Facies Pattern and Molluscan Fauna of the Late Pleistocene Raised Coral Reef of Rabigh Area, Red Sea Coast, Saudi Arabia

Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol. 43(8), August 2014, pp. 1571-1580

Facies pattern and molluscan fauna of the Late Pleistocene raised coral reef of Rabigh area, Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia

Abdelbaset El-Sorogy1,2, Mohamed Youssef 1,3, Mohamed Al-Sabrouty1 & Naif Al-Otaiby1 1Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. 2Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Egypt. 3Geology Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Egypt. [E.Mail: ]asmohamed

Received 10 October 2013; revised 25 February 2014

Facies patterns within the Late Pleistocene raised coral reefs at Rabigh area, Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia exhibit lateral and vertical changes. It starts in the east with a fossil shore and ends in the west with sediments of reef slope at the present shoreline. Vertical pattern shows a transgressive sequence. In the present work 35 gastropod and 16 pelecypod species belonging to 30 families and 37 genera have been identified. Biogeographic distribution of the studied species indicated that most of the recorded species are belonged to Indo-Pacific affinity with a very few Atlantic-Mediterranean. Their geologic range extent to Oligocene age. [Key words: Mollusca, Pleistocene, Coral reefs, Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia].

Introduction the molluscan point of view are very rare. So, the aim Raised beaches and marine terraces are beaches of the present work is to:1) study of the facies or wave cut platforms raised above the shore line pattern, 2) the gastropod and pelecypod records of the by a relative fall in the sea level. Around the world, late Pleistocene raised coral reef Rabigh area, north the combination of tectonic coastal uplift and of Jeddah city and 3) discuss the biogeographic Quaternary sea-level fluctuations has resulted in the distribution and geologic range of the studied fauna formation of marine terrace sequences, most of (Fig. 1). which were formed during separate interglacial Material and Methods: highstands that can be correlated to Marine Oxygen 1 Facies pattern and mollusca collection of the Late Isotopic Stages . Pleistocene raised coral reef of the Rabigh area along The Quaternary raised coral reefs along the the eastern side of the Red Sea coast were conducted Red Sea coast form discontinuous strip in three during two days field trip. Collected molluscs have morphological units (upper, middle and lower) with been cleaned from the attached rocks, washed, elevations range from 10 to 35 m above the present 2 photographed and identified using previous works and sea level and with maximum width of about 550 m . monographs. These reefs are interrupted only in mouths of large wadis, where they replaced by gravels of alluvial fans Geologic setting and facies pattern and wadi fill. Morphological steps of the studied reefs Rabigh area is located north of Jeddah city by are caused by onlap during different sea levels, by 175 km (Fig. 1). The Precambrian basement rocks are tectonics, or by erosion during transgression. exposed to the east that unconformably overlain The Post-Miocene macrofauna of the Red Sea by Tertiary sedimentary rocks in the west, and by coastal plain had attracted the attention of early Miocene to Pliocene lavas in the north25. Extensive workers3-9. More recent studies have been done on the areas of Quaternary surficial deposits (sand and coastal plains of the African and Arabian sides of the gravel) are extended on the coastal plain and in Red Sea10-24. the major wadis. Stratigraphic succession of the The paleontological studies on Quaternary coral Tertiary tilted and faulted rocks, as well as, the reefs at the central part of the eastern shore of the paleogeography and structures of these sediments are Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, especially from studied26. They have a limited extent that consists 1572 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 43 NO. 8 AUGUST 2014

