<p>The study of Eocene deposits from the Dinaric foreland basin (Outer Dinarides, eastern Adriatic coast) documents a 300 m thick sequence of shallow-water carbonates originated on ramps that formed intermittently during the tectonic evolution of the basin. During the intense tectonic activity in this area, global sea-level changes, and warming events occurred (Early Eocene Climatic Optimum, EECO, Late Lutetian Thermal Maximum, LLTM and Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum, MECO). Up to 60% of all skeletal debris in these carbonates are larger benthic foraminifera (LBF). Ramp successions are rarely complete in terms of inner-, mid- and outer-ramp environments (availability of suitable benthic habitats for different LBF group) and very often stratigraphically incomplete. The LBF rich deposits document three distinctive groupings: i) the post - PETM phase (SBZ4 - SBZ10); ii) the EECO phase (from pre - to post - EECO phase, SBZ 10/11 - SBZ12/13); and iii) the late post - EECO phase including short-lived LLTM (SBZ13 - SBZ17). The studies of the dominant LBF (Drobne & Ćosović, 2009, 2010; Drobne et al., 2011; Pavlovec, 2012), showed no significant generic and species diversity across the foreland basin, from SBZ4 to SBZ17, but differences in species richness were found. The LBF assemblages included representatives of alveolinids, nummulitids, complex miliolids, conical agglutinated foraminifera, orthophragiminids, encrusting foraminifera and larger rotaliids. For this study, the diversity of the genera <em>Alveolina</em>, <em>Assilina</em>, <em>Nummulites</em> and conical foraminifera and complex miliolids was compared. The post-PETM stage showed similar species diversity of <em>Alveolina</em>, <em>Nummulites,</em> and <em>Assilina</em> (14-18-16) in contrast to the presence of three species of complex miliolids. In the EECO stage, representatives of <em>Nummulites</em> (32 species) were preferred over eighteen species of <em>Alveolina</em>, while the low species diversity showed conical foraminifera (8 species), <em>Assilina</em> (5 species) and complex miliolids (4 species). In the post - EECO and LLTM stages, <em>Nummulites</em> species were most abundant (39 species), <em>Assilina</em> less abundant (16 species), while the diversity of other groups decreased sharply (3 species of <em>Alveolina</em> and six species of complex miliolids). From the Ypresian to the Bartonian, LBF maintained high species diversity, with differences in species richness most likely due to competition (e.g<em>.</em>, alveolinids vs. complex miliolids), local shifts in the paleoenvironment and long-term evolution, rather than global atmospheric or oceanic conditions.</p> <p>The study was funded by the Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ) through Project IP-2019-04-5775 (BREEMECO).</p> <p>Drobne K., Ćosović V., 2009, Palaeobiogeography of the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene larger Miliolids from topical to subtropical sea belts (Neotethys to Caribbean). Bull. Soc. Geol. Fr., 180/4, 317-331.</p> <p>Drobne K., Ćosović V., 2010, Paleogene conical agglutinated walls foraminifera in the Tethyan realm. Abstract book, Forams2010, 78-79, Bonn.</p> <p>Drobne K., Ćosović V., Moro A., Bucković D., 2011, The role of the Paleogene Adriatic platform in the spatial distribution of alveolinids. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 20/6, 721-751.</p> <p>Pavlovec R., 2012, The Nummulitins from the Outer Dinarids. Folia Biologica and Geologica, 53/3, 85-109.</p> <p> </p>

The systematic paleomagnetic investigations concentrating on the northern part of stable Adria and the External Dinarides provided tectonically applicable results for nearly 200 localities from Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. The ages of the studied localities were tightly controlled by a bed by bed checking of the fossil content. The age of the acquisition of the magnetization was constrained by between-locality fold/tilt test, which often proved the pre-deformation “primary” age of the magnetization. It is important to emphasize that most of the sampled sediments were shallow water carbonates with weak natural remanent magnetizations (about 30% of the sampled localities failed to yield paleomagnetic signal). However, those providing results are extremely valuable, for inclination flattening is practically absent in platform carbonates, therefore the estimation of the paleolatitudes are reliable. The majority of the tectonic models published for the area are in agreement about the existence of two Mesozoic carbonate platforms, an Adriatic and a Dinaric, which came into contact during the Late Eocene-Oligocene thrusting of the latter over the former. They are in the External Dinarides, but the exact boundary between them is a matter of discussion. The tectonostratigraphic complexity of the External Dinarides is the main reason for the large number of models published for the Northern Adriatic area. The paleomagnetic results, which permit to conclude as to the absence or existence of large-scale relative movement between areas, suggest that stable Adria and the whole chain of the Adriatic islands moved in a co-ordinated manner, i.e. the islands represent the imbricated margin of stable Adria, at least from the Aptian onward. During the Late Cretaceous, the area was close (38°N) to the northernmost limit (40°N) of the intensive carbonate production, the carbonate factory. Stable Adria with its imbricated margin exhibits about 30° larger CCW rotation than the High Karst belonging to the Dinaric platform, thus giving further support to considering the chain of the Adriatic island as belonging to Adria. The practically parallel “primary” paleomagnetic declinations characterizing the Northern Adriatic area are at variance with the oroclinal origin of the arcuated shape of the chain of the Adriatic islands and of the thrust front between them and stable Adria. We attribute this shape to the dominance of the Late Cretaceous E-W compression in the northern segment, the Late Eocene-Oligocene NE-SW compression in the central segment, and the N-S oriented Neotectonic compression in the Central Adriatic area. This work was financially supported by the National Development and Innovation Office of Hungary project K 128625.

