Maastrichtian-Early Eocene ostracodes from west-central ... - CiteSeerX

Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève (juin 2008) 27 (1): 159-189

ISSN 0253-6730

Maastrichtian-Early Eocene ostracodes from west-central Sinai, Egypt taxonomy, biostratigraphy, paleoecology and paleobiogeography Abdel-Mohsen M. MORSI, Mahmoud FARIS2, Abd-Elfattah ZALAT2 & Rehab F.M. SALEM2 Abstract Detailed study of ostracodes from the Maastrichtian-Early Eocene sections at Gebel Nukhul and Wadi Feiran in west-central Sinai yielded 38 ostracode species and subspecies belonging to 26 genera. Biostratigraphically, they are divisible into five kinds : taxa restricted to the Maastrichtian, taxa crossing the K/P boundary, taxa restricted to the Paleocene, taxa crossing the P/E boundary, and taxa only found in the Early Eocene. The recorded faunas have a wide geographic distribution throughout North Africa and the Middle East. They are generally assigned to outer shelf - upper bathyal settings of normal marine environments and belong to the type of species termed as the “South Tethyan Type” that wandered along southern shores of the Tethys during this time. The presence of taxa which are also found in West Africa emphasizes faunal exchange between the Southern Tethys and the West African basins during the Maastrichtian - Early Eocene. Key words Maastrichtian, Paleocene, Eocene, Ostracoda, southern Tethys, Egypt.

I. INTRODUCTION Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene successions have been a target of a large number of studies worldwide as they represent a critical interval in the earth history during which major changes in ocean circulation and global climates took place. These changes triggered major biotic perturbations and evolutionary innovations amongst marine microbenthos (e.g. Tjalsma & Lohmann, 1983; Thomas, 1998), marine microplanktons (e.g. Kelly et al., 1996; Aubry, 1998, Crouch et al., 2001), and even terrestrial mammals (e.g. Gingerich, 2000). The Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene rocks cover extensive areas of Egypt. In the area of west-central Sinai, they are wellexposed and are represented by a wide variety of sediments belonging to different depths of marine environments. In the present paper, we mainly aim to study the ostracode faunas of the Paleocene-Early Eocene interval in west-central Sinai for taxonomy, biostratigraphy, paleoecology and paleobiogeography. The Late Maastrichtian interval has also been included to mark off the ostracode faunal changes at the K/P transition. Two sections at Gebel Nukhul and Wadi Feiran, between latitudes 28º 40́ and 29º 10́ and longitudes 33º 10́ and 33º 40́, have been measured, sampled and examined for their ostracode content (Fig. 1). Associating calcareous nannofossil assemblages have been utilized in biostratigraphic zonation, to serve as a control and support for biostratigraphic evaluation of the present ostracode record.

The information about the Maastrichtiaan-Early Eocene ostracodes of Egypt has increased remarkably in the recent years through several publications. Until the year 1990, only a limited number of studies dealing with Maastrichtian-Early Eocene ostracodes from Egypt was available (Bassiouni et al., 1977; Boukhary et al., 1982; El Sweify, 1984; Khalifa et al., 1984). Since 1990, when Bassiouni & Luger published their voluminous paper on ostracodes from southern Egypt, a large number of studies has been published and the knowledge about the Maastrichtian-Early Eocene ostracodes of Egypt has substantially increased through many studies carried out by Ismail (1992, 1996), Elewa & Ishizaki (1994), Morsi (1999, 2000), Bassiouni & Morsi (2000), Shahin (2000, 2005), Shahin & El Nady (2001), Abdel Shafy et al. (2002), Elewa (2002), Speijer & Morsi (2002), Morsi & Speijer (2003), Ismail & Ied (2004, 2005) and Elewa & Morsi (2004). Besides, the publications in the other biogeographically related North African and Middle East areas (Esker, 1968; Bassiouni, 1969b, c, 1970; Donze et al., 1982; Damotte & Fleury, 1987; Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; El-Waer, 1992; Whatley & Arias, 1993; Andreu, 1996) also represent an indispensable source of information. Works in the basins of West Africa such as Apostolescu (1961), Reyment (1963, 1981), Reyment & Reyment (1959, 1980), Okosun (1987), Carbonnel & Johnson (1989), Carbonnel et al. (1990), Carbonnel & Oyede (1991), Reyment & Aranki (1991), Digbehi et al. (1994); Carbonnel & Monciardini (1995) and Colin et al. (1998)

Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, 11566 Cairo, Egypt. Email : [email protected] 2 Geology Department, Faculty of Science,Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

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A. M. MORSI, M. FARIS, A. ZALAT & R. F. M. SALEM

Fig. 1: Map showing location of the study area.

Maastrichtian-Early Eocene ostracodes from west-central Sinai, Egypt

have been also considered since many ostracode elements in these areas are in common with the Southern Tethys areas. II. LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY During the Maastrichtian-Early Eocene, the study area was a part of an extensive epicontinental basin covering nearly all Egypt. With respect to their lithofacies and regional distributions, successions of this interval are divided into five lithostratigraphic units with a wide geographic extension. These rock units are named, from older to younger, the Sudr, Dakhla, Tarawan, Esna and Thebes Formations (Figs 2, 3). Sudr Formation (Ghorab, 1961) In the type locality at Wadi Sudr (west-central Sinai), this formation is composed of snow-white chalk, chalky limestone and argillaceous limestone (100-130 m thick). There, it is divisible from base to top into the Markha and Abu Zeneima Members (Ghorab, 1961). In the present study area, which is situated farther to the south, the Sudr Formation is distributed in the low lands between younger highs. No complete section of this formation has been measured in the present study, but only ~28.5 m at Gebel Nukhul and ~44.5 m at Wadi Feiran. The measured part is composed of chalk, chalky limestones, argillaceous limestones and marly limestones belonging to the upper member of this formation (the Abu Zeneima Member). Based on calcareous nannoplankton, this part is assigned to the Late Maastrichtian. At Gebel Nukhul, it yields the Micula murus and Nephrolithus frequens Subzones (CC25c and CC26a). At Wadi Feiran, the Reinhardtites levis Zone (CC24), Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis, Lithraphidites quadratus, Micula murus Subzones (CC25a, b, c), Nephrolithus frequens Subzone (CC26a) and lower part of the Micula prinsii Subzone (CC26b) are recognized. In both sections, the Sudr Formation is overlain by the Dakhla Formation with seeming conformity indicated by the presence of the Late Maastrichtian calcareous nannofossil Micula murus, Nephrolithus frequens and Micula prinsii Subzones. Although this conformable relationship was similarly documented by several authors in westcentral Sinai (e.g. Issawi et al., 1981; Cherif et al., 1989), some others noted a gap at the Sudr/Dakhla contact in neighbouring localities in this area (e.g. Faris et al., 2005). Dakhla Formation (Said, 1961) The type section for this unit lies along the scarp north of Mut at the Dakhla Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt. There, it was described to comprise yellowish to grayish shale, marl and clay with calcareous sandy and silty interbeds. It overlies the phosphate beds of the Duwi Formation and underlies the chalk and chalky limestone of the Tarawan Formation. At Gebel Nukhul, the Dakhla Formation consists of chalky argillaceous limestone and gray shale in

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the lower part and calcareous gray shale in the upper part. At Wadi Feiran, it consists of multicoloured shale (grey, brown, black, greenish yellow) in its lower part and grades into grey marl in its upper part. The thickness of this formation varies from 32.4 m at Gebel Nukhul to 32 m at Wadi Feiran. The base of the Dakhla Formation comprises the Micula prinsii Subzone (CC26b) at the two studied sections, while its upper limit occurs within the lower part of the Discoaster mohleri Zone (NP7/8). Therefore, the Dakhla Formation is assigned to the latest Maastrichtian-Selandian age. Whereas the stratigraphic relationship with the overlying Tarawan Formation at Wadi Fieran is conformable, it is characterized by a minor hiatus at Gebel Nukhul resulting in the absence of the Heliolithus kleinpellii Zone (NP6). Tarawan Formation (Awad & Ghobrial, 1965) At Gebel Tarawan in the Kharga Oasis area, the type locality for this formation, it consists of chalk and chalky limestone. It rests on top of the Dakhla Formation and underlies the Esna Formation. In the studied sections, the Tarawan Formation is made up of yellow marl with chert bands changes into chalky limestone towards the top. The thickness of this formation at Gebel Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections attains up to 2 m, and 1.2 m, respectively. The light colour and partly resistant appearance of the limestone make this unit clearly visible against the overlying and underlying dark-coloured soft shale, and hence can be used as a good marker bed in the field. The Tarawan Formation is assigned to the Late Paleocene (Thanetian) as it occupies the calcareous nannofossil Zone Discoaster mohleri (NP7/8). In Wadi Feiran section, it lies conformably between two dark shale units (Dakhla and Esna) with no remarkable hiatus. At Gebel Nukhul, a minor hiatus has been recorded at the Dakhla/Tarawan contact, indicated by the presence of erosion surface and absence of the Heliolithus kleinpellii Zone (NP6). Esna Formation (Beadnell, 1905) This formation consists of laminated, green and greygreen shale and clay in its type section at Gabal Oweina in the southern Nile Valley area. In the studied sections, it is made up of green-grey, brownish or blackish-grey shale and marl, either fissile or massive, with intercalated limestone bands and some gypsum veinlets. The total thicknesses of this unit are ~23.5 m and ~19.3 m in Gebel Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections, respectively. It conformably overlies the Tarawan Formation and underlies the Thebes Formation. Based on the recognized calcareous nannofossil Discoaster multiradiatus, Tribrachiatus contortus and Discoaster bindosus Zones (NP9, NP10 and NP11), the Esna Formation is assigned as Late Paleocene (Thanetian) - Early Eocene (Ypresian). Thebes Formation (Said, 1961) The Thebes Formation was first described at Gebel Gurnah, opposite Luxor, behind the famous temple of El-Deir El-Bahari, southern Nile Valley. This formation is mainly

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Fig. 2: Detailed stratigraphic section of Gebel Nukhul.


Fig. 3: Detailed stratigraphic section at Wadi Feiran.

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composed of marl and limestone with flint bands. Only the lowermost parts of the Thebes Formation at Gebel Nukhul (21.5 m thick.) and Wadi Feiran (40.8 m thick.) were measured. It conformably overlies the Esna Formation in Wadi Feiran section. On the other hand, at Gebel Nukhul section, an unconformable relationship is observed between these two formations. Based on the presence of the Discoaster bindosus and Tribrachiatus orthostylus Zones (NP11 and NP12), the Thebes Formation is assigned to the Early Eocene (Ypresian). III. MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY The studied ostracode material is yielded from 96 rock samples collected from two sections measured at Gebel Nukhul and Wadi Feiran in west-central Sinai. From each sample, 100-200 grams were impregnated with a soda solution and washed over a 0.063 mm sieve. The investigated ostracodes were picked from the >250 µm residue size-fraction; the smaller size - fractions contained only juveniles. The number of individuals mentioned for each species is the sum of the adult carapaces and the largest number of either right or left adult valves. The study material is stored at the Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University (Tanta, Egypt). Representative specimens for all identified species have been photographed by the first author using the Cam Scan SEM of Bremen University, Germany. Reference numbers are only given to the illustrated specimens, which are preserved amongst the first author’s collection at the Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University (Cairo, Egypt). IV. SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY The taxonomy is based on Hartmann & Puri (1974) and later established genera are treated according to their authors. The ostracode fauna gained from the studied Maastrichtian to Lower Eocene succession are taxonomically classified into 38 species and subspecies belonging to 26 genera and 10 families. Species are arranged in alphabetical order within each genus, those in open nomenclature at the end. Subclass Ostracoda Latreille, 1806 Order Podocopida Müller, 1894 Suborder Platycopa Sars, 1866 Family Cytherellidae Sars, 1866 Genus Cytherella Jones, 1849 Type species: Cytherina ovata Roemer, 1840 Cytherella cf. lagenalis Marliere, 1959 Pl. I, figs 1-3 cf. 1959. Cytherella lagenalis Marliere, p. 8, pl. 1, fig. 3. 1999. Cytherella cf. lagenalis Marliere. - Morsi, p. 33, pl.

1, figs 1-3. 2000. Cytherella cf. lagenalis Marliere. - Morsi, p. 50, pl. 1, figs 7-8. 2004. Cytherella cf. lagenalis Marliere. - Ismail & Ied, p. 99, pl. 1, figs 3-5.

Material: 11 specimens. Dimensions: L: 0.86-0.98 mm; H: 0.53-0.58 mm; H: 0.35-0.38 mm. Occurrence: Maastrichtian to Paleocene of east Sinai, Egypt (Morsi, 1999, 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2004). In the present study, it occurs in the Late Maastrichtian to Early Eocene (Micula murus Subzone to Discoaster binodosus Zone). Cytherella sinaensis Morsi, 1999 Pl. I, figs 4-5 1999. Cytherella sinaensis Morsi, p. 33, pl. 1, figs 4-6. 2000. Cytherella sinaensis Morsi. - Morsi, p. 50, pl. 1, figs 9-10.

