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    Triassic Tunisia

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    PALAEO ELSEVIER Palacogeography, Palacoclimetology,Palseoecology 172 (2001) 223-242 ww alsevercon/osste/palana Triassic palaeogeography of Tunisia F. Kamoun’, B. Peybernés®*, R, Ciszak®, $. Calzada® “Laboratoire Eau, Energie et Environnement 3B, Université de Sf, route de Soubra, fat. Tis sit des Sciences deta Terre, Laboratoire de Dynamigue es Bassins édlmentairr, Université PoulSabater, 39 alles Jules-Guesde, F-31062 Toulouse cedex 4, France “Museo Geoléico Seminario, Diputacin 231 08007 Barcelona, Spain Received 1 Match 2000; rcsived in revised frm 5 Jaury 200; scope for publication & February 2001 Abstract A stratigraphic, palacogeographic and palinspastc synthesis ofthe Triassic successions in Tunisia is herein documented from a SSSE-NNN oriented profile (Sabaran Platfonm, Gulf of Gabes offshore, Tunisian Aula, Tellin Units) across the northean boundary ofthe Gondwana Plate and the future South-Tethyan Margin. tis principally based on a reinvestigation of old data and on recent results, particulary related to new lthostatigraphic subdivisions and palacontologic datngs cbiained from assemblages of benthic foraminifera, algae, palynomorphs, ammonites and brachiopods. The various Triasic suceessions of Tunisia ae compared atthe scale of the formations and sequences inthe most possible precise biochronologie framework. The coresponding charts used as reference to seven maps ofthe dominating depositional environments, during the following time intervals: Induan/Olenekian, Anisin, Lower Ladinian, Middle-Upper Camian, ‘Norian’, ‘lowermost pat of Rhaetin’ and “uppermost part of Rhaetan’ Ina Peri-Tethyan demain controlled both by eustasy and extensional tectonics, the proposed maps show the alteration of regressions (marked by fluviodelaie slciclastes and paraic sebkha-type evaperites) and transgressions (marked by foraminifera-bearing Timestonesidolomites of intemaliroxima platform, sometimes open to pelagic influences). The transgressions were particularly widespread during Carnian and “Rhactan’ times and probably came from a deeper tough situated towards ENE. During a first rifting phase, the motion of normal crastal faults, tongly inclined towards the north, induced well-marked diferetial subsidence. Inconelusion,« ne palinspastc reconstruction along a south-north’SSE-NNW oriented profil is proposed. It shows succession of shoals (flanked by lateral steps), suchas the Tebaga of Medenine shoal, sub-hasins (AUas) and tilted blocks (Hairech~Iehkeul) heralding the strcturing ofthe South-Tethyan Margin during Jurassic tines. © 2001 Elsevior Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Tunisia; Blosrsigraphy;South-Tethyan margin; Palaogeography; Teesic 1. Geological framework. In Tunisia, the Triassic deposits crop out, from south to north, within four main structural realms Fig. 1): The Saharan platform (Jeffara plain and Dahar cliff) belongs to the Gondwana Plate. The * Conesponding author, Te: +38-S615-S8080; fax: +33-S615. 58050. Email adress: poyborne cite (B Peyber’s) ‘Triassic suevessions, only cropping out to the NE of this area, are slightly or not deformed and have been lithostratigraphically subdivided into several forma- tions (Busson, 1967; Bouaziz, 1995), then, more recently, into depositional sequences (Peybemnés et al, 1993; Kamoun et al., 1994a,b; Kamoun, 1999). These sequences consist (when complete) of: (@)a siliciclastic-dominated, sometimes conglomera- tic, fuvio-deltaic lowstand wedge (LST); (0051-0182/015- see font matter © 2001 Elsevier Science BL. Al rights reserved, PIL: $0031 182(01)00283-8 ns F