36 Fig. 1—Location ad geologic map of the study area . mainly of siliciclastics material, derived from the As well as preserved abundant pelecypods, surrounding Precambrian basement and pre-existing gastropods and echinoids in the present raised reef, sedimentary rocks. the most abundant scleractinians are faviids, poritiids, Carbonate rocky beach forms the coast of Rabigh and acroporids (Fig. 2/2-4), such as Porites lutea, area. This is due to the existence of raised coral P. solida, Goniastrea retiformis, G. pectinata, Favia terraces facing the shore line in Rabigh area, pallida, F. speciosa, Favites fluosa, Platygyra daedalea, whereas coral debris are recorded far from the beach Echinopora fructiculosa, Stylophora pistillata, (~1500 m) below sabkha sediments and aeolian sands Galaxea fasciularis, Acropora pharaonis, Fungia in Ubhur area1. At Rabigh city, raised coral reefs fungites, Pocillopora damicornis, Echinopora form two prominent terraces throughout all the fructiculosa. coastal area from the refinery station of Saudi Aramco In general, the lower unit is characterized by to the north of the city. Each terrace starts with lateral and vertical facies changes. Concerning the dissolution notches at the base and a hard ledge or lateral changes, it starts in the east with a fossil overhang at the top1. Lower notch isencrusted with shore and ends in the west with sediments of thin black organic crust. reef slope at the present shoreline. Vertical sequence This raised reef unit is easily traced along the shows a transgressive sequence, starts at the Red Sea coast (Fig. 2/1). It has two prominent base with coral assemblages of coral rock zone morphological steps at elevations of 1.75 m and 5 m (few Stylophora pistillata as well as Porites lutea, respectively above the present sea level. Lower unit Favialaxa, Faviapallida, Goniastrea pectinata, rests on 0.45 to 1.25m thick, varicolored conglomerate Platygyra daedalae and Galaxea fascicularis). It composed of pebbles and copples, some of them reach overlains by reef crest facies (branched framebuilders, the boulder size. Same conglomerate and gravels in among which Millepora dichotoma and Pocillopora the Egyptian side are interpreted as representing verrucosa). It grades into the upper reef slope pluvial episodes that interrupted an over wise dry community (marked by frequent branches of various climate favoring persist reef growth27. species of Acropora as well as larger Fugia). EL-SOROGY et al.: LATE PLEISTOCENE RAISED CORAL REEF 1573

Fig. 2—Late Pleistocene raised coral reefs at Rabigh area, Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia. 1: Lower terrace locates just above the mean sea level. 2: Massive colonies of Favites in their life position in the lower terrace. 3: Coralline limestone of the upper terrace with gastropod shell (Conus) and other mollusks (arrows). 4: Upper terrace with massive colonies of Favia in their life position.

Sequence overlains by sands and alluvial deposits in Many of the studied molluscans are rocky shore most of the studied sections. invertebrate dwellers with different modes of life: Based on U/Th dating, the age of the upper reef fixed by shell (Chama pacifica), clingers (Patella (P.) terrace in Rabigh area is more likely to be 123000 vulgate, Diodora ruppelli, Nerita albicilla, N. longii, years28. Similar unit has been dated of 110 000±8 000 N. textilies), crawlers (Planaxis sulcatus, Cerithium years B.P. at the southern tip of Sinai Peninsula29, caeruleum, C. nodulosum, Rhinoclavis (Proclava) 91000 to 112000 years at the Saudian Red Sea coast30, kochi) and byssate (Modiolus (M.) auriculatus, 91000±5000 years along the Sudanese coast31. Also Tridacna squamosa). dated 125000 to 138000 years for corals from raised The identified molluscan faunas are widely 32 reef terraces (2-8 m altitude) on Zabarged island and distributed. Several studies indicated their affinity dated 141 000-61 000 years for corals at the same with the Indo-Pacific realm. Ali (1985) suggested 33 level in southern Sinai . According to the last that the connection between the Red Sea and mentioned ages of the studied and equivalent coral the Indo-Pacific Ocean began at the end of the reef, it considered to have been built during Miocene due to the Indo-Pacific affinity of his the last interglacial times (Oxygen isotope stage 5 collected fauna34. Kora and Abdel-Fattah (2000) of deep sea cores). reported that the Indo-Pacific fauna had mostly

Molluscan record and biogeography supplanted the Mediterranean fauna in the Pliocene– Fifty one molluscan species (35 gastropods and 16 Pleistocene of the Red sea coastal plain, except for some sparse and rare Mediterranean and pelecypods) have been identified and photographed 35 (Figs. 3-6) from the raised coral reef at Rabigh area, cosmopolitan elements . eastern Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia. These species Khalil (2012) stated that, Pliocene–Pleistocene belong to 30 families and 37 genera (Tab. 1). All the fauna recoded from the Farasan Islands increase studied materials are deposited in the geological with time towards the Indo-Pacific realm22. His Museum of the Geology and Geophysics Department, identified bivalves and gastropods are dominated by College of Science, King Saud University. Indo-Pacific forms suggesting the connection of the 1574 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 43 NO. 8 AUGUST 2014

