Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy and Stage Boundaries of the Santonian-Eocene Successions in Wadi El Mizeira Northeastern Sinai, Egypt — Oak Academic Publishing
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Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy and Stage Boundaries of the Santonian-Eocene Successions in Wadi El Mizeira Northeastern Sinai, Egypt
Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
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Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
1 Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
2 Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
The stratigraphic successions exposed in Wadi El Mizeira have been dated through the analysis of the calcareous nannofossil assemblages. The results of this study indicate that the successions comprise the Santonian-Late Maastrichtian (Sudr Formation), the Paleocene (Esna Formation) and the Early Eocene (Thebes Formation). The following biozones were recognized: Late Santonian, CC16 Zone; Late Santonian/Early Campanian, CC17 Zone; Early Campanian, Aspidolithus parcus Zone (CC18) Zone; Late Maastrichtian, CC25c Zone; Early Paleocene (Late Danian), NP3 Zone and NP4 Zone; Late Paleocene (Thanethian-Selandian), NP5 Zone; Early Eocene, NP9b Zone, NP10a Zone, NP11 Zone, NP12 Zone and NP14 Zone. Several stratigraphic hiatus were recorded in the studied interval including the absence of Cretaceous nannofossil Zones CC19 to CC25b and CC26 as well as the early Paleocene Zones NP1 and NP2 and probably the basal part of Zone NP3, in addition to the absence of the Zones NP6 and NP7/8. These hiatus may be attributed to environmental conditions, structural activity and/or post depositional processes. This work represents the first attempt to evaluate the nannofossil taxa of the Wadi El Mizeira, Northeastern Sinai.
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