The Paleogene Adriatic carbonate platform(s) existed within the Central NeoTethys (around 32 N paleolatitude) from the Danian to the late Eocene (Bartonian/Priabonian) and produced a succession of limestones up to 500 m thick, rich in larger benthic foraminifera (LBF). The Eocene sediments are widely distributed along the eastern Adriatic coast and have been studied for many years. Taking into account the climatic changes that took place within the Eocene (Early Eocene and Middle Eocene climatic optima, known as EECO, MECO), special attention was paid to the composition of shallow-marine foraminiferal assemblages. The studies reveal the following trends: (1) the alveolinid-dominated assemblages were replaced by nummulitid-dominated assemblages around the MECO; (2) the greater species and morphological diversity (spherical, ellipsoid, extremely elongated fusiform) of the alveolinid fauna was evident at the EECO; (3) the nummulitid-dominated fauna was characterized by less diversified assemblages compared to the alveolinid ones and by the co-occurrence of scleractinian corals, coralline red algae and aborescent foraminifera. The occurrence of twin embryos has been assigned to the early Eocene in the alveolinid populations, especially in Alveolina levantina and A. axiampla (in some sections, the frequency is greater than 5%), and these coalesced embryos have the same size as the single form (usually they are smaller). The LBF assemblages of Middle Eocene showed a greater frequency of doubled adult tests (Orbitolites sp., Nummulites sp.). The origin of these unusual morphologies is poorly known, usually described as the results of stressful conditions. Considering the timing of the appearance of such morphologies, temperature and associated changes in the shallow-marine environment could be the cause. This study is carried out as part of the scientific project IP-2019-04-5775 BREEMECO, funded by Croatian Scientific Foundation.

The late Paleocene orthophragminids, hitherto poorly known from the Himalayan foreland basins, are studied from the Lakadong Limestone in Meghalaya, northeastern India, in order to establish a systematic, biostratigraphic, and paleobiogeographical framework for them in the eastern Tethys. In the Mawmluh Quarry section (MQS) on the Shillong Plateau, to the southeast of Tibet, orthophragminids are associated with typical Paleocene orbitoidiform taxa endemic to the Indian subcontinent, i.e., Lakadongia Matsumaru & Jauhri (= Setia Ferrandez-Canadell) and Orbitosiphon Rao, and various species of alveolinids, miscellaneids, and rotaliids, characterizing the Shallow Benthic Zones (SBZ) 3 and 4. The orthophragminids belong to two lineages of the genus Orbitoclypeus Silvestri: O. schopeni (Checchia-Rispoli) and O. multiplicatus (Gumbel), both well known from the peri-Mediterranean region and Europe (western Tethys). The latter species is identified here for the first time from the eastern Tethys. Previous records of the genus Discocyclina Gumbel from the Lakadong Limestone actually correspond to misidentified Orbitoclypeus; this implies that the late Paleocene orthophragminid assemblages from Meghalaya and eastern Tethys were less diverse than in the western Tethys. The lineage of Orbitoclypeus schopeni in the lower part of the Lakadong Limestone (SBZ 3) is identified as O. schopeni cf. ramaraoi based on the morphometry of a few specimens, whereas in the upper part (SBZ 4) it corresponds to a transitional development stage between O. schopeni ramaraoi and O. schopeni neumannae (with average D-mean values ranging between 192 and 199 mu m). The embryon diameters of O. multiplicatus, recorded only in SBZ 4, range between 300 and 319 mu m on average, corresponding to transitional development stages of O. multiplicatus haymanaensis and O. multiplicatus multiplicatus. Our data, along with a review of previous Paleocene and Eocene records from India and Pakistan, suggest that Orbitoclypeus is the only orthophragminid in the Paleocene of the eastern Tethys, whereas Discocyclina first appears in early Eocene times, being mainly represented by endemic taxa confined to the Indian subcontinent. Facies change in the MQS from a marine to continental setting within SBZ 4 corresponds to the oldest record from the Indian plate in the Paleogene, which may be linked to the flexural uplift of the passive margin of the Indian plate, marking the onset of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates.

