Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy and PalaeoenvironmentalReconstruction of the Paleocene–Eocene Transition at the
Kharrouba Section, Tunisia (Southern Tethys Margin)
LAMIA ZILI & DALILA ZAGHBIB-TURKI
Unité de recherche GEODPS (UR: 02/UR/10–02), Département de Géologie,Faculté des Sciences de Tunis. 1060 El Manar II, Tunisie
(E-mail: [email protected] ; [email protected])
Received 01 April 2009; revised typescript receipt 04 August 2009; accepted 07 August 2009
Abstract: At Kharrouba (near Tunis City in northern Tunisia), on the southern margin of the Tethyan realm, thePaleocene–Eocene (P–E) transition interval deposition is continuous and complete. Based on high-resolution analysisand quantitative data of planktonic and benthic foraminifera at the Kharrouba section, this transition interval recordsexpanded deposition of the relevant standard planktonic foraminiferal biozones with indicative index species i.e.:Morozovella velascoensis for the latest Paleocene P5 zone, and Acarinina sibaiyaensis for the earliest Eocene E1 zone,Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis for the E2 zone, Morozovella marginodentata for the E3 zone and Morozovella formosa forthe E4 zone.
This complete section contains benthic foraminiferal assemblages which include calcareous and agglutinatedcosmopolitan deep-water species (DWBF). Among the calcareous deep benthic foraminifera Aragonia velascoensisAnomalinoides rubiginosus, Oridorsalis umbonatus, Nuttallides truempyi, Pullenia coryelli and Tappanina selmensis, arerelatively abundant. These species are the main representatives of the Velasco fauna indicative of a bathyal-abyssalenvironment. Moreover, within this section, the agglutinated species e.g., Glomospira charoides, Karrerulina horrida,Rzehakina epigona, Ammodiscus spp. and Gaudryina pyramidata, assumed to be restricted to deep-seapalaeoenvironments, constitute an important proportion of the benthic foraminiferal assemblages. Therefore, duringthe Paleocene–Eocene transitional period, the Kharrouba area hosted many cosmopolitan deep-sea benthicforaminiferal species as was the case at Zumaya and several DSDP sites.
The depth range tolerances of these deep-marine taxa, both with calcareous and agglutinated test, indicate thatclose to the P/E boundary, the Kharrouba area was located in the lower bathyal environment in the southern Tethysmargin.
Key Words: benthic foraminifera, palaeobathymetry, Paleocene–Eocene, agglutinated, Southern Tethys margin
Kharrouba Kesitinde (Tunus, Güney Tetis Kenarı) Paleosen−Eosen GeçişininForaminifer Biyostratigrafisi ve Paleoortamsal Rekonstrüksiyonu
Özet: Tetis bölgesinin güney kenarında yeralan Kharrouba’da (Tunus şehri yakınları, Kuzey Tunus) Paleosen–Eosen(P–E) geçişini temsil eden döneme ait çökeller devamlı ve tamamdır. Yüksek çözünürlü analizler ile Kharroubakesitindeki planktonik ve bentik foraminiferlerin sayısal verilerine göre bu geçiş dönemi standard planktonikforaminifera biyozonlarını gösterir indeks türlerinide (örneğin: en geç Paleosen P5 Zonu için Morozovella velascoensis,en erken Eosen E1 zonu için Acarinina sibaiyaensis, E2 zonu için Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis, Morozovella E3 zonuiçin marginodentata ve E4 zonu içi Morozovella formosa) içeren genişletilmiş çökeller ile temsil edilir.
Bu tamamlanmış kesit kalkerli ve aglutine kozmopolit derin deniz türlerini de içeren bentik foraminifer (DDBF)topluluklarını içerir. Kalkerli derin deniz bentik foraminiferleri arasında Aragonia velascoensis Anomalinoidesrubiginosus, Oridorsalis umbonatus, Nuttallides truempyi, Pullenia coryelli ve Tappanina selmensis göreceli olarak enyaygın türlerdir. Bu türler batiyal-abisal ortama işaret eden Valesco faunasının ana temsilcileridir. Bundan başka,kesitteki Glomospira charoides, Karrerulina horrida, Rzehakina epigona, Ammodiscus spp. ve Gaudryina pyramidatagibi derin deniz paleoortamlara ait olduğu varsayılan aglutine türler bentik foraminfer topluluğunun önemli bir
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Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences (Turkish J. Earth Sci.), Vol. 19, 2010, pp. 385–408. Copyright ©TÜBİTAKdoi:10.3906/yer-0904-7 First published online 14 August 2009
bölümünü temsil ederler. Bu yüzden, Paleosen–Eosen geçiş döneminde, Kharrouba bölgesi Zumaya örneği ile bir çokDSDP bölgesinde olduğu gibi kozmopolit derin deniz foraminifer türlerini barındırmıştır.
Bu kalkerli ve aglutine olmuş derin deniz taksonunun tolera ettiği derinlik Kharrouba bölgesinin P/E sınırına yakınbir dönemde güney Tetis’e ait batiyal ortamda olduğuna işaret etmektedir.
Anahtar Sözcükler: bentik foraminiferler, paleobatimetri, Paleosen–Eosen, yapıştırılmış/aglutine olmuş, güney Tetiskenarı
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PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
IntroductionDeep-sea benthic foraminifera are the mostwidespread dwellers on earth and constitute animportant part of the biomass in the bathyal andabyssal deep sea floor (Tjalsma & Lohman 1983;Thomas 2007). However, they still are one of the leastknown fauna. They form diverse assemblages withlow density and high species diversity (Levin et al.2001). Several authors thought that there is arelationship between diversity, bathymetric andlatitude gradients (Culver & Buzas 2000; Levin et al.2001; Rex et al. 2005). Many benthic foraminiferalspecies are cosmopolitan (e.g., Globocassidulinasubglobosa, Glomospira charoides, Cibicidoideshyphalus, Tappanina selmensis) permitting acorrelation between different oceanic assemblages.In addition, several benthic foraminiferal species areconsidered to be good palaeobathymetric markers.The depth range and palaeogeographic distributionof some species have also been widely discussed(Berggren & Aubert 1975; Tjalsma & Lohmann 1983;van Morkhoven et al. 1986; Berggren & Miller 1989;Kuhnt et al. 1989; Murray 1991; Derbel-Damak1993; Kaminski & Gradstein 2005).
However, only a few studies based on benthicforaminiferal assemblages have been carried outaround the Paleocene–Eocene transition in theTethyan Realm similar to those in the Pacific andAtlantic oceans, or of Cretaceous and EarlyPalaegene age. In Spain, Ortiz (1995) is among thosewho studied benthic foraminifera from thenorthwestern Tethys margin (Caravaca and Zumayasections). In the northeastern Peri-Tethys area(Austria), Egger et al. (2003) detailed agglutinatedforaminiferal assemblages and concluded that theyindicated a deep-sea environment. Radionova et al.(2001) pointed out that Bulimina trigonalis andassociated species in Kazakhstan indicated a shallowsea there. Also, many authors working on Egyptian
and Tunisian sections (e.g., Aubert & Berggren 1976;Said 1978; Speijer 1994; Alegret et al. 2005; Guasti etal. 2005; Alegret & Ortiz 2006; Ernst et al. 2006;Karoui-Yaakoub 2006) hold that benthic fauna inthese locations along the southern Tethys marginindicate shallower environments. However, apartfrom Kaminski et al. (1996), who worked onagglutinated benthic foraminifera from theNumidian Flysch in the Rif area (Morocco), deep seabenthic foraminiferal fauna from the southernTethys margin remain insufficiently studied. Bothcalcareous and agglutinated foraminiferalassemblages close to the P/E boundary have beenpoorly documented.
In this paper, we detail calcareous andagglutinated foraminiferal assemblages from thePaleocene–Eocene transition deposits outcroppingat the Kharrouba section (northern Tunisia) in thesouthern Tethys margin and we attempt toreconstruct the palaeoenvironmental conditionsprevailing close to the P/E boundary.
Materials and MethodsIn Northern Tunisia, very few series in thePaleocene–Eocene transition interval are exposed.Often, this interval is included in the upper part ofthe Paleocene clayey deposits of the El HariaFormation (Burollet 1956). Due to erosion, it ismasked by carbonate detritus originating from theoverlying Eocene beds of the Bou DabbousFormation (Fournié 1978). In the Tunis area, about 3km south of Tunis City (Figure 1), and underneaththe lower Eocene (Ypresian) carbonate bar of theBou Dabbous Formation, an expanded intervaldeposition across the Paleocene–Eocene transitionpermitted high resolution sampling. The 29-m-thickinvestigated interval forms the upper part of the ElHaria Formation. It is mainly composed of marl andlimestone alternations providing a gradual transition
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L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
to the carbonate bar of the Bou Dabbous Formation.In detail, at the Kharrouba section, five successivelithological units (Figures 2 & 3) have beendistinguished:
Unit U1: grey marls (2.30 m) at the base rich inwell-preserved planktonic and benthic foraminifera.
Unit U2: massive grey calcareous beds (1.20 m)with less abundant foraminifera.
Unit U3: grey marls (3.15 m) which contain moreabundant and well-preserved planktonic and benthicforaminifera.
Unit U4: starting with dark clays, it is mainlycomposed of grey clays (18 m). In this unit,planktonic and benthic foraminifera are variablyabundant. Towards the base and in the dark clays (i.e.from Kh20.20 to Kh18.70), planktonic foraminiferaare present and benthic foraminifera are rare and lessdiversified. The calcareous foraminiferal tests show apartial dissolution. In the rest of this unit, planktonicand benthic foraminifera become more abundantand diversified.
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Dorothia retusa
Glomospira sp. 4
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contain abundant and well-preserved planktonic andbenthic foraminifera.
Sixty two samples (62) were collected from theKharrouba section, spaced at 20 cm intervals close to
the P/E boundary (first half of U4) and at 50 cm to 1m intervals below and above it. All samples werewashed through two sieves (315 μm and 63 μm) andthe obtained residues were dried in a stove at 50 °C
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PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
for a few days. Exceptionally, rich carbonate sampleswere heated to boiling point. For quantitativeanalyses, at least 300 specimens of benthicforaminifera were recovered from sized fractions >63 μm, using an ‘Otto’ micro-splitter to obtain asuitable fraction with non-selective grain size. Thecalculated relative abundance data are plotted onTable 1. All the counted species were mounted onmicro-slides for a permanent record and depositedin the Invertebrate Palaeontology, Palaeoecology andBiostratigraphy Laboratory Research Unit (DPS):02/UR/10-02 at the Tunis Faculty of Sciences.
