The Department of Earth and petroleum sciences at the Faculty of Science – University of Mosul, on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, discussed the master thesis tagged “palynological stratigraphy, palynological rocks and the Paleoenvironment of the sarmord formation (Lower Cretaceous) in the zuzk fold, parsrin section, northern Iraq”, by researcher Sufyan Taha Jijo Mohammed Al-Zebari. The aim of the study was to identify and describe dinoflagellate cysts and to conduct a taxonomic study of the species identified in the studied section, as well as to determine the palynological features and interpretation of the depositional environment of the sarmord formation, and to determine the age of the formation based on the biogeographic ranges of the spinocyst cysts in the selected section. The results of the study showed the identification of 47 types of dinoflagellate cysts belonging to 31 genera, as well as the identification of four palynological bioregions within the sarmord formation, namely: Oligosphaeridium complex – Oligosphaeridium umbraculum Interval Biozone (SZ1) Gonyaulacysta heliocoida – Subtilisphaera terrula Interval Biozone (SZ2) Subtilisphaera terrula – Rhynchodiniopsis aptiana Interval Biozone (SZ3) Cordosphaeridium eoinodes – Spiniferites cingulatus var. intermedius Interval Zone (SZ4) The results indicated that the age of the studied segment extends from the late berriasian (Late Berriasian) to the Aptian (Aptian). Three palynological rocks (Palynofacies) were also identified, represented by PF-1 representing the transition from the continental shelf to the basin, PF-2 representing the distant shelf with hypoxic to anoxic conditions, and PF-3 representing the distant shelf with near-hypoxic to anoxic conditions. The study showed that the ancient environment of the deposition of the sarmord formation moved from the continental shelf environment to the basin, then to the distant Basin environment with hypoxic to anoxic conditions, up to the distant environment with near-hypoxic to anoxic conditions. The study recommended the collection of additional samples of the sarmord formation and equivalent sections, with the aim of improving the age determination and reconstructing the depositional environment more accurately, as well as increasing the stratigraphic coverage of samples to obtain a more comprehensive representation of the formation, and combining palynological data with studies of the petroleum system to assess the hydrocarbon potential of the sarmord formation. The discussion Committee was chaired by Assistant Professor Dr. Abdullah Sultan Shihab Ahmed, and the membership of assistant professor Dr. Ahmed Nazir thannoun, and teacher Dr. Yasser Hassan qudo from the Faculty of Petroleum and mining engineering, and the membership and supervision of assistant professor Dr. Maha Abdul Hamid Mustafa. Our wishes to the researcher and to all graduate students and faculty teachers of the time of success, excellence and creativity.

Government information and Communication Division

Wednesday, September 23, 2026