Permian deposits of Sicily: a review

10 Pages·1997·3.1 MB·English

by  Maria Gullo

Permian deposits of Sicily: a review
Pietro DI STEFANO & Maria GULLO
Dipartimento di Geologia e Geodesia dell’Università di Palermo,
Via E. Toti, 91, I-90128 Palermo (Italy)
Di Stefano P. & Gullo M. 1997. — Permian deposits of Sicily: a review, in Crasquin-Soleau
S. & De Wever P. (eds), Peri-Tethys: stratigraphie corrélations. Geodiversitas 19 (2) :
193-202.
ABSTRACT
The complcx rccronostratigraphic setting of the Permian rocks of Sicily is
outlincd in the lîght of rhe large mas.s of new stratigraphie and paléontologie
data recently collecred by several researcher groups. The Permian deposits
occur mostiy as rectonic mélanges imbricated in che thrust pile forming the
Sicilian fold and thrust belr. AIso Mesozoic and Tcrtiary unconipctcni rocks
can bc found in thcsc méLtnges. Scvcral lithostratigraphic unies werc difïcrcn-
riated among thèse mosriy siliciclastic and clasric-carbonatc deep-water depo¬
sits, spanning in âge from Kungurian up to Changxingian. The Permian
deposits arc regarded as rhe originary sediraentary substraie of the deep-water
KEYWORDS mcsoccnozoic domains of Sicily. Fossil associations, faciès and âges of these
stratigraphy, deposits are consistent with the existence ofa wide and persistent deep-water
palcogeograpliy,
basin located along ihc Africa margin sincc, at least, the early Permian cime
Perm ian,
western Sicily. and connected to the main Tethyan domains.
RÉSUMÉ
L’arrangement tectonostratigraphique complexe du Permien de la Sicile est
défini à partir de nombreuses données stnuigraphiques et paléontologiques
récemment coIIccicc.n par différents groupes de chercheurs. Les dépôt-s du
Permien surviennent le plus souvent comme des mélanges tectoniques, avec
quelquefois des roches mésozoiques et tertiaires, imbriqués dans des piles
d’unités tectoniques formant la chaîne sicilienne. Plusieurs unités lithostrari-
graphiques, principalement constituées de dépôts silicoclastiques et clas-
riques-carbonatées de mer profonde, datées du Kungurien au Changxingien,
ont été différenciées. Ces dépôts constituent le substrat sédimentaire des bas¬
MOTS CLÉS sins méso-cénozoiques de la Sicile. Les associations de fossiles, le faciès sédî-
stratigraphie, mentaires et l'âge des terrains permiens indiquent l’existence d\in bassin
paléogéograph ic,
ample et persistant, localisé le long de la marge africaine dqDuis, au moins, le
Permien,
Sicile occidentale. Permien inférieur et relié avec les principaux domaines téthysiens.
GEODIVERSITAS • 1997 • 19(2) 193
Di Stefano P. & Gullo M.
INTRODUCTION figure 4: a = Lercara-Roccapalumba-Vican area;
b = Sosio area.
In the Sicilian fold and chrust belt strongly tecto-
nized PermianOViassic deep-water deposits occur
as either duplexes or mélanges imbricated with GEOLOGIC SETTING
tectonic unit.s of basin-derived Mesozoic and
Tertiary rocks. A large amount of ncw stratigra¬ The Permian rocks from the Lercara and Sosio
phie data was collected in this last decade from Valley areas are incorporated in the Sicanian
these deposits, poorly exposed in tlic Lcrcara thrust .System, an external element of the Sicilian
région and in rhe Sosio Valley (Catalano, DI chain (Catalane et ai 1993, 1995). Fhis tectonic
Stefano àC Koziir 1988, 1989, 199] and réfé¬ élément consists of basin-derb^ed thrust sheers
rencés therein, 1992; Senowbari-Daryan & Di thaï are arranged wirh an overall foreland vergen¬
Stefano 1988; Ko/ur 1989a, b, 1991a,'b, 1993a, ce and minor batk thrusts (Sicanian units in
b; Kozur àc Mostlcr 1989; Di Stefano 1990; Figs I, 2). The Sicanian thrust System is buried
Flügel, Di Stefano 6^ Senowbari-Daryan 1991 in central Sicily beneath a ihick allochthon
and références therein; Gulky & Kozur 1992). consisting of delorrned foreland and satcllice-
Some new liihostniligraphic units were difteren- ba.sin deposits of Neogene age and outerops
tiated. New Lower and Middie Triassic rock again in ea.stern Sicily in the Mouni Judica area.
