The boundaries between the Southern Laurasian and Northern Gondwana Provinces and the Aquilapollenites and Normapolles palynofloras in East Asia

The boundary between the Southern Laurasian and Northern Gondwana Provinces during the middle Cretaceous and the boundary between the Aquilapollenites/Normapolles palynofloras of the Late Cretaceous-Palaeocene in East Asia are discussed. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) The boundary between the Southern Laurasian and Northern Gondwana Provinces in China is roughly equivalent to the boundary between the Early Cretaceous North China and South China palynofloras. This extends approximately WNW-ESE between latitude 40 degrees-50 degrees N, 6 degrees further north than that plotted previously by Batten & Li. (2) The boundary between the Aquilapollenites and Normapolles palynofloras in East Asia is about 36 degrees N in Japan. It extends westwards to between 38 degrees and 39 degrees N in the coastal region of the Bohai Sea and northwestwards to northwest Nei Mongol (about 44 degrees N and 112 degrees E) and the Republic of Mongolia. This line is about 6 degrees of latitude further south than that plotted previously by Batten for the southern boundary of the Aquilapollenites palynoflora. (C) 1997 Academic Press limited.