Taphonomy of Aptian-Albian Beds in the Gebel Mistan, Maghara Area, Northern Sinai, Egypt Manal S

Mekawy, J Earth Sci Climate Change 2013, 4:2 Earth Science & Climatic Change http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7617.1000135

Research Article Article OpenOpen Access Access Taphonomy of Aptian-Albian Beds in the Gebel Mistan, Maghara Area, Northern Sinai, Egypt Manal S. Mekawy* Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

Abstract We can discover much information and many of the secrets of life in the past through studying fossils. Taphonomy can currently be used to reveal this information, but unfortunately, this branch of paleontology has not yet been well- exploited in Egypt, with only a small number of studies having been conducted. The present study is an attempt to understand the taphonomic conditions under which several Aptian-Albian beds from the Gebel Mistan region were deposited. The order of the beds from the base to the top is as follows; 1- Nerinea bed (Upper Aptian), 2- Coral bed (Upper Aptian), 3- Acteonella bed (Middle Albian) and Nerinea bed (Middle Albian). For each bed, the lithology, thickness, faunal content, state of preservation, packing density, orientation patterns, fragmentation, bioerosion and encrustation were described. The present study led to the conclusion that the four beds (Upper Aptian- Middle Albian) were deposited in a shallow, slightly–to-very-worm-marine environment with clear to agitated water.

Keywords: Lower cretaceous; Nerinea; Corals; Acteonella Materials and Methods Introduction The Aptian-Albian sediments in Gebel Mistan are highly fossiliferous, being composed of invertebrate macrofossils, The Lower Cretaceous successions, which have outcrops along predominantly bivalves and gastropods. Most of the fauna was well- the northern flanks of the Gebel Maghara Dome, exhibit a rich and preserved especially what has been collected from the marl beds and diversified assemblage of macrofossils [1]. The Lower Cretaceous has been included in the present research. The author selected four marine sequences are best exposed in the Maghara area [1,2]. Although beds (two from the Upper Aptian and two from the Middle Albian) the Lower Cretaceous fauna of the northern Sinai is of high quality [3], for an extensive taphonomic analysis. In the field, for each bed, the the taphonomic attributes of these fossils have received little attention lithology, thickness, faunal content, state of preservation, packing [1,4]. density, orientation patterns, fragmentation state, bioerosion level and Taphonomic studies that have previously been conducted in Egypt encrustation status were described. The material studied is housed at include those of [1,4-10]. No taphonomic studies have been carried the Geology Department, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. out on the Lower Cretaceous macrofauna, except by [1], who studied Results three different phenomena (inquilinism, predation and taphonomy) in certain cephalopod shells collected from the Aptian-Albian sections of The Upper Aptian Nerinea bed Gebel Lagma and Gebel Manzour in the Maghara region. The bed ranges in thickness from 0.5 to 1.5 m and consists of a hard, The goal of this paper is to study the taphonomic conditions of yellowish brown limestone. The faunal content of this bed is composed sclerobionts in the four Lower Cretaceous beds from Gebel Mistan to mainly of complete, well-preserved, small, lensoid shaped, densely understand and interpret the paleobiology and paleoenvironment of packed, randomly oriented, non-bioeroded, non-encrusted shells these beds. of Nerinea mistanensis Awad 1952 and Nerinea maghrensis Abbass Stratigraphic setting 1963 in addition to the shells of other gastropods, such as Tylostoma (Tylostoma) magharensis Abbass 1963, Pyrazus (Echinobethra) The northern Sinai is characterized by the presence of excellent magharensis Abbass 1963, Pyrazus (Echinobethra) sexangulatus outcrops. These outcrops have allowed for the implementation of Zék. Permut1852, Pseudomesalia quadrilineata Mahmoud 1956 and significant research, especially concerning stratigraphy and sedimentary Turritella (Torquesia) moradi Abbass 1963. The associated bivalves are structure. The exposed Lower Cretaceous rocks of the northern Sinai Ceratostreon flabellatum (Goldfuss 1833), Nucula (Nucula) margitifera around Gebel Maghara have received considerable attention from the Douvillé 1961 and Maghrebella deserti (Douvillé 1961). In general, the geologists, beginning with [11] and continuing with [12-38]. associated gastropod and bivalve fauna is poorly sorted, moderately In Gebel Mistan, the Lower Cretaceous succession is subdivided into two lithostratigraphic units, namely, the Risan Aneiza and the Halal formations, as further described below from base to top (Figure *Corresponding author: Manal S. Mekawy, Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt, E-mail: [email protected] 1). Received February 28, 2013; Accepted March 15, 2013; Published March 18, Risan Aneiza Formation: Underlies the Halal Formation. This 2013 formation’s base is unexposed, and it consists mainly of green shale, Citation: Mekawy MS (2013) Taphonomy of Aptian-Albian Beds in the Gebel limestone and marl with sandstone interbeds with a thickness of 160 m. Mistan, Maghara Area, Northern Sinai, Egypt. J Earth Sci Climate Change 4: 135. doi:10.4172/2157-7617.1000135 Halal Formation: Consists predominantly of white and grey dolostones that are commonly intercalated with thin marl and have Copyright: © 2013 Mekawy MS. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted limestone interbeds. This formation conformably overlies the Risan use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and Aneiza Formation. The Halal Formation has a thickness of 140 m. source are credited.

