Benthic Foraminifera and Sedimentary Environment of Shiranish Formation, Dukan Area, Northeastern Iraq

Systematic study of the benthic foraminifera and the sedimentary environment of Shiranish Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian) have been applied by collecting sixty three rock samples from outcropped section in the South Eastern limp of Sara anticline in Dukan area, Sulaymaniyah, northeastern Iraq. consisting the studied section of successions of marly limestone, marl rock, and thin layers of limestone. The current study aimed at diagnosing benthic foraminifera clusters and identifying and interpreting the sedimentary environment of Shiranish Formation in the current study section, In which forty five species and subspecies belonging to twenty five genera were previously recorded. Based on the recorded genera the sedimentary environment of Shiranish Formation in the studied section are represented by three depositional sites, middle-outer shelf in the lower part of the formation, upper-middle slope in the middle part and the outer shelf in the upper part of the formation. Systematically, six planktonic Foraminifera biozones were detected represented by respectively from the oldest:- Globotruncana ventricosa Interval biozones, Globotruncanita calcarata total range biozones, Globotruncanella havanensis interval biozones, Globotruncana aegyptiaca interval biozones, Gansserina gansseri interval biozones and Abathomphalus mayaroensis interval biozone.