113 Planktonic foraminifers, biostratigraphy and the diachronous nature of the lowermost Danian Cerithium Limestone at Stevns Klint, Denmark JAN A. RASMUSSEN, CLAUS HEINBERG & ECKART HÅKANSSON Rasmussen, J.A., Heinberg, C. & Håkansson, E. 2005–12–31. Planktonic foraminifers, biostratigra- phy and the diachronous nature of the lowermost Danian Cerithium Limestone at Stevns Klint, Denmark. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark, Vol. 52, pp. 113–131. © 2005 by Geological Society of Denmark. ISSN 0011–6297. New material comprising more than four thousand specimens of planktonic foraminifers from the lowermost Danian Cerithium Limestone at Stevns Klint, Denmark, reveal significant lateral bio- stratigraphic differences along the 14 km long cliff. The Cerithium Limestone at Rødvig (Korsnæb) in the southern part of Stevns Klint is dominated by foraminiferal assemblages indicative of the Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone (Pα). This pattern changes laterally towards the north, where the P. eugubina Zone becomes gradually thinner. At the northernmost locality investigated, Holtug quarry, the Cerithium Limestone unit is characterised solely by assemblages of the succeeding Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Subzone (P1a). This indicates that the Cerithium Limestone is diachro- nous and becomes gradually younger from the southern part of Stevns Klint towards the northern part. The data indicate that a hiatus including all of the P. eugubina Zone is present at the Fish Clay – Cerithium Limestone transition in the northern part of the cliff, whereas such a hiatus cannot be demonstrated in the southern part. Keywords: Planktonic foraminifers, foraminiferal biostratigraphy, Early Danian, Cerithium Lime- stone, Stevns Klint Jan A. Rassmussen [janr@snm.ku.dk], Geological Museum, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5– 7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark (Previous address: Dept. of Stratigraphy, Geological Survey of Den- mark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark), Claus Heinberg, Dept. of Environment, Technology and Social Studies, Building 11.2, University Centre Roskilde, P.O. Box 260, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark and Eckart Håkansson, Geological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Early biostratigraphic studies of Maastrichtian–Da- nian boundary strata in Denmark were based on echi- noids and other macrofossil groups (e.g. Rosenkrantz 1924, 1937; Ødum 1926; Nielsen 1937; Wind 1954), but during the past few decades microfossils such as foraminifers and dinoflagellate cysts together with nannofossils have proved to be powerful alternatives (e.g. Berggren 1960; Surlyk & Birkelund 1977; Han- sen 1977; Perch-Nielsen 1979; Kjellström & Hansen 1981; Schmitz et al. 1992; Thomsen 1995; Håkansson & Thomsen 1999). The objective of the present study is to enhance the biostratigraphic resolution of the basal Danian succession of Stevns Klint, eastern Denmark by means of planktonic foraminifers. Stevns Klint (Fig. 1) and the Fakse Limestone Quarry are the classic type localities for the Danian stage, and in addition Stevns Klint displays the classic Maastrichtian–Da- nian boundary strata (Desor 1847). At Stevns Klint, the lower Danian sediments are subdivided into three lithological units: the basal Danian Fish Clay that is a 0–25+ cm thick clay and marl unit (see description by Christensen et al. 1973); up to 80 cm of Cerithium Limestone, and more than 20 m bryozoan limestone (Fig. 2). Calcareous micro- and nannofossils are very rare within the Fish Clay, whereas palynomorphs are abundant. In contrast, the Cerithium Limestone and the bryozoan limestone units are relatively rich in calcareous plankton, while palynomorphs are rare (Hansen 1977, 1979; Brinkhuis et al. 1998). Previous studies have indicated a poorly preserved foraminiferal assemblage of very low den- sity and diversity from the Cerithium Limestone (Bang 1971; Schmitz et al. 1992). Rasmussen et al.: Biostratigraphy of the Cerithium Limestone ·