Kamoun eal. /Palacogcography, Palaeoctinarology,Palacoecology 172 (2001) 23-242 MEDITERRANEAN SEA Seti ole LEGEND — cx A Oventnate — Fateie & bits Fs Koran Pi L008 Sjesdiny. oorous_| eden Fig 1, Structural sketch nap of Tunisia shssng the main suctres and Hoeaies quoted in the tex. (b) a carbonate-dominated transgressive systems tracts (TST), attested by an abundance of marine fauna: benthic foraminifera, Myophoria, brachio- pods and cephalopods; (©) a highstand wedge (HST) becoming pro- aressively evaporitic in the sequences of the topmost part of the series. ‘The whole Triassic suocession can be reconstructed both from the drills (Trigui, 1989), in the Induan— Ladinian interval, and from the outcrops, themselves restricted in age to the Ladinian—Rhaetian’ interval. Information is also available from the bibliographic compilation of Chandout et al. (1993). The palaeo- structure of the Tebaga of Medenine is regarded as a supposed shoal located along the Saharan Flexure, where Upper Bathonian limestones directly overlie Permian (Jebel Remisia) or Ladinian (Tajra in Biely F. Kamoun ea. /Palaeogeography, Palacocinatotogs,Palacecology 172 (2001) 225-242 2s and Rakus, 1991) deposits. Other local shoals, more or less eroded, may probably exist, particularly on the two sides of the Tunisian—Algerian boundary (EL Borma oil field) but their structure is not easy to be reconstructed because the datings of the suecessive silicielastic bodies, identified from the drills, are not yet very precise; + The bottom ofthe present Gulf of Gabes, character- ized by a particular Triassic suecession which is restricted, in age, to the Upper Olenekian—Carnian interval (Mzoughi eta, 1994) and probably corre- sponds to an eastwards lateral extention of the series infilling the Chott ‘basin’ + The folded foreland ofthe Alpine Ranges (Southern and Central Tunisian Atlas, Gafsa Mounts, North South Axis), subdivided into blocks and sub-basins by crustal faults reaching down the Lowermost Triassic siiciclastics and evidenced by seismic methods (Bedir, 1995; Amor, 1999). At the struc- tural nodes, thickening of Triassic material heouis and Sbiba ‘domes’ is mainly composed of an. evaporite-dominated series Ladinian— ‘Rhaetian’ interval in age) strongly deformed by halokinesis but including some parts of continuous stratigraphic successions. In another setings, the Triassic series (always _evaporte-dominated) Underlining the Alpine strike-slip overthrusts (North-South Axis, Gafsa Fault Zone) is restricted to ‘Novian’ pro parte and Rhaetian, More to SE (ABKI dri), Lower and Middle Triassic deposits are probably absent because eroded between the Permian and the diectly overlying Carian (?) formations: The Alpine ranges, which correspond to: (a) The Northern Tunisian Atlas, itself subdivided into three sub-units overthrusting towards the SE: the Zaghouan Sub-unit (Tunisian “Dorsale’, from the French-Tunisian literature), characterized by “Norian—Rhaetian’ series underlining the thrusts and locally thickened, for example, in the Jebel Chehid. and J. Lorbeus ‘diapirs’ (Perthuisot, 19788): the Teboursouk Sub-unit, with its “Triassic” series ‘generally redeposited (Vila, 1996) within Lower/Middle Cretaceous marine formations (salt glaciers of El Kef, Thibar, Baouala, Lansatine, etc.); the Iehkeul—Haivech Ridge (Bedir, 1995) ‘where Triassic rocks are more or less metamorphic and do not include evaporites; (b) The Tellian units (Ras El Korane, Bechateur), where Tviassic evaporites, often transformed into cellular dolomites (called ‘cargneules’ in the French-Tunisian literature), mark out the sucessive sole thrusts (Rouvier, 1985), 2. Biostratigraphy 2.1. Recent palaeontologic data ‘The Tunisian ‘Triassic successions have been ‘considered for a long time as practically azoic, except in any particular localities. For example, some rare ‘macrofossils have been listed at Jebel Rehach on the Saharan Platform (Busson, 1967; Bouaziz, 1995), at Jebel Rheouis in the North-South Axis Burollet, 1956, 1973; Burollet and Dumestre, 1952), at Jebel Ichkeul (Bolze, 1954), which is regarded as a possible tectonic window below Tellian Units, and in the Bechateur quarries (Tell) to the north of the country (Salaj_ and Bajanik, 1972). So have been collected Myophoria, Modiola and, particulatly, brachiopods Giese latter recently revised by Calzada et all (1994)). Later, an important biochronologic progress ‘was marked by the discovery of palynomorphs in the ‘Saharan drill cores (Trigui, 1989; Kilani-Mazraoui et al,, 1990; Mzoughi et al., 1994) and, more recently, along the North-South Axis outcrops (Soussi etal 1997, 1998), During the same time, several benthic foraminifera (hnvolutinidae, Ammodiscidae) have been recognized and illustrated from different local- ities (Salaj, 1969; Salaj and Stranik, 1972; Salaj and Bajanik, 1972; Peybemés et al 1993a,b; Kamoun et al, 1994a,b; Salaj and Maamouri, 1998). The synthetic paper of Salaj and Mzoughi (1997) gave new micropaleontologic data (unfortunately not located on lithologic logs) coming from the cores of several drills, especially the Saharan (LG1, LG2, ete.) and the Cap Bon drills (CB101 and HDJ1). In CB101 Fig. 1), the occurrence of a new biozone, the Triasina oberhauseri (Koehn-Zanineti and Brémnimann) zone (Upper Norian in age) was particularly evidenced for the frst time in Northern Africa, Inourlast synthesis (Kamoun et al, 1998; Kamoun, 26 F. Kamoun eo. /Polacogeogroph, Pelacocimatoogs,Palasoecology 172 (2001) 2: 1990), we described several successive benthic fora- mineral and algal assemblages (classified as F,t0F;) setting stratigraphic correlations between numerous sections and drills at regional seale. These mono-or plurispecfic assemblages are mainly dated by comparisons 10 the recent synthetic standard of Triassic biochronohorizons (Peybernts etal, 1998), Which has been incorporated in the chart no. 8 of Hardenbol et al. (1998), So, we do not systematically discuss the numerous previous standards, in order to avoid byzantine discussions that are not the topic of this paper. These assemblages are the following ones: © FL. Meandrospira pusilla (Ho) assemblage (lenckian = ex-Upper Scythian, Gaetani, 1992), ‘observed tothe south (BHT drill) in the dolomitic beds of the Bir El ja Formation. Another species, -M. cheni (Ho), was quoted by Salaj etal (1983) in the same drill core. According to the synthetic work of Salaj etal. (1983) about Triassic forami- nifera from West Carpathians, M. pusilla and M. cheni coexist in the ‘Campilian’ (Uppermost COlenekian) but the former specie, alone, is abun- dant until Lower Anisian (Aegean and Bithynian); Meandrospira dinarica Kochansky-Devide and antic assemblage (Middle Anisian), identified to the south (KR2 dill) within a lateral equivalent of the Libyan Ouled Chobbi Formation; # Fy. Triadodiscus eomesozoicus (Oberhauser)La- melliconus sp. Endotrianelia wirci (Koehn— Zanineti) and Acicularia sp. assemblage (Upper Laginian-Lower Carnian), wich characterizes the Mekraneb dolomites (Saharan Platform). Sala) et al. (1983) considered £: wirzi as only Anisian but this species (now separated from the genus Endothyranella by Vachard et al., 1994) reaches up the Lower Carian in the Pyrenees (Fréchengues etal, 1993); «Fy, Aulororts ex. grpracgaschei (Kochn—Zani- neti), T. eomesozoicus and Acicularia yp. (Uppet Ladinian-Lower Carian), from the ‘Black lime- stonesidolomites’ of the