Jurassic planktonic foraminifera from the United Kingdom

Abstract

Unequivocal planktonic foraminifera have been discovered in Oxfordian strata from Dorset and Scotland. These assemblages are, in part, coeval with previously reported occurrences of planktonic taxa in the Oxfordian of Normandy and Seine Maritime (France). Three species are now reported from the United Kingdom for the first time: Globuligerina oxfordiana ( Grigelis, 1958 ), Haeuslerina helvetojurassica ( Haeusler, 1881 ) and Compactogerina sp. cf. C. stellapolaris ( Grigelis, 1977 ). There appears to be a close relationship between the distribution of these planktonic taxa in the UK and a marked sea‐level highstand.