Fig. 3—1, 2: Dorsal and aperture views of Haliotis pustulata Reeve, 1846. 3, 4: Dorsal and aperture views of Patella (P.) vulgata SD. Fleming, 1822. 5, 6: Dorsal and aperture views of Diodora ruppellii (Sowerby). 7, 8: Dorsal and aperture views of Monodonta nebulosa (Forsskäl, 1775). 9, 10: Dorsal and aperture views of Clanculus (C.) pharaonius (Linnaeus, 1758). 11, 12: Dorsal and aperture views of Tectus (Cardinalia) virgatus Gmelin, 1791. 13, 14: Dorsal and aperture views of Tectus dendatus (Forsskäl, 1775). 15, 16: Dorsal and aperture views of Turbo (Batillus) radiatus (Gmelin, 1791). 17, 18: Dorsal and aperture views of Nerita albicilla (Linnaeus, 1758). 19, 20: Dorsal and aperture views of Nerita longii (Récluz, 1841). 21, 22: Dorsal and aperture views of Nerita textilis Gmelin, 1791. 23, 24: Dorsal and aperture views of Nodilittorina (N.) natalensis Philippi, 1847. 25, 26: Dorsal and aperture views of Planaxis sulcatus (Bron, 1778). 27, 28: Dorsal and aperture views of Cerithium caeruleum Sowerby, 1855. 29, 30: Dorsal and aperture views of Cerithium nodulosum (Bruguière, 1792). 31, 32: Dorsal and aperture views of Rhinoclavis (Rhinoclavis) fasciata (Bruguière, 1792). 33, 34: Dorsal and aperture views of Strombus (Canarium) erythrinus Dillwyn, 1817. 35, 36: Dorsal and aperture views of Strombus mutabilis Swainson, 1821. 37: Dorsal view of Strombus fasciatus Born, 1780. Scale bar of all figures= 10 mm EL-SOROGY et al.: LATE PLEISTOCENE RAISED CORAL REEF 1575

Fig. 4—1: Aperture view of Strombus fasciatus Born, 1780. 2, 3: Dorsal and aperture views of Strombus tricornis Lightfoot, 1786. 4, 5: Dorsal and aperture views of Canarium (Gibberulus) gibbosus (Röding, 1795). 6, 7: Dorsal and aperture views of Cypraea annulus Linnaeus, 1758. 8, 9: Dorsal and aperture views of Cypraea clandestina Linnaeus, 1758. 10, 11: Dorsal and aperture views of Cypraea grayana Schilder, 1930. 12, 13: Dorsal and aperture views of Cymatium (Lampusia) aquatile (Reeve, 1844). 14, 15: Dorsal and aperture views of Thais (Mancinella) alouina Röding, 1798. 16, 17: Dorsal and aperture views of Volema (paradisiacal) nodosa (Lamarck, 1822). 18, 19: Dorsal and aperture views of Fusinus townsendi (Melvill, 1899). 20, 21: Dorsal and aperture views of Volvarina eumorpha Melvill, 1906. 22, 23: Dorsal and aperture views of Conus (Punctinculis) arenatus (Bruguière, 1792). Scale bar of all figures= 10 mm 1576 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 43 NO. 8 AUGUST 2014

Fig. 5—1, 2: Aperture view of Conus (Parvatus) sharmiensis Wils, 1986. 3, 4: Dorsal and aperture views of Conus virgo Linnaeus, 1758. 5, 6: Dorsal and aperture views of Conus textile Linnaeus, 1758. 7, 8: Dorsal and aperture views of Terebra nebulosa Swerby, 1825. 9, 10: Dorsal and aperture views of Chicoreus virgineus. 11, 12: External and internal views of Barbatia decussata (Sowerby, 1833). 13, 14: External and internal views of Anadara antiquata (Linnaeus, 1758). 15, 16: External and internal views of Glycymeris pectunculus (Linnaeus, 1758). 17, 18: External and internal views of Septifer bilocularis (Linnaeus, 1758). 19, 20: External and internal views of Modiolus (Modiolus) auriculatus (Krauss, 1848). 21, 22: External and internal views of Spondylus gaederopus Linnaeus, 1758. 23: External view of Codakia exasperata (Reeve, 1850). Scale bar of all figures= 10 mm EL-SOROGY et al.: LATE PLEISTOCENE RAISED CORAL REEF 1577

Fig. 6—1: Internal view of Codakia exasperata (Reeve, 1850). 2, 3: External and internal views of Diplodonta (Diplodonta) rotundata (Montagu, 1883). 4, 5: External and internal views of Chama pacifica (Broderip, 1835). 6, 7: External and internal views of Tridacna squamoza (Lamarck, 1819). 8, 9: External and internal views of Asaphis violascens (Forskal). 10, 11: External and internal views of Cicrce (Circe) scripta (Linnaeus, 1758). 12, 13: External and internal views of Circe (Parmulophora) corrugata (Dillwny, 1817). 14, 15: External and internal views of Gafrarium pectinatum. 16, 17: External and internal views of Chlamys senatoria (Gmelin). 18, 19: External and internal views of Fragum (Fragum) fragum (Linnaeus, 1758). Scale bar of all figures= 10 mm 1578 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 43 NO. 8 AUGUST 2014