As a continuation of a systematic paleomagnetic research in the northern part of stable Adria, which provided a well-defined apparent polar wander (APW) path for the Cretaceous-Eocene, we present new paleomagnetic results for the Jurassic. These new data were obtained from 15 geographically distributed localities from the Trento platform (eastern Southern Alps) using standard paleomagnetic approach. The Lower Jurassic shallow water carbonates are not considered for tectonic interpretation, due to inconsistent inclinations. The Middle and Upper Jurassic Rosso Ammonitico provided excellent kinematic constraints.With the new Jurassic results, an APW is now defined for Adria for the 167-40 Ma interval. It is well constrained for timing of important changes, like the speed and the sense of rotations. This APW suggests that the CW rotation and southward shift changed to the opposite at 155.1 +/- 5.3 Ma, signifying a dramatic change in the life of the Neo-Tethys, from opening to closing. The latter is manifested in fast CCW rotation and northward movement of Adria up to 102.9 +/- 2.4 Ma and moderate displacements in the same manner in post-103 Ma times. Combined data sets from stable Istria and the foreland of the Southern Alps point to an approximately 15 ON rotation with respect to Africa at the end of the Cretaceous, and an about 25 in the CCW sense, after the Eocene. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Shallow Benthic Zonation is one of the most important achievements of biostratigraphy in the last twenty years. Here we summarize the state of the art in the field of Larger Benthic Foraminifera (LBF) and sketch the main lines of research that are improving the precision and usefulness of this scale. The goal of updating the zonation requires a wealth of data coming not only from biostratigraphic investigations but also from paleoenvironmental analyses, biological knowledge, rigorous taxonomic determination, and understanding of paleobiogeography. The papers collected for this special issue are contributions to this broad research program.

The upper member of the Jafnayn Formation in Wadi Rusayl and Al Khoud, Seeb Area in north Oman contains Nemkovella stockari Less & ozcan, 2007, an Early Eocene orthophragminid recorded here for the first time from the Arabian Peninsula. N. stockari, the only orthophragminid identified in Jafnayn Formation, is quite distinct from any other species from Tethys in having spiral and orbitoidiform chambers around the isolepidine embryon developed before the onset of annular chambers. The Oman specimens exhibit equal-sized principal auxiliary chambers and symmetrical spirals and are assigned to N. stockari bejaensis ozcan, Boukhalfa & Scheibner, 2014, an advanced form of the N. stockari lineage. The associated alveolinids, revised in this study, rotaliids and other age-diagnostic foraminiferal taxa in the transgressive basal part of the upper member have enabled us to revise the age as middle Ilerdian (Early Eocene), assignable to SBZ 7/8 and 8; OZ 3/4. Integrating a new record of this species from Arabian Plate margin in Belen, S Turkey, and previous records from north Africa, N. stockari appears to be a diagnostic marker for the Early Eocene along the southern peri-Tethys platforms, facilitating the Tethyan correlation by orthophragminids. The palaeobiogeographic distribution of N. stockari is discussed.

Two sections located in the northwestern part of the Palaeogene Adriatic carbonate platform (PgAdCP) were measured and sampled to document the complexity of changes at the Palaeocene–Eocene boundary. Carbon and oxygen isotope records in combination with a detailed study of larger benthic foraminifera (LBF) are used to describe the turnover of foraminifera and to refine the shallow benthic zonation scheme.

The larger benthic foraminifera (LBF) from the Paleocene-Eocene boundary on the Paleogene Adriatic carbonate platform document foraminiferal turnover and complex environmental conditions. In studied shallow-water carbonate ramp sediments, the transition from Thanetian SBZ 4 to Early Ypresian (Ilerdian) SBZ 5 is marked by an abrupt appearance of LBF, dominance of complex miliolids, first onset of true spherical alveolinids, and large assilinids. The Thanetian SBZ 4 LBF characterized the diversification of Assilina azilensis, Ass. yvettae, rare occurrences of Glomalveolina levis, G. dachelensi, Nummulites catari, Hottingerina lukasi, Thomasella labyrinthica, complex miliolids (Lacazina blumenthali) and rotaliids. Close to the termination of the late Paleocene small sized foraminiferal specimens occur. The LBF assemblage is interpreted as the first stage of the Global Community Maturation (GCM) During the lowest Eocene (Ypresian, earlier part of the SBZ 5) generic and species level increased, small and less preserved alveolina, A. globula, A. dolioliformis, A. avellana, and large shell assilinid’s A. tectosaga appeared. Remarkable is abundance of “Lazarus spp.” as L. blumenthali, Th. labyrinthica, Pseudolacazina donatae and rotaliids. The high diversification of spherical alveolinids at most A. aramaea than A. dolioliformis, A. varians, A. globula, A. avellana, along with rare L. blumenthali, large Assilina ex gr. ammonea and Nummulites spp. characterize the following Ypresian sub-zone. The differences in species composition and test morphologies allow us to divide SBZ 5 into two subzone (SBZ 5A and SBZ 5B). In Ypresian SBZ 6 intraspecific variability of spherical and ovoidal large form of alveolinids (A. daniensis, A. solida, A. pasticillata and A. ellipsoidalis) continued to develop.

