Hindawi Publishing Corporation Paleontology Journal Volume 2013, Article ID 643278, 20 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/643278 Research Article Planktonic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy and Correlation Across the Cretaceous-Paleogene Transition at the Tethyan and the Atlantic Realms Njoud Gallala D´ epartement de Civilisation, Institut Sup´ erieur de ´ eologie de Tunis, Universit´ e Ez-Zitouna, 21 Rue Sidi Aboulkacem Jelizi, Place du Leader, 1008 Tunis, Tunisia Correspondence should be addressed to Njoud Gallala; [email protected] Received 29 October 2012; Revised 13 January 2013; Accepted 26 January 2013 Academic Editor: Marcelle BouDagher-Fadel Copyright © 2013 Njoud Gallala. is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Based on high-resolution planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphical analysis at El Kef stratotype section (GSSP for the K/Pg boundary), Ell` es section in Tunisia, and Agost and Caravaca sections in Spain (Tethyan realm), we attempt to compare biozones and subzones with those of the Bidart section (SW France) (Atlantic realm). e Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone of the upper Maastrichtian corresponds to the taxon range interval of the nominate species. We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoides subzone. is species is present and associated with Pseudoguembelina hariaensis at the Tethyan realm. However, this species is absent at the middle latitude of the Atlantic realm (Bidart section, SW France). e Pseudoguembelina hariaensis species had larger paleogeographic spread, as it was present in both the Tethys and the Atlantic paleoceans. It is more relevant to be considered as the biomarker of a nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzone instead of Plummerita hantkeninoides. e Danian stage is characterized by the Gt. cretacea zone, Pv. eugubina zone, and the Parasubbotina pseudobulloides zone. e deposition thickness of the zones and subzones at El Kef stratotype section and Ell` es section is more expanded than at Agost and Caravaca sections (Spain) and Bidart section (France). ey would be controlled by the sedimentary basin morphology. 1. Introduction At the K/Pg boundary, with most of the Heterohelicids, the Globotruncanids suffered mass extinctions. ese extinc- tions affecting many other biological groups of vertebrates and invertebrates induced a major crisis considered as the most severe and catastrophic biological event in the history of our planet. is crisis documented in many research on the foraminifers groups ([4–6], among others) became more accurate until the specialists began to use the high resolution biostratigraphical analyses ([7–16], among others). e extinction model of planktic foraminifers groups, at the K/Pg boundary, is very controversial. Some authors consider that the lower Danian assemblages include reworked specimens of Maastrichtian taxa [17–19], whereas others have suggested that at least a substantial part of the latest Maas- trichtian species survived into the earliest Danian [20, 21]. Deep-water benthic foraminifers were less influenced by the K/Pg boundary event, but their diversity and abundance decreased temporarily [15, 22, 23]. Aſter these K/Pg boundary mass extinctions, small and new planktic foraminiferal species began to appear following an “explosive” adaptive radiation pattern. Consistent debates on the upper Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval based on planktic foraminiferal zonations and biochronology for the middle and lower latitudes are documented ([7, 8, 10, 12–16, 24–26], among others). In general, the authors are disagreeing about the extinct species at the upper Maastrichtian than about the appeared species at the lower Danian. e estimate evolution and diversification of planktic foraminifers before and aſter the K/Pg mass extinctions depend firstly on the resolution sampling across the K-Pg transition interval and secondly on problems concerning mainly the planktic foraminiferal tax- onomy of the pioneer Globigerinids originated at the Danian.
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Hindawi Publishing CorporationPaleontology JournalVolume 2013 Article ID 643278 20 pageshttpdxdoiorg1011552013643278
Research ArticlePlanktonic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy and CorrelationAcross the Cretaceous-Paleogene Transition at the Tethyan andthe Atlantic Realms
Njoud Gallala
Departement de Civilisation Institut Superieur de Theologie de Tunis Universite Ez-Zitouna 21 Rue Sidi Aboulkacem JeliziPlace du Leader 1008 Tunis Tunisia
Correspondence should be addressed to Njoud Gallala gnoujoudgmailcom
Received 29 October 2012 Revised 13 January 2013 Accepted 26 January 2013
Academic Editor Marcelle BouDagher-Fadel
Copyright copy 2013 Njoud GallalaThis is an open access article distributed under the Creative CommonsAttribution License whichpermits unrestricted use distribution and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited
Based on high-resolution planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphical analysis at El Kef stratotype section (GSSP for the KPgboundary) Elles section in Tunisia and Agost and Caravaca sections in Spain (Tethyan realm) we attempt to compare biozonesand subzones with those of the Bidart section (SW France) (Atlantic realm) The Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone of the upperMaastrichtian corresponds to the taxon range interval of the nominate species We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone This species is present and associated with Pseudoguembelina hariaensis at the Tethyan realm However this species isabsent at the middle latitude of the Atlantic realm (Bidart section SW France)The Pseudoguembelina hariaensis species had largerpaleogeographic spread as it was present in both the Tethys and the Atlantic paleoceans It is more relevant to be consideredas the biomarker of a nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzone instead of Plummerita hantkeninoides The Danian stage ischaracterized by the Gt cretacea zone Pv eugubina zone and the Parasubbotina pseudobulloides zone The deposition thickness ofthe zones and subzones at El Kef stratotype section and Elles section is more expanded than at Agost and Caravaca sections (Spain)and Bidart section (France) They would be controlled by the sedimentary basin morphology
1 Introduction
At the KPg boundary with most of the Heterohelicids theGlobotruncanids suffered mass extinctions These extinc-tions affecting many other biological groups of vertebratesand invertebrates induced a major crisis considered asthe most severe and catastrophic biological event in thehistory of our planet This crisis documented in manyresearch on the foraminifers groups ([4ndash6] among others)became more accurate until the specialists began to use thehigh resolution biostratigraphical analyses ([7ndash16] amongothers)
The extinction model of planktic foraminifers groupsat the KPg boundary is very controversial Some authorsconsider that the lowerDanian assemblages include reworkedspecimens ofMaastrichtian taxa [17ndash19] whereas others havesuggested that at least a substantial part of the latest Maas-trichtian species survived into the earliest Danian [20 21]
Deep-water benthic foraminifers were less influenced by theKPg boundary event but their diversity and abundancedecreased temporarily [15 22 23]
After these KPg boundary mass extinctions small andnew planktic foraminiferal species began to appear followingan ldquoexplosiverdquo adaptive radiation pattern Consistent debateson the upper Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval based onplanktic foraminiferal zonations and biochronology for themiddle and lower latitudes are documented ([7 8 10 12ndash1624ndash26] among others)
In general the authors are disagreeing about the extinctspecies at the upper Maastrichtian than about the appearedspecies at the lower Danian The estimate evolution anddiversification of planktic foraminifers before and after theKPg mass extinctions depend firstly on the resolutionsampling across the K-Pg transition interval and secondly onproblems concerning mainly the planktic foraminiferal tax-onomy of the pioneer Globigerinids originated at the Danian
2 Paleontology Journal
MalehTunisEl Kef
EllesA Settara
0 500 1000
(m)
388
315
100 km
Dust road
El Kef
EL Kef
Lower and middle Eocene(Bou DabbousEl Garia Fm)
Campanian and older
Upper Campanian to
Pg PalaeogeneK Cretaceous
Road Fault Studied section Altitude (m)
KPg boundary
509 Small village
lower Maastrichtian(Abiod Fm)
Upper Maastrichtian toPaleocene ( El Haria Fm)
Tadjer
ouine
Tadjer
ouine
Sbeitla
(km)0 1
El Hari
a
N
NN
KPg
Koudia
t ez Z
erblia
505
509
642
9∘
11∘
36∘
34∘
32∘
O Mellegue
(a)
(b)
(c)
36∘10998400
8∘40998400
After Lindinger (1988)
Figure 1 Geographical and geological location of the El Kef section in Tunisia modified from Lindinger [1] (a) General map of Tunisia (b)map of El Kef area and (c) detailed map of the section
Consequently many species are proposed other species areemended or discussed
The planktic foraminiferal zonations and biochronologyof the upper Maastrichtian-lower Danian of the middle andlower latitudes are still hotly debated Whereas the Abath-omphalus mayaroensis zone is used as a standard subdivisionin the upper Maastrichtian the proposed Danian zonation isstill highly controversial The suggested evolutionary patternand diversification of planktic foraminifers across the KPgboundary interval depend on the sampling resolution and thetaxonomy of the early globigerinids that originated at the baseof the Danian
In order to elucidate the biostratigraphy at theKPg boun-dary in tropical subtropical and temperate latitudes andto correlate between these different area we have studiedseveral sections across these latitudes The most expandedand continuous sections studied are El Kef and Elles inTunisia Agost and Caravaca in Spain and Bidart in France
These sections are among the best documented andmost complete and continuous sections known to date Theprincipal features of the KPg event (Ir anomaly spinels etc)
and the expanded lower Danian planktic foraminiferal zonesand subzones are recorded in them [13 15] The GlobalStratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of theDanian was defined near El Kef Tunisia [15 27]The sectionsof Elles (Tunisia) Caravaca and Agost (Spain) and Bidart(France) in which the KPg boundary event is well recordedhave been proposed to be auxiliary sections for the definitionof the KPg boundary [13 14 28]
In this paper based on high-resolution biostratigraphywe attempt to check if these sections are complete to presentour contribution to the general discussion on the standardbiozonation of the uppermost Maastrichtian and Danianstratigraphic interval [5 7ndash10 16 17 24ndash26 29ndash32] andto correlate between these different standard biozones andsubzones
2 Materials and Methods
21 El Kef Stratotype Section The GSSP site is located at adistance of between 5 and 6 km from the crossroad of theEl Kef city It can be reached by taking the exit towards
Paleontology Journal 3
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
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gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
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ala
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usot
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nsis
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usot
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ta
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atho
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ayar
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des
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exco
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a ro
tund
ata
Plan
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ultic
amer
ata
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ensis
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dote
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inte
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bler
ina
acut
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Het
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stria
ta
Psed
ogue
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llifer
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bler
ina
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obot
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a pe
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idea
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ata
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a sc
otti
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a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
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otru
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ella
cara
vaca
ensis
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otru
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ita el
evat
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ntus
otru
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a pa
telli
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eter
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ande
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ngul
ata
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uart
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obige
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utus
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oglo
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a m
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Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
igerin
elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
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s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
sH
eter
oheli
x pu
nctu
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
psch
adae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
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glabr
ans
Het
eroh
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labe
llosa
Het
eroh
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plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
eaGu
embe
litria
trifo
lia
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
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ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
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eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica Gu
embe
litria
irre
gula
risGu
embe
litria
ala
bam
ensis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
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ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
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a ar
cheo
com
pres
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globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
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ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
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anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
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eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
0
1
2
8
10
12
11
3
4
5
6
7
9
alu
s may
a-
roen
sis
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
erM
aastr
ich-
tian
D 50D 60D 72
D 3
D 120D 150
D 180D 210D 240
D 270D 300D 330D 360D 390
D 450D 480
D 510
D 570
D 630
D 690
D 750
D 810
D 870
D 930
D 1000D 1020D 1040D 1050D 1065
Ps
eudo
gue-
mbe
lina
haria
ensis
D 160
D 650
G
t CrPa
rasu
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Eoglo
bige
rina
tri
vial
isSu
bbot
ina
trilo
culin
oide
s
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Plan
oglo
bulin
a gla
brat
a
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ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
aSt
ages
Pv longia-pertura
H holmde-lensis
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the El Kef
stratotype section(Tunisia)
minus1
D 90ndash92
D 4-5
Dminus 10Dminus 20Dminus 45
D 0ndash03
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
D 1185
Abat
hom
ph-
Thic
knes
s (m
)
D 40-41D 33-34D 24-25D 15-16D 10-11
Figure 2 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the El Kef stratotype section (Tunisia)
the town of Tajerouine and following the road which leadsto Hammam Mellegue between a small village and a recentartificial lake The GSSP lies in the upper Maastrichtian toPaleocene El Haria Formation which is underlain by theupperCampanianlowerMaastrichtianAbiodFormation andoverlain by the lower and middle Eocene Bou DabbousElGaria Formation (attributed to theMetlaoui Formation in theoriginal proposal) (Figure 1)
The precise coordinates were measured with a GPS Lam-bert coordinates calibrated from Carthago point N36∘09101584013210158401015840 E008∘381015840 54810158401015840 UTM coordinates N32 N4001314E468675 Consequently the Global Stratotype Section andPoint for the base of the Danian which by def-inition is alsothe base of the Paleocene the Paleogene the ldquoTertiaryrdquo andthe Cenozoic has been officially reestablished at the base ofthe boundary clay (see [27])
The GSSP for the base of the Danian was defined inthe El Kef section (Tunisia) and ratified by the IUGS in1991 However this GSSP was not officially published in
a prestigious stratigraphical journal of wide distributionOnly a short note was published in Episodes by Cowie et al[33] in a report on activities of the ICS from 1984 to 1989Since then certain problems have arisen as the detailedproposal was unknown to many scientists working on theKPg boundary new sections in Mexico were found andcontroversial interpretations were proposed Therefore inorder to resolve these problems the ICS has required the ISPSto finally publish the proposal On the 6th of April 2006the chairman of ISPS (E Molina) in collaboration with ourTunisian group visited the GSSP at El Kef again in orderto put in place an artificial marker (ldquogolden spikerdquo) and torequest the Tunisian authorities to protect the site At thesame time the present status of the site has been documentedby a series of photographs Finally it was officially publishedsee Molina et al [27 28]
The GSSP lies in the upper Maastrichtian to PaleoceneEl Haria Formation which is underlain by the upper Cam-panianlower Maastrichtian Abiod Formation and overlain
4 Paleontology Journal
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Ras ElmaOued M
assouge
Ellessection
SersSiliana
Oued Siliana
EllesJebel Madhkour
Oued El Karma
294
129
57 Ellegraves section
0 0
N
426 427
Studied section
NOued Tess
a
(ONM Tunisia 1985)Carte de la Tunisie 1500000
Argo
ubet
El A
ieich
a
(b)
110
(a)
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Studied section
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
7G55998400
7G60998400
(km)(km)
4265
39∘93998400
Figure 3 Geographical and geological location of the Elles section (Tunisia) (a) Geological setting of the studied section (b) geographicallocation of Elles area
by the lower and middle Eocene Bou DabbousEl GariaFormation (attributed to the Metlaoui Formation in theoriginal proposal)
In order to detail the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) tran-sition interval at the El Kef stratotype section 41 samples arepicked across 125m thick interval deposition 05m of thisinterval are from the uppermost Maastrichtian (D-45 - D0-03) and 12m from the lowerDanian (D3-D1185)The samplesD160D180D510 andD650 of lowerDanian interval are veryrich in corals brachiopods and bivalve of millimetric size[15]
The uppermost 05m of the Maastrichtian is character-ized by white-gray marls with abundant jarosite the lowerDanian is characterized by 2-3mm of rusty layer (D0-03)superposed by 05m of black clay which corresponds to theboundary clay [15 27] 05m of dark gray clay 1m of gray and10 m of white-gray clayey marls
22 Elles Section (Tunisia) This section is located in CentralTunisia 75 km southeast of ElKefKPgGSSP betweenHouchEl Balti and the village of Elles and 3 km east of Elles(Figure 2) Its geographical coordinates are latitude 35∘56101584040410158401015840 N and longitude 9∘41015840 49910158401015840 E The KPg transition iscontinuous and well exposed along the northwestern side ofthe Elles syncline and is included into the El Haria Formationmarls (Figure 3)
In 1978 Said-Benzarti described the Elles section inher doctoral thesis studied the upper Maastrichtian andPaleocene microfossils (planktic and benthic foraminiferaand ostracods) and concluded that the KPg transition is
continuous Karoui-Yaakoub et al [34] pointed out that thethin layer of the KPg boundary is rich in microscopicglassy spheres In 1998 these authors confirmed with thecollaboration of Rocchia and Robin that the rust-coloredlayer is rich in Ir and Ni-rich spinel crystals In 1999 a high-resolution sampling was carried out by Karoui-Yaakoub inher doctoral thesis The author detailed the KPg transitionsand confirmed that the KPg transition at the Elles section iscontinuousThe ostracods were studied by Said-Benzarti [35]and the nannofossils by Gardin [19]
The KPg planktic foraminifera were also studied byArz et al [36] The section was also studied in detail byZaghbib-Turki et al [32 37] recognizing the relevant eventof the KPg boundary and proposing it as parastratotypeFurthermore Karoui-Yaakoub et al [38] revised this sectionand concluded that the KPg interval is complete and similarto the El Kef section Another section (Elles II) located at100m toward the south was described by Keller et al [39]who analysed the paleoecology of the KPg boundary massextinction based on planktic foraminifera
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studied indetail by Gallala [15] To detail the planktic foraminiferalspecies ranges at Elles section 58 samples are picked across165m thick interval deposition 1m of this interval is fromthe uppermost Maastrichtian (EN-90-EN-2-0) and 155mare from the Danian (EN5-EN1550)
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of gray shales andmarly shales below the KPg boundary This boundary iswell marked by a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer (EN0-02)which contains altered spherules spinels and anomalous
Paleontology Journal 5
Arch
eoglo
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rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
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nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
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a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
ienta
lisRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
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ayar
oens
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runc
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coni
caGl
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runc
ana
falso
stuar
tiCo
ntus
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a co
ntus
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Plan