Material: 82 specimens. Dimensions: L: 0.81-0.94 mm; H: 0.49-0.57 mm; W: 0.29 mm. Occurrence: Maastrichtian and Paleocene of east-central Sinai, Egypt (Morsi, 1999, 2000). Here, it is found in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Eocene (Reinhardtites levis - Tribrachiatus contortus Zones). Genus Cytherelloidea Alexander, 1929 Type species: Cytherella williamsoniana Jones, 1849 Cytherelloidea attiyaensis Morsi, 1999 Pl. I, figs 6-7 1996. Cytherelloidea monmouthensis Jennings. - Ismail, p. 42, pl. 1, fig. 5. 1999. Cytherelloidea attiyaensis Morsi, p. 37, pl. 1, figs 7-9. 2005. Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said.- Shahin, p. 754, pl. 1, figs 6-8.

Material: 10 specimens. Dimensions: L: 0.57-0.61 mm; H: 0.36-0.40 mm. Discussion: The specimens illustrated by Shahin (2005) as Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said from the Paleocene of Egypt fit well into the present species as they possess the characteristic dorsal triangular rib with an incomplete lower arm. In C. melleguensis Damotte & Said (in Donze et al., 1982) the dorsal rib is shorter and a crescentric median rib, which is lacking in C. attiyaensis, is developed. Occurrence: Early Paleocene of Sinai, Egypt (Ismail, 1996; Morsi, 1999; Shahin, 2005). In the present study, it is similarly recorded in the Early Paleocene (Cruciplacolithus tenuis - Ellipsolithus macellus Zones).


Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said, 1982 Pl. I, figs 8-10 1978. Cytherelloidea sp. Said, p. 215, pl. 24, fig. 6. 1982. Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said, in Donze et al., p. 280, pl. 1, figs 2-5. 1987. Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said. - Damotte & Fleury, p. 93, pl. 1, fig. 6. 1998. Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said. - SaidBenzarti, pl. 1, fig. 4. 2000. Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said. - Morsi, p. 54, pl. 1, figs 11-12. non 2005. Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said. Shahin, p. 754, pl. 1, figs 6-8.

Material: 5 specimens. Dimensions: L: 0.68 mm; H: 0.43 mm; W: 0.27 mm. Occurrence: Late Campanian-Maastrichtian of Tunisia (Said, 1978; Donze et al., 1982; Said-Benzarti, 1998), east Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987) and east-central Sinai, Egypt (Morsi, 2000). In the present area, it is also recorded in the Late Maastrichtian (Micula murus Micula prinsii Subzones). Suborder Podocopa Sars, 1866 Superfamily Bairdiacea Sars, 1866 Family Bairdiidae Sars, 1866 Genus Bairdia McCoy, 1844 Type species: Bairdia curtus McCoy, 1844. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment, 1959 Pl. I, figs 11, 13-14 1959. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment, p. 61, pl. 1, figs 1-7, text-figs 1a-b, 3a-m, 5a-h. 1981. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. - Reyment, p. 56, pl. 9, fig. 6-7. 1983. Bairdoppilata ilaroensis (Reyment & Reyment). Foster et al., p. 109, pl. 1, figs 5, 7-11. 1987. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. - Okosun, p. 26, pl. 20, figs 7, 9-10. 1990. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 780, pl. 1, fig. 15. 1990. Bairdoppilata ilaroensis (Reyment & Reyment). Carbonnel et al., p. 674, pl. 1, fig. 19. non 1991. Bairdoppilata ilaroensis (Reyment & Reyment). Carbonnel & Oyede, p. 69, pl. 1, fig.1. non 1992. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. - Ismail, p. 45, pl. 1, fig. 5. 1992. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. - ElWaer, p. 47, pl. 4, figs 4-9. 1994. Bairdia gr. ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. - Keen et al., pl. 16, fig. 5. ?1996. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. Bassiouni & Luger, p. 8, pl. 1, figs 10-13. 1998. Bairdoppilata ilaroensis (Reyment & Reyment). Colin et al., p. 291, pl. 1, figs 4-5. 2003. Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment. - Morsi & Speijer, p. 70, pl. 1, fig. 5.

Material : 9 specimens.

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Dimensions : L : 0.88 -0.98 mm; H : 0.57-0.68 mm; W : 0.45-0.47 mm. Occurrence : The present species is widely distributed in the Maastrichtian to Early Eocene of West and North Africa. In Egypt, it is also known from the Maastrichtian to Early Eocene (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Morsi & Speijer, 2003). In the present study, it is found in the Early Eocene (Discoaster multiradiatus - Tribrachiatus contortus Zones). Bairdia aff. septentrionalis Bonnema, 1941 Pl. I, fig. 12 aff. 1941. Bairdia septentrionalis Bonnema, p. 108, pl. 2, figs 55-64; pl. 3, figs 1-8. 1995. Bairdia sp.1 Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 52, pl. 1, fig. 3. 1996. Bairdoppilata sp. Ismail, p. 43, pl. 1, fig. 11. 1999. Bairdia aff. septentrionalis Bonnema. - Morsi, p. 37, pl. 1, fig. 10. 2000. Bairdia aff. septentrionalis Bonnema. - Morsi, p. 51, pl. 1, fig. 13.

Material : 61 specimens. Dimensions : L : 1.07-1.72 mm; H : 0.7-1.12 mm. Remarks : The present specimens closely resemble Bairdia septentrionalis Bonnema, 1941, from the Cretaceous of northeastern Holland, but differ in having a broader anterior margin. Occurrence : Paleocene of southern Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995) and Maastrichtian-Paleocene of Egypt (Ismail, 1996; Morsi, 1999, 2000). In the present study, it occurs in the Late Maastrichtian-Paleocene (Reinhardtites levis - Discoaster mohleri Zones). Bairdia sp. Pl. I, figs 15-16 Material : 4 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.95-1.0 mm; H : 0.57-0.63 mm. Occurrence : Early Eocene (Tribrachiatus contortus Zone). Superfamily Cypridacea Baird, 1845 Family Candonidae Kaufmann, 1900 Subfamily Paracypridinae Sars, 1923 Genus Paracypris Sars, 1866 Type species : Paracypris polita Sars, 1866. Paracypris aff. jonesi Bonnema, 1941 Pl. I, fig. 17 aff. 1941. Paracypris jonesi Bonnema, p. 115, pl. 3, figs 24- 28. 1966. Paracypris n.sp. Salahi, p. 7, pl. 1, figs 29-30, 34. 1968. Paracypris jonesi Bonnema. - Esker, p. 282, pl. 1, fig. 13. 1990. Paracypris jonesi Bonnema. - Bassiouni & Luger,

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p. 83, pl. 2, figs 9, 11. 2000. Paracypris jonesi Bonnema. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 37, pl. 3, figs 1-4. 2005. Paracypris jonesi Bonnema. - Ismail & Ied, p. 127, pl. 2, fig. 1.

Material : One specimen. Dimensions : L : 1.10 mm; H : 0.40 mm. Remarks : Although the present specimen is strikingly similar to Paracypris jonesi which was originally described from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands (Bonnema, 1941), it has been assigned as Paracypris aff. jonesi since the nominate species originally comes from the Maastrichtian of northern Europe which belonged to a different bioprovince during the Paleocene. Occurrence : Paleocene of Libya (Salahi, 1966), Tunisia (Esker, 1968) and Paleocene to Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2005). In the present material, it is found in the Early Eocene (Tribrachiatus contortus Zone). Family Pontocyprididae Müller, 1894 Genus Abyssocypris Van Den Bold, 1974 Type species : Abyssocypris tipica Van Den Bold, 1974. Abyssocypris? adunca (Esker, 1968) Pl. I, fig. 18 1968. “Bythocypris” adunca Esker, p. 321, pl. 2, figs 10- 12; pl. 4, fig. 4. 1982. Abyssocypris? adunca (Esker). - Donze et al., p. 281, pl. 2, figs 3-4. 1987. Abyssocypris? adunca (Esker). - Damotte & Fleury, p. 93, pl. 1, fig. 10. 1990. “Bythocypris” adunca Esker. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 781, pl. 2, fig. 4. 1998. Abyssocypris? adunca (Esker). - Said-Benzarti, pl. 2, fig. 13. 2000. “Bythocypris” adunca Esker. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 33, pl. 2, fig. 3.

Material : 6 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.60 mm; H : 0.30 mm. Occurrence : Late Campanian and Paleocene of Tunisia (Esker, 1968; Donze et al., 1982; Said-Benzarti, 1998), Paleocene of Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987) and Late Paleocene - Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000). In the present material, it occurs in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Paleocene (Lithraphidites quadratus Subzone - Cruciplacolithus tenuis Zone). Genus Pontocyprella Lyubimova, 1955 Type species : Bairdia harrisiana Jones, 1849. Pontocyprella recurva Esker, 1968 Pl. II, fig. 1

1968. Pontocyprella recurva Esker, p. 323, pl. 1, figs 6-7. 1978. Pontocyprella? cf. recurva Esker. - Said, p. 220, pl. 24, fig. 15. 1982. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Boukhary et al., pl. 2, fig. 10. 1982. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Donze et al., p. 281, pl. 2, figs 1-2. pars 1987. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Damotte & Fleury, p. 93, pl. 1, fig. 12. 1990. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 785, pl. 3, fig. 12. 1992. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - El-Waer, p.73, pl. 57, fig. 1-3. non 1996. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. – Andreu, p. 105, pl. 1, figs 15-16. 1998. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Said-Benzarti, pl. 1, fig. 13. 1999. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Morsi, p. 38, pl. 1, fig. 12. 2000. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Morsi, p. 51, pl. 1, fig. 14. 2000. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 37, pl. 3, figs 7-8. 2004. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Ismail & Ied, p. 101, pl. 1, fig. 8. 2005. Pontocyprella recurva Esker. - Ismail & Ied, p. 127, pl. 2, fig. 2.

Material : 11 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.95-1.11 mm; H : 0.47-0.6 mm. Discussion : The specimens identified as Pontocyprella recurva Esker, 1968 from the Coniacian-Early Campanian of Morocco (Andreu, 1996) deviate from the original illustration of Esker for this species from the Danian of Tunisia (Esker, 1968, pl. 1, fig 6) in being more elongate and having its posterodorsal margin gentler sloping. Occurrence : Maastrichtian-Paleocene of Tunisia (Said, 1978; Donze et al., 1982; Said-Benzarti, 1998), Maastrichtian-“Middle” Paleocene of Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987), Maastrichtian of Libya (El-Waer, 1992) and Maastrichtian-Early Eocene of Egypt (Boukhary et al. 1982, Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Morsi, 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi, 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2004, 2005). In the present study, it is recorded in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Paleocene (Nephrolithus frequens Subzone Ellipsolithus macellus Zone). Genus Argilloecia Sars, 1866 Type species : Argilloecia cylindrica Sars, 1866 Argilloecia sp. Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Pl. II, figs 2-4 1990. Argilloecia sp. Bassiouni & Luger, p. 785, p1. 3, figs 2-4.

Material : 9 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.49-0.53 mm; H : 0.22-0.24 mm; W : 0.2 mm. Occurrence : “Middle” to Late Paleocene of southern


Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990). In the present work, it is found in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Eocene (Lithraphidites quadratus Subzone - Tribrachiatus contortus Zone). Superfamily Cytheracea Baird, 1850 Family Cytheridae Baird, 1850 Subfamily Cytherinae Baird, 1850 Genus Apateloschizocythere Bate, 1972 Type species : Apaterloschizocythere geniculata Bate, 1972. Apateloschizocythere fimbrata Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Pl. II, fig. 5 1990. Apateloschizocythere fimbrata Bassiouni & Luger, p. 816, pl. 12, figs 16-21. 2004. Amphicytherura? sp. Ismail & Ied, p. 105, pl. 2, figs 1-2.

Material : A single specimen. Dimensions : L : 0.48 mm; H : 0.28 mm. Occurrence : Maastrichtian of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Ismail & Ied, 2004). In the present material, it is similarly recorded in the Late Maastrichtian (Reinhardtites levis Zone). Genus Paraschizocythere El Sweify, 1984 Type species : Paraschizocythere nodoreticulata El Sweify, 1984. Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa El Sweify, 1984 Pl. II, fig. 6 1982. Schizocythere? sp. Donze et al., p. 282, p1. 2, figs 11-12; p1. 3, fig. 1. 1984. Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa El Sweify, p. 39, pl. 1, figs 8-10. 1990. Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa El Sweify. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 818, pl. 13, figs 7-11.

