ABSTRACT
Nannoplankton provide valuable data for the interpretation of the Tertiary depositional environment in the Otway basin of Australia. The Braarudosphaeridae are significant in the determination of the locations of shorelines. Shorelines can be suspected where this group of nannoplankton is abundant. Because the location of ancient shorelines may determine the distribution of possible reservoir rocks for petroleum accumulation, nannoplankton may be a very valuable tool in the search for stratigraphic traps, and their role should not be overlooked in the future. Spores and pollen provide additional criteria in the search for ancient shorelines. These groups should be used in combination with other groups of microfossils in the search for stratigraphic traps.
