PRESENCE OF CRASSOSTREA GRYPHOIDES (SCHLOTHEIM) FROM THE LOWERMIDDLE MIOCENE SEQUENCE OF KAHRAMANMARAŞ BASIN (SE TURKEY); ITS TAXONOMY, PALEOECOLOGY AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY

Abstract

The Miocene rocks of the Salyan formation between the Salyan and Ahmetcik village in southeastern Turkey and northeastern Kahramanmaraş, contain Miocene bivalves and gastropods typical of the Tethys provence. The abundant and generally well-preserved bivalves are dominated by Crassostrea gryphoides (Schlotheim). The taxonomy, paleoecology and palaeogeography of the Neogene ostreid bivalve Crassostrea gryphoides (Schlotheim), and its paleogeographic effect the larval development from the Late Burdigalian-Early Langhian Salyan formation of the northwestern Kahramanmaraş Basin (southeastern Turkey) are discussed.