◄ Carnets Geol. 23 (9) ►
Outline
[1. Introduction]
[2. Some preliminary comments to establish some context]
[3. Material and methods]
[4. Studied sections]
[5. Systematic micropaleontology]
[6. Sedimentary petrography]
[7. Discussion and conclusions]
[Bibliographic references] and ...
[Plates]
2 impasse Charles Martel, 29217
Plougonvelin (France)
Research Institute for Earth Sciences,
Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran (Iran)
Geological Survey of Iran, North East Territory, Mashhad
(Iran)
Geological Survey of Iran, North East Territory, Mashhad
(Iran)
Published online in final form (pdf) on September 10, 2023
DOI 10.2110/carnets.2023.2309
[Editor: Michel Moullade; language editor: Phil Salvador; technical editor: Bruno Granier]
This chapter presents a revision of the Zard Formation in its type area, i.e., in the North Khorasan Province (Iran), including at its type locality. It comprises a description of the sedimentological and micropaleontological criteria that permit it to be distinguished from the Mozduran Formation (below) and the Tirgan Formation (above). At its type locality, its lower boundary is a heavily bored surface. Actually, both contacts with the framing formations correspond to transgressive surfaces, which imply that this lithostratigraphic unit is an Unconformity-Bounded Unit. With respect to biostratigraphy, this formation contains a few second-order markers: Holosporella sugdeni, Kopetdagaria sphaerica, and Torinosuella peneropliformis, which are also found in the unit above, i.e., in the Tirgan Formation. Because the latter contains markers that first appear in the Barremian: Bakalovaella elitzae, Pseudoactinoporella iranica, and Balkhania balkhanica, but also Montseciella arabica, the total range of which spans the Upper Barremian, the Zard Formation (i.e., the Zardian regional stage) should partly covers the Hauterivian to Barremian interval. Finally, although it cannot be definitely excluded that the lowermost part of the Zard Formation could be Valanginian in age, this option still requires proper documentation.
• Kopet Dagh;
• Mozduran;
• Zard;
• Tirgan;
•
Berriasian;
•
Hauterivian;
•
Barremian
Granier B., Mortazavi S.S., Taherpour-Khalil-Abad M. & Ghaemi F. (2023).- Chapter 1 - Preliminary investigations on the Zard Formation at its type locality (North Khorasan Province, Iran). In: Granier B. & Taherpour-Khalil-Abad M. (eds.), A field trip in search for the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary in the Kopet Dagh range (N Iran) - October 15-28, 2019.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 23, no. 9, p. 161-189.
Chapitre 1 - Recherches préliminaires sur la Formation Zard dans sa localité type (Province du Nord Khorasan, Iran). In: Une excursion à la recherche de la limite Jurassique/Crétacé dans la chaîne du Kopet-Dag (N Iran) - 15-28 octobre 2019.- Ce chapitre présente une révision de la Formation Zard dans sa région type, c'est-à-dire dans la Province du Nord Khorasan (Iran), avec entre autres sa localité type. Les principaux critères sédimentologiques et micropaléontologiques qui permettent de la distinguer de la Formation Mozduran (sous-jacente) et de la Formation Tirgan (sus-jacente) sont décrits. Dans sa localité type, sa limite inférieure est une surface remarquable, perforée. De fait, les deux contacts avec les formations encadrantes correspondent des surfaces de transgression, ce qui implique que cette unité lithostratigraphique est une unité délimitée par des discordances, "Unconformity-Bounded Unit" ou UBU des stratigraphes anglo-saxons. En ce qui concerne la biostratigraphie, cette formation contient quelques marqueurs de second ordre : Holosporella sugdeni, Kopetdagaria sphaerica et Torinosuella peneropliformis, galement présents dans l'unité sus-jacente, c'est-à-dire dans la Formation Tirgan. Comme cette dernière recèle des marqueurs qui apparaissent pour la première fois au Barrémien : Bakalovaella elitzae, Pseudoactinoporella iranica et Balkhania balkhanica, mais aussi Montseciella arabica, dont l'extension stratigraphique serait limitée au seul Barrémien supérieur, la Formation Zard (c'est-à-dire l'étage régional Zardien) devrait couvrir en partie l'intervalle Hauterivien à Barrémien. Enfin, bien que l'on ne puisse définitivement exclure que la partie basale de la Formation Zard puisse être d'âge valanginien, cette hypothèse a encore besoin d'être mieux renseignée.
• Kopet-Dag ;
•
Mozduran ;
•
Zard ;
•
Tirgan ;
•
Berriasien ;
•
Hauterivien ;
• Barrémien
Searching for a natural system boundary between the Jurassic and the Cretaceous systems within the Tethys realm, the first author (B.G.) initiated an investigation of the lowermost Cretaceous deposits succeeding and hence overlying the "uppermost Jurassic" carbonate platforms in northeastern Iran. The use of quotation marks above is justified by the pending uncertainties regarding the ascription of the Berriasian stage to the Jurassic (i.e., the option that we defend) or to the Cretaceous (see discussion in Granier, 2020a). The present publication corresponds to a preliminary account of the results of our investigation on the first Cretaceous deposits of the Kopet Dagh ranges in NE Iran. It comprises a brief description of the lithological successions of the Zard Formation in two localities, including the type locality, supplemented by microfacies and micropaleontological studies, and the documentation of its lower and upper boundaries, respectively with the Mozduran Formation (below) and the Tirgan Formation (above).
The existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran hinder international scientific collaboration between Iranian geologists and their counterparts in other countries. In our case, the thin sections, plaster casts of fossils and rock samples collected by one of us (B.G.) from the Mozduran, Shurijeh, Zard and Tirgan formations in 2019 were unfortunately confiscated at the Mashhad airport on his return to France, thus complicating our task, considering the existing postal embargo. Two years later, on September 20th, 2021, the full set of thin sections finally reached its final destination in France while the plaster casts of fossils and rock samples remained in Iran.
Accordingly, contrary to a common belief,
it makes sense here to provide the sequence of events of our field
investigations (the dates) because that explains some of the incompleteness and
flaws as, for instance, the fact that the bored surface (i.e., the
hardground) on top of the Mozduran Formation (Granier, 2020a, Fig. 3.A-D)
was discovered one year after the two studied sections were measured and sampled.
This key surface was initially documented on October 24th, 2019, by three of us
(B.G., M.T.K.A., F.G.) while visiting an outcrop some 6 km NE of the Chal Bash
village, North Khorasan Province. Its GPS coordinates are 37°30'29.6"N, 56 12'59.9"E
(Fig. 1.A 
). Before
that, on September 3rd, 2018, a nearby section spanning most
of the Zard and Tirgan formations, the "Behkadeh Razavi" section (Fig.
1.B ), was measured by the second author
(S.S.M.) under the supervision of the
third author (M.T.K.A.). This locality was also visited by three of us (B.G,
M.T.K.A., F.G.) on October 24th, 2019. Finally, two days later (on October 26th,
2019), the same group (B.G, M.T.K.A., F.G.) was visiting the type locality of
the Zard Formation, 2 km South of the Zard village (North Khorasan Province,
Iran) and some 35 km E of the Chal Bash village (Fig. 1.C ). An earlier mission
at the type locality of the Zard Formation (Fig. 1.C ) on August 29th, 2018, with
the second author (S.S.M.) under the supervision of the third author (M.T.K.A.),
permitted collection of samples from both the Zard and the Tirgan formations,
but not from the Mozduran Formation.
The main aim of this publication was to make sense of this chaotic sequence of events and this seemingly disparate set of data.
|
|
Figure 1: Location
map of the sections studied in the North Khorasan Province (NE Iran). A: first
spot with borings, 6 km NE of the Chal Bash village; B: "Behkadeh Razavi"
section, 2.5 km SE of the Chal Bash village; C: type section of the Zard
Formation, 2 km South of the Zard village. |
The Zard Formation was originally defined by Afshar Harb (1979) from western Kopet Dagh. According to the latter, its fossil assemblage at its type locality comprises:
at its lower part, the foraminifers "Brotzenia tenuicostata, Haplophragmium aequale, Haplophragmoides globosa, Lenticulina bettenstaedti, L. crepidularis, L. saxonica, L. nodosa, Saracenella vestita, Triplasia emsladensis" (determinations of A. Kalantari in Afshar Harb, 1979, p. 98), and the ostracods "Cytherelloides ovata, Prothcythere [sic] auriculata, P. triplicata" (determinations of E. Kevari in Afshar Harb, 1979, p. 98), said to characterize the Hauterivian stage, and
at its upper part, the foraminifers "Dictyoconus arabicus, Gavelinella barremiana, Globigerina infracretacea, Globorotalites intercedens, Lenticulina ouachensis, Gavelinella barremiana, Marssonella oxycona, Tritaxia tricarinata, Tritaxia pyramidata" (determinations of A. Kalantari in Afshar Harb, 1979, p. 98), said to characterize the Barremian stage.