oglo
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a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
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lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
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ita p
ette
rsi
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otru
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hava
nens
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lobu
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eyae
Rugo
globi
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a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
iaGu
bler
ina
acut
a
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
aGu
bler
ina
cuvi
llier
iGl
obot
runc
anell
a pe
talo
idea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saSc
hack
oina
mul
tispi
nata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita a
ngul
ata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iGl
obig
erin
elloi
des v
olut
usPl
anog
lobu
lina
man
uelen
sisH
eter
oheli
x po
stsem
icosta
taGl
obig
erin
elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
aeRu
goglo
bige
rina
rugo
sa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
eaGu
embe
litria
trifo
lia
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
aCh
ilogu
embe
lina
taur
ica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma Gl
oban
omal
ina
imita
taGl
oban
omal
ina
arch
eoco
mpr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
eobu
lloid
esPa
rasu
bbot
ina
pseu
dobu
lloid
es
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
pent
agon
a
Glob
anom
alin
a co
mpr
essa
Prae
mur
ica tr
inid
aden
sis
Eoglo
bige
rina
spira
lisPr
aem
urica
unc
inat
a
Het
eroh
elix
mor
eman
i
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Eoglo
bige
rina
tetra
gona
GtCr
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
naPs
pse
udob
ullo
ides
Ab
atho
mph
alus
m
ayar
oens
is
tric
htia
n
Gl c
ompr
essa
EN 5EN 7EN 15EN 20EN 35EN 50EN 60EN 70EN 90EN 100EN 120
EN 150
EN 180EN 200EN 210EN 240
EN 270EN 300EN 330EN 360
EN 390EN 420EN 450
EN 480EN 510EN 540
EN 570
EN 600
EN 660EN 690
EN 750
EN 780EN 810EN 840EN 870
EN 900
EN 960EN 990
EN 1020EN 1025
EN 1070
EN 1250EN 1270
EN 1350
EN 1400
EN 1450
EN 1500
EN 1550
Pseu
dogu
emb-
elina
haria
ensis
H holm-delensis
iapertura
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica u
ncin
ata
section (Tunisia)
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (m
)
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Pv s
abin
a
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
er M
ass-
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the Elles
S tr
ilocu
-lin
oide
sE
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv long-
EN 1150
EN 0ndash02
13
12
11
10
15
14
0
1
2
8
3
4
5
6
7
9
minus1ENminus72ENminus90
ENminus20ENminus30ENminus10ENminus7
ENminus2minus0
ENminus42 minus 40
ENminus5 minus 6
ENminus56 minus 52
Figure 4 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Elles section (Tunisia)
concentrations of iridium [32 40] Above this interval thebasal Danian consists of a 50ndash60 cm thick dark gray to blackclaystone layer followed by 25m of light gray claystoneand 12m of dark to light gray marls intercalated in theupper part of the Danian interval by 20ndash30 cm thick of graylimestone This upper part is rich in corals brachiopods andbivalves of millimetric size (samples EN1250 and EN 1550)[15] (Figure 4)
23 Agost and Caravaca Section (Spain) The Agost andCaravaca sections are located in the Betic Cordillera of south-eastern Spain The section of Agost is placed about 1 kmnortheastern ofAgost village (Alicante region) at km 13 of theroad Agost-Castalla Its geographical coordinates are latitude
38∘271015840 N and longitude 0∘381015840 W The Agost section is about100 km to the east of the Caravaca section with a similarlithology (eg [9])
The section of Caravaca is placed about 3 km south-western of the town of Caravaca (Figure 5) The Caravacasection is located in South Spain (Murcia region) about 3 kmsouth of the town of Caravaca in the Barranco del Grederoravine (Figure 5) Its geographical coordinates are latitude39∘51015840 1910158401015840N and longitude 1∘521015840 2610158401015840W
TheCaravaca section lies in the Betic Cordillera Subbeticzone and the KPg boundary is in the Jorquera Formationcomposed of gray marls and claystone In 1975 Abtahiinitially studied the foraminifera in his master thesis Smit[41 42] found that the KPg boundary claystone was more
6 Paleontology Journal
Caravaca section
Lorca
Murica
ElcheAlicante
Agostsection
Castalla
Med
iterra
nean
Sea
50
N
0
Lisbon
Madrid
Bilbao
ZaragozaBarcelone
Sevilla
0 200
N
FranceZumaya
BeticasAlamedilla
Valencia
PirineosSan Sebastian
AgostCaravaca
Cordillera Iberica
Spain
Portu
gal
38∘
40∘
42∘
0∘ 2∘ 1∘
To ValenciaTo Valencia
ToGranada
1∘30998400 0∘30998400
2∘ 1∘1∘30998400 0∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘
38∘
(km) (km)
5∘
Osinaga
Figure 5 Geographical location of the Caravaca and Agost sections located in Betic Cordillera (Spain)
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
ienta
lis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
ilam
ensis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s vol
utus
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
psch
adae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
raPs
eudo
guem
belin
a co
stula
ta
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
es
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
119864
simpl
icissi
ma
GtCr
Pv longH holm
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the
Caravaca section(Spain)
CA + 132
CA + 120
CA + 92
CA + 57
CA + 50
CA + 40
CA + 18 + 20CA + 15 + 18CA + 11 + 15CA + 8 + 11
CA + 5 + 8CA + 2 + 5CA + 0 + 2
CA 0CA minus 2CA minus5CAminus 10
CA minus 20
CAminus 30
CAminus 40
CAminus 60
CAminus 80
CAminus 120
CAminus 100
CA minus15
minus100
minus120
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Figure 6 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Caravaca section (Spain)
Paleontology Journal 7
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
isRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
isRa
cem
igue
mbe
lina
powe
lli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sisGl
obig
erin
elloi
des a
sper
a
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
ra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Ag 1Ag 2Ag 3Ag 5Ag 10Ag 15Ag 20Ag 24Ag 34Ag 38
Ag 80
Ag 93
Ag 123
Ag 153
Ag 183
Ag 223
Ag 253
Para
subo
tina
pseu
dobu
lloid
esAb
atho
mph
alus
may
aroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
lino-
ides
Ag 0
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
GtCrPv longH holm
E si
mpl
ici-
ssim
a
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nLo
wer
Pal
eoge
neLo
wer
Dan
ian
Species ranges of planktic
foraminifera at the Agostsection (Spain)
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Agminus10
minus100
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Ag minus 30Ag minus 25Ag minus 20Agminus 15Ag minus 5
Ag minus 50
Ag minus 60
Ag minus 80
Ag minus 40
Ag minus100
Agminus120 minus120
Figure 7 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Agost section (Spain)
expanded than in the Gubbio section (Italy) and discovereda planktic foraminiferal association between the Abathom-phalus mayaroensis zone and the Pv eugubina zone whichhe called Gt cretacea zone Later Smit and Hertogen [43]identified a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer and the Ir anomalyTheir study was published one month before the seminalpaper by Alvarez et al [44] although they did not claimpriority because the theory was previously communicated ina congress in 1979 by the Alvarez team The red rusty layeralso contains altered microtektites [45] as well as anomalousconcentrations in Co Cr Ni As Sb and Se [46] Manyother mineralogical and geochemical analyses were accom-plished finding overwhelming meteoritic impact evidence[47ndash57]
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studiedin detail by Canudo et al [9] Kaiho and Lamolda [58]Arz et al [31] and Gallala [15] A geologically instantaneousextinction event in small benthic foraminifera was alsodocumented at the KPg boundary by Coccioni et al [59]
and Coccioni and Galeotti [60] in the Caravaca section Atemporary faunal turnover consisting of the reorganizationof the benthic foraminiferal community structure but withno mass extinction in the small benthic foraminifera hasbeen reported from this section [59 61] The calcareousnannoplankton was studied by Gardin and Monechi [18]concluding that Cretaceous species occurring after the KPgboundary are mainly reworked Furthermore bioturbationacross the boundary clay has been reported by Rodrıguez-Tovar and Uchman [62] which is the cause of the Cretaceousnannofossils and foraminifers reworked in the lowermostPaleogene
The two Betic sections are similar although the Caravacasedimentation rate in the lower Danian is around twice thatof Agost The KPg boundary in both sections is markedby a thin 10 cm black clay layer with a basal 2mm thinrust-red layer containing an Ir anomaly and other impactevidence such as altered microtektites [7] The sections ofAgost andCaravaca have a similar lithology of graymarls and
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
A cr
etac
eaA
blo
wi
R p
enny
iR
mac
roce
phal
aC
wal
fisch
ensis
C p
licat
aG
arc
aAb
int
erm
ediu
s Gn
ita s
tuar
tifor
mis
G o
rient
alis
R m
ilam
ensis
R re
icheli
Ab m
ayar
oens
isGn
ita c
onica
G fa
lsostu
arti
C co
ntus
aPl
g ac
ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
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[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
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18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
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Geological ResearchJournal of
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Geology Advances in
2 Paleontology Journal
MalehTunisEl Kef
EllesA Settara
0 500 1000
(m)
388
315
100 km
Dust road
El Kef
EL Kef
Lower and middle Eocene(Bou DabbousEl Garia Fm)
Campanian and older
Upper Campanian to
Pg PalaeogeneK Cretaceous
Road Fault Studied section Altitude (m)
KPg boundary
509 Small village
lower Maastrichtian(Abiod Fm)
Upper Maastrichtian toPaleocene ( El Haria Fm)
Tadjer
ouine
Tadjer
ouine
Sbeitla
(km)0 1
El Hari
a
N
NN
KPg
Koudia
t ez Z
erblia
505
509
642
9∘
11∘
36∘
34∘
32∘
O Mellegue
(a)
(b)
(c)
36∘10998400
8∘40998400
After Lindinger (1988)
Figure 1 Geographical and geological location of the El Kef section in Tunisia modified from Lindinger [1] (a) General map of Tunisia (b)map of El Kef area and (c) detailed map of the section
Consequently many species are proposed other species areemended or discussed
The planktic foraminiferal zonations and biochronologyof the upper Maastrichtian-lower Danian of the middle andlower latitudes are still hotly debated Whereas the Abath-omphalus mayaroensis zone is used as a standard subdivisionin the upper Maastrichtian the proposed Danian zonation isstill highly controversial The suggested evolutionary patternand diversification of planktic foraminifers across the KPgboundary interval depend on the sampling resolution and thetaxonomy of the early globigerinids that originated at the baseof the Danian
In order to elucidate the biostratigraphy at theKPg boun-dary in tropical subtropical and temperate latitudes andto correlate between these different area we have studiedseveral sections across these latitudes The most expandedand continuous sections studied are El Kef and Elles inTunisia Agost and Caravaca in Spain and Bidart in France
These sections are among the best documented andmost complete and continuous sections known to date Theprincipal features of the KPg event (Ir anomaly spinels etc)
and the expanded lower Danian planktic foraminiferal zonesand subzones are recorded in them [13 15] The GlobalStratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of theDanian was defined near El Kef Tunisia [15 27]The sectionsof Elles (Tunisia) Caravaca and Agost (Spain) and Bidart(France) in which the KPg boundary event is well recordedhave been proposed to be auxiliary sections for the definitionof the KPg boundary [13 14 28]
In this paper based on high-resolution biostratigraphywe attempt to check if these sections are complete to presentour contribution to the general discussion on the standardbiozonation of the uppermost Maastrichtian and Danianstratigraphic interval [5 7ndash10 16 17 24ndash26 29ndash32] andto correlate between these different standard biozones andsubzones
2 Materials and Methods
21 El Kef Stratotype Section The GSSP site is located at adistance of between 5 and 6 km from the crossroad of theEl Kef city It can be reached by taking the exit towards
Paleontology Journal 3
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
caAb
atho
mph
alus
inte
rmed
ius
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
ienta
lisRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
isGl
obot
runc
anita
coni
caGl
obot
runc
ana
falso
stuar
tiCo
ntus
otru
ncan
a co
ntus
a
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
isPl
anog
lobu
lina
cars
eyae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
iaGu
bler
ina
acut
a
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
aGu
bler
ina
cuvi
llier
iGl
obot
runc
anell
a pe
talo
idea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
aCo
ntus
otru
ncan
a pa
telli
form
isH
eter
oheli
x ca
rinat
aPl
anog
lobu
lina
riogr
ande
nsis
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saSc
hack
oina
mul
tispi
nata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita a
ngul
ata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iGl
obige
rinell
oide
s vol
utus
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
igerin
elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
sH
eter
oheli
x pu
nctu
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
psch
adae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
eaGu
embe
litria
trifo
lia
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica Gu
embe
litria
irre
gula
risGu
embe
litria
ala
bam
ensis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
0
1
2
8
10
12
11
3
4
5
6
7
9
alu
s may
a-
roen
sis
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
erM
aastr
ich-
tian
D 50D 60D 72
D 3
D 120D 150
D 180D 210D 240
D 270D 300D 330D 360D 390
D 450D 480
D 510
D 570
D 630
D 690
D 750
D 810
D 870
D 930
D 1000D 1020D 1040D 1050D 1065
Ps
eudo
gue-
mbe
lina
haria
ensis
D 160
D 650
G
t CrPa
rasu
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Eoglo
bige
rina
tri
vial
isSu
bbot
ina
trilo
culin
oide
s
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Plan
oglo
bulin
a gla
brat
a
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
aSt
ages
Pv longia-pertura
H holmde-lensis
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the El Kef
stratotype section(Tunisia)
minus1
D 90ndash92
D 4-5
Dminus 10Dminus 20Dminus 45
D 0ndash03
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
D 1185
Abat
hom
ph-
Thic
knes
s (m
)
D 40-41D 33-34D 24-25D 15-16D 10-11
Figure 2 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the El Kef stratotype section (Tunisia)
the town of Tajerouine and following the road which leadsto Hammam Mellegue between a small village and a recentartificial lake The GSSP lies in the upper Maastrichtian toPaleocene El Haria Formation which is underlain by theupperCampanianlowerMaastrichtianAbiodFormation andoverlain by the lower and middle Eocene Bou DabbousElGaria Formation (attributed to theMetlaoui Formation in theoriginal proposal) (Figure 1)
The precise coordinates were measured with a GPS Lam-bert coordinates calibrated from Carthago point N36∘09101584013210158401015840 E008∘381015840 54810158401015840 UTM coordinates N32 N4001314E468675 Consequently the Global Stratotype Section andPoint for the base of the Danian which by def-inition is alsothe base of the Paleocene the Paleogene the ldquoTertiaryrdquo andthe Cenozoic has been officially reestablished at the base ofthe boundary clay (see [27])
The GSSP for the base of the Danian was defined inthe El Kef section (Tunisia) and ratified by the IUGS in1991 However this GSSP was not officially published in
a prestigious stratigraphical journal of wide distributionOnly a short note was published in Episodes by Cowie et al[33] in a report on activities of the ICS from 1984 to 1989Since then certain problems have arisen as the detailedproposal was unknown to many scientists working on theKPg boundary new sections in Mexico were found andcontroversial interpretations were proposed Therefore inorder to resolve these problems the ICS has required the ISPSto finally publish the proposal On the 6th of April 2006the chairman of ISPS (E Molina) in collaboration with ourTunisian group visited the GSSP at El Kef again in orderto put in place an artificial marker (ldquogolden spikerdquo) and torequest the Tunisian authorities to protect the site At thesame time the present status of the site has been documentedby a series of photographs Finally it was officially publishedsee Molina et al [27 28]
The GSSP lies in the upper Maastrichtian to PaleoceneEl Haria Formation which is underlain by the upper Cam-panianlower Maastrichtian Abiod Formation and overlain
4 Paleontology Journal
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Ras ElmaOued M
assouge
Ellessection
SersSiliana
Oued Siliana
EllesJebel Madhkour
Oued El Karma
294
129
57 Ellegraves section
0 0
N
426 427
Studied section
NOued Tess
a
(ONM Tunisia 1985)Carte de la Tunisie 1500000
Argo
ubet
El A
ieich
a
(b)
110
(a)
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Studied section
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
7G55998400
7G60998400
(km)(km)
4265
39∘93998400
Figure 3 Geographical and geological location of the Elles section (Tunisia) (a) Geological setting of the studied section (b) geographicallocation of Elles area
by the lower and middle Eocene Bou DabbousEl GariaFormation (attributed to the Metlaoui Formation in theoriginal proposal)
In order to detail the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) tran-sition interval at the El Kef stratotype section 41 samples arepicked across 125m thick interval deposition 05m of thisinterval are from the uppermost Maastrichtian (D-45 - D0-03) and 12m from the lowerDanian (D3-D1185)The samplesD160D180D510 andD650 of lowerDanian interval are veryrich in corals brachiopods and bivalve of millimetric size[15]
The uppermost 05m of the Maastrichtian is character-ized by white-gray marls with abundant jarosite the lowerDanian is characterized by 2-3mm of rusty layer (D0-03)superposed by 05m of black clay which corresponds to theboundary clay [15 27] 05m of dark gray clay 1m of gray and10 m of white-gray clayey marls
22 Elles Section (Tunisia) This section is located in CentralTunisia 75 km southeast of ElKefKPgGSSP betweenHouchEl Balti and the village of Elles and 3 km east of Elles(Figure 2) Its geographical coordinates are latitude 35∘56101584040410158401015840 N and longitude 9∘41015840 49910158401015840 E The KPg transition iscontinuous and well exposed along the northwestern side ofthe Elles syncline and is included into the El Haria Formationmarls (Figure 3)
In 1978 Said-Benzarti described the Elles section inher doctoral thesis studied the upper Maastrichtian andPaleocene microfossils (planktic and benthic foraminiferaand ostracods) and concluded that the KPg transition is
continuous Karoui-Yaakoub et al [34] pointed out that thethin layer of the KPg boundary is rich in microscopicglassy spheres In 1998 these authors confirmed with thecollaboration of Rocchia and Robin that the rust-coloredlayer is rich in Ir and Ni-rich spinel crystals In 1999 a high-resolution sampling was carried out by Karoui-Yaakoub inher doctoral thesis The author detailed the KPg transitionsand confirmed that the KPg transition at the Elles section iscontinuousThe ostracods were studied by Said-Benzarti [35]and the nannofossils by Gardin [19]
The KPg planktic foraminifera were also studied byArz et al [36] The section was also studied in detail byZaghbib-Turki et al [32 37] recognizing the relevant eventof the KPg boundary and proposing it as parastratotypeFurthermore Karoui-Yaakoub et al [38] revised this sectionand concluded that the KPg interval is complete and similarto the El Kef section Another section (Elles II) located at100m toward the south was described by Keller et al [39]who analysed the paleoecology of the KPg boundary massextinction based on planktic foraminifera
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studied indetail by Gallala [15] To detail the planktic foraminiferalspecies ranges at Elles section 58 samples are picked across165m thick interval deposition 1m of this interval is fromthe uppermost Maastrichtian (EN-90-EN-2-0) and 155mare from the Danian (EN5-EN1550)
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of gray shales andmarly shales below the KPg boundary This boundary iswell marked by a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer (EN0-02)which contains altered spherules spinels and anomalous
Paleontology Journal 5
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
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ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
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ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
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goglo
bige
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mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
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a re
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phal
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ayar
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isGl
obot
runc
anita
coni
caGl
obot
runc
ana
falso
stuar
tiCo
ntus
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ncan
a co
ntus
a
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bulin
a ac
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linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
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Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
isPl
anog
lobu
lina
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gerin
a ro
tund
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a m
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ata
Pseu
dogu
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dote
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bler
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acut
a
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dogu
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lina
coste
llifer
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bler
ina
cuvi
llier
iGl
obot
runc
anell
a pe
talo
idea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saSc
hack
oina
mul
tispi
nata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita a
ngul
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Glob
iger
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s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
