Biostratigraphy and palaeoecology of the marine Pleistocene of Rhodes, Greece: Scleractinia, Serpulidae, Mollusca and Brachiopoda

Abstract

A biostratigraphical and palaeoecological study of the Pleistocene marine fauna from the Kallithea area (northeast Rhodes, Greece) has been conducted. In this area, the Lindos Bay Clay and the Cape Arkhangelos Calcarenite, which constitute the Rhodes Formation, are well exposed in ancient quarries. The study has revealed the presence of 120 mollusc taxa, <i>viz </i>scaphopods (3 taxa), bivalves (65), gastropods (52) and indeterminate polyplacophorans, together with brachiopods (6 taxa), corals (3) and serpulids (7). The fauna of the Lindos Bay Clay contains counterparts of the modern biocoenoses of the coastal detritic (DC) and muddy detritic bottoms (DE), whereas the Cape Arkhangelos Calcarenite shows evidence of the coralligenous biocoenosis (C), the biocoenosis of the '<i>Posidonia</i>' meadows (HP), the biocoenosis of the photophilic algae (AP), the biocoenosis of fine-grained, well-sorted sand (SFBC), and the biocoenosis of coarse-grained sands and fine gravels under bottom currents (SGCF). The Windmill Bay Boulder Bed and the Kleopolu Calcirudite, which comprise the overlying Lindos Acropolis Formation, contain indeterminate bivalves and gastropods between eroded blocks from the Cape Arkhangelos Calcarenite. The Lindos Acropolis Formation shows remains of the coralligenous biocoenosis (C). The taxa identified confirm the warm-temperate conditions in the northeastern Mediterranean during the Pleistocene. Finds of <i>Arctica islandica</i>, which can be considered a 'northern guest', indicate the Pleistocene age of the Cape Arkhangelos Calcarenite. Two uranium/thorium dates of bivalves also support this age. Pteropods in the uppermost Lindos Bay Clay also suggest a Pleistocene age

Brachiopoda of Greece: an annotated checklist

“…depth and habitat), and the relevant literature sources. Information about fossil records of Brachiopoda from Greece was extracted from Logan et al (2004), Nielsen et al (2006), Koskeridou (2007), and references therein. The classification follows WoRMS and Emig et al (2013).…”

Postglacial floodings of the Marmara Sea: molluscs and sediments tell the story

“…T. communis, C. gibba and M. spinifera are the most common species. The latter two species thrive in dysoxic muddy bottoms (Nielsen et al 2006). C. gibba is considered amongst the most tolerant to oxygen depletion (Diaz and Rosenberg 1995).…”

“…Propeamussium sp., Cuspidaria cuspidata, C. rostrata, Ennucula corbuloides, Saccella commutata, Roxania utriculus and Kelliella miliaris represent circalittoral environments (50-400 m) and a deep water ventilation (Perna 2003;Nielsen et al 2006 …”

Integrated Stratigraphy of the Marine Early Pleistocene in Umbria

“…In fact, most of taxa hold a too-long temporal distribution, from Miocene to Pleistocene, or they are even extant species. Moreover, benthic mollusc's distribution is driven by ecological and bathymetric parameters, as well as by the substrate lithology [61][62][63][64][65]. Two specific points, generating bias in the past, need to be remarked here.…”