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Africa Journal of GeosciencesAfrica Journal of GeosciencesVolume 1, 2018
مجلة افريقيا لعلوم األرضمجلة افريقيا لعلوم األرض۲٠۱٨المجلد األول ،
Indimi Faculty of Minerals and PetroleumInternational University of Africa
كلية انديمي للمعادن والنفطجامعة افريقيا العالمية
Refereed scientific journalمجلة علمية محكمة
ISSN: 1858-8913 (online), 1858-8905 (hard copy), http://www.iua.edu.sdISSN: 1858-8913 (online), 1858-8905 (hard copy), http://www.iua.edu.sd
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Africa Journal of GeosciencesAfrica Journal of GeosciencesVolume 1, 2018
مجلة افريقيا لعلوم األرضمجلة افريقيا لعلوم األرض۲٠۱٨المجلد األول ،
Indimi Faculty of Minerals and PetroleumInternational University of Africa
كلية انديمي للمعادن والنفطجامعة افريقيا العالمية
Refereed scientific journalمجلة علمية محكمة
ISSN: 1858-8913 (online), 1858-8905 (hard copy), http://www.iua.edu.sdISSN: 1858-8913 (online), 1858-8905 (hard copy), http://www.iua.edu.sd
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Africa Journal of Geosciences (AJG) Volume 1, 2018
ISSN: 1858-8913 (online), 1858-8905 (hard copy), http://www.iua.edu.sd
Palynological Evidence of a Campanian-Maastrichtian age of Shendi
Formation, Central Sudan
Eisawi, A.A.M.
Faculty of Petroleum and Minerals, Al Neelain University, P.O. Box 12702, Khartoum, Sudan.
Email: [email protected] .
Received: 15 November 2018/ revised: 10 December 2018 / accepted: 13 December 2018
Abstract
This paper presents for the first time, palynological results from the subsurface part of the Shendi Formation, in central Sudan. The study
is based on eight samples of grey mudstones collected from three shallow water wells drilled in Shendi Formation. The recovered
material is characterized by well preserved and fairly diversified miospores in which angiosperm pollen form the major constituent;
gymnosperms and bryophyte/ptridophyte spores are relatively fewer. The coexistence of marker species such as Monocolpopollenites
spheroidites Zlivisporis blanensis, Longapertites sp. 3, Proteacidites sigalii, Echitriporites trianguliformis, Syncolporites schrankii,
Retidiporites magdalenensis indicates a Campanian-Maastrichtian age for the subsurface part of the Shendi Formation. The palynomorph
assemblage encountered herein, is characteristic of the Senonian Palmae province.
Keywords: Palynostratigraphy; spore/pollen; Campanian-Maastrichtian; Shendi Formation; Central Sudan.
1. Introduction
The study area lies within Shendi Basin in the River Nile State,
it covers a strip that extends along the eastern side of the Nile
between Shendi and Umm Ali village (Fig. 1). The Shendi-
Atbara Basin is now considered as an important target for
hydrocarbon exploration in central Sudan. In the last decades,
the increasing demand for energy resources boosts the search for
additional hydrocarbon reserves in intra-cratonic basins. Among
other tools needed to achieve this goal, palynology has been
proved indispensable for age determination and correlation of
subsurface units. Moreover, important conclusions on
paleoecologic and paleoclimatic developments can be drawn
using sporomorph taxa that can be compared to extant plants of
known botanical affinity. Such information is essential for the
prediction of depositional environment and source rock
potentiality.
Although several geological studies have been carried out in the
study area (e.g. Khairalla, 1966; Whiteman, 1971; Bussert,
1993; Wycisk, 1990) the stratigraphic position of Shendi
Formation remains debatable. Hitherto the Shendi Formation is
correlated with the Albian-Cenomanian Omdurman and Wadi
Milk Formations (Wycisk, 1990; Bussert, 1993). This
correlation was primarily based on lithological similarities and
on few, long-range macroflora elements from the outcrops. The
presumed Albian-Cenomanian age of the Wadi Milk Formation
was made based on spores/pollen assemblages recovered from a
number of wells between Wadi Muqadam and Dongola area
(Schrank, 1990). Therefore, the present study aims at providing
a more reliable and accurate age assignment for Shendi
Formation using palynology.
