Early Cretaceous charophytes from south Dobrogea (Romania). Biostratigraphy and palaeobiogeography

Eleven boreholes and one outcrop of the Lower Cretaceous in South Dobrogea (south-eastern Romania) were sampled for charophytes. Twenty species are described illustrated two non-marine rock units, Z?voaia Member Gherghina Formation. The contains a charophyte assemblage dominated by Feistiella bijuescensis, aff. Mesochara harrisii, Nodosoclavator bradleyi, Clavator bilateralis, grovesii var. grovesii, indicating Berriasian age. Other less abundant include sp., Latochara dobrogeica sp. nov., Globator maillardii nurrensis, Atopochara trivolvis micrandra, discordis, Hemiclavator adnatus, neimongolensis posticecaptus. occurrence G. nurrensis this suggests late Formation is triquetra jiuquanensis. Sphaerochara andersonii, trochiliscoides, biutricularis, harrisii reyi, ampullaceus latibracteatus nov. This indicates Barremian–early Aptian study sheds new light on palaeobiogeographical distribution charophytes Tethyan realm. Well-known western European such as F. S. H. posticecaptus herein first time eastern Europe. Very significantly, report Europe hitherto North American taxon C. while has previously been reported only from Middle East Africa.