unies werc described fiom the Sosio Valley. AIso It overthru-sts souihwards more external plat-
the stratigraphie and palcocnvironmental évalua¬ (orm-derived tectonic units (Saccense-Hybican
tions of the famous Sosio Limestoncs units) as 'well ns the dcfbrmed syntecfonic covers
(Gemnicllaro 1887*1899) were revised (Di (Fig. 2). The Sicanian thrust sheets are derived
Stefano 1990; Flügel et 1991). from ihe deformation of a sedimenury nntlti-
Figure 1 is a simplificd structural sketch-map of làycr, consisting of up to 2000 m of Upper
Sicily showing the location of chc géologie section Paleozoic to Tcitiary deep-water deposits daac
in figure 2 and of the stratigraphie columns in accumulated in a Southern Tethyan domain loca-
STRUCTURAL DOMAINS OF SICILY
AND ADJACENT AREAS
I I Exlensional areas
plin - Ouflle»no7 voCs«iK»s
j. . .| Ko6<io-Ca‘«b'*^)e niiil» TRAPANI ^ wPîSÎ
£(cid:9632)
r*-^ MaghfeDwnftnoSoumem
I_1 Ap€orir«8 Chain ‘ETNA'.'
I ^ I ; ‘j Mainiano 2onB&o< Die
' -1 pRiagMn ann Aana qkicka
CATANIA
P'a^pcene oeposüs
MO'PlMCsn»
synorogentc deposits
CalaPro - Peloritani
Siciüdi units
n|igo.Miocene
f tyieh urils Sail oMpmatooztoiaiCsi'Tne (rStiiacrayn ian) units.
Plaiidrm (Panormide) umts b) PermotnassiC
Siop« to basin (Ime^se) unjte ÏmS Foreland unltâ
Piatlofm • seamount
(Tiapanesa-Saccensey units Plio-Oiialernary vDicanites
Fig. 1. — Main structural domains of the central Mediterranean area and structural sketch of Sicily (modified from the Structural
Mode) of Italy sheet No. 6).
194 GEODIVERSITAS • 1997 • 19(2)
Permian deposits of Sicily
Fig. 2. — Interprétative géologie section across the Rocca QusamOra'Sicani Mountains area baseO on surtace data (location in
Fig. 1}: TP, Trapanese umts (Late Tnassic MIocône); NF. Numidian Rysch units (Late Oligooene Early Miocene): SI. Sicanian units
(Late Triassic-Early tertiary), PT. PeiTnlan-Carnian units; SC. Saccense units (Late Tnassic^MIocene); TE. Oligo-Mrocene, mostly
terrigenous, deformed covers. The thick allochthon of Permian-Carnian deposits dipping below the Rocca Busambra Unit repre.sent
the westward extension of lhe Lercara structure.
