Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy in the Gurpi Formation Aghar anticline section located in SW Shiraz

Document Type : مقالات پژوهشی

Author

• Saeedeh Senemari

Associate Professor, Department of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Technical & Engineering, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran

10.22067/sed.facies.v13i1.58606

Abstract

Introduction
One of the most extensive Cretaceous strata is the marine strata of the Gurpi Formation in Zagros, which was studied based on paleontology studies. The Gurpi Formation type section is located in Tang-e Pabdeh, North of Masjed Soleyman city (James & Wynd, 1965). One of the most important achievements obtained from the Gurpi Formation is the evaluation of stage boundary and biostratigraphy of it. In this section, the Gurpi Formation consists of 143 m thick which mainly consists of marl and marly limestone.
 
Materials and Methods
In this study, 73 samples from the Gurpi Formation interval have been studied. Samples were prepared following the standard smear slide method (Bown & Young 1998). All the slides were examined under the polarized light microscope at ×1000 magnification. The nomenclature of calcareous nannofossil follows the taxonomic schemes of Perch-Nielsen (1985) and Burnett (1998).
 
Discussion and Results
To study biostratigraphy based on calcareous nannofossils, the Gurpi Formation succession in the southwest of the Aghar anticline, SW Shiraz, was selected. In this section, the Gurpi Formation with 143 m thickness mainly consists of marly limestones and marl. For introducing index species, calcareous nannofossil assemblages, and bio-zones, slides have been studied at the Gurpi Formation, which led to the determination of 40 species and 21 genera of calcareous nannofossils. In this study, ten biozones were recognized in the Gurpi Formation. Bio-zones including Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii Zone (CC16), Calculites obscurus Zone (CC17), Aspidolithus parcus Zone (CC18), Calculites ovalis Zone (CC19), Ceratolithoides aculeus Zone (CC20), Quadrum sissinghii Zone (CC21), Quadrum trifidum Zone (CC22), Tranolithus phacelosus Zone (CC23), Reinhardtites levis Zone (CC24) and Arkhangelsiella cymbiformis Zone (CC25) with Late Santonian - middle Maastrichtian in age. According to the first and last occurrence of index species the following bio-zones are identified:
1- Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii Zone
This bio-zone is recorded from the FO Lucianorhabdus cayeuxii to the FO of Calculites obscurus. The age of this zone is Late Santonian. The thickness of this zone has been measured approximately 4 m.
2- Calculites obscurus Zone
The second zone is recorded from the FO of Calculites obscurus to the FO of Aspidolithus parcus. The age of this zone is Late Santonian - Early Campanian. The thickness of this zone is 4 m.
3- Aspidolithus parcus Zone
This zone spans the interval from the FO of Aspidolithus parcus to the last occurrence of Marthasterites furcatus. The age of this zone is Early Campanian.
4- Calculites ovalis Zone
The next nannofossil unit recorded in this study is the CC19. This zone spans the interval from the LO of Marthasterites furcatus to the FO of Ceratolithoides aculeus. The age of this zone is late Early Campanian.
5- Ceratolithoides aculeus Zone
The next bio-zone recorded is CC20. This zone spans the interval from the FO of Ceratolithoides aculeus to the FO of Quadrum  sissinghii. The age of this zone is late Early Campanian. The thickness of this zone was measured at about 15/6 m.
6- Quadrum sissinghii Zone
This zone spans the interval from the FO of Quadrum sissinghii to the FO of Quadrum trifidum. The age of this zone is early Late Campanian. The thickness of this zone was measured at about 4/4 m.
7- Quadrum trifidum Zone
This zone spans the interval from the FO of Quadrum trifidum to the LO of Reinhardtites anthophorus. The age of this zone is late Late Campanian. The thickness of this zone was measured at about 57 m.
8- Tranolithus phacelosus Zone
This zone spans the interval from the LO of Reinhardtites anthophorus to the LO of Tranolithus phacelosus. The age of this zone is late Late Campanian- Early Maastrichtian. The thickness of this zone was measured at about 38 m.
9- Reinhardtites levis Zone            
This zone spans the interval from the LO of Tranolithus phacelosus to the LO of Reinhardtites levis. The age of this zone is Early Maastrichtian. The thickness of this zone was measured at about 4 m.
10- Arkhangelsiella cymbiformis Zone
The last nannofossil unit recorded in this study is the CC25. This zone spans the interval from the LO of Reinhardtites levis to the FO of Nephrolithus frequens. The age of this zone is middle Maastrichtian.
So, as a result of this study and according to the identified bio-zones, the age of the Gurpi Formation is Late Santonian - middle Maastrichtian.
 
References
Bown, P.R., & Young, J.R., 1998. Techniques. In: Bown, P.R., (ed.), Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy. Chapman and Hall, London, 16-28.
Burnett, J.A., 1998. Upper Cretaceous. In: Bown, P.R. (ed.), Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy, British Micropalaeontological Society Publication Series. Chapman and Hall Ltd. Kluwer Academic Publisher, London, 132-165.
James, G.A., & Wynd, J.G., 1965. Stratigraphic Nomenclature of Iranian Oil Consortium Agreement Area. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin (AAPG), 49: 2182–2245.        
Perch-Nielsen, K., 1985. Cenozoic Calcareous Nannofossils. In: Bolli, H.M., Saunders, JB., & Perch-Nielsen, K., (eds.), Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge University Press, 427-554.

Keywords

• Calcareous Nannofossils
• Bio zones
• Zagros
• Cretaceous

Main Subjects

• Systematic Paleontology & Biostratigraphy

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