TERTIARY MOLLUSK FAUNA AND STRATIGRAPHY OF PINARHİSAR (KIRKLARELİ) AREA

Abstract

A pateontotogic-stratigraphic study based primarly on the pelecypod and gastropod fauna was carried out at Pınarhisar (Kırklareli) and its surrounding, for which previous researchers have put forward various ideas, by taking into consideration tha ages of the Tertiary sediments and their relation with the Tethis which crop out in the region. In the stratigraphic cross-section made using 8 measurements; 15, 5 and 6 species of molluscan fauna were observed in the İslambeyli formation, Kırklareli limestone and Pınarhisar formation respectively: The ages of the formations were once again taken into consideration under the light of all paleontologic data, and an approximated age was given by evaluating both the paleontological and stratigraphic conditions. The following conclusions were made: The age of the İslambeyli formation which represents the base of the Tertiary sediments is Early Priabonian, the age of the Kırklareli limestone which conformably overlies the İslambeyli formation and which represents the reef carbonates is Late Priabonian and the age of the Pınarhisar formation which unconformably overlies the Kırklareli limestone and which has shelf-margin and shallow sea properties, is Stampian. It was also concluded that the age of the Balıklı serie, which conformably continues over the Pınarhisar formation, is -Stampian as well, according to the paleogeographic distribution of the present molluscan fauna, It can be seen that the majority of it is completely the same with those in the Balcan countries; a minonty of it is also seen in the Western European countries in Eocene. In the Oligocene, where it is not abundantly seen, the fact that the basin contains completely the same fauna with Bulgaria shows that it is, within the area of spread of the Paratethis.