PALYNOLOGY OF THE PICOS DE EUROPA AND PUENTELLES FORMATIONS IN THE PICOS DE EUROPA AREA (UPPER CARBONIFEROUS, NORTHWEST SPAIN)

The Picos de Europa and Puentelles Formations described from northern Spain belong to the Cantabrian Zone, These formations consist mainly o f carbonates deposited under shallow platform conditions. Twenty-four samples were studied. A diversified but relatively rare microflora has been obtained. The spores and pollen grains often possessed a wall wi th numerous small pits related to the presence of abundant pyrite (cub e and spherical mass) in the sediment. In the associations, the large forms of pollen (Potonieisporites-Florinites) are very common. With th e exception of Laevigatosporites, monolete spores (Punctatosporites, S pinosporites, Torispora, Thymospora) are rare. A comparison with the r ange chart of Clayton et al. (1977) indicates that an age in the upper part of the Westphalian D to Stephanian A is in agreement with the fa unal results.