The microfossil associations in Afshar Harb's list (1979) suggest that he was mostly dealing with specimens freed from soft sediments (e.g., marls) after sieving and washing.
In contrast, our study is based on the analysis of petrographic thin sections. All photomicrographs were taken using a digital MU900 AmScope camera mounted on a Wild M8 stereomicroscope.
The bored surface on top of the Mozduran
Formation (Granier, 2020a, Fig. 3.A-D; Fig. 2.E-F
herein) was first reported
from an outcrop located some 6 km NE of the Chal Bash village (Fig.
1.A ). The
nearby "Behkadeh Razavi" is located some 6 km SSW from this spot and
2.5 km SE of the Chal Bash village (Fig. 1.B ). It spans the Mozduran
(its
uppermost part), Zard and Tirgan (its lower part) formations. However, being
masked by scree and alluvium, the Mozduran/Zard contact is not visible there; it
is probably a tectonic contact because the Zard is rather thin in this locality.
The GPS coordinates at the intersection of the dirt road and the section are 37°27'51"N,
56°11'06"E. The section itself was subdivided into 11 segments, from base
to top, as follows (Fig. 3 ):
1st segment (ca. 45 m in thickness): this part of the section at the valley bottom is not visible. It is covered by alluvium and scree;
2nd segment (ca. 17 m): 3.3 m dominantly grain-supported textures with some quartz sand (samples 100-103), 13.7 m dominantly marly limestones with mud-supported -mudstone- textures (samples 104-114) with fenestrae at its uppermost part (samples 112-114);
3rd segment (18.5 m): marls and limestones dominantly mud-supported -wackestone- textures (samples 115-124) with the first Balkhania balkhanica Mamontova, 1966, it corresponds to the base of the Tirgan Formation (samples 115-116);
4th segment (8.5 m): described as sandy limestones, they consist dominantly of bioclastic grainstones (samples 125-128);
5th segment (ca. 14 m): dominantly mud-supported fabrics with Balkhania balkhanica and Bakalovaella elitzae (Bakalova, 1971) [samples 129-131];
6th segment (21.5 m): dominantly mud-supported fabrics with Bakalovaella elitzae (samples 132-134);
7th segment (6.5 m): dominantly grain-supported fabrics with Deloffrella quercifoliipora Granier & Michaud, 1987 (samples 135-137);
8th segment (12.5 m): alternation of marls and limestones. Sample 138 is from a piece of coral;
9th segment (ca. 21 m): alternation of "calcareous siltstones" (probably dolostones) and limestones;
10th segment (ca. 30 m): nodular and massive limestones (samples 139-141), dominantly mud-supported fabrics. Sample 140 is also from a piece of coral;
11th segment (16.5 m): thick bedded limestones (samples 142-146), either mud- or grain-supported with indeterminate orbitolinids.
|
|
Figure 2: A) S-N
panoramic view of the Zard section (Fig. 1.C |
|
|
Figure 3: Log of
the Zard Formation at Behkadeh Razavi (Fig. 1.B |
At its type locality (Fig. 1.C ), the
thickness of the Zard Formation is estimated to 280 m according to Afshar
Harb (1979, p. 95). The section we measured starts at the bored surface that
marks the top of the Mozduran Formation (Fig. 2.D ) on a spot the GPS coordinates
of which are 37°28'59.2"N 56°32'39.6"E. This section was subdivided
into 7 segments, from base to top, as follows (Fig. 4 ):
1st segment (ca. 85 m in thickness): most of this part of the section at the valley bottom is not visible. It is covered by scree and alluvium;
2nd segment (ca. 50 m): it starts with pluridecimetric cross-stratified sandy and bioclastic dolograinstones (sample SM 1) followed by bioturbated nodular dolomudstones (samples 2-4), that were initially described as "claystones". No microfossils have been identified there;
3rd segment (24.0 m): the first two samples (5-6) are fossiliferous. They consist of bioclastic grainstones with various types of cementation, including questionable anisopachous and questionable miniscus, fibrous calcite cements (marine vadose) representing possible beachrock facies, and an isopachous fibrous palisadic calcite cement (marine phreatic) representing hardground facies. It was originally said to comprise sandy limestones and calcareous sandstone whereas it actually comprises silty dolomudstones (sample 7) and oolitic dolograinstones (samples 8, possibly 9);
4th segment (46.7 m): it was said by the second author (S.S.M.) to consist of sandy limestones and marlstones. It mostly consists of oolitic dolograinstones (samples 10 to 14);
5th segment (38.4 m): it was said to consist of calcareous silt- and sandstones and silty or sandy limestones, although it actually consists of various types of dolomitized limestones (samples 15 to 17);
6th segment (26.7 m): it was originally
described as marlstones, but actually consists of mud-supported -mudstone-
textures with fenestrae (samples 18, 22) and grain-supported -intraclastic and
peloidal grainstone- textures with fenestrae, keystone vugs and possible
pseudomorphs after evaporites (samples 19-21). Examples are found in its upper
part (Fig. 2.H );
7th segment (12.9 m): it consists of thick bedded limestones. It corresponds to the base of the Tirgan Formation (samples 23-35).
Remarks: Many of our field samples
effervesce weakly with cold hydrochloric acid. Additionally, rubbing them on a
hammer head produces some scratches. Therefore, they may contain few quartz
grains (e.g., in agglutinating foraminiferal tests). Initially, our first
and second segments were described by Afshar Harb (1979) as "128
metres shale, olive-green and blue-grey, calcareous, gypsiferous". The same
author also mentioned thick silt- to sandstone intervals in the remainder of
the lithologic succession. These descriptions do not match our petrographic
analyses. Actually, these samples consist of sucrosic dolomites (either dolomud-
or dolograinstones (e.g., Pl. 7 ,
fig. J).
|
|
Figure 4: Log of
the Zard Formation at its type locality (Fig. 1.C |
Phylum Foraminifera Orbigny
Class Globothalamea Pawlowski et al.
Subclass Textulariana Mikhalevich
Order Loftusiida Kaminski
Suborder Loftusiina Kaminski & Mikhalevich
Superfamily
Loftusioidea Brady
Family
Cyclamminidae Marie
Subfamily
Choffatellinae Maync
Genus
Balkhania Mamontova, 1966
Balkhania
balkhanica Mamontova, 1966
(Pl. 1 ,
figs. AC, AJ; Pl. 2 ,
figs. E-G, I-J; Pl. 4 , fig. S)
Selected synonymy:
1966 Balkhania balkhanica nov. gen., nov. sp. - Mamontova, p. 146, Fig. 2.21
1967 Pseudochoffatella gigantica n. sp. - Kaever, p. 205-207, Pl. 23, fig. 8; Pl. 24, figs. 1-7
2013 Balkhania balkhanica - Taherpour-Khalil-Abad et al., p. 269, Figs. 4.a-b, 5.a-g (with synonymy)
2013 Balkhania balkhanica - Schlagintweit et al., Fig. 4.B
2016 Balkhania balkhanica - Granier et al., Fig. 7, Pl. 6, figs. 1-7
? 2017 Balkhania balkhanica - Hemmati et al., Pl. 1, figs. 13, 19
2019 Balkhania balkhanica - Bucur et al., Fig. 14.a-d
2020 Balkhania balkhanica - Maksoud et al., Fig. 3.P-Q
It is worth mentioning that this foraminifer occupies the same ecological niche as Choffatella decipiens Schlumberger, 1905 (see discussion in Granier & Busnardo, 2013: "4.1. Paleontological and paleoecological remarks on the foraminifer Choffatella"), which is missing in the Kopet Dagh whereas it replaces Balkhania balkhanica in younger strata in Lebanon (Maksoud et al., 2014, 2020; Granier et al., 2015, 2016).