Some of the identified species were photographedusing a reflected light microscope and a scanningelectronic microscope SEM (Plate 1). Identificationof benthic foraminiferal species is mainly based onthe Ellis & Messina Micropalaeontology Catalogue(1940 to present) and several works illustrating anddiscussing benthic foraminifera (e.g., Berggren &Aubert 1975; Tjalsma & Lohmann 1983; VanMorkhoven et al. 1986; Bolli et al. 1994; Alegret &Thomas 2001; Kaminski & Gradstein 2005; Alegret& Ortiz 2006; Ortiz 2006).
BiostratigraphyAt the Kharrouba section, the planktonicforaminifera are abundant and diversified. In thissection, the main marker species used to definestandard biozones of the Paleocene–Eocenetransition are recognized. Our biostratigraphicanalysis is based on planktonic foraminiferalbiozonation by Berggren & Pearson (2005) andPearson et al. (2006). These authors utilized analphanumeric notation using the prefix ‘P’ for thePaleocene zones and ‘E’ for the Eocene ones.Therefore, in the studied Paleocene–Eocenetransition interval five biozones have beenrecognized:
Morozovella Celascoensis Zone (P5)This zone is based on the Partial Range of thenominate Zone taxon (Berggren & Pearson 2005). Itcorresponds to the interval between highestoccurrence (HO) of Globanomalina pseudomenardii
(Bolli 1957) and lowest occurrence (LO) of Acarininasibaiyaensis (Molina et al. 1999; Pardo et al. 1999). Inthe Kharrouba section, the P5 Zone intervalcontaining the marker and many other planktonicspecies (e.g., Globanomalina ovalis, Acarininacoalingensis, Morozovella velascoensis, M. aequa, M.acuta, Subbotina velascoensis) was investigated in itsupper part (11.2 m). Its lower part is not covered bythis work.
Acarinina Sibaiyaensis Zone (E1)The base of this Interval Range Zone is defined bythe lowest occurrence (LO) of Acarinina sibaiyaensis(Molina et al. 1999; Pardo et al. 1999). The lowestoccurrence (LO) of Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensismarks the top of this zone (Molina et al. 1999; Pardoet al. 1999). In the Kharrouba section, this zone is 90cm thick. Within it, the marker species (i.e. A.sibaiyaensis) is common and associated withAcarinina africana, Morozovella allisonensis, M.velascoensis and Chiloguembelina trinitatensis.However, in the Kharrouba section, this zone isthinner than in the Dababiya section in Egypt (GSSPfor the P/E boundary), which is ~2.20 m thick(Berggren & Ouda 2003). The E1 Zone isdocumented to contain the stratigraphic record ofisotopic shifts (e.g., Carbon Isotope Excursion CIE)related to the Initial Eocene Thermal MaximumIETM (about 55 Myr ago). Indeed, in the Dababiyasection, the base of this zone coincides with the onsetof a ∂13C excursion (Alegret et al. 2005; Berggren &Pearson 2005; Alegret & Ortiz 2006; Aubry et al.2007) which indicates the P/E boundary.
Pseudohastigerina Wilcoxensis / Morozovellavelascoensis Zone (E2)This interval Zone starts at the lowest occurrence(LO) of Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis and ends at thehighest occurrence (HO) of Morozovella velascoensis(Bolli 1957; Berggren et al. 1995). In the Kharroubasection, within this 3.2-m-thick E2 Zone, thebiozone biomarker is associated with Subbotinavelascoensis, Morozovella pasionensis, M. acuta, M.apanthesma, M. occlusa, M. velascoensis andChiloguembelina trinitatensis.
Samples
Alabamina midwayensisAllomorphina trochoidesAmmodiscus glabratusAmmodiscus peruvianusAmmosphaeroidina sp. Angulogerina muralisAnomalinoides acutaAnomalinoides praeacutaAnomalinoides rubiginosusAnomalinoides welleriAnomalinoides zitteliAragonia aragonensisAragonia velascoensisAnomalinoides spp. Astacolus ovatusBathysiphon gerochiBathysiphon sp.1 Bolivina crenulataBolivina spp. Brizalina spp. Bulimina grataBulimina kochiensis Bulimina midwayensisBulimina paleocenicaBulimina semicostataBulimina trinitatensisBulimina tuxpamensisBulimina spp. Chrysalogonium spp. Cibicides spp. Cibicidoides agrestisCibicidoides alleniCibicidoides barnetti Cibicidoides crebbsiCibicidoides hyphalus Cibicidoides mundulaCibicidoides propriusCibicidoides pseudoperlucidusCibicidoides velascoensisCibicidoides spp. Clavulinoides amorpha Coryphostoma midwayensisCoryphostoma sp. Dentalina spp. Dorothia bullettaDorothia retusaDorothia spp.Fissurina spp. Fursenkoina spp.Gaudryina aissanaGaudryina inflataGaudryina pyramidataGaudryina spp. Gavelinella danicaGlobocassidulina subglobosaGlomospira charoidesGlomospira sp.4 Guttulina communisGyroidinoides globosusGyroidinoides spp. Hanzawaia ammophilaHaplophragmoides spp.Hormosina velascoensisKarrerulina conversaKarrerulina horrida
Kh
31,4
0
4,330,333,003,670,000,000,333,330,001,000,002,000,004,330,33
1,670,00
2,000,001,330,000,330,330,331,000,007,000,670,670,330,000,670,000,002,670,000,000,000,004,331,000,000,673,671,000,000,000,000,330,000,000,670,001,670,001,001,000,330,330,000,000,000,001,000,00
Kh
28,9
04,330,330,331,330,000,000,674,001,000,330,000,000,000,670,004,000,001,336,007,670,000,000,000,330,000,008,334,330,000,330,000,000,000,003,670,000,000,000,003,000,330,000,003,000,670,000,000,330,670,330,002,000,000,331,330,330,000,000,330,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
28,1
011,110,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,0011,110,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,0022,220,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,0033,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
27,7
0
3,510,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,750,001,750,001,750,000,000,001,750,000,000,000,000,000,000,007,020,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,007,020,000,000,001,750,000,001,750,0012,280,000,001,750,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
27,0
0
3,990,331,990,330,000,000,000,000,333,990,000,330,001,660,005,650,334,650,335,980,000,000,000,001,660,000,331,660,000,000,001,000,000,001,330,001,001,660,000,331,660,000,009,300,000,000,000,004,980,000,002,660,001,990,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
26,0
0
0,980,330,000,650,000,000,000,000,001,630,001,630,001,960,003,590,331,635,236,540,000,001,310,650,000,331,963,270,002,290,000,330,000,330,000,000,000,650,003,923,272,610,008,170,000,000,000,001,960,000,000,650,650,650,330,330,000,000,330,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
25,6
0
3,320,330,661,660,000,000,000,000,334,320,000,001,000,660,004,321,660,330,004,980,330,000,000,660,000,002,660,000,001,331,000,000,000,001,000,330,002,660,006,641,000,000,004,320,330,000,000,000,000,000,001,330,000,661,330,000,000,001,330,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
25,3
5
2,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,662,660,000,000,331,660,001,000,000,661,335,980,000,330,000,660,000,667,317,310,001,990,000,000,000,330,000,000,001,330,008,310,000,000,004,650,660,000,000,666,980,000,000,330,001,000,660,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
25,0
5
1,000,330,000,670,000,000,000,000,331,670,000,000,332,670,331,002,000,000,003,330,000,000,001,33
0,000,6713,002,330,004,000,000,000,000,001,670,000,000,670,0014,330,000,000,007,000,000,000,001,000,670,000,002,000,000,330,330,000,000,330,670,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
24,8
5
2,750,311,220,000,000,000,000,002,142,750,000,000,311,220,000,614,592,140,003,060,000,000,000,312,450,004,892,750,006,120,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,360,0010,400,610,000,003,360,920,000,000,000,610,000,002,140,001,220,920,310,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
24,6
5
0,330,001,000,000,000,000,000,001,663,990,000,000,002,660,000,004,982,330,000,000,000,331,330,000,000,006,640,000,002,331,990,000,000,001,661,000,001,990,006,640,330,000,008,311,660,660,000,000,330,000,001,990,001,990,662,330,000,001,000,000,000,000,000,330,00
Kh
24,4
5
0,650,001,950,970,000,000,000,000,004,870,000,001,300,000,324,870,0011,360,005,520,000,000,000,320,000,327,470,001,621,300,001,950,000,970,320,000,000,000,002,921,300,000,0011,690,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,300,000,650,320,650,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,651,30
Kh
24,2
5
2,620,000,660,000,000,000,000,000,981,640,000,000,662,620,000,331,970,330,004,920,001,640,330,330,660,333,931,310,000,000,980,000,000,000,001,640,002,620,007,211,642,300,009,182,950,000,980,982,300,000,000,000,001,310,330,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,33
Kh
23,8
5
4,230,001,811,210,000,000,301,511,211,510,000,000,002,110,001,210,603,630,003,320,000,000,910,000,000,004,230,910,910,000,001,510,000,000,000,000,002,110,0010,272,110,300,005,440,300,000,000,000,000,000,001,510,001,510,602,420,000,000,910,000,000,000,300,001,21
Kh
23,6
0
0,000,331,991,990,000,000,000,000,334,970,000,001,661,990,000,002,3215,230,004,640,000,330,990,000,000,004,300,000,000,001,662,650,000,330,000,000,330,000,005,632,320,000,002,980,330,000,000,000,330,000,000,990,000,660,000,990,000,660,000,000,000,000,000,330,00
Kh
23,4
0
2,810,630,310,630,000,000,003,752,810,000,000,000,310,000,001,880,000,310,009,690,000,310,000,000,000,943,130,000,003,130,000,000,000,000,310,000,004,380,0010,311,880,000,004,690,630,000,000,001,560,000,000,940,002,810,630,310,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,310,00
Kh
23,2
0
0,330,005,300,990,000,000,001,990,000,990,000,000,331,990,003,311,990,000,008,280,000,330,661,320,330,002,320,330,002,980,660,000,000,000,330,000,000,000,000,003,641,320,0010,930,000,000,000,332,320,000,001,320,000,660,330,330,000,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,66
Kh
22,0
5
0,000,004,095,031,571,260,001,570,315,660,000,000,000,630,002,523,462,200,001,570,000,000,000,000,940,005,350,000,310,630,940,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,008,180,000,000,00
11,950,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,940,000,941,571,890,000,000,000,000,000,000,312,831,89
Kh
22,2
0
2,190,310,310,940,000,000,000,000,311,250,000,001,882,510,001,250,000,630,007,840,002,510,630,000,000,009,400,940,004,390,000,000,000,002,190,000,003,450,003,760,630,000,007,840,940,000,000,940,000,000,001,250,001,250,310,630,000,310,310,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
22,3
0
1,330,005,332,331,670,670,001,000,330,000,000,330,330,330,001,335,002,670,002,000,000,001,000,334,330,337,671,330,672,001,332,000,001,330,670,000,000,000,005,670,000,000,006,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,330,001,002,336,670,000,000,000,330,001,330,001,001,67
Kh
22,7
0
1,320,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,661,320,000,000,330,000,002,630,662,630,004,610,001,640,990,000,000,335,262,960,008,220,330,000,000,001,640,000,000,000,001,321,640,000,336,580,990,000,000,003,290,000,001,320,002,960,660,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
Kh
23,0
0
0,670,001,000,000,000,670,001,671,000,000,000,331,002,000,001,670,672,670,007,670,001,000,330,000,000,003,330,670,008,000,330,000,000,001,670,000,004,330,004,672,000,001,335,670,330,330,000,330,330,000,001,670,002,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
Lagena spp. Lenticulina spp. Marginulina spp. Marssonella oxycona
0,33 2,67 0,00 0,00 1,00 1,63 1,00 2,99 5,33 2,45 4,32 0,00 0,983,33 9,00 0,00 7,02 6,31 3,92 9,30 2,66 6,00 3,36 4,32 2,60 6,561,67 0,33 0,00 3,51 1,00 0,98 0,33 1,00 0,00 0,61 0,33 0,00 0,980,67 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,33 0,31 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 1,32 4,06 0,66 2,00 1,64 1,00 2,19 0,005,74 4,30 7,81 1,99 9,33 7,24 4,00 6,90 5,660,00 0,00 0,00 2,32 0,33 1,64 1,00 1,25 0,000,00 0,33 1,56 0,33 1,00 1,32 0,00 0,94 0,00
Table 1 and Continues (a, b, c, d, e & f). Relative abundance of benthic foraminiferal species in the Kharrouba sectioncalculated from about 300 specimens contained in > 63 μm fraction of clayey samples. Low values calculatedin clayey samples Kh19.90, Kh19.60, Kh19.30 and Kh19 are representative of E1 Bizone. Low values calculatedin calcareous samples are indicated by (*).