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Fig. 1. The location of the studied wells.
2. Material and palynological methods
In this study, eight cutting samples from three shallow water
wells, north of Shendi town have been analyzed for their
palynological content (Fig. 1). The studied successions are
dominated by mudstones of variable colours and thin sandstone
interbeds indicating lacustrine to fluvio-lacustrine depositional
settings.
A routine palynological preparation scheme, which involves
washing of sample, treatment with hydrochloric acid (35%) and
hydrofluoric acid (40%), was followed. Oxidation was not
employed for any of the analyzed material. A target of 150
specimens count has been set, but most of the samples were
proved practically far less productive, therefore, absolute count
has to be made. Processing of palynological samples was carried
out at the Petroleum Laboratories, Researches and Studies
(PLRS) in Khartoum.
3. Palynostratigraphy
The analyzed material from Shendi Basin is dominated by
angiosperm pollen; gymnosperms and spores are relatively less
represented. Palynodebris are dominated by dark brown to black
woods, cuticles, membranous tissues and very little amorphous
matter. Characteristic elements of the Palmae province e. g.
Zlivisporis blanensis, Longapertites sp.3, Retidiporites
magdalenensis and Echitriporites trianguliformis form the bulk
of the recovered sporomorphs. The stratigraphic ranges of these
forms in relevant basins of Northern South America, North and
West Africa are depicted in Figure 2 and discussed in the
following paragraphs.
Previous records of Zlivisporis blanensis has been made from
the Coniacian-Maastrichtian of West Africa basins
(Boltenhagen, 1976; Jan du Chêne et al., 1978 and Salard-
Cheboldaeff, 1990). It has also been reported from the
Maastrichtian of Somalia (Schrank, 1994a), Late Cretaceous of
Nigeria (Beilstein, 1994) and from the Turonian to Early
Maastrichtian of the Sudan (Awad, 1994; Eisawi and Schrank,
2008). The first record of Longapertites sp.3 has been made from
the Campanian-Maastrichtian of Nigeria (Lawal and Moullade,
1986). Schrank (1994b) considered the coexistence of
Echitriporites, Retitriporites, and Longapertites sp.3 to indicate
a Campanian-Maastrichtian age for the sediments in northern
Kordofan, Sudan. Cristaecolpites echinaceus has been reported
for the first time from the Maastrichtian of Somalia and later
from the Campanian–Maastrichtian of the Sudan (Schrank,
1994a; Eisawi and Schrank, 2008). African records of
Foveomonocolpites bauchiensis range from the Maastrichtian of
Somalia and Sudan (Schrank, 1994a; Eisawi and Schrank, 2009)
to the Paleocene of West Africa (Adegoke et al., 1978; Salard-
Cheboldaeff, 1990) and Sudan (Stead and Awad, 2005; Eisawi
and Schrank, 2008). Previous African records of Monocolpites
marginatus range from the Campanian-Maastrichtian of Nigeria
and Sudan (Lawal and Moullade, 1986; Awad, 1994; Eisawi and
Schrank, 2009) to the Paleocene and Eocene of Nigeria
(Adegoke et al., 1978). Periretisyncolpites giganteus is known
from the Maastrichtian of Nigeria (Kieser and Jan Du Chêne,
1979; Edet and Nyong, 1994 and Somalia (Schrank, 1994a), the
Campanian-Maastrichtian of West Africa and Egypt (Salard-
Cheboldaeff, 199; Schrank, 1987) respectively and the
Campanian-Paleocene of Sudan (Kaska, 1989; Eisawi and
Schrank, 2008). The marker species Proteacidites sigalii was
originally described from the Senonian (Coniacian to
