Late Ladinian radiolarians from the Tahtalidag Nappe of the Antalya nappes, SWTurkey: remarks on the late Middle and Late Triassic evolution of the Tahtalidag Nappe

Abstract

The late Ladinian to Late Triassic succession of the Tahtalidag (upper) Nappe of the Antalya nappes was studied in the Egregindere section, north of the city of Antalya, SW Turkey. The chert bands in the central part of the section have yielded poorly to moderately preserved radiolarians documenting the Late Ladinian Muelleritortis firma and Muelleritortis cochleata radiolarian zones. Based on the Egregindere succession, a major deepening event, evidenced by radiolarian cherts, took place between the middle and late Late Ladinian. The Late Triassic thick-bedded neritic limestones represent a shallowing-upward sequence, which formed as a result of the horst-like rising of the Tahtalidag Nappe during the Late Triassic block faulting. Fifty-nine radiolarian taxa have been determined from the Upper Ladinian of the Egregindere section. One species (Muelleritortis elegans) and two subspecies (Muelleritortis firma equispinosa and Muelleritortis firma globosa) are described as new.