Radiolarian and planktonic foraminiferal biochronology of the Pano Panagia section, Lefkara Formation (Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous), Cyprus

• Published in: Palaeoworld Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 1336 - 1358
• Main Authors: Bragina, Liubov, Bragin, Nikita, Proshina, Polina, Pokrovsky, Boris, Tsiolakis, Efthymios, Symeou, Vasilis, Papadimitriou, Nikolaos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Biostratigraphy; Maastrichtian; Planktonic foraminifera; Radiolaria; Tethyan Superrealm; Planktonic foraminifera; Maastrichtian; Tethyan Superrealm; Radiolaria; Biostratigraphy
• ISSN: 1871-174X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.palwor.2023.09.007

Well-preserved radiolarians were studied from a section of the Lefkara Formation near Pano Panagia Village (southwestern Cyprus) which was previously dated as Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian). More than 60 radiolarian species were recovered in this section, including Amphipyndax tylotus Foreman, Archaeodictyomitra lamellicostata (Foreman), Lithomelissa (?) sp. aff. L. (?) hoplites Foreman, Lithomespilus coronatus Squinabol sensu Hollis, 1997, Theocapsomma comys group Foreman. Two radiolarian zones were recognized. The Amphipyndax tylotus Radiolarian Zone is traced within the Maastrichtian part of the studied section. The upper limits of stratigraphic ranges of some genera, e.g., Archaeospongoprunum Pessagno, Crucella Pessagno, Multastrum Vishnevskaya, Patellula Kozlova, Praeconocaryomma Pessagno, Pseudoaulophacus Pessagno, Afens Riedel and Sanfilippo, Archaeodictyomitra Pessagno, Foremanina Empson-Morin and Xitus Pessagno are, therefore, expanded to the Maastrichtian. Planktonic foraminifera were identified, represented by an assemblage with Gansserina gansseri (Bolli), Contusotruncana contusa (Cushman) and Pseudotextularia elegans (Rzehak), which indicate stratigraphic interval from Gansserina gansseri to Pseudoguembelina hariaensis Zones (uppermost Campanian to middle part of upper Maastrichtian). Geochemical data indicate a Mid-Maastrichtian Event with relatively high δ13С value in the lower part of the section and a moderate negative trend of δ13С value towards the upper part of the section.