391
L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
Samples
Alabamina midwayensisAllomorphina trochoidesAmmodiscus glabratusAmmodiscus peruvianusAmmosphaeroidina sp. Angulogerina muralisAnomalinoides acutaAnomalinoides praeacutaAnomalinoides rubiginosusAnomalinoides welleriAnomalinoides zitteliAragonia aragonensisAragonia velascoensisAnomalinoides spp.Astacolus ovatusBathysiphon gerochiBathysiphon sp.1 Bolivina crenulataBolivina spp.Brizalina spp.Bulimina grataBulimina kochiensis Bulimina midwayensisBulimina paleocenicaBulimina semicostataBulimina trinitatensisBulimina tuxpamensisBulimina spp.Chrysalogonium spp.Cibicides spp.Cibicidoides agrestisCibicidoides alleniCibicidoides barnetti Cibicidoides crebbsiCibicidoides hyphalus Cibicidoides mundulaCibicidoides propriusCibicidoides pseudoperlucidusCibicidoides velascoensisCibicidoides spp.Clavulinoides amorpha Coryphostoma midwayensisCoryphostoma sp.Dentalina spp.Dorothia bullettaDorothia retusaDorothia spp.Fissurina spp.Fursenkoina spp.Gaudryina aissanaGaudryina inflataGaudryina pyramidataGaudryina spp.Gavelinella danicaGlobocassidulina subglobosaGlomospira charoidesGlomospira sp.4Guttulina communisGyroidinoides globosusGyroidinoides spp.Hanzawaia ammophilaHaplophragmoides spp.Hormosina velascoensisKarrerulina conversaKarrerulina horridaLagena spp.Lenticulina spp.Marginulina spp.Marssonella oxycona
Kh
21,8
0
0,330,004,002,000,000,000,001,670,000,330,000,000,670,000,001,338,673,000,003,670,000,000,000,000,000,005,671,000,000,004,330,670,000,000,000,000,002,670,002,333,670,000,006,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,330,002,002,333,330,000,000,000,000,330,000,001,332,670,674,670,000,00
Kh
21,6
02,000,001,331,330,000,000,670,330,670,000,000,000,672,000,003,331,670,000,002,670,331,002,000,000,000,006,000,000,004,331,000,000,000,001,670,000,006,000,006,332,000,00
0,004,000,670,000,001,000,000,000,006,330,003,330,670,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,330,002,336,330,331,00
Kh
21,2
0
2,950,000,000,000,000,000,001,641,640,000,000,000,664,920,000,331,310,660,004,260,000,000,330,000,980,005,570,980,003,280,001,970,000,000,000,000,002,300,005,571,970,660,005,900,660,000,000,330,000,000,002,300,001,310,660,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,660,003,930,330,98
Kh
20,7
0
0,990,002,961,320,330,000,004,280,990,000,000,000,660,000,000,990,336,910,007,890,000,990,660,330,000,001,970,000,000,001,322,630,000,000,000,000,001,970,336,252,300,660,006,910,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,990,001,320,001,320,000,000,000,000,000,000,660,000,662,301,971,970,00
Kh
20,2
0
2,330,000,000,330,000,000,002,670,000,000,000,000,002,670,000,330,670,000,003,000,002,331,000,000,000,009,670,670,002,330,000,000,000,000,670,000,003,330,009,331,000,00
0,003,332,330,000,001,330,330,000,003,000,002,330,330,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,338,000,670,33
Kh
19,9
0
0,000,006,384,260,000,001,060,000,000,000,000,00
0,000,000,006,3811,703,190,000,000,00
0,000,000,000,000,0014,891,060,001,060,000,000,006,380,000,000,000,000,004,262,130,000,003,190,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,060,000,000,007,450,000,000,000,000,001,060,000,000,000,003,190,000,00
Kh
19,6
0
0,000,005,063,800,000,000,000,000,630,630,000,00
0,000,000,008,8611,394,430,002,530,00
0,000,000,000,000,003,800,000,001,270,000,000,002,530,630,000,000,000,000,000,630,000,0013,920,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,630,001,270,636,960,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,531,900,005,060,000,00
Kh
19,3
0
0,000,410,000,410,000,000,820,000,001,630,000,410,000,410,002,450,000,410,009,80
0,411,630,000,000,000,006,120,000,007,760,821,630,410,001,220,000,004,900,416,532,040,000,004,900,820,000,000,410,410,000,002,040,004,491,630,000,000,000,000,000,820,000,000,000,000,416,120,820,00
Kh
19,0
0
1,140,00
0,000,570,000,000,570,000,003,410,001,700,001,700,000,000,001,700,009,090,00
2,270,000,000,000,001,143,980,003,412,270,000,000,006,820,00
0,005,680,007,392,270,000,000,001,140,000,001,140,000,000,002,840,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,146,250,570,57
Kh
18,7
0
2,330,000,330,330,000,000,001,000,000,000,000,330,000,000,000,663,650,000,006,310,330,660,330,000,000,001,331,990,001,001,330,000,000,000,330,000,001,000,3311,961,660,000,009,301,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,320,001,330,330,330,000,660,000,000,000,000,000,330,003,995,651,000,00
Kh
18,0
0
0,990,660,001,970,330,000,000,990,000,000,000,000,001,320,001,974,281,640,003,290,00
0,000,000,663,290,004,610,000,001,970,000,000,000,000,330,000,000,990,0011,183,620,000,006,910,000,000,000,000,000,000,005,260,000,001,971,320,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,991,973,290,660,00
Kh
17,8
0
0,660,001,331,000,660,000,001,660,000,330,000,66
0,000,000,001,991,661,990,005,650,00
1,000,000,335,320,002,990,330,003,652,990,000,000,000,660,000,000,000,008,312,660,000,005,320,000,000,000,330,330,000,662,990,002,330,331,000,000,000,000,000,330,000,000,000,003,325,981,000,33
Kh
17,6
0
1,670,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,670,001,00
0,001,000,001,001,000,000,0013,670,00
3,330,000,001,000,333,003,330,001,673,670,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,004,670,670,000,002,330,000,000,001,335,000,000,000,000,330,671,330,670,000,001,000,000,000,000,000,000,334,674,000,670,67
Kh
17,4
0
2,650,000,330,660,000,330,000,000,331,660,000,00
0,001,320,000,330,331,321,992,320,33
0,000,660,990,660,332,650,000,005,632,980,000,001,320,000,000,002,320,006,951,320,000,003,971,320,000,000,990,660,000,001,320,000,661,990,330,000,000,000,000,330,000,000,330,001,993,640,330,00
Kh
17,2
0
0,320,320,001,590,320,320,000,000,002,550,000,32
0,002,870,005,410,960,000,000,960,00
0,320,640,000,640,004,460,640,002,232,870,000,000,000,960,000,000,640,004,782,550,000,0011,460,000,000,000,000,002,232,872,230,001,910,000,640,000,000,320,000,000,000,000,000,001,595,730,640,32
Kh
17,0
0
0,000,002,240,960,000,000,000,320,002,240,000,32
0,001,600,001,920,960,000,004,490,00
2,240,320,320,640,001,280,000,002,880,000,000,000,000,960,000,001,920,006,732,560,000,327,370,640,000,001,280,001,600,641,920,001,920,000,000,000,000,320,000,000,000,000,000,001,606,092,560,96
Kh
16,8
0
1,330,000,330,000,000,330,000,000,003,670,000,670,002,330,001,330,331,330,005,670,00
2,000,000,670,000,002,000,000,334,67
3,670,000,000,001,330,000,004,000,004,672,330,000,007,330,000,000,000,331,00
0,000,001,000,000,670,000,33
0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,677,670,000,33
Kh
16,6
0
0,520,000,002,850,000,000,000,000,262,330,000,78
0,001,300,002,851,550,520,006,740,00
0,781,040,520,520,001,300,000,007,770,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,520,0011,921,810,260,008,030,000,000,000,000,000,260,002,070,000,524,400,520,000,001,040,000,000,00
0,260,520,002,593,891,300,00
Kh
16,4
0
1,290,000,322,250,000,000,001,290,002,570,001,29
0,002,250,000,320,002,570,008,680,00
3,860,320,002,890,001,930,000,005,140,000,000,000,001,930,000,000,960,004,501,610,000,005,790,640,000,000,640,000,000,000,000,001,290,960,320,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,864,181,610,64
Kh
16,3
0
2,330,330,330,000,000,000,000,000,331,330,001,00
0,000,000,002,000,000,330,002,670,00
0,000,330,330,000,001,330,000,006,000,330,000,000,002,000,000,000,000,0010,334,000,000,003,330,670,000,000,000,000,330,001,330,001,002,000,330,000,330,330,000,000,000,000,000,005,679,671,330,67
Kh
16,1
0
0,320,320,320,320,000,000,000,000,001,610,000,320,004,180,004,180,001,610,005,470,00
0,320,640,001,610,000,640,960,001,612,250,000,000,000,960,000,001,930,006,112,570,000,008,040,960,000,000,642,250,000,000,640,000,642,250,320,000,321,290,000,000,000,000,000,003,228,040,640,32
Kh
15,9
0
0,330,00
0,001,000,000,000,000,001,331,990,002,330,004,320,000,000,331,990,008,310,00
1,331,330,000,660,001,992,990,004,320,330,000,000,000,330,000,000,000,006,312,660,000,004,980,330,000,001,000,000,330,001,000,001,993,320,000,000,000,660,000,000,000,000,000,005,655,98
0,330,00
Table 1b.
