A note on the ‘Variolaris Bed’ (Palaeogene) near Newport, Isle of Wight, and its Ostracod assemblage

Augering to the east of Newport, Isle of Wight, has proved the presence of the ‘Variolarius Bed’ at the top of the Selsey Sand Formation. As well as its characteristic flood of the foraminifer Nummulites variolarius it contains a biostratigraphically useful ostracod assemblage, characterised by dominant Leguminocythereis haskinsi and subdominant Cytherella dixoni, with less numerous Cytheridea rigida, Oertliella aculeata, Cytheretta forticosta and Pterygocythereis cornuta.