New fossiliferous sites with Barremian Charophyta in the "Grès du Liban" auct. (Lebanon), with a critical perspective regarding the nature of Munieria Deecke, 1883
Аннотация:The Gres du Liban auct. is the thick basal unit of the Lower Cretaceous series in Lebanon. There are two key levels in this dominantly siliciclastic unit: the Banc de Mrejatt and the Calcaire a pisolithes, the latter of which includes limestones and marls with Charophyta. The rich charophyte assemblage described by Grambast and Lorch (1968) from a site near Jezzine is Barremian (possibly Early Barremian) in age, not Bedoulian as previously stated. Besides gyrogonites and utricles, charophyte thalli are rather common; they are ascribed to two organ genera, Munieria Deecke, 1883, and Charaxis Harris, 1939. Based on topotypic material (from the Pia Collection), Munieria baconica Deecke, 1883, the type-species of the genus, is reassessed. In addition, the species Clypeina parvula Carozzi, 1946, is transferred to the revised genus Munieria, and a new species of Charaxis is described.
