The Maastrichtian sediments of northern Iraq are rich in larger benthic foraminifera. Among them, the genus

Loftusia is well-known one because of its significant palaeogeographic distribution across the Mediterranean

and Middle East. In this study, observations of abnormal test shapes, species recognition criteria and endoskeleton

characteristics of Loftusia are discussed, based on the new material from north-eastern Iraq. The following

species of Loftusia are described: Loftusia elongata Cox, L. persica Brady, Loftusia morgani Douvillé, L. anatolica

Meriç, L. matsumarui Meriç and Görmüs, L. minor B Cox, L. ketini B Meriç and L. kahtaensis Meriç,

Loftusia minor A Cox, L. oktayi Meriç and L. baykali Meriç. The predominant species are Loftusia elongata,

L. morgani and L. baykali. Skewed abnormal individuals and epidermal parts of the endoskeleton structure are

also interesting aspects to note. Quantitative data obtained for Loftusia allow us to better understand and interpret

species identification criteria, abnormal occurrences and the endoskeleton structure.

Biostratigraphic analysis of calcareous nannofossils from the Pełczyska section in the Miechów Trough (southern Poland) has revealed that the entire section covers the lowermost Maastrichtian. The UC16bTP Tethyan subzone is designated based on the presence of Broinsonia parca constricta Hattner, Wind and Wise, 1980, reworked remains of Uniplanarius trifidus (Stradner) Hattner and Wise in Wind and Wise, 1983 and the simultaneous lack of Eiffellithus eximius (Stover) Perch-Nielsen, 1968. The studied section spans also the interval between the LO of Zeugrhabdotus praesigmoides Burnett, 1997 and the FO of Prediscosphaera mgayae Lees, 2007 (UC16 S3 Boreal subzone). Quantitative analysis of nannofossil assemblages has shown the dominance of cold water species (up to 50%), e.g., Micula decussata Vekshina, 1959, Prediscosphaera spp., Arkhangelskiella spp., Calculites obscurus (Deflandre) Prins and Sissingh in Sissingh, 1977 and Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii Deflandre, 1959. In the early Maastrichtian, the studied area was more influenced by cool water masses from the Boreal Province rather than by warm water from the Tethyan Province. The significant predominance of cold water taxa and the elevated presence of Prediscosphaera cretacea (Arkhangelsky) Gartner, 1968 also supports the hypothesis of climate cooling in the early Maastrichtian.