Jebel Rheouis diapir, central Tunisia; + FT. eomesozoicus, A. ex. gf praegaschei, A. af. planidiscoides (Oberhauser), Lamelliconus mult spirus (Oberhausen), L. procerus (Liebus) L. er Diconvexus-ventroplanus, Hoyenella sinensis (Ho) (previously included in the genus Glomospira, ef Rettori, 1994), Glomospirela sp. Pilamminella gr. sgemericackuthani and some Dasycladales such a Poikiporella duplicata (Pia) (‘Middle’ Carian) This assemblage was listed from the Rehach dolo- ites (leffara) and from the dolomites intercalated in the ‘Middle Gypsums’ Burollet and Dumestre, 1952) of Jebel Rheouis. A comparable assemblage (Camelliconus sp. T. eomesozoicus, Agathammina sp. %, Glomospirella sp. and P. duplicata) was also listed (Kamoun eta, 1998) from the oolitie dolo- mites intercalated within the Equisettes-bearing sandstones of the Sbiba diapir F., Pilamminella gr. gemerica-kuthani and ‘Fron- dicularia’ woodwardi Howchin (Middle? Carian 2), from the top of the yellow dolomites (regarded asa latera equivalent ofthe Rehach Formation) of the Kef Aneba section (Dshar North). The two species P. gemerica (Salaj) and P. kushant (Sala) ane slightly different and appear successively in the Carpathians (P. gemerica: Ladinian, P. kuthant: Carman) where they are used as markers of distinct standard zones (Salajet al, 1988). In Tunisia, the {oo rare specimens assigned to the gemus Pilammi- nella. do not permit {0 separate the two above mentioned species: Botwoen F; and F, has been recently evidenced the T. oberhauseri zone Cuppermost part of Novian’) in the Cap Bon CBIOL drill core (Salaj and Maoughi, 1997); Fg. Gandinelafalsoriedl (Sal eta.) Aufotortus ex gr praegaschei, Agathammina cf. austroalpina (Kristan—Tollmann and Tollmann), Hoyenella inconstans (Michalik et al), Aulotortus friedli (KristanTollmann) and Glomospira sp. assem- blage (lowermost part of Rhaetian), observed (more or ess complete) within the ooltic dolomites from the Zerzour Formation (Saharan Platform) and from the Fkirine Formation particu- lasly cropping out at Jebel Touila-Ain El Morra (North-South Axis) and the Jebel Fkirine type- locality ("Tunisian Dorsale’); F,, Triasina hanskeni Majzon zone (uppermost part of Rhaetian), characterized almost everywhere in the Tethyan realm by T: hantkeni, cosmopolitan index of a widespread Rhaetian biozone (Salaj et al., 1983) which could begin in the “Uppermost Norian’ (Sevatian substage) (di Bari and Rettori, 1996). In Tunisia, it was only identified (Sala) F. Kamoun ea. /Palaogeography, Palacocimatology,Palacoecology 172 (2001) 223-242 a and Stranik, 1972) in the Jebel Fkirine section (Dorsale’), within the lowermost beds of the Oust Formation limestones, associed with Dasycladales, and, recently, inthe Foum Tataouine area (Saharan Platiorm) (Salaj and Masmouri, 1998). Note that the characterization of Norian and Rhaetian on the basis of foraminiferal assemblages is only a propo- sition. It could be changed with other authors when ‘we know that the chronostratigraphic definition of the late Norian and Rhaetian (and even the exis tence of the Rhaetian) have been topics in severe debates of the Subcommission on Triassic strati- graphy (Gaetani, 1992; Tozer, 1993). This is Why we write the names of these stages between brackets. 