Marine reflooding of the Mediterranean after the Messinian Salinity Crisis predates the Zanclean GSSP. Reply to the “Comment on ‘Earliest Zanclean age for the Colombacci and uppermost Di Tetto formations of the “latest Messinian” northern Apennines: New palaeoenvironmental data from the Maccarone section (Marche Province, Italy)’ by Popescu et al. (2007) Geobios 40 (359–373)” authored by Roveri et al.

Abstract

After some deontological considerations, we confirm that evidence of Mediterranean reflooding by Atlantic waters occurs significantly below the formally defined base of the Zanclean Stage at 5.332 Ma, as shown by the lowest occurrence of the calcareous nannofossil Ceratolithus acutus (illustrated) in the lower part of the p-ev 2 Formation in the Maccarone section. This species can be detected only after prolonged investigations of the smear slides. Hence, the cyclostratigraphy of the Marche late Messinian requires revision.