Table 1—Molluscan fauna identified from Late Pleistocene raised Table 2—Geographic distribution of Molluscan fauna identified from coral reefs of Rabigh area. Quaternary raised coral reefs of Rabigh area. Class Family Species Species Red Gulf. Arabian Indian Med. Sea Oman Gulf Ocean Sea Haliotidae Haliotis pustulata Patellidae Patella (P.) vulgata Haliotis pustulata ● ● Fissurellidae Diodora ruppelli Patella (P.) vulgata ● ● ● Trochidae Monodonta nebulosa Diodora ruppelli ● ● ● Clanculus (C.) pharaonius Monodonta nebulosa ● ● ● Clanculus (C.) pharaonius ● ● ● Tectus (Cardinalia) virgatus Tectus (Cardinalia) virgatus ● ● ● Tectus dendatus Tectus dendatus ● ● ● Turbinidae Turbo (Batillus) radiatus Turbo (Batillus) radiatus ● ● ● ● Neritidae Nerita (Theliostyla) albicilla Nerita (Theliostyla) albicilla ● ● ● ● Nerita longii Nerita longii ● ● ● Nerita textilis Nerita textilis ● ● ● Littorinidae Nodilittorina (N.) natalensis Nodilittorina (N.) natalensis ● ● ● Planaxidae Planaxis sulcatus Planaxis sulcatus ● ● ● Cerithiidae Cerithium caeruleum Cerithium caeruleum ● ● ● ● Cerithium nodulosum Cerithium nodulosum ● ● ● Rhinoclavis (R.) fasciata Rhinoclavis (R.) fasciata ● ● ● ● Strombidae Strombus (Canarium) Strombus (Canarium) ● ● erythrinus erythrinus Strombus mutabilis Strombus mutabilis ● ● ● Gastropoda Strombus fasciatus Strombus fasciatus ● ● Strombus tricornis Strombus tricornis ● ● Canarium (Gibberulus) Canarium (Gibberulus) ● ● gibbosus gibbosus Cypraeidae Cypraea annulus Cypraea annulus ● ● ● ● Cypraea clandestina Cypraea clandestina ● ● ● Cypraea grayana Cypraea grayana ● ● ● Cymatium (Lampusia) ● ● ● Cymatidae Cymatium (Lampusia) aquatile aquatile Thais (Mancinella) alouina ● ● ● Thais (Mancinella) alouina Volema (paradisiacal) ● ● ● Melongenidae Volema (paradisiacal) nodosa nodosa Fasciolariidae Fusinus townsendi Fusinus townsendi ● Marginellidae Volvarina eumorpha Volvarina eumorpha ● ● Conidae Conus (Punctinculis) arenatus Conus (Punctinculis) ● ● ● ● Conus (Parvatus) sharmiensis arenatus Conus virgo Conus (Parvatus) ● ● ● Conus textile sharmiensis Terebridae Terebra nebulosa Conus virgo ● ● ● ● Muricidae Chicoreus virgineus Conus textile ● ● ● Arcidae Barbatia decussata Terebra nebulosa ● ● Anadara antiquata Chicoreus virgineus ● Glycymerididae Glycymeris pectunculus Barbatia decussata ● ● ● Mytilidae Septifer bilocularis Anadara antiquata ● ● ● ● Modiolus (Modiolus) Glycymeris pectunculus ● ● ● ● auriculatus Septifer bilocularis ● ● ● Bivalvia Spondylidae Spondylus gaederopus Modiolus (M.) auriculatus ● ● ● ● Spondylus gaederopus ● ● ● ● ● Lucinidae Codakia exasperata Codakia exasperata ● ● Ungulinidae Diplodonta (D.) rotundata Diplodonta (D.) rotundata ● ● ● ● Chamidae Chama pacifica Chama pacifica ● ● ● Tridacnidae Tridacna squamoza Tridacna squamoza ● ● ● ● Psammobiidae Asaphis violascens Asaphis violascens ● ● Veneridae Cicrce (C.) scripta Cicrce (C.) scripta ● ● Circe (Parmulophora) Circe (Parmulophora) ● ● ● corrugata corrugata Gafrarium pectinatum Gafrarium pectinatum ● ● Pectiniidae Chlamys senatoria Chlamys senatoria ● Cardiidae Fragum (Fragum) fragum Fragum (Fragum) fragum ● ● ● ● EL-SOROGY et al.: LATE PLEISTOCENE RAISED CORAL REEF 1579

Table 3—Geologic range of molluscan fauna identified from Red Sea rift with the open Indian Ocean via the Gulf Quaternary raised coral reefs of Rabigh area. of Aden and Bab El Mandab Strait.