This first report is a revision of fossil calcareous green algae (Dasycladales) described from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene series of Guatemala. Among other things in their 1965 paper J.H. Johnson and H.V. Kaska introduced three new species originally referred to the genera Acroporella, Cylindroporella, and Cymopolia. One species, which has previously been referred to the genus Cylindroporella, is a foraminifer.

This paper describes deeper water clastic to hemipelagic sediments from the Adriatic microcontinent, at the contact zone between the Adriatic and Dinaric carbonate platforms. The flysch section from Mt. Nanos contains a sedimentary sequence deposited close to the Paleocene/Eocene boundary. We dated this section biostratigraphically, reconstructed the paleoenvironments, and established a correlation with the northern part of the central Tethys. Samples were studied for calcareous nannoplankton, planktonic foraminifera, small and large benthic foraminifera, and ostracods. Calcareous nannoplankton assemblages of the Nanos section belong to the Discoaster multiradiatus zone NP 9 in the uppermost Paleocene. Planktonic foraminiferal assemblages allow the assignment to the biozone Morozovella velascoensis (P 5) in the uppermost Paleocene as well. Both nannoplankton and planktonic foraminifera are consistent with a period of global warming in the latest Paleocene just below the PETM. Nannoplankton assemblages are relatively rich in discoasters which suggests that they were deposited in a warm oligotrophic environment. Planktonic foraminifera indicate oligotrophic habitats, warm surface water and a well stratified water column with stable thermocline. Predominance of planktonic foraminiferal species and the presence of the deep-sea ostracod species Cytherella sp suggest sedimentation in deeper opensea environments. A peculiar sphaerical benthic foraminifer - Aberisphaera sp., which has been found in the NE Himalayas and in the Nanos section, possibly indicates a connection between these two geographically remote areas.

The preservation conditions of larger benthic foraminifera from the Lutetian Foraminiferal Limestones from Lavsa Island, Kornat Archipelago (Adriatic Sea, Croatia) were examined in order to provide a description of the taphonomic signature and a semi-quantitative estimation of test degradation in thin section analysis. Taphonomic alteration of alveolinid, nummulitid and orthophragminid tests includes borings, encrustation, fragmentation and abrasion. Alveolinid tests displayed the greatest mechanical damage. Furthermore, boring was found more often within orthophragminids and nummulitids than in alveolinids. Encrustation equally affected orthophragminids and alveolinids, although different encrusting organisms were involved. Transport of foraminiferal tests from inner- and middle ramp settings into the surrounding deeper photic, low energy setting resulted in abrasion and fragmentation of Alveolina sp., robust Nummulites sp. and orthophragminids. This study shows that microtaphofacies analysis can be used to refine the architectural model of the Paleogene Adriatic carbonate platform.

Microbialite units are commonly found within the Mesozoic-Tertiary carbonate succession of the Karst District of Slovenia and Italy. They record environmental conditions, which are linked with both local and global events.Local events are recorded by scattered occurrences and are mostly related to changes in the hydrodynamic regime of the platform and/or synsedimentary tectonics, which are responsible for rapid environmental changes. In addition, freshwater stromatolites indicate periodic continental influences. Global events are recorded by more or less continuous units of microbialite, which can be related to sea-level changes, as documented in the Turonian (regressive oncoid limestones) and the Maastrichtian, K/T boundary and basal Danian (peritidal limestones linked with Milankovich cycles). In general, the microbialites provide evidence of environments where the higher order organic community declined and disappeared, after having tolerated a drastic variability. Below the microbialite units, the community was usually poorly diversified and composed of opportunistic taxa, such as small foraminifers (agglutinated forms, miliolids, discorbids and nonionids), thin-shelled gastropods and ostracods. The same or similar benthic taxa appeared again above the microbialite units indicating their ability to reestablish in the environment especially after peritidal conditions. Microbialite deposits are more evident and thicker in the Slovenia Karst District (Dolenja Vas and Sopada sections) than the Italian part (Padriciano sections).