Palynostratigraphy of the Victoria Group of South Victoria Land, Antarctica

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Abstract
Thirty-three plant microfossil assemblages, many of which are poorly preserved, have been recovered from the Victoria Group (upper Beacon Supergroup) of south Victoria Land, Antarctica. Three broad assemblage zones, informally designated the Parasaccites zone (oldest), the Protohaploxypinus zone, and the Alisporites zone, are recognisedin the palynological succession. The zones are separated by strata apparently lacking plant microfossils. Parasaccites zone assemblages occur in the Darwin Tillite, in equivalent rocks in the0 Ohio and Wisconsin Ranges, and in shales overlying tillite in the Nilsen Plateau. In terms of the Australian Late Carboniferous and Permian palynological zonal scheme the Parasaccites zone is correlated with upper Stage 2 from Permo-Carboniferous glacial and f1uvioglacial deposits in Australia. The Protohaploxypinus zone from the middle and upper parts of the Glossopteris-bearing Weller Coal Measures resembles the Australian Stage 4 of Early Permian (Artinskian) age. Assemblages of the Alisporites zone occur in the uppermost part of the Feather Conglomerate and throughout most of the Dicroidium-bearing Lashly Formation. The zone includes a succession of four subzones comparable with the Early to Late Triassicsuccession described from Australia. In comparison with south-eastern Queensland, subzone A is correlated with assemblages from the upper Rewan Formation and Clematis Sandstone, subzone B with the Duplexisporites problematicus Microflora from the Moolayernber and Esk Formations, subzone C with the Craterisporites rotundus Zone, Ipswich Coal Measures, and subzone D with the lower Polycingulatisporites crenulatus Zone, Aberdare Conglomerate and Raceview Formation. In the Sydney Basin subzones A and B correspond respectively to the Aratrisporites tenuispinosus Zone from the Narrabeen Group and A. parvispinosus Zone from the Hawkesbury Sandstone and Wianamatta Group. In Western Australia subzone A resembles the Tigrisporites playfordi Zone in the Locker Shale.

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