Palynological age for the lower part of the Hangenberg Shales in Sauerland, Germany

New palynological data has been obtained from several levels in the lower part of the Hangenberg Shales at Hasselbachtal, Stockum and Oberrodinghausen in the Northern Rhenish Slate Mountains. In addition, several old miospore assemblages from the Hangenberg Shale equivalent at Riescheid have been restudied and reappraised. In all cases the miospore data show that the lower part of the Hangenberg Shales, including the Hangenberg Black Shale level, can be assigned to the late Devonian LN miospore Biozone. It is also shown that the LE/LN miospore Biozone boundary occurs at or very close to the base of the Hangenberg Shales. Therefore this miospore boundary can be correlated approximately with the lower/middle praesulcata conodont Biozone boundary and also the top of the Wocklumeria or upper paradoxa cephalopod Biozone. -from Authors