Species Olig. Mio. Plio. Pleisto. Recent In addition to Indo-Pacific affinity that dominates the identified molluscans, Patella (P.) vulgate, Haliotis pustulata ● ● Spondylus gaederopus, and Diplodonta (D.) Patella (P.) vulgata ● ● Diodora ruppelli ● ● rotundata have been recorded also from Atlantic- Monodonta nebulosa ● ● Mediterranean realm (Tab. 2). Concerning the Clanculus (C.) pharaonius ● ● geologic range, only one of the studied fauna Tectus (Cardinalia) virgatus ● ● ● (Diplodonta (D.) rotundata) has previously recorded Tectus dendatus ● ● from Oligocene sediments and five ones from Turbo (Batillus) radiatus ● ● Miocene. Geologic record increases to be 100% Nerita (Theliostyla) albicilla ● ● in Pleistocene and Holocene ages (Tab. 3). Nerita longii ● ● Nerita textilis ● ● Nodilittorina (N.) natalensis ● ● Conclusion Planaxis sulcatus ● ● A raised reef unit of Late Pleistocene age is Cerithium caeruleum ● ● easily traced along the Red Sea coast in Rabigh area, Cerithium nodulosum ● ● Saudi Arabia. It has two prominent morphological Rhinoclavis (R.) fasciata ● ● ● steps at elevations of 1.75 m and 5 m respectively Strombus (Canarium) ● ● erythrinus above the present sea level. Vertical sequence of the Strombus mutabilis ● ● reef unit shows a transgressive sequence. It starts Strombus fasciatus ● ● ● at the base with coral assemblages of coral rock Strombus tricornis ● ● zone and overlains by reef crest facies and grades Canarium (Gibberulus) ● ● into the upper reef slope community. Sequence gibbosus overlains by sands and alluvial deposits in most of Cypraea annulus ● ● the studied sections. Fifty one molluscan species Cypraea clandestina ● ● Cypraea grayana ● ● (35 gastropods and 16 pelecypods) have been Cymatium (Lampusia) aquatile ● ● identified from the raised coral reef at Rabigh area, Thais (Mancinella) alouina ● ● eastern Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia. These species Volema (paradisiacal) nodosa ● ● belong to 30 families and 37 genera. Most of the Fusinus townsendi ● ● recorded species have Indo-Pacific affinity and still Volvarina eumorpha ● ● living in the present day oceans except Patella (P.) Conus (Punctinculis) arenatus ● ● vulgate, Spondylus gaederopus and Diplodonta (D.) Conus (Parvatus) sharmiensis ● ● Conus virgo ● ● ● ● rotundata which have also the Meditrerranean- Conus textile ● ● Atlantic affinity. About 20% of the identified Terebra nebulosa ● ● Pleistocene fauna have geologic range extending to Chicoreus virgineus ● ● Pliocene age, 2% to Miocene age and 0.02 to the Barbatia decussata ● ● Oligocene age. Anadara antiquata ● ● ● Glycymeris pectunculus ● ● ● Acknowledgements: Septifer bilocularis ● ● Modiolus (M.) auriculatus ● ● The author would like to extend their sincere Spondylus gaederopus ● ● ● ● appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research of Codakia exasperata ● ● ● ● King Saud University for its funding this research Diplodonta (D.) rotundata ● ● ● ● ● group No [RG-1435-033] Chama pacifica ● ● ● Tridacna squamoza ● ● ● References Asaphis violascens ● ● ● 1 Mandurah, M. H., Paleontological Studies on the Neogene Cicrce (C.) scripta ● ● (Miocene and Quaternary) Carbonate Rocks of Rabigh-Ubhur Circe (Parmulophora) ● ● ● Areas, Red Sea Coast, Saudi Arabia, JAKU, Earth Sci., 21/2 corrugata (2010) 105-143. Gafrarium pectinatum ● ● 2 El-Sorogy A. S., Contributions to the Pleistocene coral reefs Chlamys senatoria ● ● of the Red Sea coast, Egypt, Arab. Gulf. Jour. Sci. Res. 26 /2 Fragum (Fragum) fragum ● ● (2008) 63-85. 1580 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 43 NO. 8 AUGUST 2014

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