LATE TRIASSIC (LATE NORIAN-RHAETIAN) RADIOLARIANS FROM THE ANTALYA NAPPES, CENTRAL TAURIDES, SOUTHERN TURKEY

Abstract

The Hocakoy section measured from the Alakircay Nappe (middle nappe) of the Antalya Nappes contain rich radiolarian fauna ranging from late Norian (Late Triassic) to middle-late Cenomanian (mid Cretaceous). At the basal part of the section, the Late Triassic (late Norian-Rhaetian) Gokdere Formation is characterized by gray to beige cherty limestone at the base and pinkish red chert- gray to beige limestone alternation at the top, with moderately to well-preserved radiolarians in the red chert beds. The overlying Jurassic - Middle Cretaceous Hocakoy Radiolarite is mainly represented by chert-mudstone alternations with some limestone interlayers. Radiolarians of the Gokdere Formation can be well correlated with that of the fauna from the Mino Terrane, central Japan and the fauna from the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada. Four radiolarian zones from central Japan are recognized in the fauna obtained from Gokdere Formation such as “ Praemesosaturnalis multidentatus Lowest Occurrence Zone (TR8A)” (late Norian), “Praemesosaturnalis pseudokahleri Lowest Occurrence Zone (TR8B)” (late Norian), ? “ Skirt F lowest Occurrence Zone (TR8C)” (late Norian-Rhaetian) and partly “ Haeckelicyrtium breviora Taxon Range Zone (TR8D)” (Rhaetian). In comparison with the Queen Charlotte fauna, the two zones “ Betraccium deweveri Zone” (late Norian) and “ Proparvicingula moniliformis Zone” (early Rhaetian) are also encountered in the Gokdere Formation. Radiolarians of the uppermost part of the Gokdere Formation indicate that “ Globolaxtorum tozeri Zone” defined in Queen Charlotte Islands corresponding to the late Rhaetian, is not present in the section. Five new taxa, Capnuchosphaera okayi , Bistarkum rhaeticum , Praemesosaturnalis heilongjiangensis aksekiensis, P. nobleae , Veghicyclia sanfilippoae were determined within the late Norian-Rhaetian radiolarian fauna of the Gokdere Formation in Hocakoy section.