2.2, Unpublished dating elements 2.2.1. Northem Atlas 2.2.11. Salt glacier realm, Segments of the “Trias- sie’ succession, variable in thickness (fromsome meters to several 10 meters), have een preserved without stratigraphic disuptions along “parts of continuous cross-sections included within the chaotic, evaporite- dominated, formations forming large structures previously interpreted as Triassic dipirs (Perthuisot, 1978b) and characterizing the Northem Atlas (Iebel Baouala, J Lansarine, J. Thar, etc.) ln reality, these ‘evaporites are now considered as redeposited in mass during Cretaceous times (Vila et al., 1996) and come- spond for our team to veritable salt glaciers interbedded ‘within the Cretaceous deposits. Therefore we consider as possible to reconstruct a main part of the North-Atlasic ‘Triassic series from the not-observed superposition of those incomplete segments, but only if biostratigraphic contol (founded on the oceurenes of significant micro and macrofaunas) has been previously established. Along the broad Baouala—Lansarine alignment, the Triassic series, reconstructed from four principal sections (Fig. 2), begins at least in the Lower Ladin, ‘exceptionnally evidenced by ammonites, and eaches up to the ‘Rhaetian’ dated by benthic foraminifera West of Chouigui (Fouret eta, 1994: Mateur 1/ 50,000 sheet) several cross-sections sampled in the old dolomite quarries show the superposition of: ‘© thin sandstones, multicoloured clays and particularly yellow shelly dolomites containing a rich assem- blage of Myophoria, Gervlleia and several ammonites related (det. S. Calzada) to Koprovra clyceras curioni Mojsisovies. In terms of Tethyan ammonoid zone, this species (also present in the Carpathians, in the Minonque Island and various Peri-Tethyan localities) characterizes the Curioni zone of the Upper Fassanian [= uppermost part of Lower Ladinian} (Salaj etal, 1983; Hardenbol et al, 1998). It scems that this Lower Ladinian ammonitofauna may be regarded as unique in Tunisia and even in Northern A‘rica; ‘+ massive black dolomites (6-8 m), worked in the quarries for construction material and previously assigned by Adil and Alouani, (1996) to Lower Liassic, separated from the underlying “Upper Trias sandstones’ by an angular unconformity ‘© an alternation of sandy (red/yellow) dolomites and clays, bearing some brachiopods such as Tunethyris punica. These new genus and species were previously deseribed (Calzada et al, 1994) ftom the Carnian yellow dolomites of the Jebel Rheouis diapir (Central Atlas) and later collected (Kamoun et a, 1998) inthe same dolomitic facies cropping out, more to the NW, in the Sbiba diapir (Castany and Degaller, 1952: Sbiba 1/50.000 sheet) West of Bor) Towmi (future Tebourba 1/50.000 sheet), along the new forest trail no. 10, an enough similar succession (Fig. 2, Section 4), which has been scanned over 20 m, comprises from bottom to top: ‘+ a massive bed of black dolomites (2m) bearing. towards its top, lots of pelecypods. We correlate it with the Ladinian-Carnian black dolomites, ex- LLiassic in age, cropping out in the above mentioned quarries, west of Chouigui; ‘+ an alteration of yellow dolomites, rippled micac- ‘eous sandstones and red clays (18 m). 2m above its base, a remarknble condensed section (10 em) of yellow shelly dolomites, bearing lots of T: punica, is probably Carnian in age. From the Tebourba plain up to the top of the Jebel, the succession of Section 4 is located between a basal muticoloured ‘complex (red clays and thin beds of dolomite) and ‘an undated chaotic mass (core of the salt glacier) very rich in cellular dolomites (‘cargneules’) F, Kamoun eal. /Palacogeograpy, Palacocinatotogy, Palacoecology 172 (2001) 223-242 (Ror Tour] seston © z a W of Chiou} Secton © FASSANIAN (eLowertaaiian) eacrcpede EE srovenes Fig, 2, Detailed stratigraphic lng of the Tras successions tion ofthe suoeesive sepments fom the eros-sections 1 ower Ladinan to “Rhaetisn) in the Lansurine-Baouala sal gir recone Tocated onthe map F. Kamow et a. /Palacogeography, Palacocimatologs,Palacoecology 172 (2001) 225-242 2 The section of the eastern slope of Jebel Baowala (lose to