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PALEOECOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION AND Carnets Geol. 16 (3)
ASSOCIATED SKELETAL ASSEMBLAGES W Figure 4: Multivariate sta-
The fossils occur in various depositional tistical analysis based on B-C
environments and are associated with different similarity of the average value
benthic organisms. for each specimen of vegetative
cell size and morphological cha-
In the outcrops of Tertiary Piedmont Basin, racters of the multiporate con-
coralline algae dominate the skeletal assem- ceptacles (see text for details);
blages, with barnacles and larger benthic hierarchical agglomerative den-
foraminifers also very common. These rhodalgal drogram.
carbonates were deposited in a mesotrophic, TPB=Tertiary Piedmont Basin,
high-energy environment at tropical latitudes Burdigalian.
(DERCOURT et al., 2000; MOSBRUGGER et al., ŽIL= Židlochovice, upper part of
2005; COLETTI et al., 2015). Lower Langhian, Czech Re-
public.
The Sommières Basin was a small inlet of LV=Lopadea Veche, upper part
the Alpine Molasse Basin and located at the of Lower Langhian, Romania.
same latitude as the Tertiary Piedmont basin ST=Stupava-Vrchná Hora, Up-
(DERCOURT et al., 2000). Bryozoans, barnacles, per Langhian, Slovakia.
echinoids and coralline algae were the main CAS=Castelluccio, Pleistocene,
carbonate producers; larger benthic forami- S. Italy.
nifers were, in this case, very rare. These MAR=Marettimo, modern, Medi-
heterozoan carbonates were deposited in a tide- terranean.
controlled environment under mesotrophic
conditions as suggested by bryozoan dominance nian Basin) that is characterized by nodular
and the presence of authigenic phosphates limestones (FILIPESCU and GÎRBACEA, 1997). The
(REYNAUD and JAMES, 2012). foraminiferal associations suggest that lime-
stones and marls were deposited in a shallow
Red algal limestones from Židlochovice were water environment. Other common components
deposited in a stable shallow normal marine are bivalves, bryozoans and rhodoliths (FILI-
environment with low terrigenous input and PESCU and GÎRBACEA, 1997). The occurrence of
seagrass meadows (DOLÁKOVÁ et al., 2008, patch reefs in the distinct reefal Podeni Member
2014). The sediments were deposited in a (limestone of Gârbova de Sus Formation) points
warm temperate to subtropical climate with to subtropical condition (SAINT-MARTIN et al.,
marked seasonality (DOLÁKOVÁ et al., 2014). 2007).
Coralline algal to coralline algal-bryozoan
limestones point to a cooler environment than Sands, sandstones and limestones of the
the coral – coralline algal limestones of the Stupava Member from the Vienna Basin
southern sites of the Central Paratethys (KOVÁČ contains the large benthic foraminifer Amphi-
et al., 2005; DOLÁKOVÁ et al., 2008). stegina (HRABOVSKÝ et FORDINÁL, 2013) in high
abundance. Sandy limestones were deposited
Limestones from Lopadea Veche correspond within a dynamic environment of normal salini-
to the Gârbova de Sus Formation (Transylva- ty at the proposed depth of 35-80 m, affected
by terrigenous input. The studied site was loca-
ted in a warm, temperate to subtropical climatic
zone (HRABOVSKÝ and FORDINÁL, 2013).
The Sandberg Member was proposed for
marginal transgressive deposits of the Upper
Langhian of the Vienna Basin (BARÁTH et al.,
1994). Limestones were deposited in a circalit-
toral or infralittoral environment, on rises pro-
tected from terrigenous input (BARÁTH et al.,
1994). Although terrestrial ecosystems suggest
a subtropical climatic zone for these deposits,
the marine microfauna indicates a cooling of
the environment compared to the rest of the
Langhian period (KOVÁČ et al., 2005).
Heterozoan carbonates of the Pleistocene
sequences of Castelluccio are largely dominated
by bryozoans and coralline algae. The fossil
association suggests a cool-temperate climate,
probably just slightly colder than the modern
Mediterranean's.
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