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elloi
des v
olut
usPl
anog
lobu
lina
man
uelen
sisH
eter
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x po
stsem
icosta
taGl
obig
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elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
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s asp
era
Glob
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ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
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elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
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s
Het
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elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
aeRu
goglo
bige
rina
rugo
sa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
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embe
litria
trifo
lia
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a fo
dina
Parv
ular
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ura
Pala
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Guem
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anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
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belit
ria a
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men
sis
Parv
ular
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lobi
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a sa
bina
Woo
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clay
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sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
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lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
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min
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aCh
ilogu
embe
lina
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ica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
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iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
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Para
subb
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a m
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Prae
mur
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Eoglo
bige
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simpl
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ma Gl
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arch
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pseu
dobu
lloid
es
Para
subb
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a
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guem
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a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
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trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
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fring
a
Eoglo
bige
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polyc
amer
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
pent
agon
a
Glob
anom
alin
a co
mpr
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Prae
mur
ica tr
inid
aden
sis
Eoglo
bige
rina
spira
lisPr
aem
urica
unc
inat
a
Het
eroh
elix
mor
eman
i
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Eoglo
bige
rina
tetra
gona
GtCr
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
naPs
pse
udob
ullo
ides
Ab
atho
mph
alus
m
ayar
oens
is
tric
htia
n
Gl c
ompr
essa
EN 5EN 7EN 15EN 20EN 35EN 50EN 60EN 70EN 90EN 100EN 120
EN 150
EN 180EN 200EN 210EN 240
EN 270EN 300EN 330EN 360
EN 390EN 420EN 450
EN 480EN 510EN 540
EN 570
EN 600
EN 660EN 690
EN 750
EN 780EN 810EN 840EN 870
EN 900
EN 960EN 990
EN 1020EN 1025
EN 1070
EN 1250EN 1270
EN 1350
EN 1400
EN 1450
EN 1500
EN 1550
Pseu
dogu
emb-
elina
haria
ensis
H holm-delensis
iapertura
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica u
ncin
ata
section (Tunisia)
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (m
)
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Pv s
abin
a
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
er M
ass-
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the Elles
S tr
ilocu
-lin
oide
sE
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv long-
EN 1150
EN 0ndash02
13
12
11
10
15
14
0
1
2
8
3
4
5
6
7
9
minus1ENminus72ENminus90
ENminus20ENminus30ENminus10ENminus7
ENminus2minus0
ENminus42 minus 40
ENminus5 minus 6
ENminus56 minus 52
Figure 4 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Elles section (Tunisia)
concentrations of iridium [32 40] Above this interval thebasal Danian consists of a 50ndash60 cm thick dark gray to blackclaystone layer followed by 25m of light gray claystoneand 12m of dark to light gray marls intercalated in theupper part of the Danian interval by 20ndash30 cm thick of graylimestone This upper part is rich in corals brachiopods andbivalves of millimetric size (samples EN1250 and EN 1550)[15] (Figure 4)
23 Agost and Caravaca Section (Spain) The Agost andCaravaca sections are located in the Betic Cordillera of south-eastern Spain The section of Agost is placed about 1 kmnortheastern ofAgost village (Alicante region) at km 13 of theroad Agost-Castalla Its geographical coordinates are latitude
38∘271015840 N and longitude 0∘381015840 W The Agost section is about100 km to the east of the Caravaca section with a similarlithology (eg [9])
The section of Caravaca is placed about 3 km south-western of the town of Caravaca (Figure 5) The Caravacasection is located in South Spain (Murcia region) about 3 kmsouth of the town of Caravaca in the Barranco del Grederoravine (Figure 5) Its geographical coordinates are latitude39∘51015840 1910158401015840N and longitude 1∘521015840 2610158401015840W
TheCaravaca section lies in the Betic Cordillera Subbeticzone and the KPg boundary is in the Jorquera Formationcomposed of gray marls and claystone In 1975 Abtahiinitially studied the foraminifera in his master thesis Smit[41 42] found that the KPg boundary claystone was more
6 Paleontology Journal
Caravaca section
Lorca
Murica
ElcheAlicante
Agostsection
Castalla
Med
iterra
nean
Sea
50
N
0
Lisbon
Madrid
Bilbao
ZaragozaBarcelone
Sevilla
0 200
N
FranceZumaya
BeticasAlamedilla
Valencia
PirineosSan Sebastian
AgostCaravaca
Cordillera Iberica
Spain
Portu
gal
38∘
40∘
42∘
0∘ 2∘ 1∘
To ValenciaTo Valencia
ToGranada
1∘30998400 0∘30998400
2∘ 1∘1∘30998400 0∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘
38∘
(km) (km)
5∘
Osinaga
Figure 5 Geographical location of the Caravaca and Agost sections located in Betic Cordillera (Spain)
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
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lis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
ilam
ensis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
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Glob
otru
ncan
ella
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nens
is
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a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
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ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
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lina
haria
ensis
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dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
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erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
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a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
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mer
ata
Rugo
globi
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a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
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a
Cont
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runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
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belin
a po
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Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
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s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Glob
iger
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s vol
utus
Plan
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bulin
a m
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lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
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Glob
iger
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s yau
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Glob
iger
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s asp
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Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
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elix
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ata
Pseu
dote
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Pseu
dote
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aria
nut
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Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
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s
Het
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elix
punc
tula
ta
Glob
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ncan
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psch
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Rugo
globi
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Het
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Het
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Pseu
dogu
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lina
palp
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Het
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ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
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Het
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elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
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lina
kem
pens
is
Het
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pulch
raPs
eudo
guem
belin
a co
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ta
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berg
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a ho
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Scha
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na m
ultis
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ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
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Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
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ncan
a in
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s
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belit
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ea
Pala
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laeo
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a fo
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Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
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a lo
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pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
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a sa
bina
Woo
drin
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clay
tone
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Woo
drin
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hor
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isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
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bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
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com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
es
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
119864
simpl
icissi
ma
GtCr
Pv longH holm
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the
Caravaca section(Spain)
CA + 132
CA + 120
CA + 92
CA + 57
CA + 50
CA + 40
CA + 18 + 20CA + 15 + 18CA + 11 + 15CA + 8 + 11
CA + 5 + 8CA + 2 + 5CA + 0 + 2
CA 0CA minus 2CA minus5CAminus 10
CA minus 20
CAminus 30
CAminus 40
CAminus 60
CAminus 80
CAminus 120
CAminus 100
CA minus15
minus100
minus120
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Figure 6 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Caravaca section (Spain)
Paleontology Journal 7
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
isRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
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rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
isRa
cem
igue
mbe
lina
powe
lli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sisGl
obig
erin
elloi
des a
sper
a
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
ra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Ag 1Ag 2Ag 3Ag 5Ag 10Ag 15Ag 20Ag 24Ag 34Ag 38
Ag 80
Ag 93
Ag 123
Ag 153
Ag 183
Ag 223
Ag 253
Para
subo
tina
pseu
dobu
lloid
esAb
atho
mph
alus
may
aroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
lino-
ides
Ag 0
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
GtCrPv longH holm
E si
mpl
ici-
ssim
a
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nLo
wer
Pal
eoge
neLo
wer
Dan
ian
Species ranges of planktic
foraminifera at the Agostsection (Spain)
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Agminus10
minus100
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Ag minus 30Ag minus 25Ag minus 20Agminus 15Ag minus 5
Ag minus 50
Ag minus 60
Ag minus 80
Ag minus 40
Ag minus100
Agminus120 minus120
Figure 7 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Agost section (Spain)
expanded than in the Gubbio section (Italy) and discovereda planktic foraminiferal association between the Abathom-phalus mayaroensis zone and the Pv eugubina zone whichhe called Gt cretacea zone Later Smit and Hertogen [43]identified a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer and the Ir anomalyTheir study was published one month before the seminalpaper by Alvarez et al [44] although they did not claimpriority because the theory was previously communicated ina congress in 1979 by the Alvarez team The red rusty layeralso contains altered microtektites [45] as well as anomalousconcentrations in Co Cr Ni As Sb and Se [46] Manyother mineralogical and geochemical analyses were accom-plished finding overwhelming meteoritic impact evidence[47ndash57]
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studiedin detail by Canudo et al [9] Kaiho and Lamolda [58]Arz et al [31] and Gallala [15] A geologically instantaneousextinction event in small benthic foraminifera was alsodocumented at the KPg boundary by Coccioni et al [59]
and Coccioni and Galeotti [60] in the Caravaca section Atemporary faunal turnover consisting of the reorganizationof the benthic foraminiferal community structure but withno mass extinction in the small benthic foraminifera hasbeen reported from this section [59 61] The calcareousnannoplankton was studied by Gardin and Monechi [18]concluding that Cretaceous species occurring after the KPgboundary are mainly reworked Furthermore bioturbationacross the boundary clay has been reported by Rodrıguez-Tovar and Uchman [62] which is the cause of the Cretaceousnannofossils and foraminifers reworked in the lowermostPaleogene
The two Betic sections are similar although the Caravacasedimentation rate in the lower Danian is around twice thatof Agost The KPg boundary in both sections is markedby a thin 10 cm black clay layer with a basal 2mm thinrust-red layer containing an Ir anomaly and other impactevidence such as altered microtektites [7] The sections ofAgost andCaravaca have a similar lithology of graymarls and
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
A cr
etac
eaA
blo
wi
R p
enny
iR
mac
roce
phal
aC
wal
fisch
ensis
C p
licat
aG
arc
aAb
int
erm
ediu
s Gn
ita s
tuar
tifor
mis
G o
rient
alis
R m
ilam
ensis
R re
icheli
Ab m
ayar
oens
isGn
ita c
onica
G fa
lsostu
arti
C co
ntus
aPl
g ac
ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Mining
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Atmospheric SciencesInternational Journal of
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OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Advances in
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MineralogyInternational Journal of
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Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 3
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
caAb
atho
mph
alus
inte
rmed
ius
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
ienta
lisRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
isGl
obot
runc
anita
coni
caGl
obot
runc
ana
falso
stuar
tiCo
ntus
otru
ncan
a co
ntus
a
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
isPl
anog
lobu
lina
cars
eyae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
iaGu
bler
ina
acut
a
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
aGu
bler
ina
cuvi
llier
iGl
obot
runc
anell
a pe
talo
idea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
aCo
ntus
otru
ncan
a pa
telli
form
isH
eter
oheli
x ca
rinat
aPl
anog
lobu
lina
riogr
ande
nsis
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saSc
hack
oina
mul
tispi
nata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita a
ngul
ata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iGl
obige
rinell
oide
s vol
utus
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
igerin
elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
sH
eter
oheli
x pu
nctu
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
psch
adae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
eaGu
embe
litria
trifo
lia
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica Gu
embe
litria
irre
gula
risGu
embe
litria
ala
bam
ensis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
0
1
2
8
10
12
11
3
4
5
6
7
9
alu
s may
a-
roen
sis
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
erM
aastr
ich-
tian
D 50D 60D 72
D 3
D 120D 150
D 180D 210D 240
D 270D 300D 330D 360D 390
D 450D 480
D 510
D 570
D 630
D 690
D 750
D 810
D 870
D 930
D 1000D 1020D 1040D 1050D 1065
Ps
eudo
gue-
mbe
lina
haria
ensis
D 160
D 650
G
t CrPa
rasu
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Eoglo
bige
rina
tri
vial
isSu
bbot
ina
trilo
culin
oide
s
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Plan
oglo
bulin
a gla
brat
a
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
aSt
ages
Pv longia-pertura
H holmde-lensis
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the El Kef
stratotype section(Tunisia)
minus1
D 90ndash92
D 4-5
Dminus 10Dminus 20Dminus 45
D 0ndash03
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
D 1185
Abat
hom
ph-
Thic
knes
s (m
)
D 40-41D 33-34D 24-25D 15-16D 10-11
Figure 2 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the El Kef stratotype section (Tunisia)
the town of Tajerouine and following the road which leadsto Hammam Mellegue between a small village and a recentartificial lake The GSSP lies in the upper Maastrichtian toPaleocene El Haria Formation which is underlain by theupperCampanianlowerMaastrichtianAbiodFormation andoverlain by the lower and middle Eocene Bou DabbousElGaria Formation (attributed to theMetlaoui Formation in theoriginal proposal) (Figure 1)
The precise coordinates were measured with a GPS Lam-bert coordinates calibrated from Carthago point N36∘09101584013210158401015840 E008∘381015840 54810158401015840 UTM coordinates N32 N4001314E468675 Consequently the Global Stratotype Section andPoint for the base of the Danian which by def-inition is alsothe base of the Paleocene the Paleogene the ldquoTertiaryrdquo andthe Cenozoic has been officially reestablished at the base ofthe boundary clay (see [27])
The GSSP for the base of the Danian was defined inthe El Kef section (Tunisia) and ratified by the IUGS in1991 However this GSSP was not officially published in
a prestigious stratigraphical journal of wide distributionOnly a short note was published in Episodes by Cowie et al[33] in a report on activities of the ICS from 1984 to 1989Since then certain problems have arisen as the detailedproposal was unknown to many scientists working on theKPg boundary new sections in Mexico were found andcontroversial interpretations were proposed Therefore inorder to resolve these problems the ICS has required the ISPSto finally publish the proposal On the 6th of April 2006the chairman of ISPS (E Molina) in collaboration with ourTunisian group visited the GSSP at El Kef again in orderto put in place an artificial marker (ldquogolden spikerdquo) and torequest the Tunisian authorities to protect the site At thesame time the present status of the site has been documentedby a series of photographs Finally it was officially publishedsee Molina et al [27 28]
The GSSP lies in the upper Maastrichtian to PaleoceneEl Haria Formation which is underlain by the upper Cam-panianlower Maastrichtian Abiod Formation and overlain
4 Paleontology Journal
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Ras ElmaOued M
assouge
Ellessection
SersSiliana
Oued Siliana
EllesJebel Madhkour
Oued El Karma
294
129
57 Ellegraves section
0 0
N
426 427
Studied section
NOued Tess
a
(ONM Tunisia 1985)Carte de la Tunisie 1500000
Argo
ubet
El A
ieich
a
(b)
110
(a)
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Studied section
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
7G55998400
7G60998400
(km)(km)
4265
39∘93998400
Figure 3 Geographical and geological location of the Elles section (Tunisia) (a) Geological setting of the studied section (b) geographicallocation of Elles area
by the lower and middle Eocene Bou DabbousEl GariaFormation (attributed to the Metlaoui Formation in theoriginal proposal)
In order to detail the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) tran-sition interval at the El Kef stratotype section 41 samples arepicked across 125m thick interval deposition 05m of thisinterval are from the uppermost Maastrichtian (D-45 - D0-03) and 12m from the lowerDanian (D3-D1185)The samplesD160D180D510 andD650 of lowerDanian interval are veryrich in corals brachiopods and bivalve of millimetric size[15]
The uppermost 05m of the Maastrichtian is character-ized by white-gray marls with abundant jarosite the lowerDanian is characterized by 2-3mm of rusty layer (D0-03)superposed by 05m of black clay which corresponds to theboundary clay [15 27] 05m of dark gray clay 1m of gray and10 m of white-gray clayey marls
22 Elles Section (Tunisia) This section is located in CentralTunisia 75 km southeast of ElKefKPgGSSP betweenHouchEl Balti and the village of Elles and 3 km east of Elles(Figure 2) Its geographical coordinates are latitude 35∘56101584040410158401015840 N and longitude 9∘41015840 49910158401015840 E The KPg transition iscontinuous and well exposed along the northwestern side ofthe Elles syncline and is included into the El Haria Formationmarls (Figure 3)
In 1978 Said-Benzarti described the Elles section inher doctoral thesis studied the upper Maastrichtian andPaleocene microfossils (planktic and benthic foraminiferaand ostracods) and concluded that the KPg transition is
