Onset of an Aptian carbonate platform overlying a Middle-Late Jurassic radiolaritic-ophiolithic mélange in the Mirdita Zone of Albania
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Published:
Nov 15, 2011
Keywords:
Mirdita Ophiolite Zone, Platform Carbonates, Early Cretaceous, Neotethys Realm
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Abstract
Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous carbonate sediments of different age and facies, form the post-emplacement settings on top of the Mirdita Ophiolite Zone in northern Albania. They seal the early Late Jurassic emplacement of the ophiolite knappes, are the only datable relics overlying the ophiolites in the Late Jurassic - Early Cretaceous, aiding the evaluation of the different tectonic movements associated with uplift and erosion as well as sea-level fluctuations during that time span. These carbonates overlie ophiolite-derived clastics very often as shallowing-upward sequences. One of the largest shallow-water platforms is the Mali I Shenjtit platform, previously assigned to the Barremian-Aptian. A well-preserved section at the base of the platform can be ascribed to the Early-Late Aptian based on orbitolinid foraminifera together with dasycladalean algae. This carbonate platform is the youngest preserved Early Cretaceous platform in Albania, but was largely eroded away. Late Cretaceous shallow-water rudist limestones are widespread and preserved in the Dinaride-Albanide-Hellenide realm directly above an eroded older basement. Therefore, this Aptian platform is very important for the reconstruction of the Early Cretaceous palaeogeography in the northwestern Neotethyan realm. In addition, the stratigraphic ranges of characteristic Aptian orbitolinid foraminifera, Rectodictyoconus giganteus SCHROEDER and Mesorbitolina texana (ROEMER), are discussed on the basis of these results.
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References
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BUCUR, I.I., GRANIER, B. & SCHLAGINTWEIT, F. (2010): Steinmanniporella, a new dasycladale genus name for „Linoporella“ with two orders of laterals.– Facies, 56, 317–321. DOI: 10.1007/s10347-009-0206-4.
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MARRONI, M., PANDOLFI, L., ONUZI, K., PALANDRI S. & XHOMO, A. (2009): Ophiolite-bearing Vermoshi flysch (Albanian Alps, Northern Albania): elements for its correlation in the frame of Dinaric-Hellenic belt.– Ofioliti, 34 (2), 95–108.
MILAN, A. (1969): Faziesverhältnisse und Hydrozoenfauna des Malms im Küstenland des nördlichen Velebit und Velika Kapela.– Geol. Vjesnik, 22 (1968), 201–219.
MOULLADE, M. (1966): Etude stratigraphique et micropaléontologique du Crétacé inférieur de la « fosse Vocontienne ».– Doc. Lab. Géol. Fac. Sci. Lyon, 15, 1–369.
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ROPOLO, P., CONTE, G., MOULLADE, M., TRONCHETTI, G. & GONNET, R. (2008): The Douvilleiceratidae (Ammonoidea) of the Lower Aptian historical stratotype area at Cassis-Le Bédoule (SE France).– Carnets de Géologie Mem. 3 (CG2008_M03)
SCHLAGINTWEIT, F., GAWLICK, H.J., MISSONI, S., LEIN, R., HOXHA, L. (2006): Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous dasycladales and benthonic foraminifera from the Munella carbonate platform s. l. of the Mirdita Zone (Albania).– In: SUDAR, M, ERCEGOVAC, M. & GRUBIC, A. (eds.) Proceedings XVIIIth Congress of Carpathian-Balkan Geological Association), 527–530, (National committee of the Carpathian - Balkan Geological Association; Serbian Geological Society) Belgrade.
SCHLAGINTWEIT, F., GAWLICK, H.J., MISSONI, S., HOXHA, L., LEIN, R. & FRISCH, W. (2008): The eroded Late Jurassic Kurbnesh carbonate platform in the Mirdita Ophiolite Zone of Albania and its bearing on the Jurassic orogeny of the Neotethys realm.– Swiss J. Geosci., 101, 125–138. DOI: 10.1007/s00015-008-1254-4
SCHROEDER, R. (1964): Orbitoliniden-Biostratigraphie des Urgons nordöstlich von Teruel (Spanien).– N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Mh., 1964, 462–472.
SCHROEDER, R. (1985): Orbitolina (M.) texana (ROEMER, 1849).– In: SCHROEDER, R. & NEUMANN, M. (eds.) Les grands Foraminifères du Crétacé Moyen de la région Méditerranénne. Géobios Mém. Spéc., 7, 77–80.
SCHROEDER, R., CLAVEL, B., CHERCHI, A., BUSNARDO, R., CHAROLLAIS, J. & DECROUEZ, D. (2002): Lignées phylétiques d´Orbitolinidés de l´intervalle Hauterivien supérieur – Aptien inférieur; leur importance stratigraphique.– Rev. Paléobiol., 21, 853–863.
