Palynostratigraphy of Permian and Lower Triassic rocks, Sverdrup Basin, Canadian Arctic Archipelago

Nine outcrop sections of Permian and Lower Triassic rocks were studied in the basin-margin and basin-centre facies of the Sverdrup Basin. Abundant, well preserved palynomorphs occur in samples from many basin-margin facies. Palynomorph assemblages in samples from deeper marine basin-centre sediments generally lack diversity of taxa and assemblages are poorly preserved. Two palynomorph zones have been established in the Permian (Roadian and Wordian) and one in the Lower Triassic (Griesbachian). Comparison of taxa in the zones shows some zones have many genera in common, although some genera are restricted. There is almost a complete change of species between the Permian and Triassic. This, and major quantitative differences, suggest a significant hiatus between the Permian and Triassic, and probable climatic differences. Permian and Lower Triassic palynological assemblages of the Sverdrup Basin may be assigned to the Subangaran floral province. However, comparison of the Wordian assemblages of the Sverdrup Basin with those from the Kazanian stratotype west of the Urals indicates marked differences. This may be due to different paleoclimates and environments of deposition, incorrect stratigraphic correlations, or a combination of a number of factors. Thirty-nine miospore species are newly described: Ahrensisporites multifloridus A. thorsteinssonii, Apiculatisporis melvillensis, Cladaitina kolodae, Convolutispora arctica, C. perplexa, Corisaccites stradivarii, Crinalites sabinensis, Cyclogranisporites franklinii, Diatomozonotriletes hypenetes, D. igluanus, Dictyotriletes bamberi, Dyupetalum vesicatum, Gondisporites nassichukii, Gordonispora obstaculifera, Grandispora jansonii, Granulatisporites munitus, Hamiapollenites erebi, Jugasporites compactus, Kraeuselisporites sverdrupensis, Leiotriletes ulutus, Lophotriletes parryensis, Lunatisporites arluki, L. beauchampii, Neoraistrickia caudicea, N. delicata, Pallidosporites multiradiatus, Piceapollenites nookapii, Protohaploxypinus kayaki, P. panaki, Raistrickia enervata, Scutasporites nanuki, Striatoabieites borealis, Striatopodocarpites circulus, Sverdrupollenites agluatus, S. connudatus, Verrucosisporites christiei, Vittatina heclae, and Weylandites segmentatus. Two new genera, Crinalites and Sverdrupollenites, are described. Descriptions are given of all Permian pollen and spore taxa found. Seven new combinations are made for Permian and Triassic taxa (Cordaitina vulgaris, Lunatisporites albertae, Protohaploxypinus latissimus, Pakhapites rotundus, Weylandites cincinnatus, Simeonospora minuta and Uvaesporites imperialis).