Material : A single specimen. Dimensions : L : 0.51 mm; H : 0.31 mm. Occurrence : Late Middle to early Late Maastrichtian of Tunisia (Donze et al., 1982) and Middle Maastrichtian of Egypt (El Sweify, 1984; Bassiouni & Luger, 1990). In the present material it is recorded in the latest Maastrichtian (Micula prinsii Subzone). Family Bythocytheridae Sars, 1926 Genus Bythoceratina Hornibrook, 1952 Type species : Bythoceratina mestayerae Hornibrook, 1952. Bythoceratina hamzai Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000 Pl. II, fig. 7 2000. Bythoceratina hamzai Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 40, pl. 4, figs 3-4.

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Material : A single specimen. Dimensions : L : 0.38-0.4 mm; H : 0.69-0.73 mm. Discussion : Bythoceratina sp. Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 from the Late Paleocene of southern Egypt is a strikingly similar species. It deviates, however, in having the anterior inflation overhanging dorsal margin and the vertical sulcus more anteriorly shifted. Occurrence : Early Eocene of the Farafra area in the Western Desert of Egypt (Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000). Here, it is also found in the Early Eocene (Tribrachiatus contortus Zone). Family Krithidae Mandelstam, 1958 Subfamily Krithinae Mandelstam, 1958 Genus Krithe Brady, Crosskey & Robertson, 1874 Type species : Ilyobates praetexta Sars, 1866. Krithe echolsae Esker, 1968 Pl. II, figs 8-10 1968. Krithe echolsae Esker, p. 33, pl. 3, figs 1-4. 1978. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Said, p. 232, pl. 26, figs 1-4. 1982. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Boukhary et al., pl. 2, figs 8-9. 1982. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Donze et al., p. 283, fig. 4. 1987. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Honigstein et al., p. 42, pl. 1, figs 5-6. 1990. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 795, pl. 6, figs 10-11. 1995. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 53, pl. 1, figs 4-5. 1999. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Morsi, p. 38, pl. 1, figs 13-15. 2000. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Morsi, p. 56, pl. 1, figs 16-17. 2000. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 43, pl. 5, figs 2-3. 2004. Krithe echolsae Esker. - Ismail & Ied, p. 102, pl. 1, figs 9-10.

Material : 18 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.69-0.82 mm; H : 0.34-0.43 mm; H : 0.33 mm. Occurrence : Late Campanian-Paleocene of Tunisia (Esker, 1968; Said, 1978; Donze et al., 1982; Said-Benzarti, 1998), and Maastrichtian - Paleocene of Israel (Honigstein et al., 1987; Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995) and Egypt (Boukhary et al., 1982; Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Morsi, 1999, 2000; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2004, 2005; Shahin, 2005). In the present work, it is found in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Eocene (Reinhardtites levis - Tribrachiatus contortus Zones). Krithe cf. solomoni Honigstein, 1984 Pl. II, figs 11-12 cf. 1984. Krithe solomoni Honigstein, p. 11, pl. 6, figs 9-12. 1990. Krithe cf. solmoni Honigstein. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 795, pl. 6, figs 3, 6, 9, 12.

Material : 4 specimens.

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Dimensions : L : 0.27-0.30 mm; H : 0.57 mm. Remarks : The present material is closely similar to the nominate species; Krithe solomoni Honigstein, however, deviates in having its dorsal margin more sharply dipping downward at posterior end forming a more blunt concavity at upper part of posterior margin. Occurrence : “Middle” and Late Paleocene of southern Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990). Here, it is recorded in the Late Maastrichtian (Micula murus Subzone) and Early Paleocene (Chiasmolithus danicus Zone). Genus Parakrithe Van Den Bold, 1958 Type species : Cytheridea (Dolocytheridea) vermunti Van Den Bold 1958. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Pl. II, figs 13-14 1979. Krithe sp. Cronin & Khalifa, p. 410, pl. 1, figs 26-17. pars 1981. Bythocypris kalambainaensis Reyment, p. 56, pl. 1, fig. 4. 1990. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger, p. 796, pl. 6, figs 13-22. 1995. Parakrithe? kalambainaensis Reyment. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 53, pl. 1, fig. 7. 1999. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger. - Morsi, p. 38, pl. 1, fig. 16. 2000. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 44, pl. 5, fig. 4. 2002. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger. - Honigstein et al., p. 372, pl. 1, fig. 12. 2004. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger. - Ismail & Ied, p. 103, pl. 1, figs 11-12. 2005. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger. - Shahin, p. 759, pl. 2, fig. 17. 2005. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger. - Ismail & Ied, p. 131, pl. 2, fig. 16.

Material : 45 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.52-0.63 mm; H : 0.25-0.31 mm. Occurrence : Late Paleocene of Nigeria (Reyment, 1981), Paleocene-Eocene of Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; Honigstein et al., 2002) and Maastrichtian - Middle Eocene of Egypt (Khalifa & Cronin, 1979, Bassiouni & Luger 1990; Morsi, 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2004, 2005). In the present study, it is recorded in the Late MaastrichtianEarly Eocene (Reinhardtites levis - Discoaster binodosus Zones). Family Hemicytheridae Puri, 1953 Subfamily Thaerocytherinae Hazel, 1967 Genus Martinicythere Bassiouni, 1969a Type species : Martinicythere samalutensis Bassiouni, 1969a. Martinicythere bassiounii bassiounii HonigStein & Rosenfeld, 1995 Pl. II, figs 15-17

1969a.Martinicythere sp. 3 Bassiouni, pl. 19, fig. 6. 1982. Martinicythere cf. vesiculosa (Apostolescu). - Donze et al., p. 287, pl. 5, figs 9-10; pl. 14, figs 4-5. 1987. Martinicythere cf. vesiculosa (Apostolescu). - Damotte & Fleury, p. 95, pl. 2, figs 20-21. 1995. Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 56, pl. 2, figs 7-9. 1995. Martinicythere bassiounii Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 60, pl. 3, figs 7-8. 1999. Martinicythere bassiounii Honigstein & Rosenfeld. Morsi, p. 39, pl. 2, figs 1-4. 2000. Martinicythere bassiounii Honigstein & Rosenfeld. Morsi, p. 57, pl. 2, figs 8-10. 2003. Martinicythere bassiounii bassiounii Honigstein & Rosenfeld. - Morsi & Speijer, p. 73, pl. 3, figs 24-25.

Material : 31 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.52-0.61 mm; H : 0.30-0.38 mm; W : 0.29 mm. Occurrence : Paleocene of Syria (Bassiouni, 1969a) and Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995), Campanian to Early Paleocene of Tunisia (Donze et al., 1982) and east Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987) and Maastrichtian to Late Paleocene of Egypt (Morsi, 1999, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003). In the present material, it is found in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Paleocene (Micula murus Subzone - Ellipsolithus macellus Zone). Family Trachyleberididae Sylvester-Bradley, 1948 Subfamily Trachyleberidinae Sylvester-Bradley, 1948 Genus Acanthocythereis Howe, 1963 Type species : Acanthocythereis araneosa Howe, 1963. Acanthocythereis? denticulata Esker, 1968 Pl. II, figs 18-19 1968. Acanthocythereis denticulata Esker, p. 328, pl. 2, figs 6-7; pl. 4, fig. 1. 1982. Acanthocythereis? denticulata (Esker). - Donze et al., p. 293, pl. 11, figs 1-4. 1987. Acanthocythereis? denticulata (Esker). D - amotte & Fleury, p. 97, pl. 3, fig. 11. 1990. Megommatocythere denticulata (Esker). - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 825, pl. 7, fig. 7. ?1991. Megommatocythere cf. denticulata (Esker). - Honigstein et al., p. 105, pl. 2, figs 11-12. ?1995. Megommatocythere cf. denticulata (Esker). - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 53, pl. 1, fig. 8. 1999. Megommatocythere denticulata (Esker). - Morsi, p. 41, pl. 2, fig. 15. 2000. Megommatocythere denticulata (Esker). - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 58, pl. 8, fig. 17. ?2002. Megommatocythere cf. denticulata (Esker). - Honigstein et al., p. 378, pl. 3, fig. 13. ?pars 2004. Megommatocythere denticulata (Esker). - Ismail & Ied, p. 108, pl. 3, fig. 3. ?2005. Megommatocythere denticulata (Esker). - Shahin, p. 361, pl. 3, fig. 13. 2005. Megommatocythere denticulata (Esker). - Ismail & Ied, p. 138, pl. 3, fig. 14.


Material : 46 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.99-1.06 mm; H : 0.53-0.56 mm; W : 0.49-0.53mm. Remarks : Very closely similar, but shorter, specimens were illustrated from the Paleocene-Middle Eocene of Israel (Honigstein et al., 1991; Honigstein & Rosenfeld 1995; Honigstein et al. 2002) and MaastrichtianEarly Eocene of northeastern Sinai, Egypt (Ismail & Ied, 2004; Shahin, 2005). It is probable that these specimens represent an intraspecific variation of the present species. Occurrence : Late Maastrichtian to Early Paleocene of Tunisia (Esker, 1968; Donze et al., 1982), Early - “Middle” Paleocene of Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987) and Maastrichtian-Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Morsi, 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2005). In the present study, it is recorded in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Eocene (Nephrolithus frequens Subzone - Discoaster binodosus Zone). Acanthocythereis meslei Donze & Oertli, 1982

169

tus - Nephrolithus frequens Subzones). Acanthocythereis? posterotriangulata (Morsi, 1999) Pl. II, figs 22-23 1990. Oertliella? sp. Bassiouni & Luger, p. 831, pl. 18, figs 6-10. 1995. Oertliella? cf. frescoensis (Apostolescu). - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 58, pl. 3, fig. 8. 1999. Oertliella posterotriangulata Morsi, p. 41, pl. 3, figs 1-5. 2000. Oertliella? sp. Bassiouni & Luger. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 35, pl. 9, figs 12-15. 2003. Oertliella posterotriangulata Morsi. - Morsi & Speijer, p. 75, pl. 4, figs 36-37.

Material : 6 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.60 (female), 0.69 mm (male); H : 0.33 mm (female), 0.38 mm (male). Occurrence : Paleocene to Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Morsi, 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003) and Paleocene of southern Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995). In the present material, it is recorded from the Early Paleocene to Early Eocene (Cruciplacolithus tenuis - Tribrachiatus contortus Zones).

Two subspecies are known for this species : Acanthocythereis meslei meslei Donze & Oertli, 1982 and Acanthocythereis meslei paleocenica Bassiouni & Luger, 1990. In the present work, only the nominate subspecies is recorded.

Genus Actinocythereis Puri, 1953 Type species : Cythere exanthemata Ulrich & Bassler, 1904.

Acanthocythereis meslei meslei

Actinocythereis? coronata (Esker, 1968) Pl. III, figs 1-3

Donze & Oertli, 1982 Pl. II, figs 20-21 1982. Acanthocythereis? meslei Donze & Oertli, in Donze et al., p. 292, pl. 10, figs 1-10. 1987. Acanthocythereis? meslei Donze & Oertli. - Damotte & Fleury, p. 96, pl. 3, fig. 10. ?1996. Acanthocythereis meslei Donze & Oertli. - Andreu, p. 112, pl. 2, figs 10-12. 1999. Acanthocythereis meslei Donze & Oertli. - Morsi, p. 40, pl. 2, fig. 10.

Material : 4 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.95-1.01 mm; H : 0.48-0.56 mm. Occurrence : The specimens assigned by Andreu (1996) from the Coniacian-Early Campanian of Morocco as Acanthocythereis meslei are closely similar. However, they deviate in having a subtriangular posterior margin with a more pointed end, unlike in the original figures in Donze et al. (1982, pl. 10, figs 1-10) where posterior end is broader and more rounded. Occurrence : Late Campanian and Maastrichtian of Tunisia (Donze et al., 1982), Maastrichtian and earliest Paleocene of east Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987) and Early Paleocene of Egypt (Morsi, 1999). Here, it is recorded in the Late Maastrichtian (Lithraphidites quadra-

1968. Cythereis coronata Esker, p. 323, pl. 1, figs 1-3; pl. 4, fig. 5. 1970. Mauritsina arabica Bassiouni, p. 21, pl. 2, figs 8-9. 1978. Actinocythereis? arabica (Bassiouni). - Said, p. 239, pl. 25, figs 20-21. 1982. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Boukhary et al., pl. 1, figs 5-8. 1982. Actinocythereis? coronata (Esker). - Donze et al., p. 291, pl. 9, figs 7-10; pl. 14, fig. 8. 1987. Actinocythereis? coronata (Esker). - Damotte & Fleury, p. 96, pl. 3, figs 8-9. 1990. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 812, pl .11, figs 13-15. 1992. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Ismail, p. 46, pl. 1, fig. 9. 1995. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 58, pl. 3, fig. 10. 1996. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Ismail, p. 44, pl. 2, figs 6-7. 1998. Actinocythereis? coronata (Esker). - Said-Benzarti, pl. 2, figs 21-22. 1999. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Morsi, p. 39, pl. 2, fig. 5. 2000. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Morsi, p. 57, pl. 2, fig. 11. 2000. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 29, pl. 8, figs 1-2. 2002. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Honigstein et al., p. 376, pl. 3, fig. 4. 2003. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Morsi & Speijer, p. 74, pl. 3, fig. 29.

