Biostratigraphy and Paleontology of the Medik-Ebreme (NW Malatya) Area

Abstract

This paper deals with paleontology and biostratigraphy of the sedimentary rocks in the vicinity of Medik-Ebreme area located northwest of Malatya. The age of the formations of the area range from Upper Jurassic to the Quaternary. Horasançay formation, Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous in age, consists essentially of micrites and dolomitic limestones deposited on the open shelf. The unconformably overlying Medik formation is represented by conglomerates with mudstone interbeds deposited in an alluvial fan of Paleocene age. The Medik formation is unconformably overlain by the Tohma formation, Middle-Upper Eocene in age, and consists of conglomerates, sandstones and alternations of limestones and marls deposited in lagoonal, beach and shallow marine (shelf) environments. Çavuş formation consisting of clastic limestones deposited on the shallow shelf, sits unconformably on the Tohma formation and is of Aquitanian age. This sequence is unconformably succeeded by the Ansurçay formation, Burdigalian in age, consisting mainly of clastic limestones, marls and reefal limestones. Mısırdere formation, consisting of conglomerates, sandstones and mudstones, was laid down in environments of alluvial fans and braided streams. The following biozones were defined on the basis of paleontologic data: the Velates schmiedeli biozone in Lower Lutetian; the Nummulites pinfoldi biozone in Middle Lutetian; the Nummulites aturicus biozone and Nummulites perforatus subbiozone in Upper Lutetian; the Nummulites fabianii biozone and Chapmanina gassinensis subbiozone in Lower Priabonian; the Miogypsinoides complanatus biozone in Aquitanian; the Miogypsina irregularis biozone and Miogypsina intermedia biozone in Burdigalian. These biozones were matched, biostratigraphically and chronostratigraphically, with their equivalents in Turkey and in other parts of the world.