392
PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
Samples
Alabamina midwayensisAllomorphina trochoidesAmmodiscus glabratusAmmodiscus peruvianusAmmosphaeroidina sp. Angulogerina muralisAnomalinoides acutaAnomalinoides praeacutaAnomalinoides rubiginosusAnomalinoides welleriAnomalinoides zitteliAragonia aragonensisAragonia velascoensisAnomalinoides spp.Astacolus ovatusBathysiphon gerochiBathysiphon sp.1 Bolivina crenulataBolivina spp.Brizalina spp.Bulimina grataBulimina kochiensis Bulimina midwayensisBulimina paleocenicaBulimina semicostataBulimina trinitatensisBulimina tuxpamensisBulimina spp.Chrysalogonium spp.Cibicides spp.Cibicidoides agrestisCibicidoides alleniCibicidoides barnetti Cibicidoides crebbsiCibicidoides hyphalus Cibicidoides mundulaCibicidoides propriusCibicidoides pseudoperlucidusCibicidoides velascoensisCibicidoides spp.Clavulinoides amorpha Coryphostoma midwayensisCoryphostoma sp.Dentalina spp.Dorothia bullettaDorothia retusaDorothia spp.Fissurina spp.Fursenkoina spp.Gaudryina aissanaGaudryina inflataGaudryina pyramidataGaudryina spp.Gavelinella danicaGlobocassidulina subglobosaGlomospira charoidesGlomospira sp.4Guttulina communisGyroidinoides globosusGyroidinoides spp.Hanzawaia ammophilaHaplophragmoides spp.Hormosina velascoensisKarrerulina conversaKarrerulina horridaLagena spp.Lenticulina spp.Marginulina spp.Marssonella oxycona
Kh
15,6
01,000,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,333,320,001,990,004,320,001,660,000,330,006,980,001,660,000,001,660,002,331,330,331,990,330,000,000,000,330,000,000,660,009,300,330,660,003,650,000,000,000,000,660,001,000,330,001,001,000,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,665,321,660,33
Kh
15,2
00,660,000,332,980,000,330,000,000,662,980,001,660,003,970,000,990,990,330,004,300,000,331,320,331,320,003,310,000,003,640,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,640,005,632,980,330,007,950,330,000,001,320,660,000,333,310,002,320,000,000,000,660,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,316,290,000,99
Kh
14,8
0
1,000,000,000,330,000,330,000,000,662,330,001,660,003,650,001,000,001,000,004,980,002,330,000,000,000,001,660,000,005,320,000,000,000,001,000,000,001,330,007,640,660,000,009,970,660,000,000,000,000,000,331,000,000,000,330,000,000,001,000,000,000,000,000,000,004,659,631,330,33
Kh
14,5
0
0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,331,000,000,670,002,330,002,670,004,330,004,000,000,670,330,000,000,006,332,330,332,330,000,000,000,003,000,000,002,330,005,000,000,000,0015,000,670,000,000,005,670,000,670,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,330,000,000,000,000,002,006,332,330,00
Kh
14,1
0
0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,331,673,000,000,670,001,670,000,670,000,330,003,330,001,670,330,000,000,335,671,000,002,002,000,000,000,332,000,000,000,330,0013,672,330,000,0012,330,330,000,000,335,000,000,331,000,000,000,670,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,337,331,000,33
Kh
13,7
0
3,00
0,00
0,00
0,33
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
5,33
2,33
7,00
0,00
1,33
0,00
0,33
0,00
0,33
0,00
1,67
0,00
0,33
0,67
0,000,00
0,00
3,33
0,00
0,00
2,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
3,33
0,00
0,00
0,33
0,00
10,67
1,33
0,00
0,00
4,33
0,33
0,00
0,00
0,00
1,00
0,00
1,67
2,67
0,00
2,00
0,33
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,67
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
3,00
7,00
0,00
3,00
Kh
13,3
5
0,000,000,321,620,000,000,000,000,004,220,000,320,001,620,000,002,270,970,007,140,001,950,000,000,650,001,950,650,004,550,000,000,000,002,600,000,000,000,0011,042,270,000,004,220,000,000,001,302,920,000,001,300,001,622,600,000,000,320,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,904,220,650,32
Kh
12,5
0
0,330,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,330,330,670,000,000,000,000,331,670,009,330,002,670,000,000,000,679,005,000,672,670,000,000,000,001,670,000,000,000,009,670,000,000,004,670,000,000,000,000,670,000,331,670,000,330,670,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,007,000,670,00
Kh
11,8
0
1,330,000,330,000,000,000,000,000,004,000,000,000,004,000,002,670,003,673,337,670,000,001,670,000,330,007,336,000,330,670,000,000,000,002,000,000,000,000,007,670,330,000,002,000,330,000,000,335,670,000,000,000,002,000,670,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,334,330,670,00
Kh
10,8
5
0,660,000,330,000,000,000,001,660,335,320,001,000,003,320,001,000,000,660,000,330,000,331,000,000,000,003,321,000,001,666,310,000,000,003,650,000,002,330,007,971,660,000,005,320,000,000,000,002,990,000,000,330,000,660,000,000,001,000,001,990,000,000,000,000,001,668,640,330,66
Kh
9,00
5,950,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,0010,710,001,191,191,190,002,380,000,000,001,191,190,000,004,760,000,000,000,000,000,002,380,000,000,000,0013,100,000,000,007,140,000,000,000,000,000,001,190,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,190,000,000,000,000,000,004,760,000,00
Kh
7,50
3,330,000,670,000,000,000,000,000,005,671,000,330,002,000,004,331,330,670,673,330,002,332,330,000,000,333,003,000,002,330,000,000,000,001,000,000,000,330,004,001,000,330,005,670,330,000,000,001,670,001,001,000,000,330,670,670,000,000,000,670,000,000,00
0,000,000,3311,001,000,00
Kh
6,50
4,300,332,651,660,000,000,000,000,000,660,662,650,000,000,006,952,980,990,001,990,000,660,660,330,000,001,990,990,005,960,660,000,000,003,970,000,000,330,007,281,321,320,009,600,330,000,330,000,660,000,000,330,993,310,662,320,000,000,000,330,000,000,000,000,000,333,640,000,99
Kh
5,70
2,250,320,320,640,000,000,000,000,002,570,002,570,000,000,000,000,000,003,223,220,002,250,320,000,000,001,930,000,324,820,000,000,000,001,930,000,000,000,0011,253,540,000,007,720,960,000,000,641,610,000,000,960,000,321,611,290,000,000,001,930,000,000,000,000,001,935,790,960,96
Kh
4,55
4,001,002,000,670,000,000,000,000,006,670,000,330,002,670,000,003,000,000,000,000,001,000,670,000,000,002,000,000,000,001,000,000,000,001,330,000,000,670,0014,332,000,000,002,330,000,000,000,330,000,000,333,670,000,670,001,330,000,000,000,000,330,000,000,000,001,337,001,330,00
Kh
3,40
1,000,671,671,330,000,000,000,000,004,000,000,000,000,000,007,330,330,001,331,000,000,670,000,330,000,002,001,000,333,670,000,000,000,003,000,000,005,000,007,672,000,000,0011,000,000,000,000,000,670,330,000,670,001,002,001,330,000,000,001,000,000,000,000,000,001,676,331,000,33
Kh
2,50
2,610,000,981,630,000,000,000,000,335,560,331,310,000,000,005,231,960,000,005,560,000,000,000,000,000,330,651,310,653,270,000,000,000,000,000,000,003,590,0013,400,980,000,006,210,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,310,003,270,653,270,000,330,330,000,000,000,000,000,002,617,520,000,65
Kh
1,75
1,141,142,841,990,000,000,000,000,002,840,001,140,000,000,003,981,990,000,000,000,003,410,570,280,000,002,840,000,854,550,000,000,570,001,420,000,000,000,007,673,132,270,007,952,560,000,000,000,850,000,570,850,001,140,573,690,001,140,000,000,000,000,000,000,850,286,821,421,14
Table 1c.
393
L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
Morozovella Marginodentata Zone (E3)It is a Partial Range Zone. The HO of Morozovellavelascoensis marks its base and the LO of Morozovellaformosa indicates its top (Pearson et al. 2006). In theKharrouba section, across the 13.6-m-thick E3 Zone,the nominate zone taxon is associated with M.subbotinae, M. aequa, Subbotina roesnaesensis,Chiloguembelina wilcoxensis and Subbotinapseudoeocaena.
Morozovella Formosa Zone (E4)This spans the interval between the LO ofMorozovella formosa and the LO of Morozovella
aragonensis. In the Kharrouba section, only the lowerpart of this zone (~2 m) has been investigated in thiswork. In it, the zone biomarker is associated withChiloguembelina wilcoxensis and diverseMorozovellids (e.g., Morozovella marginodentata, M.formosa, M. lensiformis, M. subbotinae) andAcarininids (e.g. Acarinina interposita, A. quetra).