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2004. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Ismail & Ied, p. 104, pl. 2, fig. 3. 2005. Mauritsina coronata (Esker). - Ismail & Ied, p. 134, pl. 3, fig. 5.

Material : 13 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.80 mm (female), 0.92 mm (male); H : 0.50 mm (female), 0.56 mm (male). Occurrence : Late Campanian to Late Paleocene of Tunisia (Esker, 1968; Said, 1978; Donze et al., 1982; Said-Benzarti, 1998), Maastrichtian to “Middle” Paleocene of east Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987), Maastrichtian of Libya (Keen et al., 1994), Paleocene and Early Eocene of Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; Honigstein et al., 2002), Paleocene and Early Eocene of Jordan (Bassiouni, 1970) and Maastrichtian to Early Eocene of Egypt (Boukhary et al. 1982; Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Ismail, 1992, 1996; Morsi 1999, 2000; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003; Ismail & Ied, 2004, 2005). In the present material, it is found in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Eocene (Nephrolithus frequens Subzone - Discoaster binodosus Zone). Genus Aphrikanecythere Damotte & Oertli, 1982 Type species : Aphrikanecythere phumatoides Damotte & Oertli, 1982. Aphrikanecythere phumatoides Damotte & Oertli, 1982 Pl. III, figs 4-5 1978. Atlanticythere? sp. Said, p. 242, pl. 27, figs 4-6. 1982. Aphrikanecythere phumatoides Damotte & Oertli, in Donze et al., p. 288, pl. 6, figs 1-9. 1987. Aphrikanecythere phumatoides Damotte & Oertli. - Damotte & Fleury, p. 95, pl. 2, figs 22-23. pars 2004. Trachyleberis spininodosa (El Sweify). - Ismail & Ied, p. 112, pl. 4, fig. 8; non fig. 9.

Material : 3 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.73-0.74 mm; H : O.40 mm. Occurrence : Middle-Late Maastrichtian of Tunisia (Said, 1978; Donze et al, 1982) and Maastrichtian of east Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987) and Egypt (Ismail & Ied, 2004). Here, this species is found in the Late Maastrichtian (Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis Subzone). Genus Cristaeleberis Bassiouni, 1970 Type species : Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni, 1970. Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni, 1970 Pl. III, fig. 6 1970. Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni, p. 26, pl. 3, figs 5-7. 1982. Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni. - Boukhary et

al., pl. 2, figs 5-7. ?1984. Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni. - Honigstein, p. 34, pl. 10, figs 1-4; pl. 15, figs 19-20. 1984. Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni. - Khalifa et al., pl. 2, fig. 1a-b. 1999. Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni. - Morsi, p. 41, pl. 2, fig. 11.

Material : A single female specimen. Dimensions : L : 0.55 mm; H : 0.31 mm. Occurrence : “Middle” Paleocene of Jordan (Bassiouni, 1970) and Paleocene of Egypt (Boukhary et al., 1982; Khalifa et al., 1984; Morsi, 1999). In the present material, it is recorded in the Early Paleocene (Cruciplacolithus tenuis Zone). Genus Cythereis Jones, 1849 Type species : Cytherina ciliata REUSS, 1846. Remark : The genus Cythereis is widely known as a Cretaceous genus that was extinct at the end of this period. Although the species recorded herein were originally described from the Late Cretaceous, their record later in the Paleocene makes the generic assignment questionable. The lack of separate valves among the present material did not allow for investigation of internal features for generic inspection. Cythereis? mesa Honigstein, 1984 Cythereis? mesa mesa Honigstein, 1985 Pl. III, fig. 7 1984. Cythereis mesa ventroleviata Honigstein, p. 22, pl. 13, figs 4-6. 1985. Cythereis mesa mesa. Honigstein, p. 240. 1993. Cythereis mesa mesa Honigstein. - Honigstein et al., pl. 1, figs 1-2, 6-8. 1995. Cythereis mesa mesa Honigstein. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 60, pl. 3, fig. 3. 1999. Cythereis mesa mesa Honigstein. - Morsi, p. 41, pl. 2, fig. 12. 2000. Cythereis mesa mesa Honigstein. - Morsi, p. 60, pl. 2, fig. 14. 2004. Cythereis mesa mesa Honigstein. - Ismail & Ied, p. 107, pl. 2, figs 4-5. 2005. Mauritsina teiskotensis (Apostolescu). - Shahin, p. 761, pl. 3, fig. 12.

Material : A single specimen. Dimensions : L : 1.00 mm; H : 0.56 mm. Occurrence : Late Santonian, Campanian and Paleocene of Israel (Honigstein, 1984; Honigstein et al., 1993; Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995) and Maastrichtian-Paleocene of Egypt (Morsi, 1999, 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2004; Shahin, 2005). In the present area, it occurs in the Early Paleocene (Cruciplacolithus tenuis Zone). Cythereis? mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein, 1984 Pl. III, fig. 8


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1984. Cythereis mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein, p. 22, pl. 13, figs 7-11. 1993. Cythereis mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein. - Honigstein et al., pl. 1, figs 3, 5, 9, 10. 1995. Cythereis mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 60, pl. 3, fig. 4. 1999. Cythereis mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein. - Morsi, p. 41, pl. 2, figs 13-14. 2000. Cythereis mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein. - Morsi, p. 60, pl. 2, fig. 15. 2004. Cythereis mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein. - Ismail & I ed, p. 107, pl. 2, figs 6-7. 2005. Cythereis mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein. - Shahin, p. 760, pl. 3, fig. 4.

mail & Ied, 2004, 2005) and Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; Honigstein et al., 2002). In the present

Material : 10 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.95 mm; H : 0.50 mm. Remarks : Cythereis? mesa ventroreticulata is distinguished from Cythereis? mesa mesa by its reticulate lateral surface, whereas in C. mesa mesa the lateral surface is smooth. Occurrence : Late Santonian, Campanian and Paleocene of Israel (Honigstein, 1984; Honigstein et al., 1993; Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995) and Maastrichtian-Paleocene of Egypt (Morsi, 1999, 2000; Ismail & Ied, 2004; Shahin, 2005). Here, it is found in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Paleocene (Micula prinsii Subzone - Ellipsolithus macellus Zone)

Material : 16 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.78-0.79 mm (females), 0.93 mm (male); H : 0.48-0.49 mm (females), 0.53 mm (male); W : 0.44 mm (female), 0.39 mm (male). Description : Carapace medium-sized, subrectangular in lateral view. Anterior margin broadly rounded, posterior margin narrower with rounded lower part and a straight upper part. Dorsal margin straight, weakly inclined posteriorly; in left valve, it joins posterior margin at an obtuse cardinal angle and anteriorly builds a hinge ear at connection with anterior margin. Ventral margin almost straight, gently rising posteriorly. Maximum length median, maximum height at eye tubercle, at about one fifth of length. Sculpture composed of reticulation, small spines and differently developed ribs. Reticulation moderately coarse, variable in shape, fining at anterior part of lateral surface, followed anteriorly by a row of coarse reticules along well-developed anterior marginal rib; in front of this marginal rib a similar row of reticules borders anterior margin. Posterior margin occupied by a marginal rim; both end margins decorated with small spines. Ventral rib well-developed, occupied by seven small tubercles. Median rib thin, convex, begins behind subcentral tubercle, ends almost below posterodorsal corner. Dorsal rib weak, carries a row of about six small spines. Left valve slightly larger than right valve; greatest overlap at anterodorsal and posterodorsal corners. Eyespot small. Subcentral tubercle pronounced. Outline in dorsal view suboval with compressed ends; maximum width shortly behind middle. Hinge of right valve consists of a small anterior tooth, a smooth median groove and a strong smooth posterior tooth situated at the posterior dorsal angle. Marginal zone of moderate width. Inner margin and line of concrescence coincide. Selvage developed. Internal features not observed. Sexual dimorphism not observed. Discussion : Kefiella maresi Donze & Said, 1982 (in Donze et al., 1982), which was first described from the Maastrichtian of Tunisia, resembles the present species. However, it differs in displaying shorter longitudinal ventral and dorsal ribs, stronger muscle node and thicker reticulation muri. The reticules aligned at the anterior margin in K. maresi are wider than high, whereas in the pres-

Genus Doricythereis Gründel, 1976 Type species : Mauritsina jordanica Bassiouni, 1970. Doricythereis martinii (Bassiouni, 1970) Pl. III, figs 9-10, 14 1970. Mauritsina martinii Bassiouni, p. 21, pl. 1, figs 1-2. 1977. Mauritsina martinii Bassiouni. - Bassiouni et al., p. 5, pl. 1, fig. 4a-b. 1982. Mauritsina martinii Bassiouni. - Boukhary et al., pl. 1, fig. 2. 1995. Mauritsina jordanica nodoreticulata Bassiouni. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 56, pl. 3, figs 1-2. 1999. Mauritsina martinii Bassiouni. - Morsi, p. 40, pl. 2, figs 7-9. 2000. Megommatocythere sp. Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 59, pl. 8, fig. 18. 2002. Mauritsina jordanica nodoreticulata Bassiouni. - Honigstein et al., p. 375, pl. 3, fig. 1. 2004. Mauritsina jordanica nodoreticulata Bassiouni. - Ismail & Ied, p. 105, pl. 2, figs 1-2. 2005. Mauritsina jordanica nodoreticulata Bassiouni. - Ismail & Ied, p. 134, pl. 3, figs 6-7.

Material : 266 specimens. Dimensions : L : 1.12-1.13 mm (females), 1.40-1.41 mm (males); H : 0.62 mm (females), 0.68 mm (males); W : 0.67 mm (female). Occurrence : Early Eocene of Jordan (Bassiouni, 1970) and Paleocene to Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni et al., 1977; Boukhary et al., 1982; Morsi 1999; Is-

work, it is recorded from the Paleocene-Early Eocene (Ellipsolithus macellus - Discoaster binodosus zones). Genus Kefiella Donze & Said, 1982 Type species : Kefiella maresi Donze & Said, 1982. Kefiella sp. Pl. III, figs 11-13

2004. Acanthocythereis meslei Donze & Oertli. - Ismail & Ied, p. 107, pl. 2, fig. 8.

172


ent species they are higher than wide. Furthermore, K. maresi shows longitudinal striations ventrally which are not shown in Kefiella sp. Occurrence : This species was previously illustrated in the Paleocene rocks of northeast Sinai (Ismail & Ied, 2004). Here, it is recorded from the Early Paleocene to Early Eocene (Ellipsolithus macellus - Tribrachiatus contortus Zones). Genus Ordoniya Al-Sheikhly, 1985 Type species : Hazelina ordoniya Bassiouni, 1970. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni, 1970) Pl. III, figs 15-16 1970. Hazelina ordoniya Bassiouni, p. 31, pl. 4, figs 4-8. 1982. Hazelina ordoniya Bassiouni. - Donze et al., p. 284, pl. 3, figs 2-3. 1984. Hazelina ordoniya Bassiouni. - Khalifa et al., pl. 1, fig. 7. 1985. Ordoniya (Ordoniya) ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Al-Sheikhly, p. 246, text-fig. 3; pl. 1, figs 1-11; pl. 2, figs 1, 3-4. 1990. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 832, pl. 16, figs 7-8, 10. 1992. Hazelina ordoniya Bassiouni. - Ismail, p. 50, pl. 2, fig. 6. 1996. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Andreu, p. 116, pl. 3, figs 14-15. 1999. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Morsi, p. 41, pl. 3, figs 1-5. 2000. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Morsi, p. 62, pl. 3, fig. 7. 2000. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 35, pl. 9, figs 16-17. 2003. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Morsi & Speijer, p. 75, pl. 4, fig. 38. 2004. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Ismail & Ied, p. 109, pl. 3, figs 9-10. 2005. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Shahin, p. 762, pl. 3, fig. 21.

stein & Rosenfeld, p. 54, pl. 2, figs 1-2. 1996. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Ismail, p. 45, pl. 3, figs 11-12. 1999. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Morsi, p. 42, pl. 3, figs 8-11. 2000. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 61, pl. 9, fig. 18. 2002. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Honigstein et al., p. 378, pl. 4, fig. 2. 2003. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Morsi & Speijer, p.75, pl. 4, fig. 39. 2005. Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni). - Ismail & Ied, p. 138, pl. 3, figs 15-16. 2005. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Shahin, p. 762, pl. 3, fig. 17.

