The Dababiya quarry core: Coccolith biostratigraphy

We establish the coccolith stratigraphy of the Maastrichtian through lower Eocene section recovered from the Dababiya Core taken ∼200 m from the GSSP for the Paleocene/Eocene boundary, and correlate coccolith biozones with lithostratigraphic units in the core. The section extends from Maestrichtian Subzone CC25a to lowermost Eocene Subzone NP9c. The composite Paleocene-lower Eocene Dababiya section recovered in the core and accessible in outcrop in the Dababiya Quarry exhibits an unexpected contrast in thickness between the Lower Eocene succession (-Esna Shales) and the Paleocene one (-Dakhla Shales and Tarawan Chalk).