Benthic Foraminifera Through the Cretaceous and Cenozoic periods,benthic foraminifera with calcareous andagglutinated tests make up different assemblages,depending on their palaeodepth habitats, oxygen andnutrients supply. About the palaeodepth, based on
Samples
Kh
31,4
0
Kh
28,9
0
Kh
28,1
0
Kh
27,7
0
Kh
27,0
0
Kh
26,0
0
Kh
25,6
0
Kh
25,3
5
Kh
25,0
5
Kh
24,8
5
Kh
24,6
5
Kh
24,4
5
Kh
24,2
5
Kh
23,8
5
Kh
23,6
0
Kh
23,4
0
Kh
23,2
0
Kh
22,0
5
Kh
22,2
0
Kh
22,3
0
Kh
22,7
0
Kh
23,0
0
0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,67 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,31 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,31 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,31
0,00 0,00 0,33 0,33 0,31 0,66 1,95 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 3,31 1,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,61 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,30 0,00 1,25 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,67 0,31 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,33 0,33 2,45 1,99 0,00 0,98 1,21 0,66 0,63 0,33 2,33 0,99 1,00 0,63 0,002,61 1,00 0,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
Nodosaria longiscataNodosaria parianaNodosaria spp.
Nonion havaensisNonionella spp.
Nothia robustaNuttallides truempyiOridorsalis umbonatusOsangularia plummeraePleurostomella brevisPleurostomella paleocenicaPleurostomella spp.
Pseudoglandulina obesaPseudoglandulina strobulus Pseudoglandulina spp.
Psammosphaera irregularisPsammosphaera spp.
Pseudonodosinella spp.
Pullenia coryelliPullenia jarvisiPullenia quinquelobaPullenia spp.
Fissurina spp. Quadrimorphina allomorphinoidesRecurvoides retroseptusReticulophragmoides jarvisiReticulophragmoides spp.Rzehakina epigonaSaccammina spp.Saracenaria sp.Siphogenerinoides elegantaSpiroplectammina spectabilisSpiroplectammina spp.Spiroplectinella dentataSpiroplectinella subhaeringensisStensioeina beccariiformis Stilostomella spp. Tappanina selmensisTappanina sp.1
Tritaxia spp.
Trochamminopsis altiformisUvigerina proboscideaUnknown speciesVaginulopsis spp.
Valvulineria sp.
Vulvulina mexicanaVulvulina advena
Total specimens
1,00
0,005,33
0,00
0,33
1,67
6,00
3,33
0,00
0,00
1,00
1,67
0,000,00
0,330,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
1,33
0,000,00
0,67
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
4,67
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,670,00
0,00
0,330,00
0,67
1,67
0,000,00
0,000,00
1,670,000,00
0,67
2,33
300
0,67
0,001,67
0,33
0,00
6,00
4,33
0,33
0,00
0,00
0,00
1,67
0,000,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
1,33
0,000,00
0,33
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
3,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,670,00
0,00
4,67
0,000,00
0,000,00
1,000,000,00
0,00
0,00
300
0,00
0,0011,11
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
11,11
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,000,00
0,000,000,00
0,00
0,00
9*
1,75
0,008,77
1,75
0,00
0,00
1,75
0,00
1,75
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
3,510,00
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
0,001,75
0,00
0,00
0,000,00
0,000,00
24,560,000,00
1,75
0,00
57*
2,99
0,663,99
0,00
0,00
0,00
1,99
1,99
0,33
1,66
1,00
0,33
0,330,33
0,000,00
0,00
0,66
0,66
0,00
1,000,00
0,33
0,00
0,000,00
0,00
3,320,00
0,00
1,33
0,330,00
0,00
0,330,33
1,99
1,33
0,000,00
0,000,00
2,330,000,00
1,66
0,33
301
0,98 2,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,97 0,33 0,30 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 2,83
0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,636,54 6,64 6,98 3,00 4,89 3,99 3,90 1,64 3,93 2,98 3,75 3,31 1,33 6,25 2,33 1,25 5,03
0,65 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,61 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,99 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 1,33 1,00 0,31 0,33 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,31 0,00 1,00 0,33 0,00 0,31 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
5,23 8,31 5,65 3,33 3,67 4,32 6,17 7,87 12,39 10,60 6,25 3,31 7,67 6,91 3,33 3,13 5,03
0,33 1,66 0,33 1,67 0,00 0,66 0,32 0,66 0,60 0,33 0,31 2,32 2,33 5,92 1,00 2,19 0,94
0,00 0,00 0,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,30 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00
1,63 0,33 3,32 0,00 1,83 0,00 0,32 1,31 1,21 1,32 0,31 2,32 0,67 1,32 0,00 0,00 0,00
3,59 1,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,62 0,33 0,91 0,99 0,31 0,66 0,33 1,32 1,33 3,13 0,00
0,65 0,00 1,66 2,33 0,00 4,98 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,88 0,00 3,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,33 0,00 0,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,63 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,33 1,00 0,00 0,33
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
2,61 5,32 2,99 5,67
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
1,63 0,00 1,33 0,33
0,00 0,33 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00
3,59 6,64 3,65 4,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,33 0,00 0,33 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,66 0,33
0,00 0,00 0,33 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
1,31 2,33 1,66 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,65 0,00 0,00 0,00
1,31 0,66 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33
306 301 301 300
0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,33 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00
0,61 0,66 0,97
0,00 0,00 2,27
7,95 3,99 5,190,00 0,00 0,65
0,00 0,33 0,00
0,00 0,66 0,32
0,00 0,00 0,32
0,31 0,00 0,00
0,92 1,33 1,62
1,53 0,66 0,65
0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,66 0,00
0,31 1,33 0,320,92 0,00 1,950,00 0,00 0,65
0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00
3,67 1,66 0,000,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 1,00 0,00
0,61 0,33 0,32
327 301 308
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,31 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,66 0,60 1,32 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,94
4,92 3,02 5,63 5,63 6,62 4,00 3,29 2,67 5,96 0,94
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,33 0,94 5,63 0,00 0,00 0,67 0,00 1,57
0,00 0,60 0,66 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 4,09
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
5,90 4,53 2,98 0,00 2,98 1,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,001,64 0,91 0,33 2,19 0,66 0,67 0,00 1,33 1,88 2,52
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,32 0,00 0,99 1,00 0,00 0,00
0,98 1,21 0,00 0,31 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 3,13 0,00
0,00 0,00 1,32 1,56 0,99 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,31 0,310,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,94 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,99 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,60 0,66 0,00 0,33 0,00 3,29 2,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,31 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,000,33 0,00 0,00 0,31 0,66 0,00 0,66 0,67 1,57 0,310,66 1,51 0,00 0,94 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 1,57 0,31
305 331 302 320 302 300 304 300 319 318
Table 1d.
394
PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
calcareous or agglutinated species composition ofthese assemblages, the authors (Berggren & Aubert1975; Tjalsma 1977; Tjalsma & Lohmann 1983; VanMorkhoven et al. 1986; Kaminski & Gradstein 2005)have defined distinct faunas or type of assemblagese.g., Midway Fauna (MF: indicative of shallowmarine environment, including calcareous andagglutinated species), Velasco Fauna (VF: indicativeof bathyal and abyssal environment and based onlyon calcareous species), agglutinated AbyssalAssemblage (AA), Flysch-type Assemblage (FTA)and Slope Marl Assemblage (SMA).
In the Kharrouba section, the studied deposits arerich in benthic foraminifera belonging to more than
102 species. At least, 60% of these species areassumed to be cosmopolitan in the deep sea duringthe Paleocene and Eocene periods. They arecomposed of species with agglutinated andcalcareous tests showing varied relative abundanceacross the Paleocene–Eocene transition interval,enabling us to reconstruct the palaeodepth at theKharrouba location.
Calcareous Hyaline Benthic ForaminiferaBenthic foraminiferal assemblages from theKharrouba section contain abundant representativesof cosmopolitan calcareous species. A total of 70
Samples
Kh
21,8
0
Kh
21,6
0
Kh
21,2
0
Kh
20,7
0
Kh
20,2
0
Kh
19,9
0
Kh
19,6
0
Kh
19,3
0
Kh
19,0
0
Kh
18,7
0
Kh
18,0
0
Kh
17,8
0
Kh
17,6
0
Kh
17,4
0
Kh
17,2
0
Kh
17,0
0
Kh
16,8
0
Kh
16,6
0
Kh
16,4
0
Kh
16,3
0
Kh
16,1
0
Kh
15,9
0
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 2,13 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,32 0,009,67 6,33 5,90 4,61 3,67 3,19 3,16 0,41 5,68 1,99 4,93 5,32 2,00 10,60 4,14 6,73 4,00 9,84 4,18 13,00 5,14 3,650,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,32 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,67 0,33 0,64 0,00 0,67 0,26 0,96 1,00 0,00 1,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
4,00 2,33 8,85 11,51 6,67 3,19 4,43 8,98 5,11 7,64 4,93 6,64 3,67 9,60 2,23 3,85 6,67 4,66 5,47 3,67 4,82 6,982,33 1,00 1,64 0,00 0,67 1,06 0,63 1,22 1,14 0,33 0,33 1,00 1,00 1,66 4,46 5,13 2,00 1,30 3,22 2,00 3,86 4,650,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,64 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,67 0,67 0,66 1,64 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,82 1,14 0,00 1,32 0,00 0,33 0,00 1,91 0,00 1,33 0,26 0,00 2,33 1,61 0,000,33 2,33 1,97 1,64 0,67 0,00 0,63 1,22 0,57 1,33 0,33 1,99 5,33 1,66 1,59 1,28 5,00 0,78 2,89 0,67 2,89 1,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 3,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 3,98 3,65 1,97 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 4,650,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,32 0,00 0,26 0,32 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,67 0,33 0,00 1,60 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,67 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,33 2,13 0,63 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,32 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,001,33 2,00 1,97 0,33 1,33 0,00 0,00 0,41 5,11 1,99 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,66 1,91 0,96 0,00 1,30 0,32 2,33 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,67 0,33 0,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,33 0,32 0,32 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,67 1,33 1,97 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,41 0,57 1,99 0,99 1,00 1,33 1,66 2,55 1,60 1,67 0,26 1,29 2,00 0,96 1,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,63 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,002,67 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,67 1,06 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,99 0,00 0,67 0,00 0,32 0,32 0,00 0,78 0,32 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,27 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,001,67 2,33 5,57 7,24 6,67 3,19 2,53 3,67 3,41 6,31 2,63 2,66 4,00 3,31 4,14 4,49 5,00 2,07 6,11 2,00 4,82 1,660,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,27 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,32 0,00 0,64 0,000,67 0,00 1,64 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,63 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 1,00 0,67 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,96 0,67 0,32 0,001,33 0,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,26 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,57 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,001,00 3,00 0,33 2,30 0,00 0,00 3,16 0,41 0,00 0,33 1,32 0,33 2,00 1,66 2,55 1,92 1,00 0,00 0,96 0,67 2,25 1,330,00 1,33 1,31 0,33 0,00 1,06 0,00 2,45 0,00 1,99 0,99 2,99 1,33 2,32 0,96 3,21 2,00 1,81 3,86 2,67 1,93 2,990,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 1,06 0,63 0,00 0,00 1,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,64 0,32 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,000,67 0,33 4,92 0,99 0,33 1,06 0,00 4,49 2,84 3,99 8,22 4,65 8,33 3,64 0,64 0,64 0,67 2,07 0,64 1,33 0,96 0,660,00 0,00 0,66 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 1,33 0,26 0,96 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,41 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,52 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,33 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,63 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,330,33 0,00 1,97 0,00 3,33 1,06 0,00 0,41 1,14 0,00 1,32 0,00 0,00 0,99 2,55 1,60 2,00 0,00 0,96 1,00 0,32 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,96 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,000,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,67 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00
0,00 0,00 0,00 0,33 2,00 1,06 0,63 1,22 0,00 1,00 0,00 0,00 0,67 1,32 1,27 0,00 0,00 1,81 0,00 1,33 0,96 0,000,00 1,67 0,66 0,00 0,33 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 1,00 0,33 0,66 0,33 1,32 0,32 1,60 0,67 0,00 0,32 0,00 0,32 0,33
300 300 305 304 300 94 158 245 176 301 304 301 300 302 314 312 300 386 311 300 311 301
Nodosaria longiscataNodosaria parianaNodosaria spp.Nonion havaensisNonionella spp.Nothia robustaNuttallides truempyiOridorsalis umbonatusOsangularia plummeraePleurostomella brevisPleurostomella paleocenicaPleurostomella spp.Pseudoglandulina obesaPseudoglandulina strobulus Pseudoglandulina spp.Psammosphaera irregularisPsammosphaera spp.Pseudonodosinella spp.Pullenia coryelliPullenia jarvisiPullenia quinquelobaPullenia spp.Fissurina spp. Quadrimorphina allomorphinoidesRecurvoides retroseptusReticulophragmoides jarvisiReticulophragmoides spp.Rzehakina epigonaSaccammina spp.Saracenaria sp.Siphogenerinoides elegantaSpiroplectammina spectabilisSpiroplectammina spp.Spiroplectinella dentataSpiroplectinella subhaeringensisStensioeina beccariiformis Stilostomella spp.Tappanina selmensisTappanina sp.1Tritaxia spp.Trochamminopsis altiformisUvigerina proboscideaUnknown speciesVaginulopsis spp. Valvulineria sp.Vulvulina mexicanaVulvulina advena
Total specimens
Table 1e.
