Permian-Triassic biofacies of the Teočak section, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The Teočak section in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sava-Vardar Zone) composed of the Upper Permian Bellerophon Formation and the Lower Triassic “Werfen Formation” was studied sedimentologically and micropaleontologically by using foraminifers and conodonts. The Bellerophon Formation was deposited in a shallow subtidal lagoon rich in biota characterized by typical Changsingian foraminiferal species. Deposition on a shallow epicontinental ramp with pronounced long-term transgression is proposed for the Lower Triassic strata. The recovered conodont faunas are assigned to the Late Permian praeparvus (Changhsingian) and to the Early Triassic isarcica-staeschei (Griesbachian), costatus (? latest Dienerian-early Smithian) and hungaricus (early Spathian) Zones. The studied strata include the Permian-Triassic Boundary as well as the Induan-Olenekian Boundary. The introduced conodont biozonation in the Teočak section is for the first time proposed for the region and is an important contribution for paleobiogeographic correlation of Western Tethys. • Uppermost Permian and Lower Triassic strata of the Teočak section were studied. • The section is composed of the Bellerophon Formation and the “Werfen Formation”. • The recovered conodont faunas enabled identification of four conodont zones. • Foraminifers of the Bellerophon Formation are marked by typical Changhsingian taxa. • A deposition on a shallow epicontinental ramp is proposed for the Triassic strata.