SLITER, W.V. (1989): Biostratigraphic zonation for Cretaceous planktonic foraminifers examined in thin section.– J. Foram. Res., 19, 1–19.
TAHERPOUR KHALIL ABAD, M., CONRAD, M.A., ARYAEI, A.A. & ASHOURI, A.R. (2010): Barremian-Aptian Dasycladalean algae, new and revisited, from the Tigran Formation in the Kopet Dagh, NE Iran.– Carnets de Géologie – Notebooks on Geology, Article 2010/05 (CG2010_A05)
TURNŠEK, D. (1966): Upper Jurassic hydrozoan fauna from southern Slovenia.– Razprave Razr. SAZU, 9, 335–428.
TURNŠEK, D. (1969): A contribution to the palaeoecology of Jurassic Hydrozoa from Slovenia.– Razprave Razr. SAZU, 12, 209–237.
TURNŠEK, D., BUSER, S. & OGORELEC, B. (1981): An Upper Jurassic reef complex from Slovenia, Yugoslavia. –SEPM Spec. Pub., 30, 361–169.
WEIDICH, K.F. (1990): Die kalkalpine Unterkreide und ihre Foraminiferenfauna.– Zitteliana, 17, 1–312.
ZELIC, M., MARRONI, M., PANDOLFI, L. & TRIVIĆ, B. (2010): Tectonic setting of the Vardar suture zone (Dinaric-Hellenic belt): the example of the Kopaonik area (southern Serbia).– Ofioliti, 35 (1), 49–69.
BUCUR, I.I. (1999): Stratigraphic significance of some skeletal algae (Dasycladales, Caulerpales) of the Phanerozoic.– In: FARINACCI, A., LORD, A.R. (eds.): Depositional Episodes and Bioevents. Palaeopelagos Spec. Pub., 2, 53–104
BUCUR, I.I., GRANIER, B. & SĂSĂRAN, E. (2008): Upper Aptian calcareous algae from Pădurea Craiului (Northern Apuseni Mountains, Romania).– Geol. Croatica, 61, 297–309.
BUCUR, I.I., GRANIER, B. & SCHLAGINTWEIT, F. (2010): Steinmanniporella, a new dasycladale genus name for „Linoporella“ with two orders of laterals.– Facies, 56, 317–321. DOI: 10.1007/s10347-009-0206-4.
CASTRO, J.M., COMPANY, M., DE GEA, G.A. & AGUADO, R. (2001): Biostratigraphy of the Aptian-Middle Cenomanian platform to basin domain in the Prebetic Zone of Alicante, SE Spain: calibration between shallow water benthonic and pelagic scales.– Cret. Res., 22, 145–156. DOI: 10.1006/cres.2000.0249.
CHERCHI, A. & SCHROEDER, R. (1999): Montseciella, a new orbitolinid genus (Foraminiferida) from the uppermost Hauterivian – Early Barremian.– Treb. Mus. Geol. Barcelona, 8, 5–23.
GAWLICK, H.J., FRISCH, W., HOXHA, L., DUMITRICA, P., KRYSTYN, L., LEIN, R., MISSONI, S. & SCHLAGINTWEIT, F. (2008): Mirdita Zone ophiolites and associated sediments in Albania reveal Neotethys Ocean origin.– Int. J. Earth Sci., 97, 865–881. DOI: 10.1007/s00531-007-0193-z
GRANIER, B. & DELOFFRE, R. (1993): Inventaire critique des algues dasycladales fossiles IIo Partie – les algues dasycladales du Jurassicssique et du Crétacé.– Rev. Paléobiol., 12, 19–65.
LOGAN, B.W. & SE MENIUK, V. (1976): Dynamic metamorphism; processes and products in Devonian carbonate rocks, Canning Basin, Western Australia.– Geol. Soc. Australia Spec. Pub., 16, 1–138.
MARRONI, M., PANDOLFI, L., ONUZI, K., PALANDRI S. & XHOMO, A. (2009): Ophiolite-bearing Vermoshi flysch (Albanian Alps, Northern Albania): elements for its correlation in the frame of Dinaric-Hellenic belt.– Ofioliti, 34 (2), 95–108.
MILAN, A. (1969): Faziesverhältnisse und Hydrozoenfauna des Malms im Küstenland des nördlichen Velebit und Velika Kapela.– Geol. Vjesnik, 22 (1968), 201–219.
MOULLADE, M. (1966): Etude stratigraphique et micropaléontologique du Crétacé inférieur de la « fosse Vocontienne ».– Doc. Lab. Géol. Fac. Sci. Lyon, 15, 1–369.
