Distribution of planktonic foraminifera in DSDP Hole 31-296 (Table III)

Late Neogene planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy of DSDP Site 296, Leg 31, reveals this site as an ideal reference section for correlation of Blow's low-latitude zonation with the mid-latitude zonation for temperate faunal assemblages developed in this paper and earlier for DSDP Site 310, Leg 31 (Keller). Abundance of temperate species of Globorotalia (G. inflata, G. puncticulata, G. crassaformis, G. conomiozea) permit correlation with the zonal subdivision developed at Site 310 based on these species. Evolutionary changes within the Globorotalia inflata group also appear to be consistent biostratigraphie markers in mid latitudes; a primitive variety of this species first appears at about 3.3-3.1 Ma, G. inflata praeinflata appears at about 2.6 Ma, and the modern form appears at about 2.2-2.1 Ma.