified portion with anterior branches removed (3) decalcified 

 portion with all branches in position (4) branches with calcareous coating in position (5) 

 calcareous skeleton alone. X40 approx. 



Remarks. This species, mostly Upper Jurassic in Europe, appears to be Lower 

 Cretaceous in its Middle East occurrences. Pia, dealing with the Podolian type 

 material, relegated A. gumbeli to the synonymy of A. podolica, regarding the 

 differences as not significant. Carozzi referred his Swiss material to A. podolica 

 likewise. This practice is now followed with the Middle East material. This latter 

 suggests smaller verticils and possibly a lower average number of rays than in the 