continuous Karoui-Yaakoub et al [34] pointed out that thethin layer of the KPg boundary is rich in microscopicglassy spheres In 1998 these authors confirmed with thecollaboration of Rocchia and Robin that the rust-coloredlayer is rich in Ir and Ni-rich spinel crystals In 1999 a high-resolution sampling was carried out by Karoui-Yaakoub inher doctoral thesis The author detailed the KPg transitionsand confirmed that the KPg transition at the Elles section iscontinuousThe ostracods were studied by Said-Benzarti [35]and the nannofossils by Gardin [19]
The KPg planktic foraminifera were also studied byArz et al [36] The section was also studied in detail byZaghbib-Turki et al [32 37] recognizing the relevant eventof the KPg boundary and proposing it as parastratotypeFurthermore Karoui-Yaakoub et al [38] revised this sectionand concluded that the KPg interval is complete and similarto the El Kef section Another section (Elles II) located at100m toward the south was described by Keller et al [39]who analysed the paleoecology of the KPg boundary massextinction based on planktic foraminifera
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studied indetail by Gallala [15] To detail the planktic foraminiferalspecies ranges at Elles section 58 samples are picked across165m thick interval deposition 1m of this interval is fromthe uppermost Maastrichtian (EN-90-EN-2-0) and 155mare from the Danian (EN5-EN1550)
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of gray shales andmarly shales below the KPg boundary This boundary iswell marked by a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer (EN0-02)which contains altered spherules spinels and anomalous
Paleontology Journal 5
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
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ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
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ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
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goglo
bige
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mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
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a re
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phal
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ayar
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isGl
obot
runc
anita
coni
caGl
obot
runc
ana
falso
stuar
tiCo
ntus
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ncan
a co
ntus
a
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bulin
a ac
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linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
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Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
isPl
anog
lobu
lina
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gerin
a ro
tund
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a m
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ata
Pseu
dogu
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dote
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bler
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acut
a
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dogu
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lina
coste
llifer
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bler
ina
cuvi
llier
iGl
obot
runc
anell
a pe
talo
idea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saSc
hack
oina
mul
tispi
nata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita a
ngul
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Glob
iger
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s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
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elloi
des v
olut
usPl
anog
lobu
lina
man
uelen
sisH
eter
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x po
stsem
icosta
taGl
obig
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elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
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s asp
era
Glob
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ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
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elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
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s
Het
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elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
aeRu
goglo
bige
rina
rugo
sa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
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embe
litria
trifo
lia
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a fo
dina
Parv
ular
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ura
Pala
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Guem
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anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
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belit
ria a
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men
sis
Parv
ular
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lobi
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a sa
bina
Woo
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clay
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sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
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lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
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min
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aCh
ilogu
embe
lina
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ica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
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iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
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Para
subb
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a m
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Prae
mur
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Eoglo
bige
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simpl
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ma Gl
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arch
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pseu
dobu
lloid
es
Para
subb
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a
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guem
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a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
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trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
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fring
a
Eoglo
bige
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polyc
amer
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
pent
agon
a
Glob
anom
alin
a co
mpr
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Prae
mur
ica tr
inid
aden
sis
Eoglo
bige
rina
spira
lisPr
aem
urica
unc
inat
a
Het
eroh
elix
mor
eman
i
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Eoglo
bige
rina
tetra
gona
GtCr
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
naPs
pse
udob
ullo
ides
Ab
atho
mph
alus
m
ayar
oens
is
tric
htia
n
Gl c
ompr
essa
EN 5EN 7EN 15EN 20EN 35EN 50EN 60EN 70EN 90EN 100EN 120
EN 150
EN 180EN 200EN 210EN 240
EN 270EN 300EN 330EN 360
EN 390EN 420EN 450
EN 480EN 510EN 540
EN 570
EN 600
EN 660EN 690
EN 750
EN 780EN 810EN 840EN 870
EN 900
EN 960EN 990
EN 1020EN 1025
EN 1070
EN 1250EN 1270
EN 1350
EN 1400
EN 1450
EN 1500
EN 1550
Pseu
dogu
emb-
elina
haria
ensis
H holm-delensis
iapertura
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica u
ncin
ata
section (Tunisia)
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (m
)
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Pv s
abin
a
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
er M
ass-
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the Elles
S tr
ilocu
-lin
oide
sE
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv long-
EN 1150
EN 0ndash02
13
12
11
10
15
14
0
1
2
8
3
4
5
6
7
9
minus1ENminus72ENminus90
ENminus20ENminus30ENminus10ENminus7
ENminus2minus0
ENminus42 minus 40
ENminus5 minus 6
ENminus56 minus 52
Figure 4 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Elles section (Tunisia)
concentrations of iridium [32 40] Above this interval thebasal Danian consists of a 50ndash60 cm thick dark gray to blackclaystone layer followed by 25m of light gray claystoneand 12m of dark to light gray marls intercalated in theupper part of the Danian interval by 20ndash30 cm thick of graylimestone This upper part is rich in corals brachiopods andbivalves of millimetric size (samples EN1250 and EN 1550)[15] (Figure 4)
23 Agost and Caravaca Section (Spain) The Agost andCaravaca sections are located in the Betic Cordillera of south-eastern Spain The section of Agost is placed about 1 kmnortheastern ofAgost village (Alicante region) at km 13 of theroad Agost-Castalla Its geographical coordinates are latitude
38∘271015840 N and longitude 0∘381015840 W The Agost section is about100 km to the east of the Caravaca section with a similarlithology (eg [9])
The section of Caravaca is placed about 3 km south-western of the town of Caravaca (Figure 5) The Caravacasection is located in South Spain (Murcia region) about 3 kmsouth of the town of Caravaca in the Barranco del Grederoravine (Figure 5) Its geographical coordinates are latitude39∘51015840 1910158401015840N and longitude 1∘521015840 2610158401015840W
TheCaravaca section lies in the Betic Cordillera Subbeticzone and the KPg boundary is in the Jorquera Formationcomposed of gray marls and claystone In 1975 Abtahiinitially studied the foraminifera in his master thesis Smit[41 42] found that the KPg boundary claystone was more
6 Paleontology Journal
Caravaca section
Lorca
Murica
ElcheAlicante
Agostsection
Castalla
Med
iterra
nean
Sea
50
N
0
Lisbon
Madrid
Bilbao
ZaragozaBarcelone
Sevilla
0 200
N
FranceZumaya
BeticasAlamedilla
Valencia
PirineosSan Sebastian
AgostCaravaca
Cordillera Iberica
Spain
Portu
gal
38∘
40∘
42∘
0∘ 2∘ 1∘
To ValenciaTo Valencia
ToGranada
1∘30998400 0∘30998400
2∘ 1∘1∘30998400 0∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘
38∘
(km) (km)
5∘
Osinaga
Figure 5 Geographical location of the Caravaca and Agost sections located in Betic Cordillera (Spain)
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
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lis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
ilam
ensis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
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Glob
otru
ncan
ella
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nens
is
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a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
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ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
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lina
haria
ensis
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dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
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erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
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a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
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mer
ata
Rugo
globi
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a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
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a
Cont
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runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
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belin
a po
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Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
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s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Glob
iger
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s vol
utus
Plan
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bulin
a m
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lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
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Glob
iger
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s yau
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Glob
iger
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s asp
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Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
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elix
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ata
Pseu
dote
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Pseu
dote
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aria
nut
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Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
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s
Het
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elix
punc
tula
ta
Glob
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ncan
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psch
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Rugo
globi
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Het
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Het
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Pseu
dogu
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lina
palp
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Het
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ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
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Het
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elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
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lina
kem
pens
is
Het
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pulch
raPs
eudo
guem
belin
a co
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ta
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berg
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a ho
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Scha
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na m
ultis
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ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
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Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
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ncan
a in
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s
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belit
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ea
Pala
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laeo
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a fo
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Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
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a lo
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pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
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a sa
bina
Woo
drin
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clay
tone
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Woo
drin
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hor
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isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
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bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
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com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
es
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
119864
simpl
icissi
ma
GtCr
Pv longH holm
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the
Caravaca section(Spain)
CA + 132
CA + 120
CA + 92
CA + 57
CA + 50
CA + 40
CA + 18 + 20CA + 15 + 18CA + 11 + 15CA + 8 + 11
CA + 5 + 8CA + 2 + 5CA + 0 + 2
CA 0CA minus 2CA minus5CAminus 10
CA minus 20
CAminus 30
CAminus 40
CAminus 60
CAminus 80
CAminus 120
CAminus 100
CA minus15
minus100
minus120
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Figure 6 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Caravaca section (Spain)
Paleontology Journal 7
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
isRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
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rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
isRa
cem
igue
mbe
lina
powe
lli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sisGl
obig
erin
elloi
des a
sper
a
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
ra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Ag 1Ag 2Ag 3Ag 5Ag 10Ag 15Ag 20Ag 24Ag 34Ag 38
Ag 80
Ag 93
Ag 123
Ag 153
Ag 183
Ag 223
Ag 253
Para
subo
tina
pseu
dobu
lloid
esAb
atho
mph
alus
may
aroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
lino-
ides
Ag 0
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
GtCrPv longH holm
E si
mpl
ici-
ssim
a
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nLo
wer
Pal
eoge
neLo
wer
Dan
ian
Species ranges of planktic
foraminifera at the Agostsection (Spain)
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Agminus10
minus100
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Ag minus 30Ag minus 25Ag minus 20Agminus 15Ag minus 5
Ag minus 50
Ag minus 60
Ag minus 80
Ag minus 40
Ag minus100
Agminus120 minus120
Figure 7 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Agost section (Spain)
expanded than in the Gubbio section (Italy) and discovereda planktic foraminiferal association between the Abathom-phalus mayaroensis zone and the Pv eugubina zone whichhe called Gt cretacea zone Later Smit and Hertogen [43]identified a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer and the Ir anomalyTheir study was published one month before the seminalpaper by Alvarez et al [44] although they did not claimpriority because the theory was previously communicated ina congress in 1979 by the Alvarez team The red rusty layeralso contains altered microtektites [45] as well as anomalousconcentrations in Co Cr Ni As Sb and Se [46] Manyother mineralogical and geochemical analyses were accom-plished finding overwhelming meteoritic impact evidence[47ndash57]
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studiedin detail by Canudo et al [9] Kaiho and Lamolda [58]Arz et al [31] and Gallala [15] A geologically instantaneousextinction event in small benthic foraminifera was alsodocumented at the KPg boundary by Coccioni et al [59]
and Coccioni and Galeotti [60] in the Caravaca section Atemporary faunal turnover consisting of the reorganizationof the benthic foraminiferal community structure but withno mass extinction in the small benthic foraminifera hasbeen reported from this section [59 61] The calcareousnannoplankton was studied by Gardin and Monechi [18]concluding that Cretaceous species occurring after the KPgboundary are mainly reworked Furthermore bioturbationacross the boundary clay has been reported by Rodrıguez-Tovar and Uchman [62] which is the cause of the Cretaceousnannofossils and foraminifers reworked in the lowermostPaleogene
The two Betic sections are similar although the Caravacasedimentation rate in the lower Danian is around twice thatof Agost The KPg boundary in both sections is markedby a thin 10 cm black clay layer with a basal 2mm thinrust-red layer containing an Ir anomaly and other impactevidence such as altered microtektites [7] The sections ofAgost andCaravaca have a similar lithology of graymarls and
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
A cr
etac
eaA
blo
wi
R p
enny
iR
mac
roce
phal
aC
wal
fisch
ensis
C p
licat
aG
arc
aAb
int
erm
ediu
s Gn
ita s
tuar
tifor
mis
G o
rient
alis
R m
ilam
ensis
R re
icheli
Ab m
ayar
oens
isGn
ita c
onica
G fa
lsostu
arti
C co
ntus
aPl
g ac
ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Applied ampEnvironmentalSoil Science
Volume 2014
Mining
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
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International Journal of
Geophysics
OceanographyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
GeochemistryHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Atmospheric SciencesInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Advances in
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MineralogyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MeteorologyAdvances in
The Scientific World JournalHindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
4 Paleontology Journal
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Ras ElmaOued M
assouge
Ellessection
SersSiliana
Oued Siliana
EllesJebel Madhkour
Oued El Karma
294
129
57 Ellegraves section
0 0
N
426 427
Studied section
NOued Tess
a
(ONM Tunisia 1985)Carte de la Tunisie 1500000
Argo
ubet
El A
ieich
a
(b)
110
(a)
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
Aptian-Albian
Coniacian-Paleocene
Lower Eocene
Upper Eocene
Quaternary
Fault
Studied section
Cenomanian-Turonian
Trias
7G55998400
7G60998400
(km)(km)
4265
39∘93998400
Figure 3 Geographical and geological location of the Elles section (Tunisia) (a) Geological setting of the studied section (b) geographicallocation of Elles area
by the lower and middle Eocene Bou DabbousEl GariaFormation (attributed to the Metlaoui Formation in theoriginal proposal)
In order to detail the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) tran-sition interval at the El Kef stratotype section 41 samples arepicked across 125m thick interval deposition 05m of thisinterval are from the uppermost Maastrichtian (D-45 - D0-03) and 12m from the lowerDanian (D3-D1185)The samplesD160D180D510 andD650 of lowerDanian interval are veryrich in corals brachiopods and bivalve of millimetric size[15]
The uppermost 05m of the Maastrichtian is character-ized by white-gray marls with abundant jarosite the lowerDanian is characterized by 2-3mm of rusty layer (D0-03)superposed by 05m of black clay which corresponds to theboundary clay [15 27] 05m of dark gray clay 1m of gray and10 m of white-gray clayey marls
22 Elles Section (Tunisia) This section is located in CentralTunisia 75 km southeast of ElKefKPgGSSP betweenHouchEl Balti and the village of Elles and 3 km east of Elles(Figure 2) Its geographical coordinates are latitude 35∘56101584040410158401015840 N and longitude 9∘41015840 49910158401015840 E The KPg transition iscontinuous and well exposed along the northwestern side ofthe Elles syncline and is included into the El Haria Formationmarls (Figure 3)
In 1978 Said-Benzarti described the Elles section inher doctoral thesis studied the upper Maastrichtian andPaleocene microfossils (planktic and benthic foraminiferaand ostracods) and concluded that the KPg transition is
continuous Karoui-Yaakoub et al [34] pointed out that thethin layer of the KPg boundary is rich in microscopicglassy spheres In 1998 these authors confirmed with thecollaboration of Rocchia and Robin that the rust-coloredlayer is rich in Ir and Ni-rich spinel crystals In 1999 a high-resolution sampling was carried out by Karoui-Yaakoub inher doctoral thesis The author detailed the KPg transitionsand confirmed that the KPg transition at the Elles section iscontinuousThe ostracods were studied by Said-Benzarti [35]and the nannofossils by Gardin [19]
