Biostratigraphic and paleoecological significance of benthic foraminiferal morphogroups in the uppermost Turonian–upper Campanian of Gebel Duwi Range, Red Sea, Egypt

Abstract

Identifications of the benthic foraminiferal assemblages (Gavelinella, Stensioeina, and Brotzenella) from one stratigraphic section measured from the platform of the uppermost Turonian-upper Campanian successions of Gebel Duwi Range, Quseir Region, allowed the recognition of seven biozones and two subzones. The Duwi Basin through the uppermost Turonian to upper Campanian increased in depth, the benthic components indicating a time of the Egyptian stable continental shelf. The gradual increase in depth had occurred with no dramatic structure or tectonic changes. The benthic foraminiferal content reveals significant correlates of biostratigraphical and paleoecological changes of the same interval through Eastern, Western, and Central European provinces, and Tethyan epicontinental facies. The benthic foraminiferal contents are of diversified epibenthic and endobenthic taxa suggesting epicontinental inner to outer shelf depositional paleoenvironments and mesotrophic habitat.