J Earth Sci Climate Change ISSN:2157-7617 JESCC, an open access journal Volume 4 • Issue 2 • 1000135 Citation: Mekawy MS (2013) Taphonomy of Aptian-Albian Beds in the Gebel Mistan, Maghara Area, Northern Sinai, Egypt. J Earth Sci Climate Change 4: 135. doi:10.4172/2157-7617.1000135

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33°25' 33°30' 33°35' 33°40' 33°45'

30°55' 30°55'

Mediterranean Sea Bardawil

G. Um Mafruth El Tourkumanyia R.Aneiza Wadi Lagama 31° 31° Mistan Maghara Manzour Halal Gebel Mistan Arif ElNaga G. Um Mitmam G. Lagama G.El Tourkumanyia 30° Sinai Gulf of Suez G. Raghawi Wadi El Fatih

Wadi El Masajid 32° 33° 34° 30°45' Quaternary Malha Fm (Barremian) Wata Fm (Turonian) Jurassic G. Manzour Halal Fm Faults (Albian-Cenomanian) Risan Aneiza Fm Measured section (Barremian-Albian) Age Samples Formation Bed no. Lithology 0.0 5 10 km 33°30' 33°35'

66 (A) 100 m 65 65 64 64 55 54 53

48 48 50 m

38 38 0.0 m 36 36 35 34 34 The arrow pointing to the study beds 31 31 30 30 Sandstone Dolostone 28 28 Crossbedded Marl 27 27 sandstone 26 26 Shale Ammonites 25 25 24 Bivalves RisanAneiza Halal 24 Limestone 18 18 Oysters Corals 14 14 13 13 11 11 Rudists Echinoids 7 7 Gastropods LateApt. EarlyAlbian MiddleAlbianAlb. Late 6 6 Orbitolines 1 1 (B)

Figure 1: A Location map of the studied area; B Stratigraphic columanr section of Lower Creataceous of Gebel Mistan. fragmented, loosely packed and articulated, and certain gastropods The Upper Aptian coral bed show traces of bioerosion, while smaller bivalves show evidence of encrustation. Most of the associated gastropods and bivalves are This bed is consists of a yellowish brown sandy limestone and detected as internal molds (Plate 1A). measures 50 cm in thickness. The bed overlies the Nerinea bed and is composed principally of the corals Epistreptophyllum manzourensis The lower (5 cm) portion of this bed consists of clusters of Gameil and Aly 2004, Epistreptophyllum sp., Trochosmilia cretacea Chondrodonta sp. Their shells are randomly oriented and are large, Gameil and Aly 2000, Mixastraea sp., Paracycloseris sp. and highly fragmented and disarticulated, exhibiting no evidence of either Montlivaltia sp. The coral fragments are loosely packed, relatively bioerosion or encrustation. highly fragmented, randomly oriented and well-preserved (Plate 1B).