tcd along ihe African margin (Sicanian Basin, In the Sosio area the well-known Permian lime-
sensu Di Stefano 1990, Catalane et al. 1991). stone rnegablocks (Gemmellaro 1887) were
Becausc of the Ncogene compression rhis multi- considered sedimentary klippen in Carnian beds
layer was detached Irom its original (unknoAvn) (Masclc 1979)- Wc now bellcve that the Permian
substrate. According to Catalane et al. (1993, ro Carnian rocks outeropping in tbis area, com-
1995). it was deformed into fliree different prisiag tbe Permian to Middie Trias.sic deposirs
duplex stacks consisting of Palco/.oic-Carnian. desenbed by Calalano et ai (1988, 1991), are
Late Triassic'Paleogeoc and Neogene rocks res- part of a tectonre mélange (herç indicated as
pectively. So.sio mélange), which is related to the Neogene
In the Lercara area the Permian rocks occur in a compressit)n and imbricated in tbe Sicanian
large antifonnal structure, up to 3000 m thick, rhrusi pile (Fig. 2). 'Fhis mélange^ up to 500 m
consisting of Permian and Triassic rock sliccs thick, indicates décolUfïient or Hoor-thrusts along
alternating, in places, with thin .slices of Miocène which the Lace Iriassic-Tcrtiary sequences hâve
clays. The extension at depth of the structure i.s been detached from tlie Peimian-Triassic .substra-
documenteti by .scismic and exploration well data le. It overthrusts the Oligo-Miocene deformed
(Roccapalumba I well, Caflisch & Scbrnidi di Cüver of a lower unit and is overlain by a duplex
Friedberg 1967)- The repeated imbrication of structure composed of Upper Triassic-Eocene
Permian and Iriassic rocks in lhe Lercara struc¬ cheriy limestones.
ture provides evidence of a duplc?^'iype deforn^a- Besides the Lercara and So.sio areas, siliciclastic
tion in the Permian to Carnian interval ot the deposits of supposed Permian âge, containing
Sicanian sedimentary mulcilaycr. d hc firsi defor¬ cléments of algal-oolitic liniestoncs, were descri-
mation of the Sicanian allochthons is gcncrally bed in the Cozzo Rasolocollo area, south of
considered to be no older than Tortonian ’lcrmini Imerese (Broquet 1968). Until now no
(Mascle 1979; Caralano & D’Argenio 1982) hiostratigraphic data confirming a Permian âge
even though a possible older âge (Lower hâve been obcained from rhese rocks. They form,
Miocene) for the duplex accrerion was suggested together with Carnian //^/o^'/W-bearing maris
by Virale & Giambrone (1992). The Lercara and calcilutices, a thick allochthon crossed by the
structure is inflected northwards below exploration well Cerda 1 for about 3300 m.
Numidian Plysch units as well as Trapanese plat- According to Rocco ^ Giartosio (1961) evidence
form units and overthrusts southwards more of Permian rocks could be fbund only In the dee-
external Sicanian allochthons (Fig. 2). The pest part of this well.
upward-arching and emplacement of rhe structu¬ Permian and/or Lower Triassic rocks could .tlso
re is due to later (Pliocène) transpressional defor¬ hc présent in the suhsurface of the Hyblean fore-
mation a.s indicated by the involvemcnt of the land, in souih-ca.stern Sicily, as suggesied by
Upper Ibrtonian-Lovvxr PÜoeene syntcctonic magnetic and gravimétrie data (Blanchi et al.
covers in arching as well as in breaching thrusts. 1989).
GEODIVERSITAS • 1997 • 19(2) 195
Di Stefano P. & Guilo M.