The KPg planktic foraminifera were also studied byArz et al [36] The section was also studied in detail byZaghbib-Turki et al [32 37] recognizing the relevant eventof the KPg boundary and proposing it as parastratotypeFurthermore Karoui-Yaakoub et al [38] revised this sectionand concluded that the KPg interval is complete and similarto the El Kef section Another section (Elles II) located at100m toward the south was described by Keller et al [39]who analysed the paleoecology of the KPg boundary massextinction based on planktic foraminifera
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studied indetail by Gallala [15] To detail the planktic foraminiferalspecies ranges at Elles section 58 samples are picked across165m thick interval deposition 1m of this interval is fromthe uppermost Maastrichtian (EN-90-EN-2-0) and 155mare from the Danian (EN5-EN1550)
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of gray shales andmarly shales below the KPg boundary This boundary iswell marked by a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer (EN0-02)which contains altered spherules spinels and anomalous
Paleontology Journal 5
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
ienta
lisRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
isGl
obot
runc
anita
coni
caGl
obot
runc
ana
falso
stuar
tiCo
ntus
otru
ncan
a co
ntus
a
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
isPl
anog
lobu
lina
cars
eyae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
iaGu
bler
ina
acut
a
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
aGu
bler
ina
cuvi
llier
iGl
obot
runc
anell
a pe
talo
idea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saSc
hack
oina
mul
tispi
nata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita a
ngul
ata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iGl
obig
erin
elloi
des v
olut
usPl
anog
lobu
lina
man
uelen
sisH
eter
oheli
x po
stsem
icosta
taGl
obig
erin
elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
aeRu
goglo
bige
rina
rugo
sa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
eaGu
embe
litria
trifo
lia
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
aCh
ilogu
embe
lina
taur
ica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma Gl
oban
omal
ina
imita
taGl
oban
omal
ina
arch
eoco
mpr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
eobu
lloid
esPa
rasu
bbot
ina
pseu
dobu
lloid
es
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
pent
agon
a
Glob
anom
alin
a co
mpr
essa
Prae
mur
ica tr
inid
aden
sis
Eoglo
bige
rina
spira
lisPr
aem
urica
unc
inat
a
Het
eroh
elix
mor
eman
i
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Eoglo
bige
rina
tetra
gona
GtCr
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
naPs
pse
udob
ullo
ides
Ab
atho
mph
alus
m
ayar
oens
is
tric
htia
n
Gl c
ompr
essa
EN 5EN 7EN 15EN 20EN 35EN 50EN 60EN 70EN 90EN 100EN 120
EN 150
EN 180EN 200EN 210EN 240
EN 270EN 300EN 330EN 360
EN 390EN 420EN 450
EN 480EN 510EN 540
EN 570
EN 600
EN 660EN 690
EN 750
EN 780EN 810EN 840EN 870
EN 900
EN 960EN 990
EN 1020EN 1025
EN 1070
EN 1250EN 1270
EN 1350
EN 1400
EN 1450
EN 1500
EN 1550
Pseu
dogu
emb-
elina
haria
ensis
H holm-delensis
iapertura
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica u
ncin
ata
section (Tunisia)
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (m
)
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Pv s
abin
a
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
er M
ass-
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the Elles
S tr
ilocu
-lin
oide
sE
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv long-
EN 1150
EN 0ndash02
13
12
11
10
15
14
0
1
2
8
3
4
5
6
7
9
minus1ENminus72ENminus90
ENminus20ENminus30ENminus10ENminus7
ENminus2minus0
ENminus42 minus 40
ENminus5 minus 6
ENminus56 minus 52
Figure 4 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Elles section (Tunisia)
concentrations of iridium [32 40] Above this interval thebasal Danian consists of a 50ndash60 cm thick dark gray to blackclaystone layer followed by 25m of light gray claystoneand 12m of dark to light gray marls intercalated in theupper part of the Danian interval by 20ndash30 cm thick of graylimestone This upper part is rich in corals brachiopods andbivalves of millimetric size (samples EN1250 and EN 1550)[15] (Figure 4)
23 Agost and Caravaca Section (Spain) The Agost andCaravaca sections are located in the Betic Cordillera of south-eastern Spain The section of Agost is placed about 1 kmnortheastern ofAgost village (Alicante region) at km 13 of theroad Agost-Castalla Its geographical coordinates are latitude
38∘271015840 N and longitude 0∘381015840 W The Agost section is about100 km to the east of the Caravaca section with a similarlithology (eg [9])
The section of Caravaca is placed about 3 km south-western of the town of Caravaca (Figure 5) The Caravacasection is located in South Spain (Murcia region) about 3 kmsouth of the town of Caravaca in the Barranco del Grederoravine (Figure 5) Its geographical coordinates are latitude39∘51015840 1910158401015840N and longitude 1∘521015840 2610158401015840W
TheCaravaca section lies in the Betic Cordillera Subbeticzone and the KPg boundary is in the Jorquera Formationcomposed of gray marls and claystone In 1975 Abtahiinitially studied the foraminifera in his master thesis Smit[41 42] found that the KPg boundary claystone was more
6 Paleontology Journal
Caravaca section
Lorca
Murica
ElcheAlicante
Agostsection
Castalla
Med
iterra
nean
Sea
50
N
0
Lisbon
Madrid
Bilbao
ZaragozaBarcelone
Sevilla
0 200
N
FranceZumaya
BeticasAlamedilla
Valencia
PirineosSan Sebastian
AgostCaravaca
Cordillera Iberica
Spain
Portu
gal
38∘
40∘
42∘
0∘ 2∘ 1∘
To ValenciaTo Valencia
ToGranada
1∘30998400 0∘30998400
2∘ 1∘1∘30998400 0∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘
38∘
(km) (km)
5∘
Osinaga
Figure 5 Geographical location of the Caravaca and Agost sections located in Betic Cordillera (Spain)
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bige
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20
40
60
80
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120
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
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is
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
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seud
obul
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es
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er P
aleo
gene
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ania
nU
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bige
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119864
simpl
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ma
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Pv longH holm
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the
Caravaca section(Spain)
CA + 132
CA + 120
CA + 92
CA + 57
CA + 50
CA + 40
CA + 18 + 20CA + 15 + 18CA + 11 + 15CA + 8 + 11
CA + 5 + 8CA + 2 + 5CA + 0 + 2
CA 0CA minus 2CA minus5CAminus 10
CA minus 20
CAminus 30
CAminus 40
CAminus 60
CAminus 80
CAminus 120
CAminus 100
CA minus15
minus100
minus120
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Figure 6 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Caravaca section (Spain)
Paleontology Journal 7
Arch
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dogu
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lina
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berg
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mur
ica p
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onsta
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Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
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ocon
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locu
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des
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a pl
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polyc
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Arch
eoglo
bige
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cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Ag 1Ag 2Ag 3Ag 5Ag 10Ag 15Ag 20Ag 24Ag 34Ag 38
Ag 80
Ag 93
Ag 123
Ag 153
Ag 183
Ag 223
Ag 253
Para
subo
tina
pseu
dobu
lloid
esAb
atho
mph
alus
may
aroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
lino-
ides
Ag 0
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
GtCrPv longH holm
E si
mpl
ici-
ssim
a
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nLo
wer
Pal
eoge
neLo
wer
Dan
ian
Species ranges of planktic
foraminifera at the Agostsection (Spain)
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Agminus10
minus100
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Ag minus 30Ag minus 25Ag minus 20Agminus 15Ag minus 5
Ag minus 50
Ag minus 60
Ag minus 80
Ag minus 40
Ag minus100
Agminus120 minus120
Figure 7 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Agost section (Spain)
expanded than in the Gubbio section (Italy) and discovereda planktic foraminiferal association between the Abathom-phalus mayaroensis zone and the Pv eugubina zone whichhe called Gt cretacea zone Later Smit and Hertogen [43]identified a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer and the Ir anomalyTheir study was published one month before the seminalpaper by Alvarez et al [44] although they did not claimpriority because the theory was previously communicated ina congress in 1979 by the Alvarez team The red rusty layeralso contains altered microtektites [45] as well as anomalousconcentrations in Co Cr Ni As Sb and Se [46] Manyother mineralogical and geochemical analyses were accom-plished finding overwhelming meteoritic impact evidence[47ndash57]
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studiedin detail by Canudo et al [9] Kaiho and Lamolda [58]Arz et al [31] and Gallala [15] A geologically instantaneousextinction event in small benthic foraminifera was alsodocumented at the KPg boundary by Coccioni et al [59]
and Coccioni and Galeotti [60] in the Caravaca section Atemporary faunal turnover consisting of the reorganizationof the benthic foraminiferal community structure but withno mass extinction in the small benthic foraminifera hasbeen reported from this section [59 61] The calcareousnannoplankton was studied by Gardin and Monechi [18]concluding that Cretaceous species occurring after the KPgboundary are mainly reworked Furthermore bioturbationacross the boundary clay has been reported by Rodrıguez-Tovar and Uchman [62] which is the cause of the Cretaceousnannofossils and foraminifers reworked in the lowermostPaleogene
The two Betic sections are similar although the Caravacasedimentation rate in the lower Danian is around twice thatof Agost The KPg boundary in both sections is markedby a thin 10 cm black clay layer with a basal 2mm thinrust-red layer containing an Ir anomaly and other impactevidence such as altered microtektites [7] The sections ofAgost andCaravaca have a similar lithology of graymarls and
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
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C co
ntus
aPl
g ac
ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
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Geological ResearchJournal of
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Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 5
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eyae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
iaGu
bler
ina
acut
a
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
aGu
bler
ina
cuvi
llier
iGl
obot
runc
anell
a pe
talo
idea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saSc
hack
oina
mul
tispi
nata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita a
ngul
ata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iGl
obig
erin
elloi
des v
olut
usPl
anog
lobu
lina
man
uelen
sisH
eter
oheli
x po
stsem
icosta
taGl
obig
erin
elloi
des y
auco
ensis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
aeRu
goglo
bige
rina
rugo
sa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
isH
eter
oheli
x pu
lchra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
eaGu
embe
litria
trifo
lia
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
sisW
oodr
ingi
na h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
aCh
ilogu
embe
lina
taur
ica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma Gl
oban
omal
ina
imita
taGl
oban
omal
ina
arch
eoco
mpr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
eobu
lloid
esPa
rasu
bbot
ina
pseu
dobu
lloid
es
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
pent
agon
a
Glob
anom
alin
a co
mpr
essa
Prae
mur
ica tr
inid
aden
sis
Eoglo
bige
rina
spira
lisPr
aem
urica
unc
inat
a
Het
eroh
elix
mor
eman
i
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Eoglo
bige
rina
tetra
gona
GtCr
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a eu
gubi
naPs
pse
udob
ullo
ides
Ab
atho
mph
alus
m
ayar
oens
is
tric
htia
n
Gl c
ompr
essa
EN 5EN 7EN 15EN 20EN 35EN 50EN 60EN 70EN 90EN 100EN 120
EN 150
EN 180EN 200EN 210EN 240
EN 270EN 300EN 330EN 360
EN 390EN 420EN 450
EN 480EN 510EN 540
EN 570
EN 600
EN 660EN 690
EN 750
EN 780EN 810EN 840EN 870
EN 900
EN 960EN 990
EN 1020EN 1025
EN 1070
EN 1250EN 1270
EN 1350
EN 1400
EN 1450
EN 1500
EN 1550
Pseu
dogu
emb-
elina
haria
ensis
H holm-delensis
iapertura
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica u
ncin
ata
section (Tunisia)
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (m
)
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
Pv s
abin
a
Upp
er C
re-
tace
ous
Upp
er M
ass-
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the Elles
S tr
ilocu
-lin
oide
sE
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Pv long-
EN 1150
EN 0ndash02
13
12
11
10
15
14
0
1
2
8
3
4
5
6
7
9
minus1ENminus72ENminus90
ENminus20ENminus30ENminus10ENminus7
ENminus2minus0
ENminus42 minus 40
ENminus5 minus 6
ENminus56 minus 52
Figure 4 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Elles section (Tunisia)
concentrations of iridium [32 40] Above this interval thebasal Danian consists of a 50ndash60 cm thick dark gray to blackclaystone layer followed by 25m of light gray claystoneand 12m of dark to light gray marls intercalated in theupper part of the Danian interval by 20ndash30 cm thick of graylimestone This upper part is rich in corals brachiopods andbivalves of millimetric size (samples EN1250 and EN 1550)[15] (Figure 4)
23 Agost and Caravaca Section (Spain) The Agost andCaravaca sections are located in the Betic Cordillera of south-eastern Spain The section of Agost is placed about 1 kmnortheastern ofAgost village (Alicante region) at km 13 of theroad Agost-Castalla Its geographical coordinates are latitude
38∘271015840 N and longitude 0∘381015840 W The Agost section is about100 km to the east of the Caravaca section with a similarlithology (eg [9])
The section of Caravaca is placed about 3 km south-western of the town of Caravaca (Figure 5) The Caravacasection is located in South Spain (Murcia region) about 3 kmsouth of the town of Caravaca in the Barranco del Grederoravine (Figure 5) Its geographical coordinates are latitude39∘51015840 1910158401015840N and longitude 1∘521015840 2610158401015840W
TheCaravaca section lies in the Betic Cordillera Subbeticzone and the KPg boundary is in the Jorquera Formationcomposed of gray marls and claystone In 1975 Abtahiinitially studied the foraminifera in his master thesis Smit[41 42] found that the KPg boundary claystone was more
6 Paleontology Journal
Caravaca section
Lorca
Murica
ElcheAlicante
Agostsection
Castalla
Med
iterra
nean
Sea
50
N
0
Lisbon
Madrid
Bilbao
ZaragozaBarcelone
Sevilla
0 200
N
FranceZumaya
BeticasAlamedilla
Valencia
PirineosSan Sebastian
AgostCaravaca
Cordillera Iberica
Spain
Portu
gal
38∘
40∘
42∘
0∘ 2∘ 1∘
To ValenciaTo Valencia
ToGranada
1∘30998400 0∘30998400
2∘ 1∘1∘30998400 0∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘
38∘
(km) (km)
5∘
Osinaga
Figure 5 Geographical location of the Caravaca and Agost sections located in Betic Cordillera (Spain)
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
ienta
lis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
ilam
ensis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s vol
utus
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
psch
adae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
raPs
eudo
guem
belin
a co
stula
ta
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
es
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
119864
simpl
icissi
ma
GtCr
Pv longH holm
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the
Caravaca section(Spain)
CA + 132
CA + 120
CA + 92
CA + 57
CA + 50
CA + 40
CA + 18 + 20CA + 15 + 18CA + 11 + 15CA + 8 + 11
CA + 5 + 8CA + 2 + 5CA + 0 + 2
CA 0CA minus 2CA minus5CAminus 10
CA minus 20
CAminus 30
CAminus 40
CAminus 60
CAminus 80
CAminus 120
CAminus 100
CA minus15
minus100
minus120
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Figure 6 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Caravaca section (Spain)
Paleontology Journal 7
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
isRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
isRa
cem
igue
mbe
lina
powe
lli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sisGl
obig
erin
elloi
des a
sper
a
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
ra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Ag 1Ag 2Ag 3Ag 5Ag 10Ag 15Ag 20Ag 24Ag 34Ag 38
Ag 80
Ag 93
Ag 123
Ag 153
Ag 183
Ag 223
Ag 253
Para
subo
tina
pseu
dobu
lloid
esAb
atho
mph
alus
may
aroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
lino-
ides
Ag 0
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
GtCrPv longH holm
E si
mpl
ici-
ssim
a
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nLo
wer
Pal
eoge
neLo
wer
Dan
ian
Species ranges of planktic
foraminifera at the Agostsection (Spain)
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Agminus10
minus100
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Ag minus 30Ag minus 25Ag minus 20Agminus 15Ag minus 5
Ag minus 50
Ag minus 60
Ag minus 80
Ag minus 40
Ag minus100
Agminus120 minus120
Figure 7 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Agost section (Spain)
expanded than in the Gubbio section (Italy) and discovereda planktic foraminiferal association between the Abathom-phalus mayaroensis zone and the Pv eugubina zone whichhe called Gt cretacea zone Later Smit and Hertogen [43]identified a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer and the Ir anomalyTheir study was published one month before the seminalpaper by Alvarez et al [44] although they did not claimpriority because the theory was previously communicated ina congress in 1979 by the Alvarez team The red rusty layeralso contains altered microtektites [45] as well as anomalousconcentrations in Co Cr Ni As Sb and Se [46] Manyother mineralogical and geochemical analyses were accom-plished finding overwhelming meteoritic impact evidence[47ndash57]
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studiedin detail by Canudo et al [9] Kaiho and Lamolda [58]Arz et al [31] and Gallala [15] A geologically instantaneousextinction event in small benthic foraminifera was alsodocumented at the KPg boundary by Coccioni et al [59]
and Coccioni and Galeotti [60] in the Caravaca section Atemporary faunal turnover consisting of the reorganizationof the benthic foraminiferal community structure but withno mass extinction in the small benthic foraminifera hasbeen reported from this section [59 61] The calcareousnannoplankton was studied by Gardin and Monechi [18]concluding that Cretaceous species occurring after the KPgboundary are mainly reworked Furthermore bioturbationacross the boundary clay has been reported by Rodrıguez-Tovar and Uchman [62] which is the cause of the Cretaceousnannofossils and foraminifers reworked in the lowermostPaleogene
The two Betic sections are similar although the Caravacasedimentation rate in the lower Danian is around twice thatof Agost The KPg boundary in both sections is markedby a thin 10 cm black clay layer with a basal 2mm thinrust-red layer containing an Ir anomaly and other impactevidence such as altered microtektites [7] The sections ofAgost andCaravaca have a similar lithology of graymarls and
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
A cr
etac
eaA
blo
wi
R p
enny
iR
mac
roce
phal
aC
wal
fisch
ensis
C p
licat
aG
arc
aAb
int
erm
ediu
s Gn
ita s
tuar
tifor
mis
G o
rient
alis
R m
ilam
ensis
R re
icheli
Ab m
ayar
oens
isGn
ita c
onica
G fa
lsostu
arti
C co
ntus
aPl
g ac
ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
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[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
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18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Mining
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Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
6 Paleontology Journal
Caravaca section
Lorca
Murica
ElcheAlicante
Agostsection
Castalla
Med
iterra
nean
Sea
50
N
0
Lisbon
Madrid
Bilbao
ZaragozaBarcelone
Sevilla
0 200
N
FranceZumaya
BeticasAlamedilla
Valencia
PirineosSan Sebastian
AgostCaravaca
Cordillera Iberica
Spain
Portu
gal
38∘
40∘
42∘
0∘ 2∘ 1∘
To ValenciaTo Valencia
ToGranada
1∘30998400 0∘30998400
2∘ 1∘1∘30998400 0∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘30998400
38∘
38∘
(km) (km)
5∘
Osinaga
Figure 5 Geographical location of the Caravaca and Agost sections located in Betic Cordillera (Spain)
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
is
Glob
otru
ncan
a or
ienta
lis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
ilam
ensis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Glob
otru
ncan
ita el
evat
a
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
is
Race
mig
uem
belin
a po
welli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s vol
utus
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sis
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s asp
era
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
psch
adae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
raPs
eudo
guem
belin
a co
stula
ta
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a m
ariei
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
es
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
119864
simpl
icissi
ma
GtCr
Pv longH holm
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
Species ranges of plankticforaminifera at the
Caravaca section(Spain)
CA + 132
CA + 120
CA + 92
CA + 57
CA + 50
CA + 40
CA + 18 + 20CA + 15 + 18CA + 11 + 15CA + 8 + 11
CA + 5 + 8CA + 2 + 5CA + 0 + 2
CA 0CA minus 2CA minus5CAminus 10
CA minus 20
CAminus 30
CAminus 40
CAminus 60
CAminus 80
CAminus 120
CAminus 100
CA minus15
minus100
minus120
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Figure 6 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Caravaca section (Spain)
Paleontology Journal 7
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
isRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
isRa
cem
igue
mbe
lina
powe