the Section 1), in the Bab Gabes area (Adi 1993), shows a probable lateral equivalent of the previously described dolomitic bar (Fig. 2, Section 3), intercalated within a thick argillaceous-evaporitic complex also including dolomitic and reddish sandy inclusions. These latter are very similar to the Middle-Upper Carnian siliciclastics of the nearby Algerian Tellian units (Bourmouche et al., 1996). This complex is overlain by « new evaporite forma- tion containing dissociated beds of oalitic dotomites and limestones. These carbonates, included within evapories, seem not very different than the oolitic dolomites/timestones, lowermost part of “Rhhaetan’ in age, characterizing the Fkirine Formation from the North-South Axis (Ain El Momma) (Kamoun et al, 1998). They also contain benthic ‘Rhaetian’ for- aminifera such as Agathammina austroalpina, The colitic carbonates have been also observed, allways ‘on the eastern slope of Jebel Baouada, along the ‘Oued El Amar, where they crown a sandy-dolomitic complex (Fig. 2, Section 2) Within the Baouala~Lansarine salt glacier, we have consequently evidenced from the bottom to the top: ‘the upper part of the Lower Ladinian (Fassanian), marked by ammonites and Myophoria which hhave been sampled at the topmost part of the basal argillaceous-sandy and dolomitic complex; ® the Camian, ponctally represented by shelly dolomites, rich in brachiopods (7. punica) and separated from the underlying ammonite-bearing Lower Ladinian deposits by a massive dolomitic bar similar to the ‘Sif ones (= sword in Arab) from the Sbiba dome; ‘ the lowermost part or Rhaetian, consisting of cevaporites and intercalated oolitic carbonates. At present time, neither the ‘Norian’ (evaporites ), nor the uppermost part of Rhaetian (Friasina hant- keni-bearing dolomites/limestones) have been palacontotogically identified within this sat glacier. 22.1.2, Diapir realm. The Triassic series of Jebel Chehid (Perthuisot, 19783,b; Teboursouk 1/50.000 sheet) could consist, according to this author, of a stack of four successive stratigraphic units: Ta (gypsums and pelites); Tb (micaceous sandstones ‘and gypsums); Te (limestones and dolomites); Td (calcareous breccias and yellow limestones). The two former units have been assigned to Middle Trias- sic and the two latter to Upper Triassic. Within the unit Te, we discovered some foramini- feta such as A. austroalpina, Aulotortus sp. and Hoye nella inconstans which point together tothe lower part of Rhaetian: ‘+ on the northern slope of the jebel (Fig. 3, Section 1), between the ‘marabouts’ Sidi Abdallah Chehid and Sidi Asker and just below Koudet Tila, black dolomites overlie very deformed evaporite (oued). Within the lower part (thin beds with tepees) of these dolomites, the foraminiferal assemblage, lowermost part of Rhaetian in age, is very rich, with lots of Frondicularia woodwardi, A. austro- alpina, Aulotortus sp., Spirorbis sp. and HL. incon- stans (equivalent of the assemblage F, from other regions). AL the top of the black dolomites, appear flints that should underline (?) the base of Lias (Oust Formation); ‘© on the southern slope, just below Jebel Echgaga, (Section 3), a thick (plurihectomettic) series of evaporites (refolded ?) includes dolomitie inter- calations (10m in thickness) also. containing species of assemblage F, such as A. austroalpina and G, falsofriedli, lowermost part of Rhaetian in age. 2.2.2. Tellian range 2.2.2.1. Bechateur area. West of Bizerte, in the Bechateur area, crop out some Tellian Triassic rocks, principally clays, dolomites, red sandstones and evaporites. Within this series, some rare quarries ‘and the eroded tap of the jebels show some carbon- ates, more or less transformed