PERMIAN LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNITS présent in the flysch deposits. Also a small lacco-
litic body coivsisting of a sodic-differentiated
The stracigraphic reconstruction of the Permlan alkaJi-syenitc is présent in the Torrente Margana
successions from the Lercara and Sosio areas is area, about 10 km West of Lercara (Vianelli
ver}^ diflîcult due to: 1970). No âge déterminations of these magmatic
1. The strong deformation affecting these mostly rocks are available. They could also bc younger
incompétent rocks. than Permian
2. The poor exposurcs: only a fcw small and dis- Intercalations of coarse calcareous debrites in the
continuous sections can bc obscrved. siliciclastic turbidites also occur in places. A large
3. The faciès types, which consist of mostly silici- spectrum offacies-types can be recognized in the
clastic/carbonate turbidires containing a large debnre éléments. Shallow-water pcbbles and
mass of reworked lithoclastic and bioclastic boulders consisting of ^^orv^d Yuhiphytes bound-
material. scones, TubiphyteslArdiaeolithopoYellü bindstones,
4- The lack of stratigraphie relations among rhe phylloid algae boundstones, Afez/Æ-fusuiinid
different lithologie units, the contacts gcnerally grainstones-packstones, and crinoidal pacicstones
being tectonic. are commonly found (Senowbari'Dàryan & Di
Aware of the above limitations which bave led to Stefano 1988), A Lower Permian âge of these clé¬
debate about the âge of the siliciclastic rocks of ments is indicated by algal assemblages and fusu-
the Lercara area Ruggieri & Di Vita 1972; linid.s as Psetidofusulinn (Leema) hraffti
Cirilli et al. 1990), wc recognize the following Schellwien and P. vutgaris SchclKvicn (Flügcl et
lithostratigraphic units, whose thickness is quitc ai 1991).
impossible to be estimate. In figure 4 wc hâve Large boulders' of deep-water dark-grcy ammo-
preferred ro présent the different rock units in noid'brachiopod'Crinoidal bcaring waekestone-
separate columns, but we believe they belong to packstonc arc also présent, in tinclcar rclation-
different deposirional areas of a single sedimenta- ships with the flysch deposits. Conodonts of
ry basin. The Permian chronostratigraphic scalc Chihsiaji age wcrc found associated to aJbaillella-
of Kozur ( 1989a, c) is used, tenrarively correlated cea radiolarians, ammonoids, scolccodoncs. Üno-
with rhe proposed time scale adopted for the produettd brachiopods and trilobites (Catalano
Peri-Tcthys program and map. étal 1991).
Younger Permian rock packages are exposed in
KUNGURiAN Flysch (Cacalano étal 1991) lire Sosio Valley area, along the Torrente San
This is the oldest Permian lithostratigraphic unit. Calogcro (Catalano et al 1988, 1989, 1991,
It was recognized in the Rtxcapalumba, Lercara 1992) as well as in the famous limestone mega-
and Vicari areas and consists of a thick package blocks.
of deep-water siliciclasnc curbidites characterized
by reddLsh shalcs, siltstoncs and micaccous sand- San Cai.oghro Flysch
stones displaying Bouma divisions, flûte cast.s The oldest unit recognized in this area is a flysch
and Nemtes ichnofacies. '1 he sandsrones contain consisting of gtey to blackish pyritic shales and
abundani quartz and muscovite and subordinare siltstones with intercalations of micaceous sand-
biotite, feldspars and rare zircons (Broquei stones and hyhrid arenites. This unit is well
1968). A Latc Ariinskian-Kungurtan âge of ihese exposed along the riglu bank of rhe Torrente San
deposits is supported by conodoms (Catalano et Calogero. The age ol this unit, hased on cono¬
al 1991). Calcareous turbidites are frcqucntly donts, is Lüwermost middle Permian (Guilo
interbedded. They consist of skcletal-lirhoclastic 1993) . In the Torrente San Calogcro section
grainsrone.s/packstones with fusulinids, similar deposits appear as a chaoiic clayey mass
Tîibiphytrs sp., Ardmeolithopordla dasyclada- containing sandstone blocks. The age of the
cean algae {Miizia sp., Epimastopora sp.) and clayey matrix is the sanie of the flysch deposits
sponge fragments. on the basis of conodonts (Catalano et ai 1991).