lli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sisGl
obig
erin
elloi
des a
sper
a
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
ra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Ag 1Ag 2Ag 3Ag 5Ag 10Ag 15Ag 20Ag 24Ag 34Ag 38
Ag 80
Ag 93
Ag 123
Ag 153
Ag 183
Ag 223
Ag 253
Para
subo
tina
pseu
dobu
lloid
esAb
atho
mph
alus
may
aroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
lino-
ides
Ag 0
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
GtCrPv longH holm
E si
mpl
ici-
ssim
a
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nLo
wer
Pal
eoge
neLo
wer
Dan
ian
Species ranges of planktic
foraminifera at the Agostsection (Spain)
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Agminus10
minus100
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Ag minus 30Ag minus 25Ag minus 20Agminus 15Ag minus 5
Ag minus 50
Ag minus 60
Ag minus 80
Ag minus 40
Ag minus100
Agminus120 minus120
Figure 7 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Agost section (Spain)
expanded than in the Gubbio section (Italy) and discovereda planktic foraminiferal association between the Abathom-phalus mayaroensis zone and the Pv eugubina zone whichhe called Gt cretacea zone Later Smit and Hertogen [43]identified a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer and the Ir anomalyTheir study was published one month before the seminalpaper by Alvarez et al [44] although they did not claimpriority because the theory was previously communicated ina congress in 1979 by the Alvarez team The red rusty layeralso contains altered microtektites [45] as well as anomalousconcentrations in Co Cr Ni As Sb and Se [46] Manyother mineralogical and geochemical analyses were accom-plished finding overwhelming meteoritic impact evidence[47ndash57]
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studiedin detail by Canudo et al [9] Kaiho and Lamolda [58]Arz et al [31] and Gallala [15] A geologically instantaneousextinction event in small benthic foraminifera was alsodocumented at the KPg boundary by Coccioni et al [59]
and Coccioni and Galeotti [60] in the Caravaca section Atemporary faunal turnover consisting of the reorganizationof the benthic foraminiferal community structure but withno mass extinction in the small benthic foraminifera hasbeen reported from this section [59 61] The calcareousnannoplankton was studied by Gardin and Monechi [18]concluding that Cretaceous species occurring after the KPgboundary are mainly reworked Furthermore bioturbationacross the boundary clay has been reported by Rodrıguez-Tovar and Uchman [62] which is the cause of the Cretaceousnannofossils and foraminifers reworked in the lowermostPaleogene
The two Betic sections are similar although the Caravacasedimentation rate in the lower Danian is around twice thatof Agost The KPg boundary in both sections is markedby a thin 10 cm black clay layer with a basal 2mm thinrust-red layer containing an Ir anomaly and other impactevidence such as altered microtektites [7] The sections ofAgost andCaravaca have a similar lithology of graymarls and
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
A cr
etac
eaA
blo
wi
R p
enny
iR
mac
roce
phal
aC
wal
fisch
ensis
C p
licat
aG
arc
aAb
int
erm
ediu
s Gn
ita s
tuar
tifor
mis
G o
rient
alis
R m
ilam
ensis
R re
icheli
Ab m
ayar
oens
isGn
ita c
onica
G fa
lsostu
arti
C co
ntus
aPl
g ac
ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
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[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
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18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
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[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
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[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Mining
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Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 7
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
blow
i
Rugo
globi
gerin
a pe
nnyi
Rugo
globi
gerin
a m
acro
ceph
ala
Cont
usot
runc
ana
walfi
sche
nsis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
plica
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ar
ca
Abat
hom
phal
us in
term
ediu
s
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
iform
isRu
goglo
bige
rina
mila
men
sis
Rugo
globi
gerin
a re
icheli
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
Glob
otru
ncan
ita co
nica
Glob
otru
ncan
a fa
lsostu
arti
Cont
usot
runc
ana
cont
usa
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ac
ervu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
exco
lata
Glob
otru
ncan
ita p
ette
rsi
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
hava
nens
is
Plan
oglo
bulin
a ca
rsey
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ro
tund
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
ultic
amer
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
inte
rmed
ia
Gubl
erin
a ac
uta
Het
eroh
elix
stria
ta
Psed
ogue
mbe
lina
coste
llifer
a
Gubl
erin
a cu
villi
eri
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
peta
loid
ea
Rugo
globi
gerin
a he
xaca
mer
ata
Rugo
globi
gerin
a sc
otti
Glob
otru
ncan
a ae
gypt
iaca
Glob
otru
ncan
a es
nehe
nsis
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
cara
vaca
ensis
Cont
usot
runc
ana
pate
llifo
rmis
Het
eroh
elix
carin
ata
Plan
oglo
bulin
a rio
gran
dens
isRa
cem
igue
mbe
lina
powe
lli
Race
mig
uem
belin
a fru
ctico
saGl
obot
runc
anita
ang
ulat
a
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s sub
carin
atus
Glob
otru
ncan
ita st
uart
i
Plan
oglo
bulin
a m
anue
lensis
Het
eroh
elix
posts
emico
stata
Glob
iger
inell
oide
s yau
coen
sisGl
obig
erin
elloi
des a
sper
a
Glob
otru
ncan
ella
min
uta
Het
eroh
elix
dent
ata
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
eleg
ans
Pseu
dote
xtul
aria
nut
talli
Plum
mer
ita h
antk
enin
oide
s
Het
eroh
elix
punc
tula
taGl
obot
runc
anell
a ps
chad
ae
Rugo
globi
gerin
a ru
gosa
Het
eroh
elix
globu
losa
Het
eroh
elix
nava
rroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
palp
ebra
Het
eroh
elix
glabr
ans
Het
eroh
elix
labe
llosa
Het
eroh
elix
plan
ata
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
kem
pens
is
Het
eroh
elix
pulch
ra
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
costu
lata
Hed
berg
ella
mon
mou
then
sisH
edbe
rgell
a ho
lmde
lensis
Scha
ckoi
na m
ultis
pina
ta
Glob
otru
ncan
a ro
setta
Glob
otru
ncan
a in
signi
s
Guem
belit
ria cr
etac
ea
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
altic
onus
aPa
laeo
globi
gerin
a fo
dina
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a lo
ngia
pert
ura
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
lute
rbac
heri
Guem
belit
ria d
anica
Guem
belit
ria ir
regu
laris
Guem
belit
ria a
laba
men
sis
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a sa
bina
Woo
drin
gina
clay
tone
nsis
Woo
drin
gina
hor
ners
tow
nens
isPa
rvul
arug
oglo
bige
rina
eugu
bina
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
min
utul
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a ta
urica
Chilo
guem
belin
a m
orse
iCh
ilogu
embe
lina
mid
waye
nsis
Para
subb
otin
a m
oskv
ini
Prae
mur
ica ta
urica
Eoglo
bige
rina
simpl
icissi
ma
Glob
anom
alin
a im
itata
Glob
anom
alin
a ar
cheo
com
pres
saEo
globi
gerin
a eo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Para
subb
otin
a va
riant
a
Chilo
guem
belin
a cr
inita
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Prae
mur
ica p
seud
oinc
onsta
ns
Prae
mur
ica in
cons
tans
Glob
ocon
usa
daub
jerge
nsis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Glob
anom
alin
a pl
anoc
ompr
essa
Eoglo
bige
rina
edita
Eoglo
bige
rina
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
exte
nsa
Pala
eoglo
bige
rina
fring
a
Eoglo
bige
rina
polyc
amer
aEo
globi
gerin
a pe
ntag
ona
Arch
eoglo
bige
rina
cret
acea
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Ag 1Ag 2Ag 3Ag 5Ag 10Ag 15Ag 20Ag 24Ag 34Ag 38
Ag 80
Ag 93
Ag 123
Ag 153
Ag 183
Ag 223
Ag 253
Para
subo
tina
pseu
dobu
lloid
esAb
atho
mph
alus
may
aroe
nsis
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
Eoglo
bige
rina
trivi
alis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
lino-
ides
Ag 0
Guem
belit
ria cf
trif
olia
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Pvsabina
Pv e
ugub
ina
GtCrPv longH holm
E si
mpl
ici-
ssim
a
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nLo
wer
Pal
eoge
neLo
wer
Dan
ian
Species ranges of planktic
foraminifera at the Agostsection (Spain)
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
gerin
a cf
hem
ispha
erica
Agminus10
minus100
minus 80
minus 60
minus 40
minus 20
Ag minus 30Ag minus 25Ag minus 20Agminus 15Ag minus 5
Ag minus 50
Ag minus 60
Ag minus 80
Ag minus 40
Ag minus100
Agminus120 minus120
Figure 7 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Agost section (Spain)
expanded than in the Gubbio section (Italy) and discovereda planktic foraminiferal association between the Abathom-phalus mayaroensis zone and the Pv eugubina zone whichhe called Gt cretacea zone Later Smit and Hertogen [43]identified a 2-3mm thick rusty red layer and the Ir anomalyTheir study was published one month before the seminalpaper by Alvarez et al [44] although they did not claimpriority because the theory was previously communicated ina congress in 1979 by the Alvarez team The red rusty layeralso contains altered microtektites [45] as well as anomalousconcentrations in Co Cr Ni As Sb and Se [46] Manyother mineralogical and geochemical analyses were accom-plished finding overwhelming meteoritic impact evidence[47ndash57]
The planktic foraminifera at this section were studiedin detail by Canudo et al [9] Kaiho and Lamolda [58]Arz et al [31] and Gallala [15] A geologically instantaneousextinction event in small benthic foraminifera was alsodocumented at the KPg boundary by Coccioni et al [59]
and Coccioni and Galeotti [60] in the Caravaca section Atemporary faunal turnover consisting of the reorganizationof the benthic foraminiferal community structure but withno mass extinction in the small benthic foraminifera hasbeen reported from this section [59 61] The calcareousnannoplankton was studied by Gardin and Monechi [18]concluding that Cretaceous species occurring after the KPgboundary are mainly reworked Furthermore bioturbationacross the boundary clay has been reported by Rodrıguez-Tovar and Uchman [62] which is the cause of the Cretaceousnannofossils and foraminifers reworked in the lowermostPaleogene
The two Betic sections are similar although the Caravacasedimentation rate in the lower Danian is around twice thatof Agost The KPg boundary in both sections is markedby a thin 10 cm black clay layer with a basal 2mm thinrust-red layer containing an Ir anomaly and other impactevidence such as altered microtektites [7] The sections ofAgost andCaravaca have a similar lithology of graymarls and
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
A cr
etac
eaA
blo
wi
R p
enny
iR
mac
roce
phal
aC
wal
fisch
ensis
C p
licat
aG
arc
aAb
int
erm
ediu
s Gn
ita s
tuar
tifor
mis
G o
rient
alis
R m
ilam
ensis
R re
icheli
Ab m
ayar
oens
isGn
ita c
onica
G fa
lsostu
arti
C co
ntus
aPl
g ac
ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
8 Paleontology Journal
Barcelona
Bilbao
Eocene compressionSiliciclastic inflowPaleo-subduction front
Deep-sea fan
Current coastlineUplifted zones
N
Carbonateterrigenous
platform
Carbonate platform
Parkingarea
Bidart
Bidart section
Bidart N
N 10
500
Bidartsection
0
BiarritzBidart
Bayonne
Hendaye
France
Spain
N
1000
Zaragoza
Emerged zone
Bordeaux
(m)
Iberian plate
European plate
(km)
(a)
(b)
(c)
Basque-Cantabricbasin
Toulouse
Figure 8 Geographical (a-b) and Paleogeographical setting (c) of the Bidart section located in the Pyrenean domain during the Paleocene(from [2])
calcareous marls [9] and have been considered as some of themost continuous land-based KPg sections (eg [20]) Theplanktic foraminifera at this section were studied in detail byGallala [15] 25 samples are picked across 26m thick intervaldeposition at Caravaca section (Spain) About 12m of thisinterval corresponds to the uppermost Maastrichtian (CA-120-CA-2) containing abundant tracks of Zoophycus [15] thesample CA0 is picked at the KPg boundary correspondingto the rusty layer and 14m was sampled at the lower Danianinterval (from the sample CA+0+2 to the sample CA+132)(Figure 6)
The Agost section was first described by Leclerc [63]who documented the planktonic foraminiferal faunas andargued that the sedimentation was essentially continuousfrom Santonian to Eocene Since then the Agost sectionhas been studied by numerous authors (eg [10 15 64ndash67])who analysed the biostratigraphy of planktonic foraminiferaMost of these authors are of the opinion that planktonicforaminifera underwent a catastrophic mass extinction at theKPg boundary [10 66 68] but some interpret the extinctionasmore gradual [9 67]The benthic foraminifera was studiedby Pardo et al [67] Alegret et al [69] and Gallala [15]
The Maastrichtian deposits consist of pelagic gray mas-sive marls with interbedded calcareous marls the latter
are rare or absent in the uppermost Maastrichtian Thesemarly deposits which contain abundant ostracodes andforaminifera belong to the upper part of the Quipar-JorqueraFormation originally described by van Veen [70] TheQuipar-Jorquera Formation is Cenomanian to Eocene inage [71] and shows similar characteristics across the InnerPrebetic The KPg boundary lies within Chron 29R [65] andismarked by a sharp contact between theMaastrichtianmarlsand a 10 cm thick layer of black claystone (Ag0-Ag10) witha 2-3mm thick red ferruginous level at its base This layermarks the KPg boundary at Agost [10] Twenty-nine samplesare picked in this work across 38m thick interval depositionat Agost section (Spain) About 12m of this interval waspicked from the uppermost Maastrichtian (sample Ag120 toAg5) containing zoophycus tracks [15] Ag0 from the rustylayer and 26m thick from the lower Danian (Ag1-Ag253)(Figure 7)
24 Bidart Section (France) The Bidart section is locatedin southwestern France within the Basque-Pyrenean Basinbetween Hendaye and Biarritz villages on the Bidartbeach named Pavillon Royal or Caseville where the upperCretaceous-Eocene outcrops are well exposed on the beachof Bidart (Figure 8) This section is easily accessible by
Paleontology Journal 9
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Abat
hom
phal
us m
ayar
oens
is
A cr
etac
eaA
blo
wi
R p
enny
iR
mac
roce
phal
aC
wal
fisch
ensis
C p
licat
aG
arc
aAb
int
erm
ediu
s Gn
ita s
tuar
tifor
mis
G o
rient
alis
R m
ilam
ensis
R re
icheli
Ab m
ayar
oens
isGn
ita c
onica
G fa
lsostu
arti
C co
ntus
aPl
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ervu
linoi
des
Psg
exco
lata
Gnita
pet
ters
iGl
la h
avan
ensis
Plg
cars
eyae
R ro
tund
ata
Plg
mul
ticam
erat
aPs
g ha
riaen
sisPs
t in
term
edia
G a
cuta
L gl
abra
nsPs
g co
stelli
fera
G cu
villi
eri
Glla
pet
aloi
dea
R h
exac
amer
ata
R sc
otti
G a
egyp
tiaca
G
esne
hens
isGl
la c
arav
acae
nsis
Gnita
elev
ata
C p
atell
iform
isH
car
inat
aPl
g rio
gran
dens
isR
pow
elli
R fr
uctic
osa
S m
ultis
pina
taGn
ita a
ngul
ata
Gllo
ides
sub
carin
atus
Gnita
stu
arti
Gllo
ides
vol
utus
Plg
man
uelen
sisH
pos
tsem
icosta
taGl
loid
es y
auco
ensis
Gllo
ides
asp
era
Glla
min
uta
G in
signi
sG
ros
etta
Glla
psc
hada
eR
rugo
saH
glo
bulo
saH
nav
arro
ensis
Psg
palp
ebra
H p
unct
ulat
aH
gla
bran
sH
lab
ellos
a
H p
lana
taPs
g ke
mpe
nsis
H p
luch
raPs
g co
stula
ta
Hlla
mon
mou
then
sisH
lla h
olm
delen
sisPalg
alti
conu
saPa
lg fo
dina
Palg
lute
rbac
heri
Palg
min
utul
a
L d
enta
taPs
t ele
gans
Pst
nutta
lli
E simplic-issima
Eoglo
bige
ri-na
triv
ialis
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Pseu
dogu
embe
lina
haria
ensis
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Ch t
auric
aCh
mor
sei
Ps m
oskv
ini
Ch m
idwa
yens
is
Ps p
seud
obul
loid
esPs
var
iant
aCh
crin
ita
E tr
ivia
lis
Gc
daub
jerge
nsis
E si
mpl
icissi
ma
S sp
pS
trilo
culin
oide
s
Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
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Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 9
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Abat
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ivia
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daub
jerge
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icissi
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pS
trilo
culin
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Glob
pla
noco
mpr
essa
Glob
im
itata
Glob
arc
heoc
ompr
essa
E eo
bullo
ides
E ed
itaE
micr
ocell
ulos
a
Gt d
anica
Gt i
rreg
ular
isGt
ala
bam
ensis
Gt c
reta
cea
B50
B155B165
B210
B300
B360
Gbcret
Gt c
f tri
folia
W h
orne
rsto
wne
nsis
Pv s
abin
aPv
eug
ubin
a
Pv c
f he
misp
haer
ica
W c
layt
ones
is
Syste
ms
Sam
ples
Stag
es
Subz
ones
Bioz
ones
Lith
olog
y
Thic
knes
s (cm
)
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
n
Pv l
ongi
aper
tura
B117
Species ranges of planktic foraminiferaat the Bidart section (SW France)
Pv sabinaPv longia
H holmdel
Upp
er C
reta
ceou
sU
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nPv
eug
-ub
ina
minus50
minus100
minus200
minus300
minus400
B25ndash29B3ndash6B0ndash2B13ndash17
B minus 25
B minus 50
B minus 100
B minus 200
B minus 300
B minus 400
B minus 6 minus 10B minus 0 minus 2
Pr t
auric
a
Pr p
seud
oinc
onsta
nsPr
inc
onsta
ns
Figure 9 Species distributions of planktonic foraminifera in the Bidart section (France)
the national road n∘ 10 at about 2 km north of the Bidartvillage Its geographical coordinates are latitude 43∘ 261015840 5410158401015840N and longitude 1∘ 351015840 1610158401015840W
The Bidart section (located in southwestern France)together with the Zumaya section (northern Spain) is oneof the most complete European KPg boundary sectionsexposed in the Atlantic margin [72 73]
The well-exposed Cretaceous-Paleogene nearby the Bi-dart beach has interested many authors The Bidart sectionwas initially investigated bymeans of calcareous nannofossilsby Martini [74] and by Lezaud in his doctoral thesis in1967 It has been also studied by numerous authors fromdifferent points of view such as stable isotope analysis[75ndash77] Ir content [46 78] biostratigraphy (eg [13ndash1578ndash80]) sedimentology [81] magnetostratigraphy [82 83]geochemistry [76 78 84] and chronostratigraphy [83]Detailed biostratigraphical studies across the KPg intervalwere based on calcareous nannofossils (eg [72 85 86])confirming the continuous deposition record at the Bidartsection and on planktic foraminifera [13ndash15 73 87 88]Its macrofaunal content (ammonites and inoceramids) wasstudied by Ward [89] and Ward and Kennedy [90] Benthicforaminiferal assemblages across the KPg boundary indicate
deposition in the upper-middle part of the slope and reflectmesotrophic conditions during the late Maastrichtian and astrong decrease in the food supply to the sea floor coincidentwith the KPg boundary [15 22]
The uppermost Maastrichtian deposits at the Bidartsection consist of metric thick marls and clayey limestonesalternations containing abundant foraminifers and scarceechinoids The uppermost 2 cm Maastrichtian deposits aregray soft marls The KPg boundary is marked by a 2mmthick rusty layer The lowermost Danian deposits whichcontrast with those of the Maastrichtian consist of 6 cm darkclays The overlying rocks consist of brownish claystone thinlaminated dark gray marls and pink and white limestonesInto these limestones amass flowdepositswith a clear erosivebasal surface and breccia occur between 16m and 210mabove the KPg boundary rust layer
Below and above the KPg boundary layer the marlscontrast sharply Those of the uppermost Maastrichtian arelight gray marls and those of the lowermost Danian (6 cmthick) are dark clays The KPg boundary layer correspondsto a 2mm thick of rust deposits with a positive Ir anomaly[46 78 84] and Ni-spinel enrichment [40] This rust layeris overlain by 6 cm of brownish claystone which marks
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Mining
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GeochemistryHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
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OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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MineralogyInternational Journal of
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Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
10 Paleontology Journal
Berggren et al [24]Berggren and Pearson
Abathomphalus mayaroensis
AbathomphalusmayaroensisAbathomph-
alusmayaroensis
et al [31]
G conusa G cretacea
Subbotinatriloculinoides
S triloculinoides G compressa
A mayaroensis
S triloculinoides
Arenillas et al [25]
Ps pseudobulloides
E simplicissima
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
H holmdelensisE
sim
plici
ssim
a
E
simpl
icissi
ma
Par
asub
botin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
rina
triv
ialis
Plummeritahantkeninoides
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
pseudo-bulloides
varianta
Par
vula
rugo
globi
- ge
rina
eugu
bina
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
G cretaceaPlummeritahantkenin-
oides
Plummeritahantkenin-
oides
[13] and Gallala [14]
H holmdelensis
Para
subb
otin
a ps
eudo
bullo
ides
Eoglo
bige
-rin
a tri
vial
is
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is P
arvu
laru
goglo
bi-
gerin
a eu
gubi
na
Subb
otin
a tri
locu
linoi
des
G cretacea
Parv
ular
ugog
lobi
-ge
rina
eugu
bina
Abat
hom
phal
usm
ayar
oens
is
Pv eugubina
Pv eugubina
P hariaensis
Pv sabinaPv sabinaPv longiaperturaPv longiaperturaPv longiapertura
PV longiaperturaP
haria
ensis
Pha
riaen
sis
BouDagher-Fadel[15]
(This study)Syste
ms
Stag
es Biozonations
Smit [6]U
pper
Maa
stric
htia
nU
pper
Cre
tace
ous
1198751119886
P
P
Pv eugubina-
Pr incon-stans
Pr incon-stans
Gtcret
Low
er P
aleo
gene
Low
er D
ania
nGallala et al [12]
Gallala and Zaghbib-TurkiZaghbib-Turki
Index-species
Gtcret
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1b
P1cP1cP1
P0 P0P0P0 P0
P120572P120572
P1a
P1a
P1c (2)
P1c (c1)
P1a (1)
P1a (2)
P1aP1a
P
Keller et al [20]Arz and Molina [103] [104] Smit et al [105]
Figure 10 Correlation between the proposed uppermost Maastrichtian and lowermost Danian planktic foraminiferal biozonations
the boundary layer then and towards the top by thinlylaminated dark gray claystone Consequently across thelowermost Danian the clays dominate over the carbonates
For this study we collected 19 samples in an intervalincluding 4m of the uppermost Maastrichtian below theKPg boundary (samples B 400 cm to B 0-2 cm) and 360mof the lowermost Danian overlying the KPg rusty layer(samples B 0-2 cm to B 360 cm)
All the samples picked in the Tethyan and Atlanticsections in this work are irregularly spaced being a detailedsampling of the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian anda high resolution sampling across the KPg boundary Closeto the KPg boundary in the uppermost Maastrichtian-lowermost Danian 50 cm thick interval the samples arespaced at 2ndash10 cm intervals although below and above thesamples are less close and are mostly spaced at 10ndash50 cmintervalsThe preservation of the planktic foraminifers of thestudied sections is generally good All the soft clayey or marlysamples were disaggregated in water with diluted H