Material : 3 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.61-0.71 mm; H : 0.33-0.40 mm. Occurrence : Paleocene to Early-“Middle” Eocene of Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; Honigstein et al., 2002) and Paleocene to Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Ismail, 1996; Morsi 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003; Ismail & Ied, 2005; Shahin, 2005). In the present study, it is found in the Early Paleocene (Markalius inversus Chiasmolithus danicus Zones). Ordoniya hasaensis (Bassiouni, 1970) Pl. III, figs 19-20 1970. Hazelina hasaensis Bassiouni, p. 33, pl. 5, figs 5-6. 1977. Hazelina hasaensis Bassiouni. - Bassiouni et al., 1977, p. 3, pl. 1, fig. 12 a-c. 1991. Ordoniya hasaensis (Bassiouni). - Honigstein et al., p. 104, pl. 2, fig. 5. 1999. Ordoniya hasaensis (Bassiouni). - Morsi, p. 42, pl. 3, fig. 13. 2002. Ordoniya hasaensis (Bassiouni). - Honigstein et al., p. 378, pl. 4, fig. 3. 2004. Ordoniya hasaensis (Bassiouni). - Ismail & Ied, p. 109, pl. 3, figs 5-6. 2005. Ordoniya hasaensis (Bassiouni). - Shahin, p. 762, pl. 3, fig. 19.

Material : 10 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.65-0.68 mm; H : 0.33-0.39 mm. Occurrence : Early to “Middle” Paleocene of Jordan (Bassiouni, 1970), Late Maastrichtian to Early Paleocene of Tunisia (Donze et al., 1982), Paleocene of Morocco (Andreu, 1996) and Maastrichtian to Early Eocene of Egypt (Khalifa et al., 1984; Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Ismail 1992; Morsi, 1999, 2000; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003; Ismail & Ied, 2004; Shahin, 2005). In the present sections, it occurs in the Late Maastrichtian-Early Paleocene (Reinhardtites levis - Ellipsolithus macellus Zones).

Material : 8 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.74 -0.85 mm; H : 0.40-0.53 mm. Occurrence : Late Paleocene of Jordan (Bassiouni, 1970), Paleocene-Middle Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni et al., 1977; Morsi 1999; Ismail & Ied, 2004; Shahin, 2005) and Early-Middle Eocene of Israel (Honigstein et al., 1991, 2002). In the present material, it is recorded in the Early Eocene (Discoaster binodosus Zone).

Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Pl. III, figs 17-18

Ordoniya maanensis (Bassiouni, 1970) Pl. IV, figs 1-2

1990. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger, p. 832, pl. 16, figs 5-9, 11-15. 1995. Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Honig-

1970. Hazelina maanensis Bassiouni, p. 33, pl. 5, figs 1-2. 1977. Hazelina maanensis Bassiouni. - Bassiouni et al., p. 3, pl. 1, fig. 13.


1995. Ordoniya maanensis (Bassiouni). - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 56, pl. 2, fig. 4. 2000. Ordoniya burmaensis (Bassiouni). - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 61, pl. 9, figs 19-20. 2000. Ordoniya maanensis (Bassiouni). - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 61, pl. 10, figs 1-3. 2002. Ordoniya maanensis (Bassiouni). - Honigstein et al., p. 378, pl. 4, fig. 1. 2005. Ordoniya maanensis (Bassiouni). - Shahin, p. 762, pl. 3, fig. 20.

Material : 15 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.79-0.83 mm; H : 0.43-0.45 mm. Occurrence : Early Eocene of Jordan (Bassiouni, 1970), Paleocene and Early Eocene of Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; Honigstein, et al., 2002) and Egypt (Bassiouni et al., 1977; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Shahin, 2005) and. In the present area, it is recorded from the Early Paleocene to Early Eocene (Cruciplacolithus tenuis - Tribrachiatus contortus zones). Genus Paracosta Siddiqui, 1971 Type species : Costa (Paracosta) decilvis Siddiqui, 1971. Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Pl. IV, figs 3-6 1990. Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger, p. 834, pl. 19, figs 10, 13-23. 1999. Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Morsi, p. 43, pl. 3, figs 14-15. 2000. Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 36, pl. 10, figs 4-5. 2003. Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Morsi & Speijer, p. 76, pl. 4 figs 43-46, pl. 5, figs 47-49. 2004. Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Ismail & Ied, p. 111, pl. 4, figs 4-5. 2005. Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger. - Ismail & Ied, p. 139, pl. 4, figs 1-4.

Material : 24 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.70-081 mm (females), 0.89 mm (male); H : 0.41-0.43 mm (females), 0.46 mm (male); W : 0.34 mm (male). Occurrence : Paleocene-Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Morsi, 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003; Ismail & Ied, 2004, 2005). In the present area, it occurs in the Early Paleocene-Early Eocene (Chiasmolithus danicus - Discoaster binodosus Zones). Genus Phacorhabdotus Howe & Laurencich, 1958 Type species : Phacorhabdotus texanus Howe & Laurencich, 1958. Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus Colin & Donze, 1982

173

Pl. IV, figs 7-8 1982. Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus Colin & Donze, in Donze et al., p. 296, pl. 13, fig. 11. 1995. Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus Colin & Donze. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, pl. 1, figs 9-11. 1999. Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus Colin & Donze. - Morsi, p. 54, pl. 1, figs 9-11. 2004. Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus Colin & Donze. - Ismail & Ied, p. 114, pl. 4, figs 1-2. 2005. Phacorhabdotus inaequicostata Colin & Donze. - Shahin, p. 764, pl. 4, figs 13-14.

Material : 6 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.77 mm; H : 0.55 mm. Occurrence : Latest Campanian and Maastrichtian of Tunisia (Donze et al., 1982), Paleocene of southern Israel (Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995) and Egypt (Morsi, 1999; Ismail & Ied, 2004; Shahin, 2005). In the present study, it is recorded in the Early Paleocene (Cruciplacolithus tenuis - Fasciculithus tymbaniformis Zones). Genus Reticulina Bassiouni, 1969b Type species : Carinocythereis (Reticulina) heluanensis Bassiouni, 1969b Reticulina proteros Bassiouni, 1969b Pl. IV, figs 9-12 1969b. Carinocythereis (Reticulina) scitula proteros Bassiouni, p. 11, pl.1, fig. 8; pl. 2, figs 6-7. 1978. Reticulina scitula proteros Bassiouni. - Said, p. 261, pl. 29, figs 5-8. 1982. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Donze et al., p. 287, pl. 5, figs 7-8. 1984. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Khalifa et al., pl. 2, fig. 8 a-b. 1987. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Damotte & Fleury, p. 95, pl. 2, figs 17-19. 1990. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 836, pl. 20, figs 16-21. 1991. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Honigstein et al., p. 104, pl. 2, fig. 7. 1995. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Honigstein & Rosenfeld, p. 60, pl. 3, figs 5-6. 1998. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Said-Benzarti, pl. 3, fig. 18. 1999. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Morsi, p. 43, pl. 3, fig. 17. 2000. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 36, pl. 10, figs 6-8. 2000. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Shahin, p. 303, pl. 7, fig. 2. 2002. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Honigstein et al., p. 376, pl. 5, fig. 51. 2003. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Morsi & Speijer, p. 76, pl. 3, figs 7-8. 2005. Reticulina proteros Bassiouni. - Ismail & Ied, p. 140, pl. 4, figs 5-6.

Material : 49 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.87-0.88 (females), 0.95 mm (male);

174


H : 0.53 mm (female), 0.46 mm (male); H : 0.38 mm (male). Occurrence : Paleocene of east Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987), Paleocene to Early Eocene of Jordan (Bassiouni, 1969b) and Tunisia (Said, 1978; Donze et al., 1982; Said-Benzarti, 1998), Paleocene and Middle Eocene of Israel (Honigstein et al., 1991; Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; Honigstein et al., 2002) and late Late Paleocene and Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Morsi, 1999; Shahin, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003; Ismail & Ied, 2005; Shahin, 2005). In the present area, it is recorded in the Early Paleocene-Early Eocene (Ellipsolithus macellus - Discoaster binodosus Zones). Subfamily Buntoniinae Apostolescu, 1961 Genus Soudanella Apostolescu, 1961 Type species : Soudanella laciniosa laciniosa Apostolescu, 1961. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu, 1961 Pl. IV, figs 13-14 1961. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu, p. 810, p1. 7, figs 130-135. 1963. Soudanella cf. S. laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. - Barsotti, p. 1525, p1. 3, fig. 20. ?1966. Buntonia (Buntonia) virgulata Apostolescu. Salahi, p. 10, p1. 2, fig. 10. 1968. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Grékoff, p. 17, p1. 3, fig. 44. 1970. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Bassiouni, p1. 3, fig. 11 a-c. non 1973. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Neufville, pl. 6. 11, fig. 1a-c. 1977. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Bassiouni et al., p. 2, p1.3, figs 2-5. 1978. Soudanella cf. laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. - Said, p. 227, pl. 25, figs 10-11. 1982. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Donze et al., p. 295, p1. 12, figs 2-3. 1987. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Okosun, p. 56, p1. 6, figs 15, 17-19. 1990. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Bassiouni & Luger, p. 847, p1. 24, fig. 18. 1992 Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Ismail, p. 51, p1. 2, fig. 10. 1995. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Aref, p. 128, p1. 1, fig. 12. 1998. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. - Said-Benzarti, pl. 2, fig. 3. 2000. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 67, pl. 12, fig. 6. 2004. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Ismail & Ied, p. 115, pl. 5, figs 14-15. 2005. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Shahin, p. 765, pl. 4, fig. 15. 2005. Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu. Ismail & Ied, p. 145, pl. 5, fig. 11.

Material : 6 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.76-0.85 mm; H : 0.39-0.44 mm. Occurrence : This subspecies is widely known in from the Early Paleocene of Senegal, Late Paleocene of Nigeria and Libya, and Late Paleocene to Early Eocene of Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt. In the present work, it is recorded in the Early Eocene (Discoaster binodosus - Tribrachiatus orthostylus Zones). Family Xestoleberididae Sars, 1928 Genus Xestoleberis Sars, 1866 Type species : Cythere aurantica Baird, 1838. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker, 1968 Pl. IV, fig. 17 1968. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker, p. 332, pl. 2, figs 13-14; pl. 4, fig. 2. 1978. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Said, p. 263, pl. 29, figs 10-12. 1982. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Donze et al., p. 282, pl. 2, fig. 9. 1987. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Damotte & Fleury, p. 94, pl. 1, figs 17-18. 1990. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 847, pl. 25, figs 1-7. 1992. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Ismail, p. 51, pl. 2, fig. 8. 1996. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Bassiouni & Luger, p. 73, pl. 24, figs 14, 17. 1998. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Said-Benzarti, pl. 3, fig. 21. 2000. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Bassiouni & Morsi, p. 68, pl. 12, figs 11-14. 2003. Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker. - Morsi & Speijer, p. 78, pl. 5, fig. 57.