Magmatic rocks (diabases and lamprophyres) are Scattered small éléments of dark grey calcilutites
196 GEODIVERSITAS • 1997 • 19 (2)
Permian deposits of Sicily
wirh circumpacific radiolarians of Early whice ro grey ammonoid-bearing caJciluiites wirh
Kungurian âge suggest chat these deposits hâve intercalations of reworked skeletal calcarenites
bcen affected by synsedimentary sliding and are found in the Rupe del Passo di Burgio block.
rcworking (Olistostrome Unit sensu Catalane et A Wordian âge of these deposits is supported by
al. 1991). the rich fossil association characterized by
ammonoids, holoturian sclerites, ostracods, cri-
RuPE DEL Passo di Burgio Limestones noid ossicles, fusulinids and conodonts
Stratigraphically younger deposits consisting of (Gemmellaro 1887-1899; Müller 1956; Bender &
Débris and landslldes (Recent)
Gypsiterous maris and evapohtee (Upperl
Torionian * Messintan) *
71 Sandy crays and olobigerinid maris (Middlel
—I Larrgnian - SerravaiTian)
Sandy ctays and giauconitic arenites (Oligocène |
• Lower Miocene) '
Globigertnid limestones *Scagtta‘ (Lowerl
Crelaceous • Eocene)
Pélagie limestones and radiolarites (Jurassic) |
Cherty limeelones (Upper Carnian • Rhaetian) |
Maris and catdluiites (Camian)
Bedded cberts, nodular limestones and maris |
(?Anisian • Ladinian]
l~ ''miJnl SIliciclastrc d^osils (Permian) and (a)
((cid:9632) (cid:9632)— MJ undifferentiated Permian and Triassic deposits
Sosro limestone blocks (Permian); a) Pietra di
Salomooe. b) Rupe del Passo di Burgio. c) Pietra
dei Saracini, d) Rupe di San Caiogero
HIgh angle faultsj
, Axis of syncline
Fig. 3. — Géologie map of the Palazzo Adhano area.
GEODIVERSITAS • 1997 • 19(2) 197
Di Stefano P. & Gullo M.
StoppcI 1965; Catalano et ai 1991, Kozur conodonts occurring with a large mass of rewor-
1993a). The Rupe del Passo di Burgio ked Middie Permian faun.as (Flügel étal 1991).
Limestones can be inrerprered as hemipelagic The Pietra di Salomone Limestones represent
carbonates deposited in a distal slope area in debrite and turbldife sédiments deposîted in a
which skelctal material, produced in an adjacent basc-oTslopc position. These rocks lormed car¬
platform, was transportcd downslopc by tiirbi- bonate aprons that could hâve been accumulated
dity currencs and grain flows. Animonitic limcs- adjacent to or interlayered with the Red Clay
tones of Wondian âge are a)so dcscribed from the Unit (sec below).
Passo di Burgio area, south of the Pietra dei
Saracini hlock (Ko/.ur 1995). Red Ctj\Y Unit (Catalano étal. 1991)
This is ihe youngest Permian unit présent in the
WORDIAN ClAYS Sosio area, outcropping along ihc Torrente San
Ycllow ro grey clays with Wordian conodonts are Calogero and between the Rupe dcl Passo di
found in die Sosio Valley in a small outcrop close Burgio and the Pietra dcl Saracini locniities
to the Rupe del Passo di Burgio (Catalano et al. (Gullo ^ Kozur 1992). It consists of red clays
1991). containing fine grained silicidastic and carbona¬
te lurbidires. A ricli pelagic fossil content occurs
Pietra di Salomone Limestones in the red clays, consisring of tircumpacific
These deposits characterize the most famous and radiolarians, paleopsychrosplieric osrracods and
fossil-rich limestone block outcropping in the conodonts. It iudicates a L.ate Permian (Djuliian
Sosio Valley and two smaller blocks présent to Changxingian) age (CataJano et al. 1991;
along the Torrente San Calogero valley, known as Gullo 5c Kozur 1992; Ko/ur 1993h)- The calca-
Pietra dei Saracini and Rupe di San Calogero rcous turbidites mostly consist of .skeletal grains-
(Fig. 3). Aitcr Gcmmcilaros careful descriptions tones/packstones with abundant foraminîlers
(1887-1899) many paleontological studies were (Reichetina sp.)j Anhaeolithaporella/Tubiphytes
carried out on these limeMones, prcviously regar- fragments and conodonts of Lare Permian age
ded as reeJ limestones (see référencés în Mascle (Fig. 3).