Genus
Torinosuella Maync, 1959
Torinosuella peneropliformis
(Yabe & Hanzawa, 1926)
(Pl. 1 ,
figs. W-AB, AF-AH; Pl. 2 ,
figs. A-D; Pl. 3 ,
figs. M-AB)
Selected synonymy:
1926 Choffatella peneropliformis nov. - Yabe & Hanzawa, p. 11, Pl. II, figs. 1-2
1959 Torinosuella peneropliformis - Maync, Pl. 1, figs. 6.a-b, 7-10, 14, 16
non 1959 Torinosuella peneropliformis - Maync, Pl. 1, figs. 1-4, 11-13
1967 Torinosuella peneropliformis - Neumann, Pl. 26, figs. 1-3, 6-9
non 1967 Torinosuella peneropliformis - Neumann, Pl. 26, figs. 4-5
2005 Torinosuella peneropliformis - Cherchi & Schroeder, p. 7-8, Pl. 1, figs. 1-13 (with synonymy). Lectotype: Pl. 1, fig. 1 ( Pl. II, fig. 1 in Yabe & Hanzawa, 1926)
? 2017 Balkhania balkhanica - Hemmati et al., Pl. 1, figs. 13, 19
2017 Torinosuella peneropliformis - Hemmati et al., Pl. 1, fig. 7; Pl. 3, fig. 7
2018 Torinosuella peneropliformis - Schlagintweit & Wilmsen, Fig. 4.A pars, F
First described from the Tithonian-Berriasian of the Torinosu Limestones in Japan, this long-ranging (from the upper Tithonian to the Lower Barremian according to Cherchi & Schroeder, 2005) species was found in both the Zard and the Tirgan intervals of the studied sections. It is found in the Tirgan interval of the Zard section (sample 27) in association with Montseciella arabica (Henson, 1948), suggesting that it reached the Upper Barremian.
Suborder Orbitolinina Kaminski
Superfamily
Pfenderinoidea Smout & Sugden
Family
Hauraniidae Septfontaine
Subfamily
Amijellinae Septfontaine
Genus
Bispiraloconulus Schlagintweit et
al.,
2019c
Large "lituoliform" agglutinating tests, including Ammobaculites sp. (Pl. 7, figs. G-H), are common among the coarse bioclasts found in the Zard strata. Some specimens (Pl. 7, figs. B, I) are cautiously referred here to ? Bispiraloconulus sp. due to their chamber congestion by various agglutinated grains. Similar forms have been illustrated as Bispiraloconulus serbicus Schlagintweit et al., 2019 (2019c, 2019d), by Taherpour-Khalil-Abad et al. (2019, Pl. 2 pars) from the Tirgan Formation in the Gelian section, North Khorasan Province, some 75 km E of the Zard village, our easternmost section. However, we did not observe the branching pattern of the test found in genuine representatives of this species, which casts doubt on the generic ascription of our material.
Superfamily
Orbitolinoidea Martin
Family Orbitolinidae Martin
Subfamily Dictyoconinae Schubert
Genus
Montseciella Cherchi & Schroeder, 1999
Montseciella
arabica (Henson, 1948)
(Pl. 4 ,
figs. Q-R)
Selected synonymy:
1948 Dictyoconus arabicus n. sp. - Henson, p. 35-36, Pl. 1, figs. 5-8; Pl. 14, figs. 1-12
1969 Dictyoconus arabicus - Sampò, Pl. XXXIV, figs. 1-2; Pl. XXXVII, figs. 1-3
1977 Dictyoconus balkanicus n. sp. - Peybernè s & Cugny, p. 73-75, Pl. I, figs. 1-7; Pl. II, figs. 1-7. Holotype: Pl. I, fig. 1
1994 Dictyoconus arabicus n. sp. - Baud et al., p. 387, Pl. 1, figs. 1-6; Pl. 2, figs. 3, 5 (with synonymy)
2002 Montseciella arabica n. comb. - Schroeder et al., Pl. I, figs. 3, 6, 10
2003 Montseciella arabica - Granier et al., Fig. 12
2010 Montseciella arabica - Schroeder et al., Figs. 4.a.3, 4.b.1-7 (with synonymy)
2019 Montseciella arabica - Bucur et al., Fig. 16.b
2021 Montseciella arabica - Granier et al., Pl. 93 pars, Pl. 113 pars
The question of the synonymy of Rectodictyoconus giganteus Schroeder, 1964, with Montseciella arabica (Henson, 1948), is not addressed here. However, it is suggested here that the axial sections of Rectodictyoconus giganteus illustrated in Fig. 2.d of Schroeder (1964) or in Fig. 4.a.3 of Schroeder et al. (2010) could be front axial sections whereas Fig. 4.b.2-3 of Schroeder et al. (2010) represents a sagittal axial section of the same species.
Phylum
Chlorophyta (Reichenbach)
Class
Dasycladophyceae Hoek et al.
Order
Dasycladales Pascher
Family
Triploporellaceae (Pia, 1920)
Genus
Kopetdagaria Maslov ex Bucur,
2002 (non Maslov, 1960)
Kopetdagaria
sphaerica Maslov ex Bucur,
2002 (non Maslov, 1960)
(Pl. 7 ,
figs. K-M)
Selected synonymy:
nom. nud. 1960 Kopetdagaria sphaerica gen. et sp. n. - Maslov, p. 940, Figs. 1ɑ, 3ɑ, 3ɓ, 3ɕ
nom. nud. 1973 Kopetdagaria sphaerica - Srivastava, p. 696, Figs. 10-11
1975 Kopetdagaria bifaria n. sp. - Bakalova, p. 50-51, Pl. II, figs. 1-4. Holotype: Pl. II, fig. 1
2002 Kopetdagaria sphaerica - Bucur, Pl. I, fig. 1; Pl. II, figs. 1-3; Pl. III, figs. 1-9; Pl. IV, figs. 1-11 (with synonymy). Lectotype: Fig. 1ɑ in Maslov, 1960
2012 Kopetdagaria sphaerica - Bucur et al., p. 614, Fig. 7.a-l
2013 Kopetdagaria sphaerica - Taherpour-Khalil-Abad et al., p. 271-272, Fig. 6.a-e (with synonymy)
2017 Kopetdagaria sphaerica - Hemmati et al., Pl. 2, fig. 9; Pl. 4, fig. 7
2019 Kopetdagaria sphaerica - Bucur et al., Fig. 9.a-d
Only small fragments of this alga were found in some Tirgan strata of the studied sections.
Genus Holosporella (Pia, 1930)
Synonym: Vederosella Dragastan, 1999
Holosporella sugdeni (Elliott, 1957) Granier, 2018
(Pl. 5 ,
figs. Q-V; Pl. 6, fig. D)
Selected synonymy:
1957 Cylindroporella sugdeni n. sp. - Elliott, p. 227, Pl. 1, figs. 1-6.
1999 Vederosella alimani n. gen. n. sp. - Dragastan, p. 129-130, Pl. 3, figs. 1-10. Holotype: Pl. 3, fig. 1
2010 Holosporella sp. - Taherpour-Khalil-Abad et al., Figs. 6.h, 7.k pars
2018 Holosporella sugdeni (Elliott) nov. comb. - Granier, p. 184, Figs. 2.a-d, 3.a-p, 5.a-l (with synonymy).
2018 Holosporella sugdeni - Schlagintweit & Wilmsen, p. 5-6, Figs. 4.A pars, 4.B-E, G-I, 5 (with synonymy).
2020 Holosporella aff. alimani, n. comb. - Fateh Bahari et al., p. 121-122, Pl. 2, figs. a, e
2020 Holosporella sp. - Fateh Bahari et al., Pl. 2, fig. l
As reminded by Schlagintweit and Wilmsen (2018), "Holosporella sugdeni might be confounded with Montiella ? elitzae (Bakalova)". However, there are no sterile laterals in Holosporella sugdeni (Elliott, 1957), which belongs to the Family Triploporellaceae, whereas they exist in Bakalovaella elitzae (Bakalova, 1971), which belongs to the Family Dasycladaceae.
