NEW GEOGRAPHIC RECORD OF THE UAE PLANKTIC FORAMINIFERA TURBOROTALIA SEMICUNIALENSIS ANAN IN INDIA AND EGYPT

Abstract

The Late Eocene planktic foraminiferal species Turborotalia semicunialensis Anan with its raised keel in the first two chambers of the last whorl, was recorded recently from the planktic foraminiferal zonation Globigerinatheca index Zone (E16) of Jabal Hafit, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Another forms of this species, but under another names from the Turborotalia cerroazulensis group, were recorded from Cambay Basin, northwest of India (to the east of UAE), and from Wadi Hitan, Fayum area, Western Desert of Egypt (to the west of UAE). This documentation expanded the stratigraphic range of T. semicunialensis from E15 to P16 zonation throughout the Late Eocene. In general, the planktic foraminifera is predominantly considered to be related to open marine environment, photic zone, middle-upper neritic environment (100-200 m water depth).