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The corals are associated with bryozoans, gastropods, bivalves fossils (Table 1) contained in the four beds studied, their historical and echinoids. The gastropods are Nerinea maghrensis Abbass 1963, accumulation can be interpreted as follows: Nerinea mistanensis Awad 1952, Tylostoma (Tylostoma) magharensis Abbass 1963, Pyrazus (Echinobethra) magharensis Abbass 1963, The Upper Aptian Nerinea bed Pyrazus (Echinobethra) sexangulatus Zék. Permut 1852, Pseudomesalia The high quality and complete preservation of the Nerinea shells, quadrilineata Mahmoud 1956, Pseudomesalia deserti Douvillé 1916, their dense packing, random orientation and absence of bioerosion and Ampullina (Ampullina) ervyna d´Orbigny 1842 and Diastoma ornate encrustation might have been due to a short post-mortem period, a Douvillé 1916. The bivalves are Ceratostreon flabellatum (Goldfuss rapid burial rate after their death, lack of transportation, a relatively 1833), Nucula (Nucula) margitifera Douvillé 1916, Trigonia (Trigonia) low sedimentation rate and-preservation in situ. undulatocostata Blanckenhorn 1890, Pterotrigonia (Scabrotrigonia) scabra (Lamarck 1819), Cucullaea (Idonearca) orientalis (Douvillé With respect to the associated fauna, their taphonomic signatures 1916) and Corbula magharensis Abbass 1962. The echinoids are rare in suggest that their preservation time and location were not the same as this bed and are represented by Hemiaster sp. and Coenholectypus sp. those of Nerinea shells. Perhaps the associated fauna were deposited after the Nerinea shells, or they were transported from another place, Most of the associated macrofauna collected are internal molds although not from too great a distance. The shells indicate a long post- and are articulated, moderately fragmented, patterned in a random mortem period. orientation, moderately preserved and poorly sorted. The echinoids The random orientation, high fragmentation, high disarticulation and certain of the gastropods show traces of bioerosion, while a portion and absence of bioerosion and encrustation of the narrower of the oyster shells are encrusted with small organisms. chondrodonta bed (5 cm) indicate a repetitive reworking in situ, a The Middle Albian Acteonella bed short residence time on the sea floor, rapid burial and a rapid rate of sedimentation. This bed consists primarily of a yellowish brown, dolomitic sandy limestone with a thickness of 1 m. The bed represents a monotaxic The Upper Aptian coral bed accumulation of the Acteonella delgadoi Choffat 1901 (Plate 1C). The taphonomic features of the coral fragments, such as high The Acteonella shells are small-to medium-sized, densely packed, fragmentation, loose packing, good preservation and evidence of moderately sorted, randomly oriented and relatively fragmented and bioerosion and encrustation on certain of the coral skeletons ̕ associated exhibit no evidence of bioerosion or encrustation. macrofauna might have resulted from a slow burial rate, a relatively The Middle Albian Nerinea bed long post-mortem period and transport over only short distances. The lithology of this bed is a white, hard dolomitic limestone The Middle Albian Acteonella bed approximately 75 cm in thickness. The bed is a monotaxic collection The dense packing of the Acteonella shells, their moderate sorting, of the Nerinea abbassi Abbass 1963 shadwished between two rudist random orientation, low fragmentation and the absence of bioerosion beds. The Nerinea shells are unimodal, perpendicular to the bed in the and encrustation are strong evidence of the preservation of the shells section form, densely packed, relatively fragmented, well-sorted and in situ, a short post-mortem period, a rapid burial rate and their having well-preserved and they are neither bioeroded nor encrusted (Plate been reworked more than once in situ with no evidence of transport. 1D). The Middle Albian Nerinea bed Interpretation The manner of accumulation of theNerinea shells with evidence of According to the field and taphonomic observations of the dense packing, low fragmentation and good preservation might indicate a relatively short distance of transportation by strong currents, a slow A B rate of sedimentation and a slow burial rate after death. Additionally, the absence of bioerosion and encrustation are strong evidence of a short post-mortem period. Inferred depositional environment of the study area Many paleontologists are interested in studying the depositional environment of the Lower Cretaceous in the northern Sinai in Egypt. The best-known studies are those of [33,39-43].

