Late Palaeozoic calcareous algae in the Pisuerga basin (N-Palencia, Spain)

The calcareous algae were important rock-builders in the deposition of the many limestone members of the Pisuerga Basin. Systematic descriptions are given of 12 species. The following species are new: Clavaporella reinae, Clavaphysoporella endoi, Epimastopora camasobresensis, Psuedoepimastopora? impera and Vermiporella hispanica. The algal associations in the Pisuerga Basin may be classified into six distintive zones, one of which can be subdivided into two subzones. Many of these zones are readily comparable with those distinguished elswhere in the Cantabrian Mountains and can be directly correlated with the foraminiferal faunas associated with them. While five of these zones contain associations of definitely Carboniferous algal floras, the uppermost contains both Carboniferous and Permian elements. A brief discussion of ecological aspects is made.