Paleotemperatures and paleodepths of the Upper Cretaceous rocks in El Qusaima, Northeastern Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

The planktonic foraminiferal morphogroups and planktonic quantitative analysis as well as the lithological variations across the Coniacian to Maastrichtian sediments of El Qusaima section (Northeastern Sinai, Egypt) are studied in detail in order to detect the prevailing paleoecological conditions along these sediments. At the studied area of El Qusaima section there is a gradual cooling started at the base of Globotruncana elevata Zone (early-middle Campanian) of the lower part of the Markha Member and continued till Globotruncana aegyptiaca Zone (Late Campanian) of the upper part of the Markha Member. This trend corresponds to the onset of a global cooling that began at about 73Ma (Late Campanian) and ended the Cretaceous greenhouse climate mode. At El Qusaima section, a gradual warming started at the base of Pseudogumbelina palpebra Zone (Late Maastrichtian) and continued till Plummerita hantkeninoides Zone (latest Maastrichtian) due to the high abundance of Plummerita hantkeninoides and Plummeritareicheli, which have been flourishing in warm waters. So this warming near the end of the Maastrichtian is a global event as shown by many authors.