2O2 and
those of limestone were soaked in acetic acid diluted solution(80) for 6 hours and then washed through a 63 120583m sieveAll the samples were dried in an oven at 50∘CThe specimensof the planktic foraminifers identified are equal to 63120583m orlarger than this size fraction (Figure 9)
3 Biostratigraphy
At the Tethyan (El Kef stratotype and Elles in Tunisia andAgost and Caravaca in Spain) and Atlantic sections (Bidart in
France) the planktonic foraminifers are often well preservedvery abundant and diversified All the biozones and subzonesare easily recognized by their biomarkers (Figure 10) Acrossthe K-Pg transition four standard biozones are recognizedUsing high-resolution sampling these zones are detailed andsubdivided in subzones
31 Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone As defined by Bolli[5] this biozone corresponds to the taxon range interval ofthe nominate species It has been recognized bymany authorsin the Tethyan area and elsewhere [7 9 10 13ndash15 17 29 31 91ndash98]
This biomarker remains omnipresent up to the top ofthe Maastrichtian Moreover no apparent hiatus exists atthe El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca sections(Spain) We have identified the Plummerita hantkeninoidessubzone which is the most common and persistent speciesacross the uppermost Maastrichtian This species is absentat middle latitudes Bidart section (SW France) and Zumayasection (Spain) [13ndash15 36 68] Previously several authorsused this small-sized species (lt150120583m) as the biomarkerof the latest Maastrichtian nominate zone [9 21] Nev-ertheless Keller [99] working on the high-latitude K-Pgtransition deposits (sites 738C 752B and 690C) notedthe absence of Plummerita hantkeninoides Consequentlyif this species was considered absent at the middle- andhigh-latitude areas it would be restricted to low latitudes[13ndash15]
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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GeochemistryHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
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OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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MineralogyInternational Journal of
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Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 11
Monte Giglio
Brazos River
Mexico
Geulbernmerberg
Nye Klov
Stevins Klint
BidartZumaya Gubbio
AgostEl Kef EL Melah
Negev
SopelanaCaravaca
Djebel Oreiya
Djebel Duwa
Casamance CM10
Kawaruppu
Creek
12 3
4 Ain SettaraEllegraves
56
78
LajillaCoxquihuiLa CeibaBochilGuayal
Trinidad
DSDP 603
Wasserfaligraben
DSDP 516
DSDP 527
DSDP 525ODP 752 DSDP 208
DSDP 465
ODP 738
ODP 689
ODP 690 Woodside
Wadi Nukhl
180∘
180∘120
∘60∘ 60
∘0∘
180∘
180∘
120∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
0∘
60∘
60∘
0∘
Palaeogeographic location of the KPg
Exposed land
Submerged platform
Ocean basin
EL MulatoEL Mimbral
Figure 11 Paleolatitudinal and paleogeographic location of the correlated sections the El Kef GSSP (Tunisia) and the auxiliary sectionsElles (Tunisia) Agost and Caravaca (Spain) located at the Tethys Ocean and Bidart (SW France) and Zumaya (Spain) located at the AtlanticOcean (after [3])
32 Guembelitria cretacea Zone This zone was initiallydefined by Smit [7 41] It spans the biostratigraphic intervalcharacterized by the partial range of the nominate taxonbetween the last appearance datum (LAD) of Cretaceous taxa(Abathomphalus Globotruncana Gansserina Pseudoguem-belina among others) at the KPg boundary as delineated bythe essentially global iridium spike and the first appearancedatum (FAD) of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina In thispaper following Arenillas et al [26 100] we take in accountthat Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and Parvularu-goglobigerina eugubina are two valid species occurring shiftFAD Its magnetostratigraphy position is in Chron C29rand its duration is between 65000 and 64981 Ma (after[12 25]A) or between 65500 and 65478Ma (after Rohl et al2001 [101] B) At the stratotype KPg boundary sectionand GSSP point El Kef section Elles section as well asat Caravaca and Agost sections and Bidart section theParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura FAD is prior to theParvularugoglobigerina eugubina FAD [10 26] We subdividethe Gt cretacea zone into two subzones (1) Hedbergellaholmdelensis subzone characterising the interval betweenthe KPg boundary and the FAD of Parvularugoglobige-rina longiapertura (2) Parvularugoglobigerina longiapertura
subzone corresponding to the interval between the FAD ofParvularugoglobigerina longiapertura and the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina
33 Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone This zone wasdefined by Luterbacher and Premoli Silva [4] and identified asthe Globigerina eugubina (=Parvularugoglobigerina eugubinain this paper) zone It corresponds to the biostratigraphicalinterval characterized by the total range of the nominatetaxon It corresponds to the later part of Chron C29r Itsestimate age is between 64981 and 64945Ma (A) or between65478 and 65436 Ma (B)
We subdivide thePv eugubina subzone into two subzoneswhich are respectively the Palaeoglobigerina sabina subzoneand Eoglobigerina simplicissima subzone The oldest one (ieParvularugoglobigerina sabina) as defined previously [26]corresponds to the interval between the FAD of Parvu-larugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD of Eoglobigerinasimplicissima In this paper we emend the youngest one (ieEoglobigerina simplicissima) which becomes correspondingto the interval between the FAD of the nominate taxon to theLAD of the Pv eugubina
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
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Geology Advances in
12 Paleontology Journal
Age
(Arenillas et al [25])
Marl
Dark clay
Marly limestone
Rust red clay
Limestone
SandstoneBreccia
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
(Present work)
Late cretaceous
Pseudoguembelina hariaensis
Abathomphalus mayaroensisUpper Maastrichtian
Eoglobigerinasimplicissima Subbotina triloculinoides
PV eugubina
Subzones
Zones
CaravacaEl Kef
EllesZum
ayaBidart
(Gallala et al [12]
Gallala et Zaghbib-Turki [13])
Agost
Parasubbotina pseudobulloiides
Lower paleocene
Danian
Eoglobig-erinatrivialis
PV longiaperturaH
holmdelensis
PV sabina
GbCr
Tethys Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Figure 12 Correlation between complete Cretaceous-Paleogene transition interval low latitude sections El Kef and Elles (Tunisia) Caravacaand Agost (Spain) and the middle latitude sections Bidart (France) and Zumaya (Spain)
34 Parasubbotina pseudobulloides Zone Initially Leonovand Alimarina [102] proposed Globigerina pseudobulloides-G daubjergensis zone and then Bolli [5] shortened thisname It corresponds to the interval between the LAD ofPv eugubina and the FAD of Globanomalina compressaIt differs slightly from the Parasubbotina pseudobulloidesproposed by Molina et al [10] and adopted by Arenillas etal [17 26 100] especially at its base as discussed above Weremind that at the El Kef section (Tunisia) Agost and Car-avaca sections (Spain) the LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina
eugubina and the FAD of Parasubbotina pseudobulloides aresimultaneous
Following Arenillas et al [26] we subdivide the Parasub-botina pseudobulloides zone into the Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones The older subzone(Eoglobigerina trivialis) corresponds to the interval betweenthe LAD of Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina and the FAD ofSubbotina triloculinoides The younger one (Subbotina trilo-culinoides) spans the interval between the FAD of Subbotinatriloculinoides and the FAD of Globanomalina compressa
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
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[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
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18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Geological ResearchJournal of
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Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 13
(2) (3)(1)
(4)
(7) (8) (9)
(5) (6)
Figure 13 Scale bars = 100120583m (1ndash5) Plummerita hantkeninoides (Bronnimann) Upper Maastrichtian (6) Globoconusa daubjergensis(Bronnimann) Danian (7) Guembelitria irregularis (Morozova) Danian (8) Guembelitria cretacea (Cushman) Danian (9) Guembelitriatrifolia (Morozova) Danian
4 Correlation
Based on high-resolution biostratigraphy analysis the El Kef(KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point) andElles sections in Tunisia the Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) and the Bidart section (France)have a complete stratigraphic record across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transitionThese coeval sectionsmay be comparedwith their neighbours in the Atlantic and Tethyan realms andmay be considered auxiliary sections (Figure 11)
At the Tethys and Atlantic realms all the biozonesand subzones are easily recognized by their biomarkers(Figure 10) At the Tethyan realm Plummerita hantkeni-noides commonly indicative of the uppermostMaastrichtianis present and it is associated to Pseudoguembelina hari-aensis However Plummerita hantkeninoides is absent at theBidart and Zumaya sections located in middle latitudesof the Atlantic realm The Atlantic realm contains diverseplanktonic foraminifers among them is Pseudoguembelinahariaensis which had a larger paleogeographical distribution
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
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[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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MineralogyInternational Journal of
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Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
14 Paleontology Journal
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 14 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides (Plummer) Danian (3) Praemurica pseudoinconstans (Subbotina)Danian (4-5) Abathomphalus mayaroensis (Bolli) Upper Maastrichtian (6-7) Hedbergella holmdelensis (Olsson) Danian (8-9) Parvularu-goglobigerina sabina [4] Danian
being recorded both in the Tethys and the Atlantic paleo-ceans It is more relevant to be considered as the markerspecies of the nominate uppermost Maastrichtian subzoneinstead of Plummerita hantkeninoides (Figure 13)
Consequently we replaced Plummerita hantkeninoidesby Pseudoguembelina hariaensis as index species This isrecorded both in the Tethys and Atlantic realm it indicatesthe uppermost Maastrichtian subzone
At El Kef section theGuembelitria cretacea biozone spans55 cm It is more expanded than at Agost (125 cm) Caravaca
(15 cm) relative to the Tethys realm and Bidart (10 cm) [13ndash15] and Zumaya [26 100] relative to Atlantic realm It isnearly as expanded as at Elles section in Tunisia (65 cm)
In spite of the reduced Guembelitria cretacea biozoneexpansion at El Kef KPg boundary stratotype and theauxiliary sections Caravaca and Agost sections (Spain) likeelsewhere (at the Bidart and Zumaya sections) and the Ellessection (Tunisia) the Parvularugoglobigerina longiaperturaFAD is observed at the upper part of the relevant biozone(Figure 12)
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
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[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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MineralogyInternational Journal of
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Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
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Geological ResearchJournal of
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Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 15
(2)(1)
(4) (5) (6)
(7) (8) (9)
(3)
Figure 15 Scale bars = 100120583m (1-2) Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer) Danian (3-4) Eoglobigerina trivialis (Subbotina) Danian(5-6) Eoglobigerina simplicissima (Blow) Danian (7-8) Praemurica inconstans (Subbotina) Danian (9) Parasubbotina pseudobulloides(Plummer) Danian
At the El Kef section the Parvularugoglobigerina eugu-bina zone spans 57m It is more expanded than at Caravacaand Agost sections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) It is alsomore expanded than at the Zumaya section (Spain) whichspans 63 cm [26 100] and the Bidart section (SW France)spanning 107 cm [13] However it is approximately equivalentto the Elles section (58m) This zone is subdivided into theParvularugoglobigerina sabina (Figure 14) and Eoglobigerinasimplicissima subzones (Figures 6 and 15) The depositionthickness of the zones and subzones at the El Kef stratotypesection and Elles section is more expanded than at the ones
at Agost and Caravaca (Spain) and at Bidart (France) Thiswould be related to a largest deposition ratio andor to thesedimentary basin morphology
In summary El Kef section (KPg boundary stratotypesection and GSSP point) and Elles section in Tunisia Agostand Caravaca sections (Betic Cordillera Spain) relative tothe Tethyan realm (low latitude) and Bidart section (France)relative to the Atlantic realm (middle latitude) are completesections containing all the zones and subzones characterizingthe upper Maastrichtian-lower Paleogene interval withoutany hiatus The Elles Agost and Caravaca sections may
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
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Geological ResearchJournal of
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Geology Advances in
16 Paleontology Journal
be proposed as auxiliary sections of low latitude like theBidart section for middle latitude
5 Conclusion
A high-resolution biostratigraphic analysis carried out atEl Kef (KPg boundary stratotype section and GSSP point)and Elles sections in Tunisia Agost and Caravaca sections(Betic Cordillera Spain) in the Tethys realm (low latitude)and Bidart section in the Atlantic realm (middle latitude)confirms the completeness and continuity of the strati-graphic record across the K-Pg transition All the plankticforaminiferal zones and subzones characterizing the upper-most Maastrichtian-lower Danian interval are well definedincluding the Abathomphalus mayaroensis zone (ended byPseudoguembelina hariaensis subzone indicating the upper-most Maastrichtian) the Guembelitria cretacea zone (sub-divided into Hedbergella holmdelensis and Parvularugoglo-bigerina longiapertura subzones) the Parvularugoglobige-rina eugubina zone (subdivided into Parvularugoglobigerinasabina and Eoglobigerina simplicissima Subzones) and the Pspseudobulloides zone (subdivided into Eoglobigerina trivialisand Subbotina triloculinoides subzones) for the lower DanianThese zones and subzones are easily recognized by their wellpreserved biomarkers
The Gt cretacea zone in the Bidart section is lessexpanded than at El Kef and Elles but nearly equal to theequivalent zone in the Zumaya Agost and Caravaca sectionsin Spain Despite its reduced thickness it is relatively com-plete as suggested by the FADofPv longiapertura in its upperpart similarly as in the El Kef KPg boundary stratotypesection and other auxiliary sections The Pv eugubina zoneis 107 cm thick Although it is thinner than in El Kef (57m)and Elles (58m) it is thicker than in the Caravaca and Agostsections (42 cm and 65 cm resp) The E trivialis subzoneof the Ps Pseudobulloides zone is less expanded than inthe Agost Caravaca El Kef or Elles sections In the Bidartsection only the lower part of the S triloculinoides subzonewas studied herein still below the FAD of Gl compressa Thedeposition thicknesses of the zones and subzones at the El Kefand Elles sections are more expanded than at the Agost andCaravaca sections (Spain) and the Bidart section (France)This could be related to the higher deposition rates andorto the sedimentary basin morphology
In summary these sections (Agost Caravaca Bidart andElles) possess a complete uppermost MaastrichtianndashearliestPaleogene record as documented by planktic foraminifers inthis work Although they are much less expanded than theEl Kef stratotype section they may be very useful auxiliarysections of the boundary interval for the Tethyan and theAtlantic realms
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Edu-cacion y Ciencia (DGICYT Project CGL2007-63724BTEand AECI Project A484506) the Aragonian Departa-mento de Educacion y Ciencia (DGA group E05) Ministere
de lrsquoEnseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scien-tifique (Tunisia) and by the Research Unit ldquoDynamique desBassins Sedimentaires Paleoenvironnements amp StructuresGeologiquesrdquo (GEODPS) of Faculty of Science Departmentof Geology (Tunis) Tunisia The author thanks ProfessorMohamedMoncef Turki for his support and Professor DalilaZaghbib-Turki for her constructive suggestionsThe author isalso grateful for the support and help of the Spanish colleguesduring the field trip in Tunisia Spain and France and at thelaboratory Professor EustoquioMolina (Ex-Presidente of theInternational Subcommission on Paleogene Stratigraphy)Professor Jose Antonio Arz and Professor Ignacio Arenillasfrom the University of Zaragoza for their support andcorrectionThe author is very grateful to the native of EnglishRichard Stephenson for the improvements of the final versionof their paper The author thanks anonymous reviewers dele-gated by the Paleontology Journal and the Editor ProfessorMarcelle BouDagher-Fadel for their suggestions allowingthem to improve our paper
References
[1] M LindingerThe CretaceousTertiary boundaries of El Kef andCaravaca sedimentological geochemical and clay mineralogicalaspects [Thesis ETH] 1988
[2] V Pujalte J Baceta A Payros X Orue-Etxebarria and J Serra-Kiel GEP-IGCP 286 Field Sem 1994
[3] C R Denham and C R Scotese Terra mobilis A Plate TectonicProgram for the Macintosh Geoimages Austin Tex USA 1987
[4] H P Luterbacher and I Premoli Silva ldquoBiostratigrafia del limiteCretaceo-Terziario nellrsquoAppennino centralrdquo Rivista Italiana diPaleontologia vol 70 pp 67ndash117 1964
[5] H M Bolli ldquoZonation of Cretaceous to Pliocene marine sedi-ments based onPlanktonic foraminiferardquoBoletın Informativo dela Asociacion VenezoLana de Geologıa Minera y Petrolera vol 9no 1 pp 1ndash34 1966
[6] W A Berggren and R D Norris Biostratigraphy Phylogeny andSystematics of Paleocene Trochospiral Planktic Foraminifera vol43 ofMicropaleontology supplement 1 1997
[7] J Smit ldquoExtinction and evolution of planktonic foraminiferaafter a major impact at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 329ndash352 1982
[8] G Keller ldquoExtinction survivorship and evolution of plankticforaminifera across the CretaceousTertiary boundary at El KefTunisiardquo Marine Micropaleontology vol 13 no 3 pp 239ndash2631988
[9] J I Canudo G Keller and E Molina ldquoCretaceousTertiaryboundary extinction pattern and faunal turnover at Agost andCaravaca SE SpainrdquoMarineMicropaleontology vol 17 no 3-4pp 319ndash341 1991
[10] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoThe CretaceousTertiaryboundary mass extinction in planktic foraminifera at AgostSpainrdquo Revue de Micropaleontologie vol 39 no 3 pp 225ndash2431996
[11] R K Olsson and C Liu ldquoControversies on the placement ofCretaceous-Paleogene boundary at the KP mass extinction ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Palaios vol 8 no 2 pp 127ndash139 1993
[12] R K Olsson C Hemleben W A Berggren and B T HuberldquoAtlas of paleocene planktonic foraminiferardquo Smithsonian Con-tributions to Paleobiology vol 85 pp 1ndash252 1999
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
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Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 17
[13] N Gallala D Zaghbib-Turki I Arenillas J A Arz and EMolina ldquoCatastrophic mass extinction and assemblage evolu-tion in planktic foraminifera across the CretaceousPaleogene(KPg) boundary at Bidart (SW France)rdquoMarine Micropaleon-tology vol 72 no 3-4 pp 196ndash209 2009
[14] N Gallala and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoHigh resolution biostratig-raphy based on planktic foraminifera across the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition at the Bidart section (SW France)rdquo ActaGeologica Polonica vol 60 no 2 pp 243ndash255 2010
[15] N Gallala Micropaleontologie biostratigraphie paleoecologieet environnements de depot des foraminiferes planctoniques etbenthiques du passage Cretace-Paleogene en Tunisie Espagne etFrance [These de doctorat] 2010
[16] F BouDagher ldquoBiostratigraphic and geological significance ofplanktonic foraminiferardquo Developments in Palaeontology andStratigraphy vol 22 pp 1ndash301 2012
[17] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoEl lımite CretacioTer-tciario de Zumaya Osinaga y Musquiz (Pirineos) controlbioestratigrafico y cuantitativo de hiatus con foraminıferosplanctonicosrdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica De Espana vol11 no 1-2 pp 127ndash138 1998
[18] S Gardin and S Monechi ldquoPalaeoecological change in mid-dle to low latitude calcareous nannoplankton at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 169 no 5 pp 709ndash723 1998
[19] S Gardin ldquoLate Maastrichtian to early Danian calcareous nan-nofossils at Elles (Northwest Tunisia) A tale of onemillion yearsacross the K-T boundaryrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 211ndash231 2002
[20] K Perch-Nielsen J McKenzie and Q He ldquoBiostratigraphy andisotope stratigraphy and the ldquocatastrophicrdquo extinction of cal-careous nannoplankton at the CretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquoGeological Society of America vol 190 pp 353ndash371 1982
[21] G Keller L Li and N MacLeod ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary stratotype section at El Kef Tunisia how catastrophicwas the mass extinctionrdquo Palaeogeography PalaeoclimatologyPalaeoecology vol 119 no 3-4 pp 221ndash254 1996
[22] L Alegret M A Kaminski and E Molina ldquoPaleoenvironmen-tal recovery after the CretaceousPaleogene boundary crisisevidence from the marine Bidart Section (SW France)rdquo Palaiosvol 19 no 6 pp 574ndash586 2004
[23] N Gallala Etude des foraminiferes benthiques de lrsquointervalledu passage Cretace-Tertiaire des coupes drsquoOued El Melahet drsquoEl Aouena (Region de Sejnene Tunisie) paleontologie[Paleoecologie Mastere] 2004
[24] M Toumarkine and H P Luterbacher ldquoPaleocene and Eoceneplanktic foraminiferardquo inPlanktonic Stratigraphy HM Bolli JB Saunders and K Perch-Nielson Eds pp 88ndash153 CambridgeUniversity Press 1985
[25] W A Berggren D V Kent C C Swisher III and M P AubryldquoA revised paleogene geochronology and chronostratigraphyrdquoinGeochronology Time and Global Stratigraphic Correlation WA Berggren Ed vol 392 Society of Economic Geologist andPaleontologist 1995