Family
Dasycladaceae Kützing, 1843
Genus
Bakalovaella Bucur, 1993
Synonym: Turkmenaria Maslov, 1960, nomen oblitum
Type species: Cylindroporella elitzae Bakalova, 1971
Species included: Cylindroporella benizarensis Fourcade et al. ex Jaffrezo in Bassoullet et al., 1978; Bakalovaella deloffrei Granier & Bucur, 2019; Cylindroporella elitzae Bakalova, 1971; Montiella filipovici Radoičić, 2006; and possibly (pending revisions) Cylindroporella faronensis Masse et al., 1999, and C. massiliana Masse et al., 1999.
The species Cylindroporella elitzae Bakalova, 1971, is probably a junior synonym of Turkmenaria adducta Maslov, 1960. Accordingly, Turkmenaria Maslov, 1960, should have been treated as senior synonym of Bakalovaella Bucur, 1993. However, both the generic name Turkmenaria and its specific epiteth adducta should be treated as nomina oblita whereas the generic name Bakalovaella Bucur, 1993, should be declared as nomen protectum. The above statement is justified because since 1960 1) both Maslov's names were never reused for any new find and 2) further to recent enquiries it appears that Maslov's type material is probably lost (Alina Iakovleva, personal communication, 2022/12/08).
Bakalovaella elitzae (Bakalova, 1971) Bucur, 1993
(Pl. 5 ,
figs. W-X;
Pl. 6 ,
figs. A-C, E-F)
Selected synonymy:
1960 Turkmenaria adducta gen. et sp. n. - Maslov, p. 940, Fig. 1ɓ
1971 Cylindroporella elitzae n. sp. - Bakalova, p. 126-127, Pl. III, figs. 1-8. Holotype: Pl. III, fig. 1
non 1972 Cylindroporella benizarensis n. sp. - Fourcade et al., p. 236, Pl. 3, figs. 4-6
nom. nud. 1973 Cylindroporella maslovi n. sp. - Srivastava, p. 699, Figs. 16 pars, 17-18. Several specimens selected as the "holotype": Figs. 17-18
nom. nud. 1978 Cylindroporella barbui n. sp. - Dragastan, p. 126, Fig. 2.a-e
1980 Montiella ? elitzae nov. comb. - Radoičić, p. 114, Pl. I, figs. 1-2; Pl. II, figs. 1-4; Pl. III, figs. 1-4
nom. nud. 1982 Cylindroporella chayüensis n. sp. - Mu, p. 221-222, Pl. X, figs. 6-11
1986 Cylindroporella cf. elitzae - Mu, Pl. V, figs. 3, 6-8
1986 Cylindroporella sp. - Mu, Pl. V, fig. 5
nom. nud. 1986 Cylindroporella chayuensis n. sp. - Mu, Pl. V, fig. 4
1993 Bakalovaella elitzae n. comb. - Bucur, p. 100-102, Pl. 7, figs. 1-18 (with synonymy)
1995 Cylindroporella barbui n. sp. - Dragastan, p. 106, Fig. 2b (typification)
1999 Cylindroporella barbui - Dragastan, p. 129, Pl. 2, figs. 14-15
1999 Bakalovaella elitzae - Dragastan, p. 129, Pl. 2, figs. 16-17
2003 Bakalovaella elitzae - Bucur et al., p. 218, 220, Pl. 40, fig. 6 (with synonymy)
2010 Montiella ? elitzae - Taherpour-Khalil-Abad et al., Fig. 8.a-d
2011 Montiella ? elitzae - Bucur, p. 627-628, Pl. 6, figs. 2-3 (with synonymy)
2012 Montiella elitzae - Bucur et al., p. 616, 618, Fig. 8.a-p (with synonymy)
2013 Montiella elitzae - Schlagintweit et al., Fig. 4.G
2014 Montiella elitzae - Maksoud et al., Pl. 4, figs. C-D
2017 Montiella ? elitzae - Hemmati et al., Pl. 2, fig. 3; Pl. 4, figs. 1, 5
2017 Hoposporella sp. - Hemmati et al., Pl. 4, fig. 8
2018 Montiella ? elitzae - Schlagintweit & Wilmsen, Fig. 6.A-B
2019 Montiella ? elitzae - Bucur et al., Fig. 8.a-d
2019 Bakalovaella elitzae - Granier & Bucur, Pl. 3, fig. I
2020 Bakalovaella elitzae - Fateh Bahari et al., p. 118-119, Pl. 2, figs. b-d, g
Bakalovaella elitzae was found here only in the Tirgan Formation.
Family
Thyrsoporellaceae Granier & Bucur in Granier
et al., 2013
Genus
Deloffrella Granier & Michaud,
1987
Deloffrella
quercifoliipora Granier & Michaud,
1987
(Pl. 5 ,
figs. A-P)
Selected synonymy:
1987 Deloffrella quercifoliipora n. gen., n. sp. - Granier & Michaud, p. 1093-1095, Pl. I, figs. 1-10.
2003 Deloffrella quercifoliipora - Bucur et al., p. 218, Pl. 40, figs. 1-3 (with synonymy)
2011 Deloffrella quercifoliipora - Bucur, p. 626-626, Pl. 6, fig. 1 (with synonymy)
2012 Deloffrella quercifoliipora - Bucur et al., p. 611, 613, Fig. 6.b-i (with synonymy)
2013 Deloffrella quercifoliipora - Granier, Fig. 2.7, 2.10-12, 2.14
2013 Deloffrella quercifoliipora - Schlagintweit et al., Fig. 4.F
2017 Deloffrella quercifoliipora - Hemmati et al., Pl. 2, fig. 7; Pl. 4, figs. 2-3
2019 Deloffrella quercifoliipora - Bucur et al., Fig. 7.c-f
This long-ranging species first described from the Tithonian of Mexico was found here in both the Zard and the Tirgan formations.
Family
Polyphysaceae Kützing, 1843
Genus:
Pseudoactinoporella (Conrad, 1970) Conrad & Peybernès,
1976
Pseudoactinoporella
iranica Bucur
et al., 2012
(Pl. 3 , fig. AC;
Pl. 7 , fig. A)
Selected synonymy:
1973 Triploporella sp. - Srivastava, p. 702, Fig. 21
2012 Pseudoactinoporella ? iranica n. sp. - Bucur et al., p. 610, Figs. 5.a-j, l
2019 Pseudoactinoporella? iranica - Bucur et al., Fig. 9.a-c
2020 Pseudoactinoporella iranica - Fateh Bahari et al., p. 118, Pl. 2, fig. j
2021 Pseudoactinoporella iranica - Schlagintweit et al., Figs. 1.D, 3.D-F, 4.C, Pl. 1, figs. A-I; Pl. 2, figs. A-K
Although Schlagintweit et al. (2021) recently re-ascribed this species to Family Bornetellaceae Granier & Bucur in Granier et al., 2013, the opinion of the first author (B.G.) did not change regarding its original ascription to the Family Polyphysaceae Kützing, 1843. The short expansion at the base of each lateral is interpreted as a sterile element of the whorl of laterals, the assemblage of which forms a corona structure. The elongated part of each lateral is interpreted as a spiculiform fertile ampulla similar to those found in Actinoporella (Gümbel in Alth, 1881), Acicularia (Archiac, 1843), or Acetabularia (Lamouroux, 1812), for instance.
This short subchapter deals only with two specific facies-types observed in the Zard Formation:
1) Sample 5 from the Behkadeh Razavi
section is a coarse bioclastic grainstone. Its last cementation phasis is
represented by a drusy calcite (probably burial) cement. The latter was preceded
by several diagenetic events. The earliest event is represented by an isopachous
cloudy calcite (probably phreatic marine) cement. In turn, it is followed by
partial intergranular micritic infills that in turn follows a thin isopachous
calcite (probably phreatic marine) cement around the allochems (Pl. 8 ,
figs. A,
E). It looks like the unique thin section was not cut perpendicularly to the
bedding but obliquely because, locally, the early thin fibrous calcite cement is
missing or varies in thickness (Pl. 8 , figs. B-D). That suggests we are dealing
with an early anisopachous calcite (probably vadose marine) cement, which marks
the occurrence of a beachrock here within the Zard Formation.
