Dinoflagellate cysts of the shallow marine Neogene succession in the Kalmthout well, northern Belgium

The dinoflagellate cyst associations from the Neogene succession in the Kalmthout well allow a correlation with biozonations and key dinocyst events from the North Sea area and the eastcoast of the USA. The recovered cyst assemblages suggest that an Early Miocene (late Aquitanian - early Burdigalian) age can be attributed to the Berchem Formation, while the Diest Formation is of Late Miocene (late Tortonian - Messinian) age. The age of the Kattendijk Formation remains unclear. The Lillo Formation in the Kalmthout well is of Pliocene age and possibly not younger than early Late Pliocene.