Conicopfenderina ? balkanica n. sp. (larger benthic Foraminifera), new index-species of the Valanginian from Balkanides (North-Tethyan margin, Bulgaria)

Description of a new species of Pfenderinidae (streptospiral, then rectilinear, larger benthic foraminifer with a keriothecal wall), Conicopfenderina ? balkanica n. sp.. This orbitolinid-like high-sized new taxon is observed in abundance within the internal/proximal shelf limestones of the Slivnitsa Formation (Western Balkan, Bulgaria). On the East-European part of the North-Tethyan margin, this foraminifer appears to constitute a good index of the Valdanchella miliani zone (rather Upper Valanginian in age). Until now, such a biostratigraphic subdivision was thought to be paleobiogeographically restricted to the « Catalan sub-province », linking, on the same margin but more to the west, Jura to Iberian Range.