Material : 4 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.55 mm; H : 0.38 mm. Occurrence : Late Campanian to Paleocene of Tunisia (Said, 1978; Donze et al., 1982; Said-Benzarti, 1998), Maastrichtian of Algeria (Damotte & Fleury, 1987), Maastrichtian to Early Eocene of Egypt (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990; Ismail, 1992; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003; Ismail & Ied, 2005) and Eocene of Somalia (Bassiouni & Luger, 1996). In the present work, it is recorded in the Early Eocene (Tribrachiatus contortus - Discoaster binodosus Zones). Xestoleberis sp. Pl. IV, figs 15-16, 18 Material : 6 specimens. Dimensions : L : 0.47 – 0.49 mm; H : 0.28-0.31 mm; W : 0.32 mm. Remarks : This species differs from Xestoleberis tunisiensis in having a more elongate lateral outline and a symmetrically convex dorsal margin making the position of greatest height at mid-length, whereas in X. tunisiensis


the dorsal margin is asymmetric and the maximum is behind the middle. In dorsal view, maximum width is central in the present species, but behind the middle in X. tunisiensis. Occurrence : Late Maastrichtian (Arkhangelskiella cymbiformis - Micula prinsii Subzones). V. BIOSTRATIGRAPHY Among the large number of publications available on the Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene ostracodes from south Tethyan areas, biostratigraphic information handling the Maastrichtian - Early Eocene south Tethyan ostracodes has increased substantially in the recent years through several works in Egypt (Boukhary et al., 1982; Bassiouni & Luger; 1990; Ismail, 1992, 1996; Morsi, 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Shahin, 2000; Speijer & Morsi, 2002; Morsi & Speijer, 2003; Ismail & Ied, 2004, 2005; Shahin, 2005) as well as in the other Middle East areas (e.g. Esker, 1968; Bassiouni, 1969b, 1969c, 1970; Donze et al., 1982; Damotte & Fleury, 1987; Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 1995; Said-Benzarti, 1998; Honigstein et al., 1991, 2002). Studies carried out in the basins of West Africa such as Apostolescu (1961), Reyment (1963, 1981), Reyment & Reyment (1959, 1980), Carbonnel et al. (1990), Colin et al. (1998) have been also considered as many ostracode taxa found there are also recorded in Egypt. Stratigraphic distribution In the present studied sections, several horizons yielded a well-diversified ostracode faunas. The distribution charts of the ostracode species recorded in the studied Maastrichtian to Early Eocene sections (Tables 1, 2) reveal a stratigraphic differentiation with time. As observed from the assembled range chart (Table 3), which depends on species records in the studied sections, dated by calcareous nannoplankton, as well as the other records in and outside Egypt, the recorded taxa can be categorized into the following kinds: 1- Taxa restricted to the Maastrichtian : This kind includes the taxa which are found here only in the Maastrichtian part of the sections and have never been recorded in higher intervals anywhere else. These taxa are Cytherelloidea melleguensis, Apateloschizocythere fimbrata, Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa and Aphrikanecythere phumatoides. They can be used as markers for the Maastrichtian interval. 2- Taxa crossing the K/P boundary : It incorporates the taxa which are found here in the Maastrichtian and cross into the Paleocene. This kind of taxa includes Cytherella cf. lagenalis, Bairdia ilaroensis, Bairdia aff. septentrionalis, Abyssocypris? adunca, Pontocyprella recurva, Argilloecia sp. Bassiouni & Luger, Krithe echolsae, Krithe cf. solomoni, Parakrithe crolifa, Martinicythere bassiounii, Actinocythereis? coronata, Acanthocythereis meslei

175

meslei, Cythereis? mesa mesa, Cythereis? mesa ventroreticulata, Acanthocythereis? denticulata, Ordoniya ordonyia, Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus and Xestoleberis tunisiensis. 3- Paleocene taxa : This group includes the taxa, which are confined to the Paleocene. They are represented only by two taxa, namely Cytherelloidea attiyaensis and Cristaeleberis reticulata. They can be used as markers for the Paleocene. Cytherelloidea attiyaensis is so far only known in the Early Paleocene (Morsi, 1999) and recorded here in the same interval (NP2-NP4 Zones). Cristaeleberis reticulata was previously recorded in the Paleocene of Egypt (Boukhary et al., 1982; Khalifa et al., 1984; Morsi, 1999) and Jordan (Bassiouni, 1970). In the present sections, it is recorded only from the Early Paleocene (NP2 Zone). 4- Taxa crossing the P/E boundary : This group includes the taxa which first appear in the Paleocene and also extend higher into the Early Eocene. The taxa listed are Paracypris aff. jonesi, Doricythereis martinii, Acanthocythereis? posterotriangulata, Ordoniya bulaqensis, Ordoniya hasaensis, Ordoniya maanensis, Paracosta parakefensis, Reticulina proteros and Soudanella laciniosa triangulata. Of these, Ordoniya hasaensis and Soudanella laciniosa triangulata are found in the present sections only in the Early Eocene. 5- Early Eocene Taxa : This kind comprises the species, which first appear in the Early Eocene. They include Bythoceratina hamzai, which was recorded previously from the same interval in the Farafra area (Western Desert of Egypt), and Bairdia sp., which is so far known only in the present study area and its complete stratigraphic range is still unknown. Discussion From the fore-mentioned ostracode faunal distribution, the delineation of the K/P boundary in the present studied sections by means of ostracodes is distinct. It is characterized by the disappearance of the typical Maastrichtian taxa represented by Cytherelloidea melleguensis, Apateloschizocythere fimbrata, Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa and Aphrikanecythere phumatoides and introduction of new taxa first appearing in the Paleocene, represented by Cytherelloidea attiyaensis, Paracypris jonesi, Doricythereis martinii, Cristaeleberis reticulata, Acanthocythereis? posterotriangulata, Ordoniya bulaqensis, Ordoniya hasaensis, Ordoniya maanensis, Paracosta parakefensis, Reticulina proteros and Soudanella laciniosa triangulata. On the other side, the recognition of the different stages of the Paleocene based on the recorded taxa is generally difficult since the taxa first appearing in the Paleocene either range throughout the entire Paleocene, or even range higher into the Eocene. The only exception concerns Cytherelloidea attiyaensis that is so far known only in the Early Paleocene and its occurrence may be used on this basis to indicate this interval. It is also worth noting that although Ordoniya ha-

M. prinsii

Dakhla

Danian

Paleocene

NP4

Selandian Than. Tar.

M. murus N. frequens

Sudr

Late Maastrichtian

Late Cretaceous

NP9

NP10

Esna

Ypresian

Early Eocene

Table 1: Stratigraphic distribution of ostracode taxa with number of specimens at each level in Gebel Nukhul section.

Table 1, Morsi et al. Thebes NP11

b

a

b

a

NP7/8

NP5 b

a

NP3

NP2

NP1

N-71 N-68 N-67 N-66 N-65 N-64 N-63 N-62 N-61 N-60 N-59 N-57 N-55 N-53 N-51 N-50 N-49 N-48 N-46 N-45 N-44 N-43 N-42 N-41 N-40 N-39 N-38 N-37 N-36 N-35 N-34 N-32 N-31 N-30 N-29 N-27 N-25 N-23 N-21 N-17 N-16 N-15 N-14 N-10 N-5 N-3 N-1 R R

R

R

R R R R R R R

R R R R

R R R

R

R R R R R R R R

R R R R

R

R R

R R R R

R

R

R R

R R

R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R C

R R R R R R R R

R R R R

R R R R

R

R R R R R R R R R

R

R R

R

R R R R R

R R R R R R

R

R R

R

R R C R R R R R

R R

R R R

R R R R

R R

R

R R

R R R

R R

R R

Abundance A (abundant): >25 specimens C (common): 6-25 specimens R (rare): 1-5 specimens

Than. Thantian Tar. Tarawan Formation

R

R

R

R

Xestoleberis tunisiensis

Bairdia sp.

Bairdia ilaroensis

Reticulina proteros

Paracosta parakefensis

Ordoniya maanensis

Doricythereis martinii

Kefiella sp.

Cytherelloidea attiyaensis

Phacorhabdotus inaequicostata

Acanthocythereis? posterotriangulata

Cristaeleberis reticulata

Ordoniya bulaqensis

Cythereis? mesa ventoreticulata

Pontocyprella recurva

Cythereis? mesa mesa

Krithe echolsae

Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa

Acanthocythereis? denticulata

Actinocythereis? coronata

Martinicythere bassiounii bassiounii

Ordoniya ordoniya

Parakrithe crolifa

Cytherella sinaensis

Bairdia aff. septentrionalis

Cytherella cf. lagenalis

Krithe cf. solomoni

Cytherelloidea melleguensis

Argilloecia sp. Bassiouni & Luger

Sample No.

Nannofossil zones/subzones

Formation

Age

176 A. M. MORSI, M. FARIS, A. ZALAT & R. F. M. SALEM

R

R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

N. frequens

M. prinsii

Dakhla

Danian

NP4

Selandian

Paleocene Thanetian

Tar.

CC25

Sudr

Late Maastrichtian

Late Cretaceous

NP9

NP10

Esna

Ypresian

Early Eocene

Thebes NP12

NP11

c b

a

b

a

NP7/8

NP6

NP5

b

a NP3

NP2

NP1

c b a

CC24

WF-123 WF-121 WF-119 WF-118 WF-117 WF-116 WF-115 WF-114 WF-111 WF-109 WF-108 WF-107 WF-106 WF-105 WF-104 WF-102 WF-101 WF-100 WF-97 WF-96 WF-95 WF-93 WF-92 WF-91 WF-90 WF-89 WF-87 WF-86 WF-82 WF-81 WF-80 WF-79 WF-78 WF-76 WF-75 WF-74 WF-70 WF-68 WF-65 WF-61 WF-55 WF-48 WF-42 WF-35 WF-30 WF-17 WF-11 WF-05 WF-01 R R R

R R

R

R R R R R

R

R R R R R

R C C R R R R

R

R R R

R C C R

R

R R

R

R

R R

R

R

R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R C R

R R R

R

R

R R R

R R R R R R

R R R

R

R R

R

R

R R

R R R C R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R C C R R R R R R R

R

R R

R R R

R

R R

R R R

R R R R R R R R R R R R

R R R R R R

R

R R R R R

Abundance A (abundant): >25 specimens C (common): 6-25 specimens R (rare): 1-5 specimens

Tar.: Tarawan Formation

Table 2: Stratigraphic of ostracode taxa with number of specimens at each level in Wadi Feiran section. Table 2, Morsi etdistribution al. Paracypris aff. jonesi

Cytherella cf. lagenalis

Bairdia ilaroensis

Doricythereis martinii

Kefiella sp.

Reticulina proteros

Paracosta parakefensis

Krithe cf. solomoni

Ordoniya maanensis

Cythereis? mesa ventoreticulata

Acanthocythereis? posterotriangulata

Cytherelloidea attiyaensis

Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus

Acanthocythereis? denticulata

Actinocythereis? coronata

Pontocyprella recurva

Martinicythere bassiounii bassiounii

Argilloecia sp. Bassiouni & Luger

Abyssocypris? adunca

Acanthocythereis meslei meslei

Xestoleberis sp.

Aphrikanecythere phumatoides

Cytherella sinaensis

Apateloschizocythere fimbrata

Parakrithe crolifa

Krithe echolsae

Bairdia aff. septentrionalis

Ordoniya ordoniya

Sample No.

Nannofossil zones/subzones

Formation

Age

Maastrichtian-Early Eocene ostracodes from west-central Sinai, Egypt 177

R R

R R R R R R R

Morocco 2 Paleocene

W. Africa

1 Maast.-Paleocene Late Paleocene Early Paleocene

3 Paleocene Maastricht. Paleocene Campanian-E. Paleoc. Maastricht.-M. Paleoc. Maastrichtian E.-M. Paleocene Paleocene Maastrichtian

Algeria 4 L. Campanian-Maastrichtian L. Camp/.-Paleocene Paleocene Maastricht. Paleocene Campanian-Paleocene Campanian-E. Paleocene L.Campanian-L. Paleocene M.-L. Maastrichtian L.Camp.-Maastricht. M. L. Maastrichtian L.Maasatricht.-E.Paleoc. L. Maast.-E.Paleocene M. Paleocene-E. Eocene L.Camp.-Maastricht. L. Paleocene-E. Eocene L.Campanian-Paleocene

Tunisia 5 Paleocene Maastrichtian Maastrichtian Maastricht. -E. Paleoc. Late Paleocene

Libya 6 Maastricht.-E. Eocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene Early Paleocene Maastrichtian Maastricht.-E. Eocene Maastricht.-Paleocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene Maastricht - E. Paleoc. Maastricht.-M. Eocene Maastricht. L. Paleocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene L. Paleocene-E. Eocene Maastrichtian Maastrichtian Maastricht.E. Paleocene Maastrichtian Paleocene Maastricht.-Paleocene Maastricht.-E.Paleocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Paleocene-M. Eocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Paleocene-E. Eocene L. Paleocene-E. Eocene Paleocene L. Paleocene-E. Eocene Maastricht.-E. Eocene

Egypt 7 Paleocene Maastricht.-Paleocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Paleocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Santonian-Paleocene Santonian-Paleocene M. Paleocene-E.Eocene E. Paleocene M.- L. Paleocene E.-M. Eocene Paleocene-E. Eocene Paleocene-M.Eocene Paleocene

Israel 8 Paleoc.-E. Eoc. Early Eocene M. Paleocene E.-M.Paleocene L.Paleocene E. Eocene E. Paleoc.-E. Eoc. L. Paleoc.-E. Eoc.

Jordan

Table 3: Geographic and stratigraphic distributions of the recorded ostracode taxa inside and outside Egypt; 1. Reyment & Reyment (1959), Reyment (1981), Foster et al. (1983), Okosun (1987), Carbonnel et al. (1990), Colin et al. (1998), 2. Andreu (1996), 3. Damotte & Fleury (1987), 4. Esker (1968), Said (1978), Donze et al. (1982), Said-Benzarti, (1998), 5. Barsotti (1963), Salahi (1966), El-Waer (1992), Keen et al. (1994), Whatley & Arias (1993), 6. Bassiouni et al. (1977), Cronin & Khalifa (1979), Boukhary et al. (1982), Bassiouni & Luger (1990), Ismail (1992), Ismail (1996), Bassiouni & Morsi (2000), Morsi (1999, 2000), Shahin (2005), Abdel Shafy et al. (2002), Morsi & Speijer (2003), Ismail & Ied (2004, 2005), 7. Honigstein (1984), Honigstein & Rosenfeld (1995), Honigstein et al. (1991, 2002), 8. Bassiouni (1969b, c, 1970).