C D For the current study, the depositional environment of the Lower Cretaceous rocks has been examined for the first time in Egypt, and this environment has been illuminated by the study of the taphonomic characteristics of the fossils. Through the examination and evaluation of the four beds representing the Upper Aptian to Middle Albian in Gebel Mistan, it was determined that the Upper Aptian Nerinea and coral beds were deposited under relatively high sedimentation rates at a water depth of no more than 15 m in a notably warm climate (marked by the presence of corals and diversity of macrofauna) lacking large Plate 1: A-D Field photographs of the study beds A Upper Aptian Nerinea bed; predators (scarcity or absence of bioerosion and traces of predation) B Upper Aptian coral bed; C Middle Albian Acteonella bed; D Middle Albian during organisms´ lives. Nerinea bed.

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Studied beds Nerinea bed Corals bed Acteonella bed Nerinea bed Properties 1- Age Upper Aptian Upper Aptian Middle Albian Middle Albian 2- Bed no. 17 18 37 40 3- Thickness 0.5-1.5 m 50 cm 1 m 75 cm

Yellowish brown, dolomitic White, hard dolomitic 4- Lithology Yellowish brown, hard limestone Yellowish brown, sandy limestone sandy limestone limestone

5- Assemblage Polytaxic Polytaxic Monotaxic Monotaxic 6- State of preservation Well Well Moderate Well 7- Orientation pattern Random Random Random unimodel 8- Fragmentation Moderate Relatively high Low Low 9- Packing Dense Loose Dense Dense 10- Sorting Poor-moderate Poor Moderate Good 11- Geometry Lens Bed Bed Bed Table 1: The main field and taphonomic properties of the study beds.

As for the Middle Albian Acteonella and Nerinea beds, 12. Moon FW, Sadek H (1921) Topography and geology of north Sinai, Egypt. their depositional environment appears to have featured a low Petroleum Research Bulletin (Cairo) 10: 1-154. sedimentation rate in water depth deeper than that found in the 13. Farag IAM (1947) Preliminary notes on the geology of Risan Aneiza. Bull Fac depositional environment of the Upper Aptian beds (presence of Sci Cairo Univ 26: 1-38. dolomitic limestone) with slightly warm and slightly turbulent water 14. Awad GH (1952) The Nerineas of Sinai (with a note on the mode of these (lack of diverse macrofauna) that also lacked large predators (absence extinct gastropods). Bulletin de I´Institut du Désert ď Egypte 2: 23-39. of bioerosion and predation traces) during organisms´ lives. 15. Moret L, Mahmoud IG (1953) Nouvelles observations stratigraphique et paleontologique sur I´Albien du Massif du Moghara (Sinai, Eygpte). Trav Lab Acknowledgments Geol Univ Grenoble T 31: 267-272. Many thanks to everyone in Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change 16. Mahmoud GE (1955) Etudes paléontologiques sur la faune Crétacique du who has contributed toward the progress of this work especially Gracia S. Oliver, massif du Moghara (Sinai, Egypte). Publ. Desert Instď Egypte 8: 1-195. Assistant Managing Editor to respond to any request I asked her. I am deeply grateful to Rituparna Bose, Editor, Adjunct Assistant Professor, City University of 17. Said R, Barakat MG (1957) Lower Cretaceous foraminifera from Khashm El New York, USA for critical review of the manuscript. Deep and grateful thanks to Mistan, Northern Sinai, Egypt. Micropaleontology 3: 39-47. the reviewers for their critical review of the manuscript and useful comments. 18. Abbass HL (1962) A monograph on the Egyptian Cretaceous Cretaceous References pelecypods. Geol Surv Miner Res Dept Palaeont Ser Mongr 1: 224.

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