2) Samples 19 to 22 and 114 display
characteristic fenestral fabrics. When the texture is grainy (peloidal or
instraclastic) some of the fenestrae may look like keystone vugs. Miliolids with
thin tests are commonly found in the matrix - evidence of harsh environmental
conditions. Some cavities are partly cemented by thin isopachous calcite cement
followed by micrite or clotted micrite infills that percolated through the
porous network. Some tiny shells of endobionthic ostracods are also observed in
these partial infills. Although most cemented cavities are smoothly elongated or
subrounded to rounded, there are some, e.g., in samples 21 (Pl. 8 ,
figs. F-G) and 35 (Pl. 8 , fig. H), that have angular shapes and brownish inclusions,
which suggest that the calcite crystals replaced an evaporitic precursor.
The Shurijeh Formation and the Zard Formation were originally defined by Afshar Harb (1979) respectively from eastern (op. cit., p. 87 et seq.) and western (op. cit., p. 94 et seq.) Kopet Dagh. Because both formations are equally sandwiched between the Mozduran Formation below and the Tirgan Formation above, it is assumed here that they are partly coeval with the Shurijeh representing the Eastern succession and the Zard the Western counterpart (see their respective isopach maps in Afshar Harb, 1979). Accordingly, we recommend abandonment of the use of the Shurijeh Formation that should be considered as a hotch-potch because its definition is too elastic (see discussion in Stöcklin & Setudehnia, 1991, p. 229-230). In addition, according to Afshar Harb (1979, p. 88), the Shurijeh Formation at its type locality spans the Valanginian - Barremian interval whereas, according to Stöcklin and Setudehnia (1991, p. 229-230), the age of its strata varies from the Kimmeridgian to the "Neocomian".
During the 2019 reconnaissance mission, more specifically on October 24th and 26th, we identified: 1) the lower boundary of the Zard Formation as an unconformity locally consisting of a flat bored surface on top of the Mozduran Formation and 2) its upper as an abrupt change of facies from a regressive sequence ending with fenestral limestones to a transgressive sequence, beginning with oolitic calcarenites of the Tirgan Formation. It is genetically obvious that both transgressive facies (i.e., base Zard and base Tirgan) were set up diachronically and that the durations of the related hiatuses vary laterally from one location to another. Because the Zard Formation is framed by two discontinuities, it should be considered as an Unconformity-Bounded Unit, as well as an Alloformation, and even as a Regional Stage, namely the Zardian (see Maksoud et al., 2014, for a similar topical discussion).
Below the sommital bored surface of the
Mozduran Formation, the microfossil assemblage of the uppermost limestones
comprises the foraminifer Coscinoconus alpinus Leupold in Leupold
& Bigler, 1936 (Pl. 4 ,
figs. M-P) and the Dasycladales Actinoporella
podolica (Alth, 1878) (Pl. 4 ,
figs. I-L), Rajkaella bartheli (Bernier,
1971) [Pl. 4 ,
figs. A, E], and Salpingoporella annulata Carozzi,
1953 (Pl. 4 , fig. F), which points to a middle-late Berriasian age. For their
part, Bucur et al. (2013) listed the foraminifers Anchispirocyclina
lusitanica (Egger, 1902), Mohlerina basiliensis (M hler,
1938), and Pseudocyclammina lituus (Yokoyama, 1890), as well as
the Dasycladales Otternstella lemmensis (Bernier, 1971) and Zergabriella
embergeri (Bouroullec & Deloffre, 1968), i.e.,
typical species of the Tithonian - lower Berriasian and middle - upper
Berriasian intervals. In turn, Schlagintweit et al.
(2019b) added the foraminifer Neokilianina
rahonensis (Foury
& Vincent, 1967) and the Dasycladales Campbelliella striata (Carozzi, 1954), Montenegrella florifera Bernier in
Granier & Deloffre, 1993, and Petrascula
spp., i.e., typical taxa of the ? Kimmeridgian - Tithonian interval. In
accordance with the latest constrained microfossil ranges documented by Granier
(2019a), we can definitely exclude a Valanginian age for the uppermost strata of
the Mozduran Formation contrary to Bucur et al.
(2013) who wisely
left this option open although questionable. To summarize, the Mozduran
Formation is an overall regressive sequence documenting the progradation of an
"Upper Jurassic" carbonate platform that ends in Berriasian times. Its
ultimate strata could be missing, as in the section studied by Schlagintweit et al.
(2019b),
due to subaerial non-deposition or erosion.
Microfossils are commonly poorly preserved (due to recrystallisation - mostly dolomitization) in the Zard Formation. Age diagnostic fossils are almost non-existant. In addition, there are no first-order biostratigraphic markers (e.g., ammonites) within the Zard and the Tirgan formations. There only are few second-order markers (e.g., benthic foraminifers and Dasycladales), the ranges of which commonly lack a calibration on the ammonite biostratigraphic scale.
Some microfossils that first appeared in the Zard Formation are still present in the Tirgan Formation:
Torinosuella
peneropliformis (Yabe
& Hanzawa, 1926) [Pl. 1 ,
figs. AF-AH; Pl. 2 ,
figs. A-D], is reported from Tithonian to lower Barremian
strata (Cherchi & Schroeder,
2005; Schlagintweit & Wilmsen,
2018).
Holosporella sugdeni (Elliott,
1957) [Pl. 5 ,
figs. Q-V;
Pl. 6 , fig. D] is known with certainty at least from the
Hauterivian and lower Barremian interval in the Middle East (Granier,
2018; Schlagintweit
& Wilmsen, 2018)
According to Granier and Deloffre (1993), the range of Kopetdagaria sphaerica Maslov, 1960, spans the Barremian - Aptian interval. This species is only known from Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iran, Romania, and Turkmenistan, on the northern margin of the Neotethys (Taherpour-Khalil-Abad et al., 2013).
The genus Neomeris (Pl. 1 ,
figs. AD-AE), which still has living representatives, first appeared in the
early Valanginian (Granier & Berthou,
2002).
Other microfossils are restricted to the Tirgan Formation:
Until its recent sporadic record in Lebanon (Granier et al.,
2016), Balkhania balkhanica Mamontova, 1966
(Pl. 1 ,
figs. AC, AJ; Pl. 2 ,
figs. E-G, I), was only known from
Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan, on the northern margin of the Neotethys (Taherpour-Khalil-Abad et al.,
2013).
Montseciella arabica (Henson,
1948) [Pl. 4 ,
figs. Q-R] is as a subzonal marker of the Upper Barremian
(according to Clavel in Granier et al.,
2021) of the Palorbitolina
lenticularis Zone (Schroeder et al., 2010).
According to Granier and Deloffre
(1993), the range of Bakalovaella
elitzae (Bakalova, 1971) [Pl. 5 ,
figs. W-X;
Pl. 6 ,
figs. A-C, E-F] spans
the Barremian - early Aptian interval.
Pseudoactinoporella iranica Bucur et al., 2012, was described from the Barremian - Aptian Taft Formation from Central Iran.
Bakalovaella elitzae, Pseudoactinoporella iranica, Balkhania balkhanica, and Montseciella arabica, all first occur in the lowermost part of the Tirgan Formation. Considering the above notes, it is also assumed today that none occur in Hauterivian strata. Accordingly, the lowermost part of the Tirgan should be ascribed a Barremian age. Although Afshar Harb (1979) mentioned the occurrence of "Dictyoconus arabicus" (i.e., Montseciella arabica) in the upper part of the Zard Formation, we did not identify it there but rather in the lower part of the Tirgan Formation. In western Europe, thanks to ammonite calibration (see Granier et al., 2021), the stratigraphic range of Montseciella arabica is restricted solely to the Upper Barremian. Although it should not be excluded that this foraminifer may occur earlier in the Middle East, it is suggested here that the lowermost part of the Tirgan could be ascribed a Late Barremian age.
Because the lowermost strata of the Tirgan have been ascribed a Late Barremian age, the uppermost strata of the Zard Formation should be Barremian in age too. Typical biostratigraphic markers of the Valanginian, e.g., Barkerina dobrogiaca Neagu, 2000 (Schlagintweit, 2019a; Granier, 2020b), have not been reported yet in the Kopet Dagh. Accordingly, the lower part of the Zard Formation is mostly Hauterivian in age, although it should not be excluded that it goes down into the Valanginian.