Cytherella cf. lagenalis Cytherella sinaensis Cytherelloidea attiyaensis Cytherelloidea melleguensis Bairdia ilaroensis Bairdia aff. septentrionalis Abyssocypris? adunca Paracypris aff. jonesi Pontocyprella recurva Argilloecia sp. Bassiouni & Luger Krithe echolsae Krithe cf. solomoni Parakrithe crolifa Martinicythere bassiounii bassiounii Actinocythereis? coronata Doricythereis martinii Apaterloschizocythere fimbrata Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa Acanthocythereis meslei meslei Aphrikanecythere phumatoides Cristaeleberis reticulata Cythereis? mesa mesa Cythereis? mesa ventroreticulata Acanthocythereis? denticulata Acanthocythereis? posterotriangulata Ordoniya ordoniya Ordoniya bulaqensis Ordoniya hasaensis Ordoniya maanensis Paracosta parakefensis Reticulina proteros Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Xestoleberis tunisiensis

Ostracode species

178 A. M. MORSI, M. FARIS, A. ZALAT & R. F. M. SALEM


saensis, Ordoniya maanensis, Reticulina proteros and Soudanella laciniosa triangulata generally range from the Paleocene to the Early Eocene, they have never been recorded in Egypt older than the Late Paleocene. The P/E boundary in the present sections is only roughly delineated being accompanied by the disappearance of Cristaeleberis reticulata and Phacorhabdotus inaequicostata and first occurrence of Bairdia sp. and Bythoceratina sp. VI. INTEGRATED PALEOECOLOGY AND PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY Ostracodes are mainly benthic crustaceans, which inhabit almost all types of aquatic environments, from fresh to marine to hypersaline waters provided that oxygen and sufficient food are supplied. In such environments, these small organisms are plentiful, nevertheless species diversity, like most of the other invertebrates, are highest in marine conditions. They are characterized by their long fossil history, abundance, diversity, and control on their spatial distribution by ecological parameters and lack of pelagic larvae. Therefore, they can be successfully used in paleoenvironmental as well as paleogeographic interpretations. Among the several works carried out on the Maastrichtian-Early Eocene ostracodes of Egypt and the paleobiogeographically related areas, those of Barsotti (1963), Esker (1968), Bassiouni (1969b, c, 1970), Reyment & Reyment, (1981), Donze et al. (1982), Honigstein (1984), Peypouquet et al. (1986), Damotte & Fleury (1987), Bassiouni & Luger (1990), Carbonnel et al. (1990), (Ismail (1992), Keen et al. (1994), Damotte (1995), Andreu (1996), Colin et al. (1998), Elewa et al. (1999), Morsi (1999, 2000), Bassiouni & Morsi (2000), Shahin & El Nady (2001), Abdel Shafy et al. (2002), Speijer & Morsi (2002), Morsi & Speijer (2003), Ismail & Ied (2004), Elewa & Morsi (2004) and Shahin (2005) made paleoecological and paleobiogeographic contributions. In the present study, diverse assemblages of ostracode faunas have been released from the Sudr, Dakhla and Esna Formations; rare faunas have been extracted from the Tarawan and Thebes Formations. They all cover the time interval extending from the Maastrichtian to the Early Eocene. The ostracode fauna recorded are dominated by taxa known for the marine environment. Most of them show a wide geographic distribution along the southern realm of the Tethys, from east Algeria in the west to Israel and Jordan in the east (Table 3). They include species belonging to the genera Pontocyprella, Bythoceratina, Krithe, Aphrikanecythere, Ordoniya and Reticulina, which are known from the deeper parts of the shelf (outer shelf to upper bathyal). Species representing these genera are Pontocyprella recurva, Bythoceratina hamzai, Krithe echolsae, Ordoniya ordoniya, O. bulaqensis, O. maanensis and Reticulina proteros. They are found together with Actinocythereis? coronata, Acanthocy-

179

thereis? denticulata, Acanthocythereis? posterotrianglata and Paracosta parakefensis, which were interpreted by Bassiouni & Luger (1990), based on foraminiferal evidence, to implicate an outer shelf setting. Of these species, Krithe echolsae, Reticulina proteros and probably Ordoniya bulaqensis can also be found even deeper in the upper bathyal domain, together with Acanthocythereies meslei which is regarded as a species characteristic for this latter depth range (Donze et al., 1982). Among the recorded assemblages, Aphrikanecythere phumatoides and Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus also belong to this group of taxa and have been recognized by the latter authors in the domain of the upper bathyal and the outer shelf. Cythereis? mesa seems to be a more localized species; it is so far only known from southern Israel and Sinai Peninsula. Only three of the taxa recorded, namely Bairdia ilaroensis, Parakrithe crolifa and Soudanella laciniosa triangulata, are also found in the basins of West Africa, (Table 3). These taxa seem to have inhabited the shallow inner shelf as well as the deep outer shelf depths (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990). Their northward migration to the southern entities of the Tethys was likely via the shallow Trans-Saharan seaway (Barsotti, 1963; Reyment & Reyment, 1980; Bassiouni & Luger, 1990, Carbonnel et al., 1990; Keen et al., 1994; Morsi, 1999; Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000; Morsi & Speijer, 2003), around the West African Coast (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990), or both (Fig. 4). The recorded ostracode fauna other than those discussed above belong to the genera Cytherella, Cytherelloidea, Bairdia, (?)Abyssocypris, Martinicythere and Cristaeleberis. Cytherella and Bairdia are generally known to occupy all depths of marine waters. The occurrence of Cytherella may indicate low oxygen levels (Whatley, 1991). Although Cytherelloidea is generally known for shallow, warm waters, species belonging to this genus have been recognized by Bassiouni & Luger (1990) and Morsi (1999) for the outer infraneritic depths as indicated by accompanying foraminifera. Abyssocypris is more predominant in the deeper marine conditions. Most of the known species of the genus Cristaleberis are assigned to the middle-outer shelf (Bassiouni & Luger, 1990) or outer shelf-upper bathyal (Donze et al., 1982). From the fore-mentioned discussion, it is recognized that the ostracode faunas extracted from the present studied sections are largely dominated by the type of species wandering along southern realm of the Tethys, the type referred to as the “South Tethyan Type” by Bassiouni & Luger (1990), Damotte (1995), Morsi (1999) and Morsi & Speijer (2003). Less dominant, species so far known to have a localized distribution also co-occur. From the analysis of the known and inferred ecology of the present ostracode taxa, both generic and specific, it is possible to assign them generally to the deeper realms of the marine environment (outer shelf - upper bathyal).

180


Fig. 4: Paleogeographic map of North Africa and the Middle East showing possible migration routes during the Late Paleocene Early Eocene (modified after Keen et al. 1994); Trans-Saharan passage (solid arrow), West African passage (dashed arrow).

VII. CONCLUSION The studied Maastrichtian-Early Eocene successions in the area of west-central Sinai are differentiated into five lithostratigraphic units, namely from older to younger the Sudr Formation (Middle to Late Maastrichtian), Dakhla Formation (Late Maastrichtian to early Late Paleocene), Tarawan Formation (Late Paleocene), Esna Formation (Late Paleocene to Early Eocene), and Thebes Formation (Early Eocene). From these, thirty eight ostracode species and subspecies have been recorded from the sections of Gebel Nukhul and Wadi Feiran. They have been taxonomically described. Biostratigraphically, they can be subdivided into taxa restricted to the Maastrichtian, taxa crossing the K/P boundary, taxa marking the Paleocene, taxa crossing the P/E boundary and Early Eocene marker taxa. The K/P boundary in the studied sections is characterized by the disappearance of the typical Maastrichtian taxa represented by Apateloschizocythere fimbrata, Aphrikanecythere phumatoides, Cytherelloidea melleguensis and Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa, and introduction of new taxa that first appear in the Paleocene such as Cytherelloidea attiyaensis, Doricythereis martinii, Ordoniya bulaqensis, Ordoniya hasaensis, Reticulina proteros and Soudanella laciniosa triangulata. The subdivision of the Paleocene into Danian, Selandian, and Thanetian based on the recorded ostracodes is generally difficult herein since the taxa first appearing in the Paleocene either occur throughout the entire Paleocene, or even higher into the Eocene. The only exception concerns the oc-

currence of Cytherelloidea attiyaensis that may be used to indicate the Early Paleocene interval. The Paleocene/ Eocene boundary is accompanied by the disappearance of Cristaeleberis reticulata and Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus and first occurrence of Bairdia sp. and Bythoceratina hamzai. The observations about the paleobiogeographic distribution of the ostracodes throughout the studied interval show that the ostracode faunas extracted from the study sections are largely dominated by the type of species wandering along the southern realm of the Tethys, termed by Bassiouni & Luger (1990) as the “South Tethyan Type”. They can be generally assigned to the deeper realms of the marine environment (outer shelf upper bathyal). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank Prof. M.A. Boukhary (Ain Shams University, Cairo) and Prof. M.A. Hewaidy (Al-Azhar University, Cairo) for critical review and valuable comments. Much gratitude is due to Prof. J. Kuss (University of Bremen, Germany) for affording the facility of SEM-photography of the ostracode material. A special appreciation is due to Dr. H. Mai (University of Bremen, Germany) for technical assistance. REFERENCES

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Abbreviations:

L : length, H : height, W : width, RVC : right view carapace, LVC : left view carapace, DVC : dorsal view carapace. Plate I Fig. 1-3 :

Cytherella cf. lagenalis Marliere, 1958 Gebel Nukhul section, 1, sample N-27, RH1, L 0.98 mm, LVC; 2, sample N-62, RH2, L 0.90 mm, RVC; Wadi Feiran section, 3, sample WF-108, RH3, W 0.38 mm, DVC. Fig. 4-5 : Cytherella sinaensis Morsi, 1999 Wadi Feiran section, 4, sample WF-81, RH4, W 0.29 mm, DVC; Gebel Nukhul section, 5, sample N-62, RH5, L 0.88 mm, LVC. Fig. 6-7 : Cytherelloidea attiyaensis Morsi, 1999 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-81, 7, RH6, L 0.61 mm, LVC; 8, RH7, L 0.57 mm, RVC. Fig. 8-10 : Cytherelloidea melleguensis Damotte & Said, 1982 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-29, 8, RH8, L 0.68 mm, LVC; 9, RH9, width 0.27 mm, DVC; 10, RH10, length 0.68 mm, RVC. Fig. 11, 13-14 : Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment & Reyment Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-64, 11, RH11,W 0.45 mm, DVC; 13, RH13, L 0.95 mm, RVC; 14, RH14, L 0.98 mm, LVC. Fig. 12 : Bairdia aff. septentrionalis Bonnema, 1941 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-42, RH12, L 1.10 mm, RVC. Fig. 15-16 : Bairdia sp. Gebel Nukhul section; sample N-64, Gebel Nukhul section; 15, RH15, L 1.00 mm, LVC; 16, RH16, L 0.95 mm, RVC. Fig. 17 : Paracypris aff. jonesi Bonnema, 1941 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-108, RH17, L 1.10 mm, RVC. Fig. 18 : Abyssocypris? adunca (Esker, 1968) Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-17, RH18, L 0.60 mm, LVC.