395
L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
calcareous species are recognized. Among thesecalcareous species, 30 are typical of the Velasco-fauna (VF) (Figure 2) as defined firstly by Tjalsma(1977) and in more detail by Tjalsma & Lohmann(1983) and Van Morkhoven et al. (1986). In thissection, the indicative species of the Velasco fauna(VF) represent ~71% of the total calcareousforaminifera. They are divided into three successiveassemblages (Figure 2).
The oldest one (spanning the P5 zone), is themost diversified in VF species (e.g., Globocassidulinasubglobosa, Nuttallides truempyi, Cibicidoides spp.,Oridorsalis umbonatus, Anomalinoides spp.,
Gyroidinoides spp., Tappanina selmensis, Buliminaspp.). In this Paleocene assemblage, especiallyAragonia velascoensis, Stensioeina beccariiformis, andCibicidoides mundula disappeared before reachingthe base of earliest Eocene zone (E1).
The medium assemblage includes inherited VFspecies from the oldest assemblage. Several of themgradually disappear during the E1-E3 intervaldeposition (e.g., Anomalinoides rubiginosus,Bulimina trinitatensis, Bolivina spp., Bulimina grata,Bulimina semicostata, Cibicidoides crebbsi,Cibicidoides velascoensis, Cibicidoides alleni,Gyroidinoides globosus, Pullenia coryelli, Pullenia
Samples
Kh
15,6
0
Kh
15,2
0
Kh
14,8
0
Kh
14,5
0
Kh
14,1
0
Kh
13,7
0
Kh
13,3
5
Kh
12,5
0
Kh
11,8
0
Kh
10,8
5
Kh
9,00
Kh
7,50
Kh
6,50
Kh
5,70
Kh
4,55
Kh
3,40
Kh
2,50
Kh
1,75
Nodosaria longiscataNodosaria parianaNodosaria spp.Nonion havaensisNonionella spp. Nothia robustaNuttallides truempyiOridorsalis umbonatusOsangularia plummeraePleurostomella brevisPleurostomella paleocenicaPleurostomella spp. Pseudoglandulina obesaPseudoglandulina strobulus Pseudoglandulina spp. Psammosphaera irregularisPsammosphaera spp.Pseudonodosinella spp. Pullenia coryelliPullenia jarvisiPullenia quinquelobaPullenia spp.Fissurina spp. Quadrimorphina allomorphinoidesRecurvoides retroseptusReticulophragmoides jarvisiReticulophragmoides spp. Rzehakina epigonaSaccammina spp. Saracenaria sp. Siphogenerinoides elegantaSpiroplectammina spectabilisSpiroplectammina spp. Spiroplectinella dentataSpiroplectinella subhaeringensisStensioeina beccariiformis Stilostomella spp. Tappanina selmensisTappanina sp.1 Tritaxia spp.Trochamminopsis altiformisUvigerina proboscideaUnknown speciesVaginulopsis spp. Valvulineria sp. Vulvulina mexicanaVulvulina advena
Total specimens
0,000,005,320,000,000,007,315,320,330,332,660,000,000,001,660,000,000,330,332,330,000,000,330,000,000,000,005,980,000,000,000,000,002,991,990,000,000,000,330,000,000,001,000,001,000,331,00
301
0,000,002,650,000,000,005,632,650,000,331,320,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,330,990,000,000,000,000,000,330,003,970,000,000,000,000,003,312,980,000,660,990,000,000,000,000,990,660,331,320,00
302
0,000,004,650,000,000,0010,303,650,000,660,000,000,330,000,000,000,001,660,000,001,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,660,000,000,000,000,001,332,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,990,000,002,330,00
301
0,000,001,670,000,000,00
5,671,000,330,002,330,000,000,000,000,000,001,330,330,670,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,330,000,330,330,000,003,001,670,000,670,330,000,000,000,006,670,000,331,000,00
300
0,000,003,670,000,000,003,331,671,000,332,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,000,001,330,670,000,000,000,000,000,004,670,000,000,000,000,001,002,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,330,000,000,330,00
300
0,000,003,000,000,330,002,673,671,33
0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,330,672,330,000,001,670,000,000,000,005,000,000,000,000,000,002,331,330,001,670,330,000,000,000,000,330,000,001,330,00
300
0,000,004,550,001,300,004,553,570,003,570,320,000,000,000,000,320,000,000,001,301,620,000,000,000,000,000,002,270,000,000,000,000,002,273,570,000,000,970,650,000,000,320,970,000,000,000,32
308
0,000,008,670,001,670,006,672,330,33
0,001,672,670,330,000,000,330,000,670,000,001,670,000,000,000,000,000,002,670,000,000,000,000,331,330,330,000,001,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,670,00
300
0,000,007,670,000,330,004,001,330,001,331,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,000,330,002,000,000,000,000,000,000,002,000,000,000,000,000,000,670,330,000,331,330,000,000,000,004,330,000,000,000,33
300
0,000,003,320,000,000,003,991,330,000,331,660,000,000,000,000,000,001,000,661,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,006,980,000,000,000,000,003,326,640,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,660,000,001,660,00
301
0,000,001,190,001,190,0017,860,000,000,000,001,190,000,003,570,000,002,380,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,005,950,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,005,950,000,001,190,00
84*
0,000,002,330,001,000,005,005,001,001,000,000,000,001,000,000,000,000,000,001,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,005,000,001,000,000,000,001,002,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,005,670,000,000,000,00
300
0,000,003,310,000,660,000,000,331,990,990,330,000,000,000,000,000,001,990,001,320,000,000,000,000,000,000,337,620,000,000,660,660,001,320,000,000,990,330,330,000,000,000,990,000,330,330,00
302
0,000,002,250,000,961,292,570,960,323,542,570,000,000,000,000,000,000,640,001,930,000,000,000,000,000,000,009,000,000,000,000,000,322,251,290,001,610,000,000,000,000,000,000,320,000,000,00
311
0,000,0011,330,000,002,005,001,670,000,000,001,670,000,000,000,000,002,670,670,670,000,000,000,670,000,000,005,000,000,000,000,000,003,330,670,000,330,330,000,000,000,000,670,000,001,330,00
300
0,000,004,330,670,000,001,333,330,330,331,670,000,330,000,000,000,001,670,001,330,000,000,000,000,000,000,006,000,000,330,000,000,002,332,000,000,670,000,000,000,000,000,330,000,001,330,00
300
0,000,006,860,000,000,001,631,311,630,000,002,290,330,000,000,000,000,650,002,940,000,000,000,330,000,000,001,310,000,000,650,000,002,610,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,650,000,000,980,00
306
0,000,002,560,280,571,421,421,420,001,140,850,000,000,000,000,000,000,850,001,420,000,000,000,850,000,000,006,531,140,000,000,000,001,990,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,001,700,000,001,420,00
352
Table 1f.
396
PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
397
L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
quinqueloba, Hanzawaia ammophila, Uvigerinaproboscidea, Stilostomella spp., Siphogenerinoideseleganta, Tappanina selmensis, Tappanina sp.1).
The youngest assemblage, spanning the E4 zone,becomes reduced in VF. Therefore, at the base of thiszone the assemblage is composed of Aragoniaaragonensis, Bulimina midwayensis, Buliminatuxpamensis, Cibicidoides hyphalus, Cibicidoidesbarnetti, Coryphostoma midwayensis,Globocassidulina subglobosa, Gavelinella danica,Oridorsalis umbonatus and Nuttallides truempyi.
Other recognized hyaline calcareous species inthe Kharrouba section (40) are assumed to beeurybath (ECF) and are less useful indicators ofpalaeodepth e.g., Anomalinoides praeacuta, A. acuta,Pleurostomella brevis, P. paleocenica, Pullenia jarvisi,Alabamina midwayensis, Allomorphina trochoides,Cibicidoides pseudoperlucidus, Saracenaria sp.(Figure 2).
