introducing new benthic foraminiferal genera and species from the qom formation at kaltekeh section in southeast of mahneshan

â â â  abstract â  in this study, 129 samples of the qom formation in kaltakeh, south east mahneshan, were investigated. the thickness of qom formation in the examined section is 565m and comprises of limestone, sandy limestone, marl, shale and argillaceous limestone . at this locality, the qom sediments disconformably overlies the lower red formation and underlies the upper red formation. among the studied microfossils, benthnic foraminifera have more variety and abundance, and 55 genera and 100 species were identified, from which, 27 genera and 5 1 species are reported for the first time. based on the identified foraminifera such as borelis melo curdica , meandropsina anahensis, peneroplis farsensis , the sediments of the qom formation in kaltakeh section is comparable to assemblages zone 1 and 2 of adams & bourgeois.therefore, the age of the qom formation in this section is suggested early miocene (late aquitanian to burdigalian).