Biostratigraphic analysis across the Eocene-Oligocene boundary in the southern Hellenic Thrace basin (Lemnos Island, north Aegean Sea)

Authors: SOFIA KOSTOPOULOU, ANGELOS MARAVELIS, AVRAAM ZELILIDIS

Abstract: The time interval of the sedimentation in the southern Hellenic Thrace Basin (Lemnos Island, northeast Aegean Sea) was studied, based on the qualitative analysis of calcareous nannoplankton and quantitative analysis of planktonic foraminifera. The samples were collected from 4 different stratigraphic sections (Ifestia, Panagia, Kaspaka, and Kaminia). The biostratigraphic analyses on both calcareous nannoplankton and planktonic foraminifera reveal an age of Late Eocene-Early Oligocene (Priabonian-Rupelian). In particular, the Eocene-Oligocene boundary is recorded at the lower part of the turbiditic system, in the Ifestia section. The present study offers the first taxonomic analysis of planktonic foraminifera of this age in the Hellenic southern Thrace Basin (Lemnos Island). The species Catapsydrax unicavus, Chiloguembelina cubensis, Dentoglobigerina sp., Dipsidripella liqianyui, Globigerina officinalis, Paragloborotalia nana, Turborotalia cerroazulensis, and Turborotalia sp. were identified. Furthermore, D. liqianyui adds new data worldwide, as it is identified in the Mediterranean Sea (Lemnos Island) for the time interval of the O1-O4 zones (Early Oligocene).

Keywords: Oligocene, planktonic foraminifera, D. liqianyui, calcareous nannofossils, Lemnos Island, eastern Mediterranean Sea

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