1979 andin et al. 1991).
Recent sedimentological and stratigraphie contri¬
butions indicate that the Pietra di Salomone PALEOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS
Limestones are composed by generally poorly
defined thick and, in places, graded beds of coarse Faciès associations and âges of the Permian depo¬
calcareoLis breccias, aliernating co skeletal packs- sits from western Sicily couplcd with the palin-
tone/grainstone beds (Di Stefano 1990; Flügel et spastic re.storarion ol the chrust pile forming
ai 1991). The latier deposits prevail in the upper \ve.sicrn Sicily segment of the Apenninic-
part of the Pietra di .Salomone bli»ck giving ruse Maglircbian chain, are consistent with the exis¬
ro a fining-up sequencc. The maximum ihick- tence of a widc and persistent deep-water basin
ness of these deposits is esiimatcd at about 70 m. along rhe Africa margin since, at least, the Early
The breccia éléments consist of placfoi m-slope Permian lime (Catalano et al 1989, 1991; Di
derived carbonates. Reef-derived boundstones/ Stefano 1990, Rerntiulli étal. 1990; Robertson et
rudstones prevail bur aiso floaistones and grains- al 1991, Blentlinger et al 1992; Kozur 1993b;
tones are commonly observed. Sponges, Vai 1994). Siliciclastic turbidites, ns-sociatcd with
TnhiphyteSy Archaeolitbopm'ella. phylloid algae, carbonate turbidites and debrices formed the
richthofenid bnichiopod.s are the main frame- sedimentary lÜI of this basin during the Permian.
building organisms, associated to highiy-diverse Sballow-water skeletal material and pUtform-
fossil assemblages comprising fusulinids The age slope carbonate.s of well-dared Early, Middie and
of most of the éléments ranges from the I.ate Permian age.s were almost continuousiy
Artinskian ro the Djulfiaii. A Late Pemiian age transported downslopc into the basin, indicuring
of the matrix is suggested by fusulinids and the existence of a mixed terrigenous/carbonate
198 GEODIVERSITAS • 1997 • 19(2)
G
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1 Western Siclly
9
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• 1 LITHOSTRATIG«APHY F08S11. CONTENT POSSILS
9 UTHCHjOGV BXNOAftieS
(2) Konjr(1BaS| IGCPsc Taeieth yen I noccL«TpC«laurarT t»- [ SanSCoa«tieoo yo MuSèmbliool ci Cl«r. |C»r>*ii| Sln.»i9[up« kOi0 TAriagcuM tossil ^2 BGiavsallrvoepso ds
£* Fuiutinids ^ NauMotds
CHANG»NGIAN CHAMGXINGIAN (cid:9830) IjT t_ * ^^ Sl^pandnBpUi Ktpaincsi AS £4 ATmnimoboinieitse s
V Bnozoarw If Crinoide
DJUUHAM CUULRAM 9 • Corail f Echinodemttj
« 0^ 5 SpgngM ^ Conodonts
I UT \ 9 Braehupodi
AaAOEH'AN MIOIAN
tUÎH0l.0GŸ SEDIWENTARY
FEATURES
CAPITANIAN
IliT A A A Brecaa»
WOftDIAN MUnClABIAN Woidm îll [E3 Sands Olistolilhs
0 I Oaw m TufbUrtBe
c carbonate Blolur-
niT
KUOeiENfIlAGNA N- KUCBXENHIAGMA N- CManlcdasr enaee, R Red
— Planer
PejMic lamnaiiw»
carbonates
CHtHSIAN BOLORIAN I Ut
te [SI Bhales UH lainmalion
\ Œ2 MsgmaUKs i ry RFiipnipnlge
KLINGURIAN ’ \ \ \ IUT tbeocüionndiacr ies TV^T , oBpowuamrda
\
Tecionic Uagmatic evenia
^ Eaternsional
AnTtMSKUM ARTINSKIAN
SAKMARlAN SAKMARIAN PALEOENVIRONMEWr
r 1 Daeper nianne dastics
ASSELIAN ASSELIAN Y///} Deoper rT«r:;te carbonates Perm
ian
Fig. 4. — Permian lithostratigraphic units of Sicily. de
p
o
sits o
f S
icily
Di Stefano P. & Gullo M.
