PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE PERMIAN FARAGHAN FORMATION IN THE ZAGROS BASIN, SOUTHERN IRAN

A detailed microfloristic study was conducted in the Faraghan Formation in nine boreholes drilled by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and in four outcrops in the Zagros Basin. The Faraghan Formation, widely distributed in the Zagros area, generally consists of shale intercalated with sandstone and pebble conglomerate, with thin carbonate intercalations near the top. Due to the lack of significant fossils, the age of this rock unit has been strongly debated in the Iranian literature and uncertainly attributed to the Pennsylvanian or Cisuralian. In this study, the age of the Faraghan Formation was reviewed in light of new biostratigraphic advances in the Arabian Peninsula. The assemblage is characterized by an abundance of monosaccate pollen such as Florinites? balmei, Caheniasaccites spp., Plicatipollenites spp., Potonieisporites spp. and Striomonosaccites spp., and bisaccate pollen such as Alisporites spp., Corisaccites alutas, Distriatites insolitus, Hamiapollenites spp. and Striatopodocarpites spp.. The assemblage also contains polyplicate pollen such as Vittatina spp.. Spores such as Indotriradites mundus and Thymospora opaqua are also present. The stratigraphic ranges of the taxa allow reference to the biozone schemes for Oman and assignment of the Faraghan Formation to the Guadalupian