Plate I

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Honigstein, A., A. Almogi-Labin & A. Rosenfeld (1987) Combined ostracod and planktonic foraminiferal biozonation of the Late Coniacian-Early Maastrichtian in Israel. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 6 (2) : 31-60. Honigstein, A., F. Hirsch, A. Rosenfeld & A. Flexer (1993) - Cythereis mesa. Methusalem or Lazarus? Zetteliana, Munich, 20 : 343-347. Honigstein, A. & A. Rosenfeld (1995) - Paleocene ostracods from southern Israel. Revue de Micropaléontologie, 38 (1) : 49-62. Honigstein, A., A. Rosenfeld & C. Benjamini (1991) - Ostra cods and foraminifera from the Early-Middle Eocene of Qeren Sartaba, Jordan Valley. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 10 : 95-107. Honigstein, A., A. Rosenfeld & C. Benjamini (2002) - Eocene ostracode faunas from the Negev, southern Israel : Taxonomy, stratigraphy and paleobiogeography. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 48 (4) : 365-389. Ismail, A.A. (1992) - Late Campanian to Early Eocene Ostracoda from Esh El Mallaha area, Eastern Desert, Egypt. Revue de Micropaléontologie, 35 (1) : 39-52. Ismail, A.A. (1996) - Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of

Maastrichtian - early Eocene ostracods of west - central Sinai, Egypt. Revue de Paléobiologie, 15 (l) : 37-54. Ismail, A.S.A. & I.B. Ied (2004) - Paleontology, paleoecology, paleobiogeography of the Maastrichtian - Early Paleogene Ostracoda, northeast Sinai, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Paleontology, 4 : 95-125. Ismail, A.S.A. & I.B. Ied (2005) - Maastrichtian - Lower Eocene ostracodes from Safaga area, Eastern Desert, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Paleontology, 5 : 119-159. Issawi, B., M. El-Hinnawi, L. El-Khawaga, S. Labib & N. Anany (1981) - Contribution to the geology of Wadi Feiran area, Sinai, Egypt. Geological Survey of Egypt, internal report, Cairo, 43 pp. Keen, M.C., S.S.J. Al-Sheikhly, A. Elsogher & A.M. Gammudi (1994) - Tertiary ostracods of North Africa and the Middle East. In : Simmons, M. D. (ed.). Micropaleontology and Hydrocarbon Exploration in the Middle East. Chapman & Hall, London : 371-388. Kelly, D. C., T.J. Bralower, J.C. Zachos, I. Premoli Silva & E. Thomas (1996) - Rapid diversification of planktonic foraminifera in the tropical Pacific (ODP Site 865) during the late Paleocene thermal maximum. Geology,

Plate II Fig. 1 : Fig. 2-4 : Fig. 5 : Fig. 6 : Fig. 7 : Fig. 8-10 : Fig. 11-12 : Fig. 13-14 : Fig. 15-17 : Fig. 18-19 : Fig. 20-21 : Fig. 22-23 :

Pontocyprella recurva Esker, 1958 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-89, RH19, L 1.00 mm, RVC. Argilloecia sp. Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Wadi Feiran section, 2, sample WF-42, RH20, L 0.49 mm, LVC; 3, sample WF-55, RH21, L 0.51 mm, RVC; 4, sample WF-17, RH22, W 0.20 mm, DVC. Apateloschizocythere fimbrata Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-05, RH23, L 0.48 mm, RVC. Paraschizocythere hirsutonodosa El Sweify, 1984 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-66, RH24, L 0.51 mm, RVC. Bythoceratina hamzai Bassiouni & Morsi, 2000 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-109, RH25, L 0.73 mm, RVC. Krithe echolsae Esker, 1968 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-29, 8, RH26, W 0.33 mm, DVC; 9, RH27, L 0.73 mm, RVC; Wadi Feiran section, 10, sample WF-90, RH28, L 0.69 mm, LVC. Krithe cf. solomoni Honigstein, 1984 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-11, 11, RH29, L 0.57 mm, RVC; 12, RH30, L 0.57 mm, LVC. Parakrithe crolifa Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Gebel Nukhul section, 13, sample N-62, RH31, L 0.52 mm, RVC; 14, sample N-64, RH32, L 0.63 mm, LVC. Martinicythere bassiounii bassiounii Honigstein & Rosenfeld, 2002 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-81, 15, RH33, W 0.29 mm, DVC; 16, RH34, L 0.58 mm, RVC; 17, RH35, L 0.61 mm, LVC. Acanthocythereis? denticulata Esker, 1968 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-62, 18, RH36, L 1.03 mm, RVC; 19, sample N-64, RH37, W 0.53 mm, DVC. Acanthocythereis meslei meslei Donze & Oertli, 1982 Wadi Feiran section, 20, sample WF-55, RH38, L 0.95 mm, RVC; 21, sample WF-48, RH39, L 1.00 mm, LVC. Acanthocythereis? posterotriangulata (Morsi, 1999) Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-80, 22, RH40, male, L 0.69 mm, RVC; 23, RH41, female, L 0.60 mm, RVC.

Plate II

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24 (5) : 423-426. Khalifa, H., A.R. EI-Younsy & M.A. El Boukhary (1984) - The Cretaceous/ Paleocene boundary as defined by ostracodes at the north western approach of Kharga Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Bulletin of the Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 1 : 159-173. Khalifa. H. & T.M. Cronin (1979) - Ostracodes de l’Éocène Moyen de El Sheikh Fadl, Est de Beni Mazar, Hauts Egypte. Revue de Micropaléontologie, 22 : 172-185. Marliére, R. (1958) - Ostracodes du Montien de Mons et résultats de leur étude. Mémoires de la Sociéte Belge de Géologie, Paléontologie et Hydrologie, 8 (5) : 1-53. Morsi, A.M. (1999) - Paleocene to Early Eocene ostracodes from the area of east-central Sinai, Egypt. Revue de Paléobiologie, 18 (1) : 31-55. Morsi, A.M. (2000) - Senonian ostracodes from east-central Sinai, Egypt; Biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications. Revue de Micropaléontologie, 43 (1-2) : 47-70. Morsi, A.M. & R.P. Speijer (2003) - High-resolution Ostracode Records of the Paleocene/ Eocene Transition in the South Eastern Desert of Egypt-Taxonomy, Biostratigraphy, Paleoecology and Paleobiogeography. Senckenbergiana lethaea, 83 (1/2) : 61-93. Neufville, E.M.H. (1973) - Upper Cretaceous - Paleogene ostracoda from the South Atlantic. Special Publications of the Paleontological Institut, University of Uppsala, 1 : 205 p. Okosun, E.A. (1987) - Ostracod biostratigraphy of the eastern Dahomey basin, Niger Delta and the Benue trough of

Nigeria. Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Nigeria, 41 : 1-151. Peypouquet, J.P., F. Grousset & P. Mourguiart (1986) - Paleooceanography of the Mesogean Sea based on ostracods of the northern Tunisian continental shelf between the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleogene. Geologische Rundschau, 75 : 159-174. Reyment, R.A. (1963) - Studies on Nigerian Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary Ostracoda : II. Danian, Paleocene and Eocene Ostracoda. Stockholm Contribution in Geology, 10 : 1-286. Reyment, R.A. (1981) - The Ostracoda of the Kalambaina Formation (Paleocene), northwestern Nigeria. Bulletin of the Paleontological Institut of the University of Uppsala, 9 : 51-65. Reyment, R.A. & J.F. Aranki (1991) - On the Tertiary genus Soudanella Apostolescu (1961) (Ostracoda, Crustacea). Journal of Micropalaeontology, 10 (1) : 23-28. Reyment, R.A. & E.R. Reyment (1959) - Bairdia ilaroensis sp. nov. aus dem Paleozän Nigeriens und die Gültigkeit der Gattung Bairdopillata (Ostr. Crust.). Stockholm Contribution in Geology, 3 : 59-70. Reyment, R.A. & E.R. Reyment (1980) - The Paleocene Trans-Saharan transgression and its ostracod fauna. In : Salem, M. J. & Busrevil, M. I. (eds.). The Geology of Libya. Academic Press, London, 1 : 245-254. Said, R. (1961) - Tectonic framework of Egypt and its influence on distribution of foraminifera. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 45 : 198-218. Said, R. (1978) - Etude stratigraphique et micropaléontologi-

Plate III Fig. 1-3 :

Actinocythereis? coronata (Esker, 1968) Gebel Nukhul section, 1, sample N-23, RH42, female, L 0.80 mm, RVC; 2, sample N-29, RH43, male, L 0.87 mm, RVC; Wadi Feiran section, 3, sample WF-119, RH44, male, L 0.92 mm, LVC Fig. 4-5 : Aphrikanecythere phumatoides Damotte & Oertli, 1982 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-11, 4, RH45, L 0.73 mm, LVC; 5, RH46, L 0.74 mm, LVC. Fig. 6 : Cristaeleberis reticulata Bassiouni, 1970 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-38, RH47, L 0.55 mm, RVC. Fig. 7 : Cythereis? mesa mesa Honigstein, 1984 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-39, RH48, L 1.00 mm, RVC. Fig. 8 : Cythereis? mesa ventroreticulata Honigstein, 1984 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-39, RH49, L 0.95 mm, LVC. Fig. 9-10, 14 : Doricythereis martinii (Bassiouni, 1970) Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-64, 9, RH50, female, L 1.12 mm, RVC; 10, RH51, female, W 0.67 mm, DVC; 11, RH52, male, L 1.24 mm, RVC. Fig. 11-13 : Kefiella sp. Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-108, 11, RH53, female, L 0.78 mm, RVC; 12, RH54, male, W 0.39 mm, DVC; 13, RH55, male, L 0.83 mm, RVC. Fig. 15-16 : Ordoniya ordoniya (Bassiouni, 1970) Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-75, females, 15, RH56, L 0.66 mm, LVC; 16, RH57, L 0.66 mm, RVC. Fig. 17-18 : Ordoniya bulaqensis Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-81, 17, RH58, L 0.61 mm, RVC; 18, RH59, L 0.70 mm, RVC. Fig. 19-20 : Ordoniya hasaensis (Bassiouni, 1970) Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-119, 19, RH60, male, L 0.81 mm, RVC Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-63, 20, RH61, female, L 0.85 mm, LVC.

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que du passage Crétacé-Tertiaire du Synclinal d’Elles (Région Siliana-Sers) Tunisie centrale. Thèse de Doctorat 3ème Cycle, Université Paris, 5 : 275 p. Said-Benzarti, R. (1998) - Les ostracodes du Campanien Supérieur à l’Yprésien de la coupe d’Elles (Tunisie du Centre Nord) - Biostratigraphie, paléoécologie et paéobiogéographie. Bulletin des Centres de Recherche Exploration-Production, Mémoire 20 : 197-211. Salahi, D. (1966) - Ostracodes du Crétacé supérieur et du Tertiaire en provenance d’un sondage de la région de Zeiten (Libye). Revue de l’Institut Français du Pétrole, 21 (1) : 3-43. Shahin, A. (2000) - Tertiary ostracods of Gebel Withr, southwestern Sinai, Egypt : palaeontology, biostratigraphy and palaeobiography. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 31 (2) : 285-316. Shahin, A. (2005) - Maastrichtian to Middle Eocene ostracodes from Sinai, Egypt : Systematics, biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography. Revue de Paléobiologie, 24 (2) : 749779. Shahin, A. & H. El Nady (2001) - Late Cretaceous - Early Tertiary ostracodes from northeastern Sinai, Egypt : Biostratigraphy and Palaeobiogeography. Egyptian Journal Paleontolology, 1 : 149-191

Speijer, R.P. & A.M. Morsi (2002) - Ostracode turnover and sea-level changes associated with the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum. Geology, 30 (1) : 23-26. Thomas, E. (1998) - Biogeography of the late Paleocene benthic foraminiferal extinction. In : M. - P. Aubry, S. G. Lucas & W. A. Berggren (eds). Late Paleocene-Early Eocene Climatic and Biotic Events in the Marine and Terrestrial Records. Columbia University Press, New York, 214-243. Tjalsma, R. C. & G.P. Lohmann (1983) - Paleocene-Eocene bathyal and abyssal benthic foraminifera from the Atlantic Ocean. Micropaleontology, Special Publication, 4 : 90 pp. Whatley, R.C. (1991) - The platycopid signal : a means of detecting kenoxic events using Ostracoda. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 10 : 181-183. Whatley, R.C. & C.F. Arias (1993) - Paleogene ostracoda from the Tripoli Basin, Libya. Revista Española de Micropaleontologia, 15 (2) : 125-154.

Accepté juin 2008

Plate IV Fig. 1-2 :

Ordoniya maanensis (Bassiouni, 1970) Gebel Nukhul section, 1, sample N-62, RH62, female, L 0.79 mm, RVC; 2, sample N-60, RH63, male, L 0.83 mm, RVC. Fig. 3-6 : Paracosta parakefensis Bassiouni & Luger, 1990 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-106, 3, RH64, female, L 0.77 mm, LVC; 4, RH65, female, L 0.70 mm, RVC; 5, RH66, male, W 0.34 mm, DVC; 6, RH67, male, L 0.89 mm, RVC. Fig. 7-8 : Phacorhabdotus inaequicostatus Colin & Donze, 1982 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-39, 7, RH68, juvenile, L 0.54 mm, RVC; 9, sample N-48, RH69, L 0.77 mm, LVC. Fig. 9-12 : Reticulina proteros Bassiouni, 1969b Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-63, 9, RH70, female, L 0.88 mm, LVC; sample N-64, 10, 11, males, 10, RH71, W 0.38 mm, DVC, 11, RH72, L 0.93 mm, RVC; sample N-61, 12, RH73, female, L 0.91 mm, RVC. Fig. 13-14 : Soudanella laciniosa triangulata Apostolescu, 1961 Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-118, 13, RH74, L 0.85 mm, RVC; 14, RH75, L 0.76 mm, RVC. Fig. 17 : Xestoleberis tunisiensis Esker, 1968 Gebel Nukhul section, sample N-66, RH76, L 0.55 mm, RVC. Fig. 15-16, 18 : Xestoleberis sp. Wadi Feiran section, sample WF-55, 15, RH77, W 0.32 mm, DVC; sample WF-75, 17, RH78, L 0.49 mm, RVC; sample WF-17, 18, RH79, L 0.48 mm, LVC.

Plate IV