The first author (B.G.) acknowledges the full support of the North East Territory branch of the Geological Survey of Iran in Mashhad and of its past director Jafar Taheri (now retired) for field work campaigns in Kopet Dagh (with Abbas Haghi in 2017 and with Medhi Hashemi in 2019, both GSI drivers). B. Granier, on behalf of the Foundation "Carnets de G ologie", and J. Taheri, on behalf of the North East Territory branch of the Geological Survey of Iran, signed a bilateral cooperation agreement on October 31st, 2019. The above manuscript represents the first tangible result of this cooperation.
Special thanks are due to Phil Salvador who kindly checked the final version of our English text, as well as to the two reviewers, Ioan I. Bucur and Felix Schlagintweit, for having shared their micropaleontological expertise in the foraminifers and for their comments that helped improve the manuscript.
Afshar Harb A. (1979).- The stratigraphy, tectonics and petroleum geology of the Kopet Dagh region, northern Iran.- PhD Thesis, University of London, 316 p. URL: https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/10044/1/8298/2/Abbas_Afshar_Harb-1979-PhD-Thesis_1.pdf
Bakalova D. (1971).- Nouvelles espèces de Dasycladaceae (Algae) dans les sédiments urgoniens du Prébalkan central.- Bulletin of the Geological Institute (Series Paleontology), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, vol. XX, p. 123-127.
Bakalova D. (1975).- Algues calcaires des sédiments urgoniens dans la montagne de Prébalkan central (Bulgarie centrale).- Paleontology, Stratigraphy and Lithology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, vol. 2, p. 49-56 (III Pls.).
Baud A., Cherchi A. & Schroeder R. (1994).- Dictyoconus arabicus Henson (Foraminiferida) from the late Barremian of the Lhasa Block (Central Tibet).- Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, Milano, vol. 100, no. 3, p. 383-394.
Bucur I.I. (1993).- Some new or poorly known calcareous algae (Dasycladales, Gymnocodiaceae) in the Lower Cretaceous deposits from the Reşiţa-Moldava Nouă Zone (Southern Carpathians, Romania).- Revista Española de Micropaleontologia, Madrid, vol. XXV, no. 1, p. 93-126.
Bucur I.I. (2002).- New remarks on Kopetdagaria sphaerica Maslov, 1960. In: Bucur I.I. & Filipescu S. (eds.), Research advances in calcareous algae and microbial carbonates. Proc. 4th IFAA Reg. Meet. Cluj-Napoca, August 29-September 5, 2001.- Cluj University Press, p. 83-94.
Bucur I.I. (2011).- Early Barremian dasycladalean algae from Serre de Bleyton (Dr me, SE France).- Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien (Serie A), Band 113, p. 619-653.
Bucur I.I., Majidifard M.R. & Senowbari-Daryan B. (2013).- Early Cretaceous calcareous benthic microfossils from the eastern Alborz and western Kopet Dagh (northern Iran) and their stratigraphic significance.- Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae, vol. 9, no. 1, p. 23-38.
Bucur I.I., Rashidi K. & Senowbari-Daryan B. (2012).- Early Cretaceous calcareous algae from Central Iran (Taft Formation, south of Alibad, near Yazd).- Facies, Erlangen, vol. 58, p. 605-636.
Bucur I.I., Senowbari-Daryan B. & Majidifard M.R. (2003).- Neocomian microfossil association from the Taft area near Yazd (central Iran).- Facies, Erlangen, vol. 48, p. 217-222.
Bucur I.I., Yarahmadzahi H. & Mircescu C.V. (2019).- The Lower Cretaceous Tirgan Formation in the Gelian section (Kopet Dagh, North Iran): Microfacies, microfossils, and their biostratigraphic significance.- Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae, Cluj Napoca, vol. 15, no. 1, p. 13-33.
Cherchi A. & Schroeder R. (2005).- Torinosuella peneropliformis (Yabe & Hanzawa, 1926) (Lituolacea, Foraminiferida) from the Early Cretaceous of the Pedraforca massif (Catalonian Pyrenees, NE Spain).- Treballs del Museu de Geologia de Barcelona, vol. 13, p. 5-13.
Dragastan O. (1978).- Microfaciès de la série calcaire, crétacée inférieure d'Aliman (Dobrogea de sud).- Dări de Seamă ale Şedinţelor, Institul de Geologie şi Geofizică, vol. LXIV (1976-1977), no. 4, p. 107-136.
Dragastan O. (1995).- Typification of some fossil algae and megaflora taxa from the collection of Professor R. Ovidiu Dragastan, University of Bucharest, Laboratory of Paleontology.- Analele Universitaţii Bucureşti, Geologie, vol. XLIV, p. 105-107.
Dragastan O. (1999).- Early Cretaceous algae from Aliman (South Dobrogea): A revision and description of two new species from East Carpathians.- Acta Palaeontologica Romaniae, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 125-137.
Elliott G.F. (1957).- New calcareous algae from the Arabian Peninsula.- Micropaleontology, vol. III, p. 227-230 (1 Pl.).
Fateh Bahari L., Mahmudy Gharaie M.H., Conrad M.A., Barattolo F., Muossavi Harami R. & Mahboubi A. (2020).- On certain Neocomian - Aptian calcareous algae in the West of Kopeh-Dagh (NE Iran). Systematics and compared biogeography, focusing on Dasycladales.- Geopersia, Tehran, vol. 10, no. 1, p. 115-134.
Fourcade ., Jaffrezo M., Jerez Mir L. & Rodriguez Estrella T. (1972).- El Jurásico terminal y el Cretácico inferior de la Sierra de la Muela (provincia de Murcia). Consideraciones sobre las biozonas con Foraminiferos del Albense-Aptiense del Sureste de España. In: 30o Anniversario E.N. ADARO.- Revista española de Micropaleontología, no. extr., p. 215-248.
Granier B. (2013).- Dissocladella hauteriviana Masse in Masse et al., 1999 (non Masse, 1976), another lower Urgonian Dasycladalean alga revisited.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 13, no. L07 (CG2013_L07), p. 347-355. DOI: 10.4267/2042/53035
Granier B. (2018).- Cylindroporella sugdeni Elliott, 1957, an Early Cretaceous Middle Eastern Dasycladalean alga. A revision.- Journal of Micropalaeontology, vol. 37, p. 181-190.
Granier B. (2019a).- Dual biozonation scheme (benthic foraminifera and "calcareous" green algae) over the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition. Another plea to revert the system boundary to its historical Orbigny's and Oppel's definition. In: Granier B. (ed.), VSI: The transition of the Jurassic to the Cretaceous: an early XXIth century holistic approach.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 93, p. 245-274.
Granier B. (2019b).- Observations on some Actinoporellas (Chlorophyta, Polyphysaceae). Revision of the Jacques Emberger Collection. Part 1.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 19, no. 7, p. 113-139. DOI: 10.4267/2042/70196
Granier B. (2020a).- Introduction to thematic issue, "The transition of the Jurassic to the Cretaceous: An early XXIth century holistic approach". In: Granier B. (ed.), VSI: The transition of the Jurassic to the Cretaceous: An early XXIth century holistic approach.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 114, article 104530, 8 p.
Granier B. (2020b).- Discussion of the paper by Vincent et al., 2018, entitled "Age constraints on intra-formational unconformities in Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous carbonates in northeast Turkey; geodynamic and hydrocarbon implications" (Marine and Petroleum Geology, 91, 639-657).- Marine and Petroleum Geology, vol. 112, article 103795, 9 p.
Granier B., Al Suwaidi A.S., Busnardo R., Aziz S.K. & Schroeder R. (2003).- New insight on the stratigraphy of the "Upper Thamama" in offshore Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.).- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 3, no. A05 (CG2003_A05), 17 p. DOI: 10.4267/2042/297
Granier B., Azar D., Maksoud S., G ze R. & Habchi R. (2015).- New fossiliferous sites with Barremian Charophyta in the "Gr s du Liban" auct. (Lebanon), with a critical perspective regarding the nature of Munieria Deecke, 1883.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 15, no. 15, p. 199-229. DOI: 10.4267/2042/57947
Granier B. & Berthou P-Y. (2002).- Algues calcaires fossiles, nouvelles ou peu connues, du Portugal. 1ère Partie. In: Bucur I.I. & Filipescu S. (eds.), Research advances in calcareous algae and microbial carbonates. Proc. 4th IFAA Reg. Meet. Cluj-Napoca, August 29-September 5, 2001.- Cluj University Press, p. 117-126.