Agglutinated Benthic ForaminiferaIn the Kharrouba section, 32 out of a total of 102benthic foraminifera are agglutinated species. Theyshow varied relative abundances (Figures 3 & 4). Allare representatives of the deep sea agglutinatedbenthic foraminiferal assemblages. Among them,eleven species (11) suggest the Abyssal Assemblage(AA) by Kaminski & Gradstein (2005), such asAmmodiscus glabratus, A. peruvianus, Karrerulinahorrida, K. conversa, Bathysiphon spp. (e.g., B. gerochiand B. sp.1), Reticulophragmoides spp.,Pseudonodosinella spp., Haplophragmoides spp.,associated with Glomospira charoides andReticulophragmoides jarvisi. However, seven (7)species suggest the Flysch-type Assemblage (FTA) byKaminski & Gradstein (idem.), e.g.,Spiroplectammina spectabilis, Hormosinavelascoensis, Trochamminopsis altiformis,Psammosphaera spp., P. irregularis, Nothia robusta,Rzehakina epigona. Fifteen (14) other species suggestthe Slope Marls Assemblage (SMA) by Kaminski &Gradstein (ibid.), e.g. Spiroplectinellasubhaeringensis, S. dentata, Clavulinoides amorpha,Dorothia bulletta, D. retusa, Gaudryina inflata, G.aissana, G. pyramidata, Marssonella oxycona,Tritaxia spp., Vulvulina advena, V. mexicana,Ammosphaeroidina sp., Reticulophragmoides jarvisi.
Supplementary Palaeobathymetric Proxies Planktonic /Benthic Ratio (P/B)This ratio is calculated as following: P/ (P + B) × 100.In all clayey samples from the Kharrouba section, theP/B ratio values exceed 90%, with an average of~95% (Figure 3). This result corroborates ourpalaeodepth interpretation. Therefore, withreference to the modern oceans, high P/B ratiovalues are also indicative of deep sea environments(Mackensen et al. 1993; Gage & Brey 1994; SenGupta 2000).
Agglutinated/Calcareous Ratio (A/C)This ratio is calculated as following: Agglutinatedspecimens / (Agglutinated specimens + Calcareousspecimens) × 100. In the Kharrouba section, thevalues of this ratio in the studied samples vary from8% to 38% with an average of ~21% (Figure 3).Except for samples Kh19.90 and Kh19.60 from theE1 Zone (Figure 3), this ratio shows an importantincrease and reaches higher values (respectively48.94% and 51.9%). The abrupt change in this ratiocoincides with an interval of partially dissolvedcalcareous tests which may indicate more corrosiveand acidic water at the sea floor (Green et al. 1993).
Discussion Based on the planktonic foraminiferal biozones, weillustrate that the Kharrouba section contains one ofthe most complete Paleocene–Eocene transitionintervals. It records all the standard biozones in thisinterval with the relevant marker species. Comparedwith the Dababiya section, which is the GlobalStratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for thePaleocene/Eocene boundary, the Kharrouba sectionshows that the Paleocene also ends with the M.velascoensis Zone (=P5, Berggren & Pearson 2005).However, as in the Dababiya section, the Eoceneinterval starts with the first occurrence of theAcarinina sibaiyaensis marker of the E1 Zone(Berggren & Pearson 2005). The base of thisnominate zone marks the Paleocene/Eocene (P/E)boundary. Our results show that in the Kharroubasection, this lowest Eocene zone (E1) is developed,but it is more condensed than in the Dababiya
Clav
ulin
oide
s am
orph
a
Glo
mos
pira
cha
roid
es
Hap
loph
ragm
oide
s spp
.Ka
rrer
ulin
a co
nver
sa
Kar
reru
lina
horr
ida
Mar
sson
ella
oxy
cona
Not
hia
robu
sta
Retic
uloph
ragm
oides
spp
.
Rze
haki
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PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
Figure 4. Relative abundance of the most characteristic deep-water agglutinated benthic foraminiferal species (DWAF) (>1%) across the Paleocene–Eocene transition interval in the Kharrouba section (for 1–8 see Figure 2).
399
L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
section (90 cm in the Kharrouba section vs. ~2.20 min the Dababiya section). Hence we contend that theKharrouba section shows a continuous and completePaleocene–Eocene transition. In thePseudohastigerina wilcoxensis/Morozovellavelascoensis Zone (=E2), it is also more condensed(~3.2 cm) than in the Dababiya section (~13.25 cm)(Berggren & Ouda 2003; Aubry et al. 2007).
In this Tunisian complete section, the calculatedPlanktonic/Benthic ratio (P/B) in the clayey studiedsamples (> 90%) indicates an open sea and deepwater palaeoenvironment (Premoli-Silva & Bolli1973; Derbel-Damak 1993). The decrease of the P/Bratio values observed in calcareous beds (e.g.,Kh28.90 and Kh28.10) may be related toenvironmental instability and a probable temporarysea shallowing as suggested by Boris (2003)elsewhere. However, the Agglutinated/Calcareousratio (A/C) calculated in the Kharrouba sectionsshow that in most samples, the values range between8% and 38% (Figure 3). These values, are higher thanthose calculated in the northern Sinai (Egypt) by El-Nady (2005) for coeval deposits (5% to 14%).However, the sudden increase of this ratio (from19.67% in sample Kh20.20 to 48.94% in sampleKh19.90), coincides with the P/E boundary and thebase of the Acarinina sibaiyaensis Zone (E1) (Figure3). Several authors contend that a global warmingevent starting at the earliest Eocene, the InitialEocene thermal maximum (IETM), initiatedacidification and corrosivity in deep water (Zachos etal. 2005; Higgins & Schrag 2006; Zili et al. 2009).Such acidification, suggesting low pH values in deepwater (Parker & Athearn 1959; Hunger 1966; Greenet al. 1993), is corroborated in the Kharrouba sectionby the increase in the A/C ratio values and the partialdissolution features in calcareous tests.
The estimated frequency values average ofplanktonic foraminifera (~95%), of agglutinatedbenthic foraminifera (~0.92%), and of calcareousbenthic foraminifera (~3.87%), placed on atriangular plot by Bignot (2001), allow the plausiblepalaeodepth in the Kharrouba section to be deduced.By this method, we confirm that during thePaleocene–Eocene transition interval, theKharrouba area was located in a deep marineenvironment, above the CCD and the lysocline(Figure 6).
Moreover, the benthic foraminiferal speciescontent in this complete section, with bothcalcareous and agglutinated tests, provides consistentinformation on the seafloor palaeodepth of theKharrouba location. In the lower part of the section,the calcareous benthic foraminiferal species,suggesting the deep sea Velasco-type fauna (Figure5), are frequent (e.g., Aragonia velascoensis,Cibicidoides velascoensis, Stensioeina beccariiformis,Nuttallides truempyi, Anomalinoides rubiginosus,Bulimina trinitatensis, Gyroidinoides globosus). Thesespecies indicate a lower bathyal to abyssalenvironment (Berggren & Aubert 1975; Tjalsma &Lohmann 1983; Alegret et al. 2001; Katz et al. 2001;Alegret & Thomas 2007). However, Cibicidoideshyphalus, Pullenia coryelli, Oridorsalis umbonatus,are assumed to inhabit a less deep middle bathyalenvironment (Tjalsma & Lohmann 1983; VanMorkhoven et al. 1986; Alegret et al. 2001, 2003).
The upper part of the Kharrouba section containsalso deep sea species (e.g., Aragonia aragonensis, B.midwayensis, B. grata, B. semicostata, Cibicidoidesdayi, C. crebbsi, C. mundula, C. barnetti,Coryphostoma midwayensis, Gavelinella danica,Globocassidulina subglobosa, Hanzawaia ammophila,P. quinqueloba, Uvigerina proboscidea,Siphogerinoides eleganta). Most of these species aredocumented in the bathyal DSDP Hole in theAtlantic Ocean (Berggren & Aubert 1975; Tjalsma1977; Tjalsma & Lohmann 1983; Van Morkhoven etal. 1986). They suggest a lower bathyal environmentexceeding 1000 m in palaeodepth. Other calcareousbenthic foraminiferal species present in theKharrouba section, assumed to be deep sea dwellers(e.g., Pullenia coryelli and Aragonia spp.), wereobserved also in the Zumaya section in the NorthAtlantic. There, the estimated environment is lowerbathyal (Ortiz 1995). Compared with Zumayasection, in the Kharrouba section the assemblagesare richer in calcareous species and poorer in speciesindicative of palaeodepth exceeding 1500 m.Therefore, Kharrouba assemblages also suggest alower bathyal environment like that in the Zumayasection (Zili et al. 2009), but presumably slightlyshallower.
During the lower Eocene, the assemblages in theKharrouba section are dominated by N. truempyi,
Cibicidoides spp., T. selmensis and A. Aragonensis, asin several DSDP Sites (Thomas & Shackleton 1996),e.g., Site 762 (indicative of 1000–1500 m depth) andSite 747 (indicative of 2000–3000 m depth). Thedominance of N. truempyi is also mentioned in the
Pacific Site 577 (indicative of 1500 m depth). Incontrast, in the shallower sites, such as Site 748(indicative of 600–2000 m depth) and Site 752(indicative of 500–1000 m depth), the assemblagesare dominated by Stilostomella spp., Lenticulina spp.,
PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
400
Kh 1,75
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Anomalinoides capitatus / A. danicus (synonym of G.danica in work) and Cibicidoides spp. Theseshallower species are rare to absent in the Kharroubasection. In the Caravaca section (southern Spain),the assemblages are dominated by Buliminathanetensis, B. macilenta, B. callahani, B. alazanensisand B. bradburyi (Canudo et al. 1995). These species,indicative of a yet shallower environment (200–1000m depth) according Ortiz (1995) and Canudo et al.(1995), are exclusively absent at the Kharroubasection.
In the southern Tethys margin, in the Dababiyasection, indicative of an outer shelf environment(150–200 m depth) (see Alegret et al. 2005; Ernst etal. 2006), the assemblages contain abundantrepresentatives of shallow water, e.g., Loxostomoidesapplinae, Valvulineria scrobiculata, Osangulariaplummerae (Alegret et al. 2005; Alegret & Ortiz2006). Further south, at Gebel Duwi (Egypt), thecalcareous benthic foraminiferal assemblages reveala middle neritic environment (75–100 m depth).
