Middle Eocene Alveolina-dominated benthic foraminiferal assemblages of the western flank of the Isparta Angle (SW Türkiye): Taxonomy, biostratigraphy, microfacies analysis, and paleoenvironmental implications

Authors: ALPER BOZKURT, MUHİTTİN GÖRMÜŞ, BANU TÜRKMEN BOZKURT

Abstract: Middle Eocene formations of the western part of the Isparta Angle contain abundant larger benthic foraminifera (LBF). Twelve species belonging to the genus Alveolina, including A. callosa, A. fragilis, A. aff. fusiformis, A. gigantea, A. cf. gigantea, A. hottingeri, A. kieli, A. levantina, A. nuttalli, A. cf. obtusa, A. stipes, and A. tenuis have been identified throughout the two measured sections from Dinar and Çardak (SW Türkiye). The investigated assemblages, consisting also of nummulitids, orthophragminids, textulariids, rotaliids, and miliolids, allow us to assign the Suçıkan section to shallow benthic zone 13 (SBZ13) and the Karabayır section to SBZ17. Based on the biogenic associations and carbonate textures, four major facies types (MFTs), as Alveolina-soritid packstone-rudstone, Alveolina-nummulitid packstone-rudstone, nummulitid packstone-rudstone, and nummulitid-orthophragminid packstone-rudstone have been distinguished. Facies characteristics of these MFTs and the transitions between them point to a shallow-marine depositional environment ranging from inner to middle-ramp settings.

Keywords: Alveolina, benthic foraminifera, Isparta Angle, middle Eocene, microfacies, paleoenvironment

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