Mio-Pliocene strata in Qeshm Island (Zagros Basin) and Minab Region (Makran Basin): Paleoecology and Taphonomy
Subject Areas : stratigraphyFereshteh M. Haskouei 1 , Ali Bahrami 2 , Mehdi Yazdi 3
1 - Department of Geology, University of Isfahan
2 -
3 - professor
Keywords: Mishan Formation, Minab, Qeshm Island, Makran Taphonomic features,
Abstract :
Marine deposits of Mio-Pliocene in Qeshm Island and Minab region studied in terms of depositional paleoenvironment, and taphonomic features. Direstan and Kendaloo outcrops from Qeshm Island and Bemani and Sirik outcrops from Minab region (Gushi Marl), have huge number of oyster bars, along with balanoids, corals, bryozoans, ostracoda, foraminifera, etc. Bolivina spathulata from Bemani assemblages shows a low-oxygen marine environment of the shelf edge and upper slope around the late early Messinian (late Miocene), while Sirik outcrop, shows tidal to intertidal environments of Langhian time interval. The abundance of encrusting organisms (such as bryozoans) in Direstan and Bemani outcrops indicate shallow and nutritious marine environment with low energy and low sedimentation rate. Corals and ostreids (Hyotissa hyotis) with Textularia agglutinans, Elphidium and miliolids in the Direstan outcrop, indicate the inner shelf platforms with high oxygen connected to open marine environments. In Kendaloo, Crassostrea gryphoides and ichnogenus of Trypanites, indicate a high sedimentation rate of river estuary environments under the influence of tidal and intertidal flats.