Granier B. & Bucur I.I. (2019).- Le genre Bakalovaella Bucur, 1993 (Dasycladeae, Dasycladaceae), et description de son plus ancien représentant crétacé.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 19, no. 1, p. 1-19. DOI: 10.4267/2042/69540
Granier B. & Busnardo R. (2013).- New stratigraphic data on the Aptian of the Persian Gulf. In: Skelton P., Granier B. & Moullade M. (eds.), Special issue: Spatial patterns of change in Aptian carbonate platforms and related events.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 39, p. 170-182.
Granier B., Clavel B., Busnardo R., Charollais J., Desjacques P. & Bert D. (2021).- Biostratigraphic distribution of orbitolinids in the ammonite biozones (Urgonian platform of southeastern France). Part 2: Barremian p.p.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 21, no. 18, p. 399-521. DOI: 10.2110/carnets.2021.2118
Granier B. & Deloffre R. (1993).- Inventaire des Algues Dasycladales fossiles. II partie- Les Algues Dasycladales du Jurassique et du Crétacé.- Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 19-65.
Granier B. & Michaud F. (1987).- Deloffrella quercifoliipora n. gen. n. sp., une algue Dasycladacée nouvelle du Kimméridgien et du Portlandien du Sud-Est du Mexique.- Bulletin de la Société géologique de France (8e Série), Paris, t. III, no. 6, p. 1089-1096.
Granier B., Toland C., Gèze R., Azar D. & Maksoud S. (2016).- Some steps toward a new story for the Jurassic - Cretaceous transition in Mount Lebanon.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 16, no. 8, p. 247-269. DOI: 10.4267/2042/59924
Hemmati S., Ghaderi A., Reza Ashouri A. & Taherpour-Khalil-Abad M. (2017).- Applications and limitations of benthonic foraminifera and calcareous algae in biozonation of the Tirgan Formation: Examples from Taher-Abad and Eshlir stratigraphic sections in the Eastern Kopet-Dag.- Sedimentary Facies, Mashhad, vol. 9, no. 2, p. 109-132.
Henson F.R.S. (1948).- Larger imperforate foraminifera of south-western Asia. Families Lituolidae, Orbitolinidae and Meandropsinidae.- British Museum (Natural History), London, 127 p.
Kaever M. (1967).- Unterkretazische Cyclammininae (Foram.) aus dem s dlichen Zentral-Afghanistan.- Paläontologische Zeitschrift, vol. 41, no. 3/4, p. 199-210.
Maksoud S., Granier B., Azar D., Gèze R., Paicheler J.-C. & Moreno-Bedmar J.A. (2014).- Revision of "Falaise de Blanche" (Lower Cretaceous) in Lebanon, with the definition of a Jezzinian Regional Stage.- Carnets Geol., Madrid, vol. 14, no. 18, p. 401-427. DOI: 10.4267/2042/54359
Maksoud S., Granier B., Gèze R., Alméras Y., Toland C. & Azar D. (2020).- The Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary in Lebanon. Revision of the Salima Formation. In: Granier B. (ed.), VSI: The transition of the Jurassic to the Cretaceous: An early XXIth century holistic approach.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 107, article 104268: 8 p.
Mamontova E.V. (1966).- A new genus of larger foraminifera from the Lower Barremian of Turkmenistan.- Paleontologiceskij Zurnal, Moskva, 1, p. 145-147 [in Russian].
Maslov V.P. (1960).- Novoye Vodorosli Mela Kopet-Daga (Turkmeniya) [New Cretaceous algae of Kopet Dag (Turkmenia)].- Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR, vol. 134, no. 4, p. 939-941.
Maync W. (1959).- Torinosuella n. gen., eine mesozoische Gattung der lituoliden Foraminiferen.- Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae, Basel, Band 52, Heft 1, p. 5-14 (Pl. I).
Mu X.N. (1982).- Some calcareous algae from Xizang.- The Series of the Scintific Expedition to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Palaeontology of Xizang, Beijing, Book V, p. 205-240 (Pls. I-XII).
Mu X.N. (1986).- Lower Cretaceous calcareous algae from Xainza and Baingoin, N. Xizang.- Bulletin of Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Academia Sinica, no. 10, p. 79-99 (Pls. I-V).
Neumann M. (1967).- Manuel de micropalé ontologie des foraminifères (systématique - stratigraphie).- Gauthier-Villars, Paris, 297 p.
Peybernès B. & Cugny P. (1977).- Dictyoconus balkanicus n. sp., Orbitolinid nouveau identifi dans le Barrémo-Bédoulien faciès urgonien du Prébalkan central (région de Lovectirnovo, Bulgarie).- Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire naturelle de Toulouse, t. 13, fasc. 1-2, p. 69-79 (II Pls.)
Radoičić R. (1980).- Contribution to the reconsideration of a group of cylindroporelliform dasyclads.- Bulletin de l'Académie Serbe des Sciences et des Arts, Beograd, vol. LXXII, p. 109-115.
Sampò M. (1969).- Microfacies and microfossils of the Zagros Area Southwestern Iran (from pre-Permian to Miocene).- International Sedimentary Petrographical Series, Leiden, vol. XII, 102 p. (CV Pls.).
Schlagintweit F., Bucur I.I., Granier B. & Koch R. (2019a).- Barkerina dobrogiaca Neagu, 2000, a Valanginian marker taxon from the northern Neotethysian margin. In: Granier B. (ed.), VSI: The transition of the Jurassic to the Cretaceous: An early XXIth century holistic approach.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 101, p. 76-83.
Schlagintweit F., Bucur I.I., Rashidi K., Hanifzadeh R. & Wilmsen M. (2013).- Torremiroella hispanica Brun and Canérot, 1979 (benthic foraminifera) from the Lower Cretaceous of Central Iran and its palaeo-biogeographic significance.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 46, p. 272-279.
Schlagintweit F., Bucur I.I. & Sudar M. (2019c).- Bispiraloconulus serbiacus n. gen., n.sp., a giant arborescent benthic foraminifera from the Berriasian of Serbia.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 93, p. 98-106.
Schlagintweit F., Bucur I.I. & Sudar M. (2019d).- Corrigendum to "Bispiraloconulus serbiacus gen. et sp. nov., a giant arborescent benthic foraminifer from the Berriasian of Serbia" [Cretaceous Research 93, 98-106] .- Cretaceous Research, vol. 94, p. 259.
Schlagintweit F., Kadivar Z. & Rashidi K. (2019b).- Some microfossils (Dasycladales, benthic foraminifera, sponges) from the Upper Jurassic Mozduran Formation (NE Iran, Kopet-Dagh) and their biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic importance.- Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, Milano, vol. 125, no. 2, p. 317-331.
Schlagintweit F., Rashidi K., Bucur I.I., Kohkan H. & Akbari A. (2021).- Pseudoactinoporella Conrad 1970 (Family Bornetellaceae) revisited: A Lower Cretaceous corticated and capitulum-shaped, stalked Tethyan Dasycladale.- Micropaleontology, vol. 67, no. 4, p. 403-414.
Schlagintweit F. & Wilmsen M. (2018).- First occurrence and palaeobiogeographic significance of Holosporella sugdeni (Elliott, 1957) Granier, 2018 (dasycladalean alga) from the Lower Cretaceous of Central Iran.- Cretaceous Research, vol. 89, p. 1-7.
Schroeder R. (1964).- Orbitoliniden-Biostratigraphie des Urgons nord stlich von Teruel (Spanien).- Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte, Stuttgart, Heft 8, p. 462-474.
Schroeder R., Buchem F.S.P. van, Cherchi A., Baghbani D., Vincent B., Immenhauser A. & Granier B. (2010).- Revised orbitolinid biostratigraphic zonation for the Barremian - Aptian of the eastern Arabian Plate and implications for regional stratigraphic correlations.- GeoArabia, Manama, Special Publication 4, vol. 1, p. 49-96.
Schroeder R., Clavel B., Cherchi A., Busnardo R., Charollais J. & Decrouez D. (2002).- Lignées phylétiques d'Orbitolinidés de l'intervalle Hauterivien supérieur - Aptien inférieur; leur importance stratigraphique.- Revue de Pal obiologie, Genève, vol. 21, no. 2, p. 853-863
Srivastava N.K. (1973).- Neocomian calcareous algae from Bolshoi Balkhan, USSR.- Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte, Stuttgart, Heft 11, p. 690-708.