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Eisawi /Africa Journal of Geosciences, 01 (2018), 100-104
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Maastrichtian) of Gabon (Boltenhagen, 1978) and later reported
from the Coniacian to Maastrichtian of a number of West African
basins (Salard-Cheboldaeff, 1990). Additional records are from
the Campanian–Maastrichtian of Egypt (El Beialy, 1995;
Mahmoud and Schrank, 2007) and the Maastrichtian of Nigeria
(Salard-Cheboldaeff, 1979; Lawal and Moullade, 1986), Egypt
(Sultan, 1985; Schrank, 1987) and Sudan (Awad, 1994; Eisawi
and Schrank, 2008; Eisawi and Schrank, 2009). Previous records
of Retidiporites magdalenensis are from the Maastrichtian of
Nigeria (Lawal and Moullade, 1986), Egypt and Somalia
(Schrank, 1987; Schrank, 1994a), respectively, the Maastrichtian
to Paleocene of Nigeria (Germeraad et al., 1968; Jan du Chêne
et al., 1978) and Sudan (Awad, 1994; Eisawi and Schrank, 2009)
and the interval Maastrichtian to Eocene of the Caribbean
(Germeraad et al., 1968), Colombia (Jaramillo et al., 2007) and
several West African basins (Salard-Cheboldaeff, 1990). The
species was also reported from the? Campanian-Maastrichtian
of Nigeria (Salami, 1990) and the late Campanian-Maastrichtian
of Sudan (Schrank, 1994b). Scabratriporites samoilovitchii was
recorded from the Coniacian-Maastrichtian (Senonian) of
Gabon (Boltenhagen, 1976) and the Maastrichtian of Nigeria
and Sudan (Beilstein, 1994; Eisawi and Schrank, 2009),
respectively. The most abundant and biostratigraphically
important among angiosperm taxa encountered herein is the
Echitriporites trianguliformis which is restricted to the
Campanian-Maastrichtian to Eocene of Sudan (Awad, 1994;
Eisawi and Schrank, 2008), Campanian-Maastrichtian of
Nigeria (Edet, 1992) and Egypt (Schrank, 1987). African records
of Ctenolophonidites costatus range from Maastrichtian of
Somalia (Schrank, 1994a) to the Eocene-Miocene of Cameron
(Salard-Cheboldaeff, 1979).
The combined stratigraphic ranges of the aforementioned
palynomorphs in Africa and northern South America (Fig. 2) and
the absence of earliest Late Cretaceous forms such as
Droseridites senonicus Cretacaeiporites spp., Foveotricolpites
spp., support a Campanian-Maastrichtian age for the subsurface
part of the Shendi Formation.
Fig. 2. The stratigraphic ranges of selected marker species outside the study area.
Age Cretaceous Paleogene
Paleocene Eocene Oligocene
Taxa Turonian ConiacianSantonianCampanianMaastrichtian
Cristaecolpites echinaceous
Echitriporites trianguliformis
Longapertites sp.3
Monocolpite marginatus
Periretisyncolpites giganteus
Proteacidites sigalii
Retidiporites magdalenensis
Ctenolophonidites costatus
Scabratriporite samoilovitchii
Syncolporites schrankii
Zlivisporis blanensis
Late Cretaceous
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4. Comparison of Shendi material with
neighboring areas
The spores/pollen assemblages encountered herein are
comparable with those recovered from the Maastrichtian
Gedaref Formation (Eisawi and Schrank, 2009) and the youngest
zone (Campanian-Maastrichtian) of North Kordofan (Schrank,
1994b). They are all dominated by angiosperm pollen of the
palmae group. However, some older forms such as
Longapertites sp. 3, which is indicative of the Campanian are
lacking in the Gedaref Formation but are reported in the North
Kordofan material. The pre Campanian form Droseridites
senonicus, characteristic of the Turonian-Santonian (Coniacian)
of Kosti Basin Awad (1994) has not been encountered herein.