They are characterized by large Frondicularia taxaindicative of outer neritic to upper bathyalenvironments (Speijer et al. 1996). All these shallowdwelling taxa (e.g., Loxostomoides applinae,Frondicularia) are also absent from the Kharroubasection but they are present in central Tunisia(Aubert & Berggren 1976; Salaj 1980; Karoui-Yaakoub 2006).
However, the high abundance of Tappaninaselmensis leads to some controversy. This species isassumed to be outer neritic (Van Morkhoven et al.1986; Olsson & Wise 1987; Liu et al. 1997) or bathyal(Thomas 1990; Speijer & van der Zwaan 1994). Infact, this oligotrophic cosmopolitan species becameopportunistic under low oxygen and/or highproductivity conditions (Speijer & van der Zwaan1994; Kuhnt et al. 1996; Thomas 2003). In our view,the dominance of this species in the deepassemblages should not be related to palaeodepthchanges but rather to changing oxygen and trophicconditions triggered by the Initial Eocene Thermal
L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
401
25
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Figure 6. Estimated paleoenvironment of the Kharrouba section based on calculated frequencies ofPlanktonic foraminifera, Calcareous benthic foraminifera and Agglutinated benthic foraminiferaplaced on a triangular plot by Bignot (2001).
Maximum (IETM). This response suggests anintensified flux of organic carbon from the oceansurface to the deep ocean and its subsequent burialthrough biochemical feedback mechanisms (Bains etal. 2000).
In short, in this complete section, the benthicforaminifera provide more information toreconstruct environmental conditions in northernTunisia. Most of the recognised species, both withcalcareous and agglutinated tests, are cosmopolitanand restricted to particular depth/trophicconditions.
In addition, the species assemblages provideaccurate information on the palaeoenvironments inthe Kharrouba section, located at the southernTethys margin, referring to depth range tolerance ofsome agglutinated species.
In the lower part of the Kharrouba section theassemblage contains Glomospira charoides with anaverage of (~1%), Bathysiphon (~3.5%) andAmmodiscus (~2.5%). This assemblage suggests aFlysch to Abyssal fauna (Kaminski & Gradstein2005). The Rzehakina epigona species (~4%) isconsidered to be a deep marine dweller (Tjalsma &Lohmann 1983; Van Morkhoven et al. 1986; Killopset al. 2000). Therefore, the Ammodiscus-Glomospira-Rzehakina assemblage from the Kharrouba sectionrecalls the ‘Biofacies B’ (Kuhnt et al. 1989) in theNorth Atlantic, indicative also of an abyssalenvironment. Nevertheless, other specimensbelonging to the Dorothia, Gaudryina, Saccamminaand Nothia genera, present in the Kharrouba section,are elsewhere assumed to be typical Flysch fauna(Ortiz 1995; Kaminski & Gradstein 2005). Therepresentatives of these two genera are described inthe Anthering section (Austria) on the northernTethys margin and are also considered to be typicalof an abyssal environment (Egger et al. 2000, 2003).In addition, Dorothia spp., Spiroplectamminaspectabilis, Reticulophragmoides spp., Nothia robusta,Marssonella oxycona, Haplophragmoides spp.,Karrerulina horrida, K. conversa are present but lessdominant (Figure 4). Recent Karrerulinarepresentatives are common in the Atlantic abyssalplains (Kuhnt et al. 2000; Kaminski & Gradstein2005). Gaudryina pyramidata is assumed to beamong the bathyal species, reaching depths
exceeding 1000 m and even 2000 m (Tjalsma &Lohmann 1983; Katz et al. 2001). According toTjalsma & Lohmann (1983) and Kaminski &Gradstein (2005), most of these deep species areindicative of a bathyal environment. The estimatedpalaeodepth may be around 1500 m.
In the Kharrouba section, from the earliestEocene, significant quantitative changes in deep seabenthic foraminifera are observed. Therefore, withinthe dark clay interval between samples Kh19.90 toKh18.00 (Figure 4) across the E1 biozone interval,several bioevents must be taken into account: (1)sudden increase in the relative abundance ofAmmodiscus spp., Bathysiphon spp., Glomospiracharoides; (2) slight increase in the relativeabundance of Haplophragmoides spp., Karrerulinaconversa, Reticulophragmoides jarvisi,Reticulophragmoides spp., Spiroplectammina spp.; (3)important decrease in the relative abundance ofRzehakina epigona; (4) slight decrease in the relativeabundance of Spiroplectammina spectabilis,Marssonella oxycona. The ‘Glomospira event’ wasdocumented elsewhere in the Tethys Realm as well asin the North Atlantic Ocean (Kaminski & Gradstein2005). These benthic foraminiferal events coincidealso with the Acarinina sibaiyaensis Zone (E1)interval and are markers of the P/E boundary. Acoeval and similar disturbance in agglutinatedbenthic foraminifera across the P/E boundary wasalso noted by several authors (Ortiz 1995; Alegret etal. 2005; Kaminski & Gradstein 2005; Zili et al. 2008)elsewhere in Spain (Zumaya and Caravaca sections)and in Egypt (Dababiya section).
In summary, taking in account the tolerancedepth of the all benthic species collected from theKharrouba section, we estimate that this location wasin a deep environment above CCD and the lysocline,at between 1200 m and 1500 m palaeodepth. Itmeans that the Kharrouba section is more similar toZumaya than the other studied sections (Figure 7).
ConclusionIn the Kharrouba section, all the standard planktonicforaminiferal biozones of the Paleocene–Eocenetransition are present and expanded, as in theDababiya section. The uppermost Paleocene Zone
PALEOCENE–EOCENE TRANSITION IN TUNISIA
402
(P5) is succeeded by the initial Eocene Zone (E1).This E1 Zone is noted for the first time in Tunisiaand spans 90 cm in the Kharrouba section. Thisconfirms that this section is continuous andcomplete across the P–E transition. This completesection shows that the deep sea benthic foraminifera(DWBF) diversified during this period. The high P/Bratio and the high relative abundance of deep seabenthic foraminiferal species with calcareous andagglutinated tests suggest a lower bathyalenvironment above the CCD and the lysocline. Manycalcareous species present in the Kharrouba sectionare among those comprising the Velaco Fauna. Thesespecies are restricted to bathyal-abyssal habitats.
An amalgamated fauna of deep sea dwellers withagglutinated taxa suggesting slope, flysch and evenabyssal assemblages are also present. Therefore, bothcalcareous and agglutinated deep sea species suggesta lower bathyal environment above the lysocline atdepths of 1200–1500 m. This estimated depthconsolidates the palaeogeographical map proposedby Dercourt et al. (1985) and Meulenkamp et al.(2000) for the northern Tunisia area included in thesouthern margin of the Tethys Ocean during theearly Eocene.
At the P/E boundary, a severe disturbanceaffected this deep sea fauna. With ultimate disasterconditions, with oxygen decrease and/or nutrientsupply increase, T. selmensis became the mostdominant deep sea dweller. This cosmopolitanspecies behaved as an opportunist species under thestressful conditions at the P/E boundary triggered bya global warming event.
AcknowledgmentsThis work was funded by the Research Unit (DPS):UR: 02/UR/10–02. The authors thank Pr. MohamedMoncef Turki from the University of Tunis El Manar,Faculty of Sciences of Tunis and leader of theResearch Unit (DPS), for his help during the fieldmissions and for his encouragement and hisconstructive suggestions to improve the initialversion of our manuscript. The authors are gratefulto Pr. Eustoquio Molina from the University ofZaragoza, for his constructive comments allowing usto improving the initial version of our manuscript.They thank Pr. Habib Ajroud, from the University ofMannouba, for improving the English language ofour manuscript. The English of the final text is editedby John A. Winchester.
L. ZILI & D. ZAGHBIB–TURKI
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htpeDnoitas itcesnaanisinuTTu
noi noitcesnanitpygE
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Figure 7. Estimated palaeodepth of Kharrouba (Northern Tunisia) compared with those of Selja (Southern Tunisia),Zumaya and Caravaca (Spain) and Dababiya (Egypt). AA– Abyssal Assemblage; FTA– Flysch-tpe Assemblages;SMA– Slope Marl Assemblage, MF– Midway Fauna; VF– Velasco Fauna.
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PLATE I
X is used to indicate magnification. SEM: Scanning Electronic Microscope. LM: Light Microscope.
1– Bathysiphon gerochi; X100; SEM; sample Kh 25.65;2– Bathysiphon sp.1; X 71; LM; Kh 22.30;3– Ammodiscus peruvianus; X 80; LM; sample Kh 31.40;4– Ammodiscus glabratus; X 220; LM; sample Kh 22.30;5– Glomospira charoides; X 150; SEM; sample Kh 25.65;6– Rzehakina epigona; X 100; LM; sample Kh 31.40;7– Ammosphaeroidina sp. ; X152; LM; sample Kh 22.30;8– Spiroplectinella subhaeringensis; X106; LM; sample Kh 17.80;9– Vulvulina advena; X75; LM; sample Kh 17.80;10– Spiroplectammina spectabilis; X57; LM; sample Kh 31.40;11– Clavulinoides amorpha ; X100; LM; sample Kh 31.40;12– Marssonella oxycona; X100; SEM; sample Kh 2.50;13– Dorothia bulletta; X61; LM; sample Kh 31.40;14– Gaudryina pyramidata; X100; LM; sample Kh 22.20;15– Bulimina tuxpamensis; X62; LM; sample Kh 31.40;16– Bulimina trinitatensis; X60; LM; sample Kh 17.80;17– Bulimina midwayensis; X200; SEM; sample Kh 24.25;18– Aragonia aragonensis; X100; SEM; sample Kh 27.00;19– Siphogenerinoides eleganta; X150; SEM; sample Kh 22.20;20– Tappanina selmensis; X750; SEM; sample Kh23.20;21– Gavelinella danica; umbilical view; X100; SEM; sample Kh 24.20;22– Gavelinella danica; lateral view; X100; SEM; sample Kh 24.20;23– Gavelinella danica; spiral view; X100; SEM; sample Kh 24.20;24– Cibicidoides alleni; spiral view; X100; SEM; sample Kh 24.20;25– Cibicidoides alleni; lateral view; X100; SEM; sample Kh 24.20;26– Cibicidoides alleni; X100; SEM; sample Kh 24.20;27– Pullenia coryelli; lateral view; X150; SEM; sample Kh31.40;28– Pullenia coryelli; umbilical view; X150; SEM; sample Kh 31.40.
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