Stöcklin J. & Setudehnia A. (1971).- Stratigraphic Lexicon of Iran. Part 1: Central, North and East Iran.- Third Edition, Geological Survey of Iran, Report, Tehran, no. 18, 376 p.
Taherpour-Khalil-Abad M., Taheri J., Rezamajidifard M., Hassanzadeh Z. & Carevic I. (2019).- Bispiraloconulus serbicus Schlagintweit, Bucur & Sudar, 2019 (arborescent benthic foraminifer) and Torremiroella hispanica Brun & Canérot, 1979 from the late Barremian of Kopet-Dagh sedimentary basin (NE Iran) and their palaeobiogeographic revisions.- Geoloski anali Balkanskoga poluostrva, Beograd, vol. 80, no. 2, p. 39-51. DOI: 10.2298/GABP1902039T
Tahepour-Khalil-Abad, M., Schlagintweit F., Vaziri S.H., Aryaei A.A. & Ashouri A.R. (2013).- Balkhania balkhanica Mamontova, 1966 (benthic foraminifera) and Kopetdagaria sphaerica Maslov, 1960 (dasycladalean alga) from the Lower Cretaceous Tirgan Formation of the Kopet Dagh mountain range (NE Iran) and their palaeobiogeographic significance. In: Bucur I.I. & F rsich F.T. (eds.), Recent advances in fossil algae.- Facies, vol. 59, no. 1, p. 267-285.
Taherpour-Khalil-Abad M., Conrad M.A, Aryaei A.A. & Ahouri A.R. (2010).- Barremian-Aptian Dasycladalean algae, new and revisited, from the Tirgan Formation in the Kopet Dagh, NE Iran.- Carnets Geol., madrid, vol. 10, no. A05 (CG2010_A05), 13 p. DOI: 10.4267/2042/33368
Yabe H. & Hanzawa S. (1926).- Choffatella Schlumberger and Pseudocyclammina, a new genus of arenaceous foraminifera.- The Science Reports of the Tôhoku Imperial University, (2nd Series), Sendai, vol. IX, no. 1, p. 9-11 (Pl. II).
Plate
1: A-N:
small foraminifer with a thin agglutinated planispiral involute test;
Q-V:
small foraminifer with a thicker agglutinated planispiral involute test, Charentia
? sp.; W-AB, AF-AH: Torinosuella peneropliformis
(Yabe & Hanzawa, 1926); AC, AJ: macrospheric specimens of Balkhania
balkhanica Mamontova, 1966; AD-AE, Neomeris spp.;
AI: ? textulariid. All photomicrographs with the same bar = 250 m (on AC). A, E:
sample 10; B-C, G-I, L-N: sample 13; F: sample 15, J-K; O-P, R-U: sample 25; Q:
sample 27; V: sample 23; W, Y, AE-AG: sample 5; X, Z: sample 6; AA-AB, AH:
sample 16; AC, AJ: sample 34; AD: sample 29; AI: sample 28. Zard Fm: A-M, W-AB,
AE-AH; Tirgan Fm: O-V, AC-AD, AI-AJ. |
|
Plate
2: A-D:
Torinosuella peneropliformis
(Yabe & Hanzawa, 1926);
E-G, I: macrospheric specimens of Balkhania
balkhanica Mamontova, 1966; H, L-M: Neomeris
spp.; K: textulariid; J: microspheric specimen of Balkhania balkhanica Mamontova,
1966. All photomicrographs with the same scale bar = 250 m (on K), except J
with scale bar = 500 m. A-B, M: sample 5; C: sample 16; D, H: sample 28; E-G,
I-J: sample 34; K: sample 27; L: sample 29. Zard Fm: A-C, M; Tirgan Fm: D-L. |
|
Plate
3:
A-E:
Ichnusella spp.; F-K: cayeuxia-like structures, microbial encrusters (see
arrows pointing to the encrusting surface); L: Vercorsella ? sp.;
M-AB: Torinosuella peneropliformis
(Yabe & Hanzawa, 1926); AC: Pseudoactinoporella
iranica Bucur
et al., 2012. All photomicrographs with the same scale bar = 250 m (on
T). A: sample 102; B: sample 128; C-E: sample 32 (from Zard type-locality); F:
sample 101A; G-K: sample 132; L: sample 115A; M: sample 117; N: sample 121;
O-P, R, Z: sample 134A; Q: sample 120; S, AA: sample 136; T: sample 119; U, Y:
sample 106; V-W: sample 139; X: sample 141; AB: sample 107; AC: sample 116.
Zard Fm: A, F, U, Y; Tirgan Fm: B-E, G-T, V-X, Z-AC. |
|
Plate
4:
A,
E: Rajkaella bartheli (Bernier, 1971); B-C: Vercorsella
sp.; D: Coscinoconus sp.; F: Salpingoporella
annulata Carozzi,
1953; G-H: Scythiolina
sp.; I-L: Actinoporella
podolica (Alth,
1878); M-P: Coscinoconus
alpinus Leupold
in Leupold & Bigler, 1936; Q-R: Montseciella arabica
(Henson, 1948); S: macrospheric specimens of Balkhania
balkhanica Mamontova, 1966; T: Bulbobaculites felixi Pleş et al., 2016.
All photomicrographs with the same scale bar = 250 m (on Q). A, D, F, M-P:
sample JUR A; B-C, H-L: sample JUR B; E, G: sample JUR C; Q-R: sample 27 (from
Zard type-locality); S: sample 115A; T: sample 22 (from Zard type-locality).
Mozduran Fm: A-P; Zard Fm: T; Tirgan Fm: Q-S. |
|
Plate
5:
A-P: Deloffrella
quercifoliipora Granier
& Michaud, 1987; Q-V: Holosporella
sugdeni (Elliott, 1957); W-X: Bakalovaella elitzae (Bakalova,
1971). All photomicrographs with the same scale
bar = 250 m (on K), except J with scale bar = 500 m. A: sample 101A; B:
sample 121; C-G, I-J: sample 136; H, M: sample 141; K-L, Q-R: sample 137; N:
sample 27 (from Zard type-locality); S-V: sample 121; W-X: sample 127. Zard Fm:
A; Tirgan Fm: B-X. |
|
Plate
6:
A-C, E-F: Bakalovaella elitzae (Bakalova,
1971), with possible cysts (in F); D: Holosporella
sugdeni (Elliott, 1957); G-O: Actinoporella gr. podolica
(Alth, 1878), a form that differs from the genuine Tithonian-Berriasian Actinoporella
podolica (see Granier, 2019b, for comparison). All photomicrographs
with the same scale bar = 250 m (on E). A-B: sample 131A; C, E: sample 131B;
D, F: sample 137; G-I: sample 116; J-K: sample 124A; L: sample 122; M: sample
127; N-O: sample 128. All specimens (A-O) from the Zard Fm. |
|
Plate
7:
A:
Pseudoactinoporella
iranica Bucur
et al., 2012; B, I: ? Bispiraloconulus
sp.; C-E: Globochaete sp.; F: Carpathocancer sp.; G-H:, Ammobaculites
sp.; J: oolitic dolograinstone; K-M: Kopetdagaria sphaerica Maslov
ex Bucur, 2002; N: Terquemella
sp.; O: Girvanella-like microbial filaments. Photomicrographs A, C-F, J-O with
the same scale bar = 250 m (on O) and B, G-I with the same scale bar = 500 m
(on O). A: sample 127; B, K: sample 101B; C, E: sample 28; D: sample 29; F-H:
sample 5; I: sample 24; J: sample 8; L: sample 101A; M: sample 121; N: sample
102; O: sample 128. Zard Fm: B, F-H, J-L, N; Tirgan Fm: A, C-E, I, M, O. |
|
Plate
8:
A, E:
cemented grainstone with partial micritic infills (with endobionthic
ostracods in E) of the primary intergranular pores; B-D: early anisopachous
cement; F-H: possible evaporitic pseudomorphs in fenestral fabrics. m: micritic
infills; red arrows: anisopachous cement; white arrows: no cement.
Photomicrographs A-E with the same scale bar = 250 m (on E) and F-H with the
same scale bar = 500 m (on F). A-D: sample 5; E: sample 20; F-G: sample 21B;
H: sample 35. All specimens (A-G) from the Zard Fm, except H from the Tirgan Fm. |
|