in cellular dolomites ‘along the faults but locally corresponding to segments of continuous stratigraphic successions (Crampon, 1971 and sections Il, Ha and Hb of Salaj and Bajanik, 1972). In the quarry situated 600m SE of the village (Fig. 4, Section 1), about 30 m of limestones have been assigned to Ladinian~Camian by Salaj and Bajanik, 1972. They overthrust Ypresian limestones towards the SW but may have been stratigraphically ee a eo a ae ee al H i ate aR i, Ear ih 222 = = a | | EE wos) 35 Z i jim || J. CHEHID Fig 3, Detailed stratigraphic log ofthe ‘Rhacin”dolomites(Fkirine Fn.) from the Jebel Chehid “dap: reonsteton from the eross- sections L403 located on the map, superposed to siliciclastcs (Anisian ?), presently not visible. These Triassic limestones (herein called “Bechateur Formation’), alternatively microriylhmic,, ‘are interrupted by three successive key-beds: # a calcareous tempestite storm deposit, ravining the underlying limestones and rich in ossicles and Frondicularia (3-5 om); ‘© a more siliciclastic tempestite, consisting of three intervals: bioclastic limestone, yellow sandstone and thin limestone; ‘= a remarkable condensed section (1 m) including three main centimetric shelly limestones (lag of tempestites 7) which contain lots of pelecypods such as Mytilus eduliformis Schloth., Modiola cf. subcarinata Bittner and M. ef. gracilis Klipstein (Salaj and Bajanik, 1972). All the limestones from the Bechateur quarry have been correlated by Salaj and Bajanik (1972) to the yellow sandy and dolomitic limestones from the Jebel Baouala quarry (Fig. 2, Section 1) which also contain (Pini in Bicly and Rakus, 1972) numerous pelecypods and gastropods. They may correspond, for us, either to the Eoprotrachyceras curionit key- bed (Lower Ladinian) o to the T. punica key-bed (Carian), Some 10 m to the east (Fig. 3, Section 2) the same limestones (more or less microrhythmic an F. Kamoun ea. /Palacogeography,Palacocimatlogs, Palacecology 372 (2001) 223-202 2a socton@ eet FE o7ad bE | ZA ih | Tage A ab | RHacTIAN [a7 > | Baa estan cry ‘Section @) 2 - aa] aoa] LADINIAN-CARNIAN “—Acorus gr oroegescnel? ts Fig, 4 Detailed sraigraphic log of the Tease successions (Ladinin-Carmisn to “Raton from the Bechatcur aes (Fllian Units: reconstruction of he stecesivescpment rom the eos-sections 1 t 3 located onthe map a2 F. Kamoun ea. /Palacogeography, Palacocimatlogs, Palacoecology 172 (2001) 223-242 partially dolomitized) crop out in a smaller quarry within a tectonic slice intercalated into cellular dlolomites. At their base, the limestones include a (probably older) oolitc level where large Aulotorts sp.(=A.ex. gt praegaschei?), Glomosprellasp.and ostracods have been identified. Between Ladinian— Carnian microrhythmic limestones and oolitic ‘Rhae~ tian’ limestones (see later), is well-developed an evaporite series (Keuper) which includes volcanics. ‘Towards the SE ofthis quary, the southern slope of Jebel El Graya (Ain Guettar) also show micro- rhythmic limestones (probably Ladinian-Carnian in age) and yellow sandstones crowned by oolitic lime- stones and more or less cellular dolomites (‘earg- neules). This ooitic facies (large alph-type oolites) of the newly proposed ‘El Graya Formation’ is for us very similar tothe facies of the lowermost part of Rhactian described at Jebel Lansarine (Bab Gubes). It also contains small foraminifera of this age, such as A ‘austroalpina and H. inconstans (assemblage Fo) 2.2.2.2. Ras El Korane area (Mediterranean shore- line, NW of Bechateur). The Bechateur Formation limestones, microrhythmic and dolomitized, crop ‘out along the seashore (Crampon, 1971), NW of the ‘ld watchtower. On the other hand, along the creeks situated east