NOWACK, E. (1928): Geologische Karte von Albanien 1:200,000. Verlag Kartographisches Institut Wien.
PEZA, L.H. & MARKU, D. (2002): Lower Cretaceous in the Munella Mountains (Mirdita Zone, northeastern Albania).– In: WAGREICH, M. (Ed.): Aspects of Cretaceous Stratigraphy and Palaeobiogeography. Österr. Akad. Wiss., Schriftenr. Erdwiss. Komm., 15, 365–372.
PEZA, L.H. & ZITT, J. (2002): Urgonian (Early Cretaceous) echinoids of the Mirdita Zone (Southeast Albania).– Geol. Carpathica, 53 (5), 327–332.
ROBERTSON, A.H.F., IONESCU, C., HOECK, V., KOLLER, F., ONUZI, K., BUCUR, I.I. & GHEGA, D. (2011): Emplacement of the Jurassic Mirdita ophiolites (southern Albania): evidence from associated clastic and carbonate sediments.– Int. J. Earth Sci., doi 10.1007/s00531-010-0603-5.
ROPOLO, P., CONTE, G., MOULLADE, M., TRONCHETTI, G. & GONNET, R. (2008): The Douvilleiceratidae (Ammonoidea) of the Lower Aptian historical stratotype area at Cassis-Le Bédoule (SE France).– Carnets de Géologie Mem. 3 (CG2008_M03)
SCHLAGINTWEIT, F., GAWLICK, H.J., MISSONI, S., LEIN, R., HOXHA, L. (2006): Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous dasycladales and benthonic foraminifera from the Munella carbonate platform s. l. of the Mirdita Zone (Albania).– In: SUDAR, M, ERCEGOVAC, M. & GRUBIC, A. (eds.) Proceedings XVIIIth Congress of Carpathian-Balkan Geological Association), 527–530, (National committee of the Carpathian - Balkan Geological Association; Serbian Geological Society) Belgrade.
SCHLAGINTWEIT, F., GAWLICK, H.J., MISSONI, S., HOXHA, L., LEIN, R. & FRISCH, W. (2008): The eroded Late Jurassic Kurbnesh carbonate platform in the Mirdita Ophiolite Zone of Albania and its bearing on the Jurassic orogeny of the Neotethys realm.– Swiss J. Geosci., 101, 125–138. DOI: 10.1007/s00015-008-1254-4
SCHROEDER, R. (1964): Orbitoliniden-Biostratigraphie des Urgons nordöstlich von Teruel (Spanien).– N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Mh., 1964, 462–472.
SCHROEDER, R. (1985): Orbitolina (M.) texana (ROEMER, 1849).– In: SCHROEDER, R. & NEUMANN, M. (eds.) Les grands Foraminifères du Crétacé Moyen de la région Méditerranénne. Géobios Mém. Spéc., 7, 77–80.
SCHROEDER, R., CLAVEL, B., CHERCHI, A., BUSNARDO, R., CHAROLLAIS, J. & DECROUEZ, D. (2002): Lignées phylétiques d´Orbitolinidés de l´intervalle Hauterivien supérieur – Aptien inférieur; leur importance stratigraphique.– Rev. Paléobiol., 21, 853–863.
SLITER, W.V. (1989): Biostratigraphic zonation for Cretaceous planktonic foraminifers examined in thin section.– J. Foram. Res., 19, 1–19.
TAHERPOUR KHALIL ABAD, M., CONRAD, M.A., ARYAEI, A.A. & ASHOURI, A.R. (2010): Barremian-Aptian Dasycladalean algae, new and revisited, from the Tigran Formation in the Kopet Dagh, NE Iran.– Carnets de Géologie – Notebooks on Geology, Article 2010/05 (CG2010_A05)
TURNŠEK, D. (1966): Upper Jurassic hydrozoan fauna from southern Slovenia.– Razprave Razr. SAZU, 9, 335–428.
TURNŠEK, D. (1969): A contribution to the palaeoecology of Jurassic Hydrozoa from Slovenia.– Razprave Razr. SAZU, 12, 209–237.
TURNŠEK, D., BUSER, S. & OGORELEC, B. (1981): An Upper Jurassic reef complex from Slovenia, Yugoslavia. –SEPM Spec. Pub., 30, 361–169.
WEIDICH, K.F. (1990): Die kalkalpine Unterkreide und ihre Foraminiferenfauna.– Zitteliana, 17, 1–312.
ZELIC, M., MARRONI, M., PANDOLFI, L. & TRIVIĆ, B. (2010): Tectonic setting of the Vardar suture zone (Dinaric-Hellenic belt): the example of the Kopaonik area (southern Serbia).– Ofioliti, 35 (1), 49–69.