TRACE FOSIL ASSOCIATIONS AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION OF THE LATE EOCENE UNITS (SW-THRACE)

Abstract

The Late Eocene deep marine fan sequence exposed in the northeast of the Saros Bay and around Korudað, Keþan, Yenimuhacir regions consists of several facies associations such as middle and outer fan, slope, prodelta. From the study area, as a part of the observations, 4 measured sections involving Korudað, Keþan, Yenimuhacir Formations were taken and the mid and outer fan facies association deposits were found to be more common than the others. The middle fan association was divided into two sub-associations: distribution channels and interchannel areas. 19 ichnogenus were identified in the deep sea fan deposits. From these ichnogenus: Ophiomorpha isp, Ophiomorpha annulata, Ophiomorpha rudis, Thalassinoides isp, Planolites isp, Halopoa annulata, Rutichnius isp, Chondrites isp, Scolicia vertebralis, Scolicia strozzii, Scolicia prisca, Scolicia plana, Nereites irregularis, Helminthoidichnites isp, Helminthopsis isp, Cosmorhaphe isp, and Paleodictyon strozzi helped to distinguish the mid fan-distal of the mid fan Korudað Formation, Ophiomorpha isp, Ophiomorpha annulata, Ophiomorpha rudis, Thalassinoides isp, Planolites isp, Halopoa annulata Zoophycos isp, helped to distinguish inner fan Keþan formation and the Lockeia isp, ve Planolites isp. helped to distinguish the deltaic Yenimuhacir formation. The abundance and diversity of trace fossils found in the study area increase in the middle fan interchannel and channel margin sediments. On the other hand, in the outer fan and slope facies associations, the abundance and diversity of trace fossils are lower. Distribution and relative abundance of the trace fossils are compared with the interpretations of depositional environment and trace fossils associations were found to be related to the various parts of deep sea fan model.