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Coralline red algal assemblage from the Middle Pliocene shallow-water temperate carbonates of the Monte Cetona (Northern Apennines, Italy)

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Abstract

During the Pliocene and Pleistocene, the Monte Cetona (Northern Apennines, central Italy) was part of an elongated island. The Middle Pliocene deposits around the Monte Cetona are represented by shallow-water marine carbonates rich in coralline red algae and bryozoans. These skeletal carbonates, characterising a coralline algal-dominated factory, were analysed in terms of microfacies, taxonomy, and growth-forms of coralline red algal assemblage. Three microfacies were distinguished on the basis of component distribution and fabric analysis: coralline algal rudstones, coralline algal floatstones, and bioclastic packstones. Skeletal components are commonly abraded, bioeroded, and encrusted. The shallow-water skeletal carbonates are strongly bioturbated and any primary sedimentary structure is obliterated. The distribution of the coralline growth-forms suggests a decreasing hydrodynamic gradient from the coralline algal rudstone, through the coralline algal floatstone to the bioclastic packstone microfacies. The coralline algal flora consists of eight species representing the subfamilies Lithophylloideae, Mastophoroideae and Melobesioideae. The assemblage is dominated by lithophylloids. Other biogenic components are bryozoans, barnacles, echinoderms, and benthic foraminifera. These coralline algal assemblages were deposited just above the fair-weather wave base and indicate a shallow-marine temperate water setting for the eastern Tyrrhenian Sea during the Mid Pliocene.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by the local University research funds to D. Bassi (Ferrara). James H. Nebelsick (University of Tübingen) is thanked for comments on the manuscript. We are grateful to Christian Betzler (University of Hamburg) and one anonymous reviewer for their constructive and thoughtful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Università degli Studi di Perugia, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Piazza dell’Università 1, 06100, Perugia, Italy

    Alessio Checconi, Leonsevero Passeri & Roberto Rettori

  2. Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, via Saragat 1, 44100, Ferrara, Italy

    Davide Bassi

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  1. Alessio Checconi
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Correspondence to Davide Bassi.

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Checconi, A., Bassi, D., Passeri, L. et al. Coralline red algal assemblage from the Middle Pliocene shallow-water temperate carbonates of the Monte Cetona (Northern Apennines, Italy). Facies 53, 57–66 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-006-0085-x

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