5. Conclusions
Well preserved and fairly diversified miospores from the
subsurface strata of Shendi Formation have been encountered in
two shallow wells. The assemblage is dominated by angiosperm
pollen, with minor representatives of gymnosperm pollen and
spores.
Age determination of the studied interval has been made by
comparison of the stratigraphic ranges of the recovered taxa with
their previous records in contemporaneous African and north
South American basins. Accordingly, a Campanian-
Maastrichtian age has been assigned for the subsurface part of
the Shendi Formation. The central Sudan was part of the
Senonian Palmae province as indicated by the occurrence of
characteristic taxa such as Longapertites, Retidiporites,
Echitriporites, Proteacidites within the studied material.
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank Al Neelain University for providing
logistics for the field trip. The Petroleum Laboratories,
Researches and Studies (PLRS) in Khartoum is thanked for
preparation of palynological samples.
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Plate 1.
Campanian-Maastrichtian Spores and pollen
Fig. 1. Zlivisporis blanensis Pacltova 1961.
Well No. 1, sample 2
Fig. 2. Foveomonocolpites bauchiensis Adegoke & Jan du Chêne 1979.
Well No. 2, sample 1
Fig. 3. Monocolpopollenites spheroidites Jardiné & Magloire 1965
sensu Awad 1994.
Well No. 1, sample 1
Fig. 4. Retimonocolpites retifossulatus Lorente 1986.
Well No. 1, sample 1
Fig. 5. Spinizonocolpites kostinensis Awad 1994.
Well No. 3, sample 1
Fig. 6. Spinizonocolpites baculatus Muller 1968.
Well No. 1, sample 3
Fig. 7. Tubistephanocolpites cylindricus Salami 1984.
Well No. 3, sample 1
Figs. 8 and 22. Proteacidites sigalii Boltenhagen 1978 sensu Kaska
1989.
Well No. 3, sample 2
Well No. 2, sample 1
Fig. 9. Scabratriporites Samoilovtichii Boltenhagen 1976.
Well No. 3, sample 2
Fig. 10. Proxapertites operculatus Van der Hammen 1956.
Well No. 1, sample 2
Fig. 11. Retidiporites magdalenensis Van Der Hammen & Garcia De
Mutis 1966.
Well No. 3, sample 3
Fig. 12. Ladakhipollenites lehmanii (Boltenhagen) Schrank 1994a.
Well No. 3, sample 3
Fig. 13. Gemmatricolpites cf. pergemmatus Muller 1968.
Well No. 3, sample 3
Fig. 14. Gabonisporis vigourouxii Boltenhagen 1967.
Well No. 1, sample 2
Fig. 15. Periretisyncolpites cf.giganteus Kieser & Jan du Chêne 1979.
Well No. 1, sample 2
Fig. 16. Cristaecolpites echinaceus Schrank 1994.
Well No. 2, sample 1
Fig. 17. Monocolpites marginatus Van der Hammen 1954.
Well No. 3, sample 2
Fig. 18. Echitriporites trianguliformis Van Hoeken-Klinkenberg 1964.
Well No. 2, sample 1
Fig. 19. Syncolporites schrankii Awad 1994.
Well No. 2, sample 1
Fig. 21. Gliecheniidites senonicus Ross 1949.
Well No. 1, sample 2
Fig. 23. Longapertites microfoveolatus Jan Du Chêne and Adegoke in
Adegoke et al. 1978.
Well No. 3, sample 3.
Fig. 24. Ctenolophonidites coststus (Van Hocken-Klinkenberg1964)
Van Hocken-Klinkenberg1966.
Well No. 3, sample 1.
Fig. 25. Longapertites sp.3.
Well No. 3, sample 3.
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