shelf area at ihe margins of this basin. Part of ihe âge and llms older syn-rift deposits must hâve
clastic carbonares coulcl aiso hâve derived from originally nnderlain the flysch sequence.
seamount areas inside the basin.
As assumed by Catalane et aL {1991 ), the occur¬ Ackn owledgm en ts
rence of circumpacific deep-water faunas in the The study was supported by grants from the italian
Permian deposiis of western SicÜy suggests à Consiglio Nazionale dclle Ricerche
connection of the basin to the Pcrnïian Tethys. et. 95.00389.et 05. We thank A. Baud and
The most reliable castward connection oP this S. Crasquin-Soleau for the carefui review of the
basin wirh the oceanic Perhys was through the manuscript.
present-day lonîan basin. This implie.s a sépara¬
tion of the Adria block from the Gondwanian
RHFKRENCES
margin already în rhe Permian (Vai 1994),
Remnants of this basin toward the easi are found
Bcchcnnec 1-. 1988. — Géoiagie des nappes Hawasina
in Crete (Krahl et ni 1986; Ko/.ur 6c Krahl diws les parties orientale et centrale des montagnes
1987), Kurdistan (Vasieek &c Kulinrann 1988) d'Oman, l'hese de doctorat d’Etat, Université P. et
and Oman (Blendinger 1988; Blendingcr et ai M. Curie, Paris VI.
Render H. & Sroppcl D. 1965. Perm-
1992).
Conodonten, Geologisches Jahrbuch, Ilannovcr 82:
The Southern edge of the Permian ba.sin of Sicily
331-364.
was represented by the siliciclastic-carbonatc Bernoulli D., Wci.s.scri H. 6c Blomc C. D. 1990* —
platform of Tunisia. Herc Middie and Upper Evolution of the l'iiassic Hawasina Basin, Central
Permian deposits, wirh an upward régressive Oman Mouncain.s, in Robertson A. K. F., Searle
M. P. Ries A. C. (eds.). ’J he Ceology and
trend, arc wcll known, reaching a thickness ot
l'ectonics of the Oman Regiori, Geological Society^
6000 m. Faciès distribution shows a transition
Spécial Publication 49: 189-202.
from a rcef coniplcx belt to deep-water shaly Bianchi F., Carbone S., Grasso M., Invernizzi G.,
faciès rowards the Noich (Toomey 1991). Lcntini F., LortgafCtti G., Merfini S. & Mostardini
Remnants of the norrhern .shelf area uf the Fv 1989. — Sicilia orientale: protllo geologico
Nebrodi-lblei. Afemoric délia Soiieeà Geologica
Permian basin ot Sicily could be represented by
Italiaim, Roma 38; 429-458.
the reworked fusulinid limestones from the Blendinger W. 1988. — Permian to Jurassic
Lagonegro basin of the Southern Apennines dccp-watcT sédiments of eastern Oman Mountains.
(Donzelli & CTescêmi 1970). Their signilîcancc for the évaluation of the Arabian
margin ol south Tethys. Fades, Erlangen 19: 1-32.
The crustâl characters of the Permian basin of
Blendinger W.* I urnish W. NT te Glcnister B. F.
Sicily are unknown siuce in the Sietlian chain the
1992. — Permian cephalopod limestones, Oman
sedimentary coVers are rcgionally decached from N^ountains; évidence for a Permian Seaway along
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Subrnitted for publication on 5 April Î996\
accepted on 11 October 1996.
202 GEODIVERSITAS • 1997 • 19(2)