Microfaunistic characteristics of the Lower Carboniferous Mikitovian Formation in the section of the Goryakov Peninsula, Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya archipelago

Research subject. Microfauna of the Mikitovian Formation, Lower Carboniferous, Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya Archipelago. Mikitovian Formation is confined to the Severonovozemelskaya structural-facies zone. The section of the Goryakov Peninsula is a parastratotype of the Mikitovskaya Formation, characterized by a more carbonate composition of sedimentary rocks in contrast to the stratotype located on the Schmidt Peninsula. Aim . To clarify the age and to determine the boundaries of stratigraphic units based on a detailed study of foraminiferal communities in the Upper Tournaisian–Lower Visean terrigenous-carbonate deposits of the Mikitovian Formation. Materials and methods. Micropaleontological and microfacial studies of the collection of thin sections from the parastratotype of the Mikitovian Formation. Results. A foraminiferal sequence was revealed: the Spinoendothyra costifera Zone of the Kizelian Horizon and Eotextularia diversa–Dainella chomatica Zone of the Kosvian Horizon of the upper Tournaisian and the Eoparastaffella simplex Zone of the Pesterkovian Horizon and Viseidiscus primaevus Zone of the Ilychian Horizons of the Lower Visean, generally corresponding to the foraminiferal zonality of the General Stratigraphic Scale (GSS) of Russia. There are genera and species of foraminifera, characteristic of the eastern and northeastern regions of Russia, along with taxa widely distributed in the Urals and the East European Platform in microfaunal assemblages. The identified subdivisions are correlated with the zones and horizons of the western slope of the Urals. The dependence of the composition of the revealed microfaunistic complexes on their facies confinement is considered. Conclusions . The substantiated stratigraphic subdivisions of the Late Tournaisian–Early Visean interval make it possible to clarify the previously proposed regional schemes of Novaya Zemlya and to distinguish zones and horizons of the West Ural Subregion and the GSS of Russia instead of beds with fauna.