[26] I Arenillas J A Arz and E Molina ldquoA new high-resolutionplanktic foraminiferal zonation and subzonation for the lowerDanianrdquo Lethaia vol 37 no 1 pp 79ndash95 2004
[27] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the DanianStage (Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) at El KefTunisiamdashoriginal definition and revisionrdquo Episodes vol 29 no4 pp 263ndash273 2006
[28] E Molina L Alegret I Arenillas et al ldquoThe Global BoundaryStratotype Section and Point for the base of the Danian Stage(Paleocene Paleogene ldquoTertiaryrdquo Cenozoic) auxiliary sectionsand correlationrdquo Episodes vol 32 no 2 pp 84ndash95 2009
[29] W H Blow ldquoA study of the morphology taxonomy evolution-ary relationship and the stratigraphical distribution of someGlobigerinidae (mainly Globigerinacea)rdquo in The CainozoicGlobigerinida E J Brill Ed vol 3 pp 1ndash1413 Leiden TheNetherlands 1979
[30] I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoOrigen y filogenia de las primerasespecies de foraminıferos planctonicos del Paleoceno basaltras el lımite CretacioTerciariordquo Actas De 125 Aniversario-XIIBienal De La Real Sociedad De Espana De Historia Natural pp281ndash285 1996
[31] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and R Sepulveda ldquoLaestabilidad faunıstica de los foraminıferos planctonicos en elMaastrichtiense superior y su extincion en masa catastrofica enel lımite KT de Caravaca Espanardquo Revista Geologica de Chilevol 27 pp 27ndash47 2000
[32] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub H Belayouni R Roc-chia and E Robin ldquoEnregistrement des evenements remar-quables de la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie)rdquo Comptes Rendus de lrsquoAcademie des Sciences vol 331pp 141ndash149 2000
[33] J W Cowie W Ziegler and J Remane ldquoStratigraphic commis-sion accelerates progress 1984 to 1989rdquo Episodes vol 12 no 2pp 79ndash83 1989
[34] N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoLe passage Cretace-Tertiaire dans la coupe drsquoElles(Tunisie centro-septentrionale)rdquo 12eme Colloque Africain deMicropaleontologie 1994
[35] R Said-Benzarti ldquoLes ostracodes du campanien-superieura lrsquoYpresien de la coupe drsquoelles (Tunisie du Centre-nord)rdquoBiostratigraphie Paleoecologie Et Paleogeographie Bulletin ElfAquitaine vol 20 pp 197ndash211 1998
[36] J A Arz I Arenillas E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoLos efectostafonomico y ldquoSignor-Lippsrdquo sobre la extincion en masa deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario deElles (Tunicia)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Geologica de Espana vol12 no 2 pp 251ndash267 1999
[37] D Zaghbib-Turki N Karoui-Yaakoub R Benzarti-Said RRocchia and E Robin ldquoRevision de la limite Cretace-Tertiairede la coupe drsquoElles (Tunisie centro-septentrionale) Propositiondrsquoun nouveau stratotyperdquoGeobios vol 34 no 1 pp 25ndash37 2001
[38] N Karoui-Yaakoub D Zaghbib-Turki and G Keller ldquoTheCretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) mass extinction in plankticforaminifera at Elles I and El Melah Tunisiardquo PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 178 no 3-4 pp 233ndash2552002
[39] G Keller T Adatte W Stinnesbeck V Luciani N Karoui-Yaakoub and D Zaghbib-Turki ldquoPaleoecology of theCretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction in planktonic forami-niferardquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol178 no 3-4 pp 257ndash297 2002
[40] E Robin and R Rocchia ldquoNi-rich spinel at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of El Kef Tunisiardquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 pp 365ndash372 1998
[41] J Smit ldquoDiscovery of a planktonic foraminiferal associationbetween the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone and the ldquoGlo-bigerinardquo eugubina Zone at the CretaceousTertiary boundary
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
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Geological ResearchJournal of
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Geology Advances in
18 Paleontology Journal
in the Barranco del Gredero (Caravaca SE Spain) A pre-liminary reportrdquo Proceedings of the Koninklijke NederlandseAkademie van Wetenschappen vol 80 no 4 pp 280ndash301 1977
[42] J Smit ldquoThe CretaceousTertiary transition in the Barrancodel Grederordquo in Proceedings of the 2nd C-T Boundary EventsSymposium W K Christensen and T Birkelund Eds pp 156ndash163 Spain 1979
[43] J Smit and J Hertogen ldquoAn extraterrestrial event at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 285 no 5762 pp198ndash200 1980
[44] LW Alvarez W Alvarez F Asaro and H V Michel ldquoExtrater-restrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionrdquo Sciencevol 208 no 4448 pp 1095ndash1108 1980
[45] J Smit and G Klaver ldquoSanidine spherules at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary indicate a large impact eventrdquo Nature vol292 no 5818 pp 47ndash49 1981
[46] J Smit and W G H Z ten Kate ldquoTrace-element patternsat the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary-Consequences of a largeimpactrdquo Cretaceous Research vol 3 no 3 pp 307ndash332 1982
[47] A Montanari R L Hay W Alvarez et al ldquoSpheroids at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary are altered impact droplets ofbasaltic compositionrdquo Geology vol 11 no 11 pp 668ndash671 1983
[48] D J DePaolo F T Kyte B D Marshall J R OrsquoNeil and J SmitldquoRb-Sr Sm-Nd K-Ca O and H isotopic study of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments Caravaca Spain evidence for anoceanic impact siterdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 64no 3 pp 356ndash373 1983
[49] M R Rampino and R C Reynolds ldquoClay mineralogy of theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary clayrdquo Science vol 219 no 4584pp 495ndash498 1983
[50] F T Kyte J Smit and J T Wasson ldquoSiderophile interelementvariations in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments fromCaravaca Spainrdquo Earth and Planetary Science Letters vol 73no 2ndash4 pp 183ndash195 1985
[51] S Vannuci M G Pancani O Vaselli and N Caradosi ldquoMin-eralogical and geochemical features of the Cretaceous-Tertiaryboundary in the Barranco del Gredero section (Caravaca SESpain)rdquo Chemical Erde vol 50 pp 189ndash202 1990
[52] E Robin D Boclet P Bonte L Froget C Jehanno andR Rocchia ldquoThe stratigraphic distribution of Ni-rich spinelsin Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary rocks at El Kef (Tunisia)Caravaca (Spain) andHole 761C (Leg 122)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 107 no 3-4 pp 715ndash721 1991
[53] B Schmitz ldquoGeochemical high-resolution stratigraphy ofCretaceousTertiary boundary in Denmark Spain and NewZealandrdquo in Extinction and the Fossil Record EMolina Ed vol5 pp 121ndash140 SIUZ Cuadernos Interdisciplinares 1994
[54] M Ortega Huertas F Martınez Ruız I Palomo and HChamley ldquoComparative mineralogical and geochemical claysedimentation in the Betic Cordilleras and Basque-CantabrianBasin areas at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaryrdquo SedimentaryGeology vol 94 no 3-4 pp 209ndash227 1995
[55] F Martınez Ruız M Ortega Huertas I Palomo and PAcquafredda ldquoQuench textures in altered spherules from theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary layer at Agost and Caravaca SESpainrdquo Sedimentary Geology vol 113 no 1-2 pp 137ndash147 1997
[56] A Shukolyukov and G W Lugmair ldquoIsotopic evidence for thecretaceous-tertiary impactor and its typerdquo Science vol 282 no5390 pp 927ndash929 1998
[57] T Arinobu R Ishiwatari K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoSpikeof pyrosynthetic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated
with an abrupt decrease in 12057513C of a terrestrial biomarker at theCretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Caravaca SpainrdquoGeology vol27 no 8 pp 723ndash726 1999
[58] K Kaiho and M A Lamolda ldquoCatastrophic extinction ofplanktonic foraminifera at the cretaceous-tertiary boundaryevidenced by stable isotopes and foraminiferal abundance atCaravaca Spainrdquo Geology vol 27 no 4 pp 355ndash358 1999
[59] R Coccioni L Fabbrucci and S Galeotti ldquoTerminal Creta-ceous deep-water benthic foraminiferal decimation survivor-ship and recovery at Caravaca (SE Spain)rdquo Paleopelagos vol 3pp 3ndash24 1993
[60] R Coccioni and S Galeotti ldquoK-T boundary extinction geolog-ically instantaneous or gradual event Evidence from deep-seabenthic foraminiferardquoGeology vol 22 no 9 pp 779ndash782 1994
[61] L Alegret ldquoRecovery of the deep-sea floor after the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary event the benthic foraminiferal recordin the Basque-Cantabrian basin and in South-eastern SpainrdquoPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology vol 255 no1-2 pp 181ndash194 2007
[62] F J Rodrıguez-Tovar and A Uchman ldquoIchnological analysis ofthe Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary interval at the Caravacasection SE Spainrdquo Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoe-cology vol 242 no 3-4 pp 313ndash325 2006
[63] J Leclerc ldquoEtude geologique du massif du maigmo et de sesabordsrdquo Tesis De 3er Ciclo De Geologie Structurales pp 96ndash1001971
[64] A von Hillebrandt ldquoBioestratigrafıa del paleogeno del surestede espana (Provincias de Murcia y Alicante)rdquo CuadernosGeologicos vol 5 pp 135ndash153 1974
[65] J J Groot R B G de Jonge C G Langereis W G H Zten Kate and J Smit ldquoMagnetostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Agost (Spain)rdquo Earth and PlanetaryScience Letters vol 94 no 3-4 pp 385ndash397 1989
[66] J Smit ldquoMeteorite impact extinctions and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundaryrdquo Geologie en Mijnbouw vol 69 no 2 pp187ndash204 1990
[67] A Pardo N Ortiz and G Keller ldquoLatest Maastrichtian andCretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Foraminiferal Turnover andEnvironmental Changes at Agost Spainrdquo in Cretaceous Ter-tiary Mass Extinctions Biotic and Environmental Changes NMacLeod and G Keller Eds pp 139ndash171 WW Norton ampCompany 1996
[68] E Molina I Arenillas and J A Arz ldquoMass extinction inplanktic foraminifera at the CretaceousTertiary boundary insubtropical and temperate latitudesrdquo Bulletin de la SocieteGeologique de France vol 169 no 3 pp 351ndash363 1998
[69] L Alegret E Molina and E Thomas ldquoBenthic foraminiferalturnover across the CretaceousPaleogene boundary at Agost(southeastern Spain) paleoenvironmental inferencesrdquo MarineMicropaleontology vol 48 no 3-4 pp 251ndash279 2003
[70] G W van Veen Geological investigations in the region west ofCaravaca South-Eastern Spain [Tesis] Universidad de Amster-dam 1969
[71] J A Vera ldquoLa Cordillera Betica Las Zonas Externas de lasCordilleras Beticasrdquo in Geologıa de Espana vol 2 pp 218ndash251Libro Jubilar J M Rıos 1983
[72] C Seyve ldquoNannofossil biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the French Basque countryrdquo BulletinCentres de Recherche Exploration-Production Elf-Aquitaine vol14 no 2 pp 553ndash572 1990
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ClimatologyJournal of
EcologyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
EarthquakesJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom
Applied ampEnvironmentalSoil Science
Volume 2014
Mining
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
International Journal of
Geophysics
OceanographyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of Computational Environmental SciencesHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal ofPetroleum Engineering
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
GeochemistryHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Atmospheric SciencesInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Advances in
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MineralogyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MeteorologyAdvances in
The Scientific World JournalHindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
Paleontology Journal 19
[73] S K Haslett ldquoPlanktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy andpalaeoceanography of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sec-tion at Bidart south-west Francerdquo Cretaceous Research vol 15no 2 pp 179ndash192 1994
[74] E Martini ldquoStandard Tertiary and Quaternary calcareousnannoplankton zonationrdquo in Proceedings of the 2nd PlanktonicConference A Farinacci Ed vol 2 pp 739ndash785 Rome Italy1970
[75] A J T Romein and J Smit ldquoTheCretaceousTertiary boundarycalcareous nannofossil and stable isotopesrdquo Proceedings Konin-klijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen vol 84 pp295ndash314 1981
[76] M Renard O Delacotte and R Letolle ldquoLe strontium et lesisotopes stables dans les carbonates totaux de quelques sites delrsquoatlantique et de la Tethysrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologique deFrance vol 24 pp 519ndash534 1982
[77] B K Nelson G K MacLeod and P D Ward ldquoRapid changein strontium isotopic composition of sea water before theCretaceousTertiary boundaryrdquo Nature vol 351 no 6328 pp644ndash647 1991
[78] P Bonte O Delacotte M Renard et al ldquoAn iridium richlayer at the CretaceousTertiary boundary in the Bidart section(southern France)rdquo Geophysical Research Letters vol 11 no 5pp 473ndash476 1984
[79] O Delacotte M Renard C Laj K Perch-Nielson I Premoli-Silva and S Clauser ldquoMagnetostratigraphie et bio stratigraphiedu passage Cretace-Tertiaire de la coupe de Bidart (PyreneesAtlantiques)rdquo Bulletin du Bureau des Recherches Geologiques etMinieres vol 3 pp 243ndash254 1985
[80] F Minoletti M de Rafelis M Renard and S Gardin ldquoRework-ing of Maastrichtian-like calcareous nannofossils in the low-ermost Danian sediments of bidart section (France) isotopicevidence (carbon and oxygen)rdquo Revue de Micropaleontologievol 47 no 3 pp 145ndash152 2004
[81] B Peynernes M J Fondecave-Wallez Y Gourinard and PEichene ldquoStratigraphie sequentielle comparee et grade-datationpar les foraminiferes planctoniques duCampano-Maastrichtienet du Paleocene de quelques sites drsquoEurope sud-occidentale etdrsquoAfrique du Nordrdquo Conte Rendu Academie des Sciences vol324 pp 839ndash846 1997
[82] B Galbrun ldquoNormal polarity magnetic overprint of chronC29r by diagenetic hematite growth in red marly limestonesfrom Bidart and Loya sections (Pays-Basque France)rdquo EUG 9Strasbourg Terra Nova 9 1997
[83] B Galbrun and S Gardin ldquoNew chronostratigraphy of theCretaceous-Paleogene boundary interval at Bidart (France)rdquoEarth and Planetary Science Letters vol 224 no 1-2 pp 19ndash322004
[84] R Rocchia D Boclet P Bonte J Devineau C Jehanno andMRenard ldquoComparaison des distributions de lrsquoiridium observeesa la limite Cretace-Tertiaire dans divers sites EuropeensrdquoMemoire de la Societe Geologique de France vol 150 pp 95ndash1031987
[85] K Perch-Nielsen ldquoCalcareous nannofossils at the Creta-ceousTertiary boundary near Biarritz Francerdquo in Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary EventsW K Christensen Ed vol 2 pp 151ndash155 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark 1979
[86] A Gorostidi and M A Lamolda ldquoLa nanoflora calcarea y eltransito KT de la seccion de Bidart (SW de Francia)rdquo RevistaEspanola de Paleontoleontologıa pp 153ndash168 1995
[87] M J Fondecave-Wallez B Peybernes and P Eichene ldquoMiseen evidence micropaleontologique drsquoun flysch Ypreso-Lutetien
ex Cretace a materiel triasique resedimente dans la coupe deBidart Nord (Pyrenees atlantiques Sud-Ouest de la France)rdquoGeologie de la France vol 3 pp 47ndash56 1995
[88] E Apellaniz J I Baceta G Bernaola-Bilbao et al ldquoAnalysisof uppermost Cretaceous-lowermost Tertiary hemipelagic suc-cessions in the Basque Country (western Pyrenees) evidencefor a sudden extinction of more than half planktic foraminiferspecies at the KT boundaryrdquo Bulletin de la Societe Geologiquede France vol 168 no 6 pp 783ndash793 1997
[89] P D Ward ldquoMaastrichtian ammonite and inoceramid rangesfrom Bay of Biscay Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sectionsrdquoin Palaeontology and Evolution Extinction M A Lamolda EG Kauffman and O H Walliser Eds Revista Espanola dePaleontologıa pp 119ndash126 1988
[90] P D Ward and W J Kennedy ldquoMaastrichtian ammonitesfrom the Biscay region (France Spain)rdquo Paleontological SocietyMemoir vol 34 pp 1ndash58 1993
[91] E A Pessagno ldquoUpper Cretaceous planktonic Foraminiferafrom the Western Gulf Coastal Plainrdquo Paleontogr vol 537 pp243ndash444 1967
[92] J A Postuma Manuel of Planktonic Foraminifera ElsevierAmsterdam The Netherlands 1971
[93] I Premoli Silva and H M Bolli ldquoLate cretaceous to eoceneplanktonic foraminifera and stratigraphy of leg 15 sites in theCaribbean Seardquo in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea DrillingProject 15 N T Edgar and J B Saunders Eds pp 499ndash547Government Printing Office Washington DC USA 1973
[94] J Sigal ldquoEssai de zonation duCretace mediterraneen a lrsquoaide desforaminiferes planctoniquesrdquo Geologie Mediterraneenne vol 4no 2 pp 99ndash108 1977
[95] F Robaszynski M Caron J M Gonzalez Donoso and A AH Wonders ldquoAtlas of late cretaceous globtruncanidsrdquo Revue deMicropaleontologie vol 26 p 305 1984
[96] M Caron ldquoCretaceous planktonic foraminiferardquo in PlanktonStratigraphy H Bolli J B Saunders and K PerchNeilson Edspp 17ndash86 University Press Cambridge UK 1985
[97] B T Huber ldquoPaleocene and early neogene planktonicforaminifer biostratigraphy of sites 738 and744 KerguelenPlateau (Southern Indian Ocean)rdquo in Proceedings of the OceanDrilling Program Scientific Results J Barron and B LarsenEds vol 119 pp 427ndash449 Ocean Drilling Program CollegeStation Tex USA 1991
[98] J A Arz and I Arenillas ldquoExtincion en masa catastrofica deforaminıferos planctonicos en el lımite CretacicoTerciario delPirineo occidental (Espana)rdquo Revista de la Sociedad Mexicanade Paleontologıa vol 8 no 2 pp 146ndash162 1998
[99] G Keller ldquoThe Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary transition in theAntarctic Ocean and its global implicationsrdquo Marine Micropa-leontology vol 21 no 1ndash3 pp 1ndash45 1993
[100] I Arenillas J A Arz E Molina and C Dupuis ldquoThe Cre-taceousPaleogene (KP) boundary at Aın Settara Tunisiasudden catastrophic mass extinction in planktic foraminiferardquoJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 30 no 3 pp 202ndash2182000
[101] U Rohl J G Ogg T L Geib and G Wefer ldquoAstronomicalcalibration of the Danian time scalerdquo inWestern North AtlanticPalaeogene and Cretaceous Palaeoceanography D Kroon R DNorris and A Klaus Eds vol 183 of Geological Society SpecialPublication pp 163ndash183 2001
[102] V P Leonov and G P Alimarina ldquoStratigraphy and planktonicforaminifera of the Cretaceous-Paleogene ldquoTransitionrdquo Beds
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ClimatologyJournal of
EcologyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
EarthquakesJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom
Applied ampEnvironmentalSoil Science
Volume 2014
Mining
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
International Journal of
Geophysics
OceanographyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of Computational Environmental SciencesHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal ofPetroleum Engineering
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
GeochemistryHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Atmospheric SciencesInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Advances in
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MineralogyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MeteorologyAdvances in
The Scientific World JournalHindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
20 Paleontology Journal
of the central part of the North Caucasus Collected PapersGeological Faculty University of Moscowrdquo in Proceedings of the21st International Geological Congress pp 29ndash60 1961
[103] J A Arz and E Molina ldquoBioestratigrafıa y cronoestratigrafıacon foraminıferos planctonicos del Campaniense superior yMaastrichtiense de latitudes subtropicales y templadas (EspanaFrancia y Tunicia)rdquo Neues Jahrbuch Fur Geologie Und Palao-ntologie Abhandlungen vol 224 no 2 pp 161ndash195 2002
[104] W A Berggren and P N Pearson ldquoA revised tropical tosubtropical Paleogene planktonic foraminiferal zonationrdquo TheJournal of Foraminiferal Research vol 35 no 4 pp 279ndash2982005
[105] J Smit W Alvarez A Montanari et al ldquoldquoTektitesrdquo and micro-krystites at the CretaceousTertiary boundary two strewnfields one craterrdquo Proceedings of Lunar and Planetary Sciencevol 22 pp 87ndash100 1992
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ClimatologyJournal of
EcologyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
EarthquakesJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom
Applied ampEnvironmentalSoil Science
Volume 2014
Mining
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
International Journal of
Geophysics
OceanographyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of Computational Environmental SciencesHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal ofPetroleum Engineering
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
GeochemistryHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Atmospheric SciencesInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Advances in
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MineralogyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MeteorologyAdvances in
The Scientific World JournalHindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
Submit your manuscripts athttpwwwhindawicom
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ClimatologyJournal of
EcologyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
EarthquakesJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom
Applied ampEnvironmentalSoil Science
Volume 2014
Mining
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
International Journal of
Geophysics
OceanographyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of Computational Environmental SciencesHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal ofPetroleum Engineering
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
GeochemistryHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Journal of
Atmospheric SciencesInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
OceanographyHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Advances in
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MineralogyInternational Journal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
MeteorologyAdvances in
The Scientific World JournalHindawi Publishing Corporation httpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Paleontology JournalHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
ScientificaHindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geological ResearchJournal of
Hindawi Publishing Corporationhttpwwwhindawicom Volume 2014
Geology Advances in
Related Documents