of the Ras El Korane cape, Lower ? ‘Triassic deposits are particularly represented by a folded alternation (= Ras El Korane Formation) of convolute-rich reddish-brown dolomites, sandy clays tnd bluish sandstones (undated). Above, tectonic (2) polygenic breccias are well developed; they include calcareous clasts such as Bechateur-type microrhyth- mic limestones (Ladinian—Carnian) and El Graya- type oolitic limestones where A. austroalpina and A, inconstans, assemblage Fe, lowermost part of Rhaetian, have been identified, ‘By means of all the new biostratigraphic data herein exposed, it is now possible to propose (Fig. 5) an actualized correlation chart which will be used in order to support the successive palaeogeographic ‘maps reconstructed in this paper. 3. The successive Triassic palaeogeographies Ina previous synthesis restricted to Jurassic times (Kamoun et al., 1999), have been published eleven successive palaeogeographic maps showing the spatial evolution of palaeoenvironments, in Tunisia, along a south-north oriented profile across the South Tethyan Margin. According to the new biochrono- logic elements and the lithostratigraphic correlation cchart herein established, we also sketched seven ‘comparable maps available for the Triassic times (Figs. 6 and 7): Induan/Olenekian, Anisian, Lower Ladinian, Middle-Upper Carnian, Norian, lowermost part of ‘Rhaetian’ and uppermost part of “Rhaetian’. ‘These maps improve the very large scale palacogeo- graphic frame of the GS. Tethys maps (Upper Anisian and Norian.Marcoux et al., 1993a,b) where ‘Tunisian territory is regarded, during Triassic times, as a single platform (covered by carbonate/tersi- genous/evaporitic facies) surrounding, far t0 the west, the eastern end of a deep east-west oriented trough (Lagonegro basin 7) extended from the north of Sicily to the NE of Calabria. This trough may be itself the prolongation of the eastern Neotethys (‘Tr- Transit plate’, with its oceanic crust and active ridge) which ended, as a wedge, between Laurasia and Gondwana, In the detail, the GS. Tethys maps showed the composite character of this Triassic plat- form revealed by its subdivision imto two sub- domains, which are: ‘* terrigenous in the area located along the present shoreline (from NW to SE, Cap Bon-Gulf of Gabes) and carbonate elsewhere, during Upper Anisian: + carbonate to the east and south and evaporite to the West and far-south, during “Upper Norian’. In the very recent Atlas of the Peri-Tethys Programme (PTP), three maps have been established related to Triassic times: Olenckian (245-243 Ma), Early Ladinian (238-235 Ma) and Late Norian (215-212 Ma). Only the two latter (Gaetani et al., 20003,b) include the Moghrebian areas. Although more schematic, they are not very different from our ‘own maps because they are mainly founded, for the ‘Tunisian territory, on the unpublished (HDR thesis of | Kamoun, 1999) and published (Kamoun in Courel et al, 2000) stratigraphic results of our French—Tunisian team. ‘Along the south-north/SSE-NNE Tunisian profile herein studied, the South-Tethyan Margin does not 233 F. Kamoun ea. /Polacogeogrophy, Polococtinatology, Palaeoecology 172 (2001) 23-242 (osseo pu sq) soup wen, 4p oF ope MENS 9 HOH pepo oe SoNSN) SOUS SSR, MEM, BR BORED Joy “Seg ~ wna fF] wvimuze sro EE] SO ae ee sme Ce snoisias Yuro1syn NI —=aR =| weno vn omen EES} tes ES) Sean A wos} BY wwnivas | |S s = Coa so 24 [EE | enna oman 8 pate eee = = al FS==Fe] waoay |. Be| wvnwwe | & ea § 5 wenosee| = pooee aa Ses wma reretwoine ||» (tasinosiad) YY fase & | wenwsavs | S 4o-| seratyomuoideg |) SWEDE ASA z g Ye enon nnauve | 2 eve ral conor | oS etmnion Saldana

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