Berriasian-Aptian shallow water carbonates in the Zagros fold-thrust belt, SW Iran: Integrated Sr-isotope dating and biostratigraphy

A combined biostratigraphic model comprising 12 biozones is proposed for the Berriasian–Bedoulian (lower Aptian) shallow-platform deposits of the newly defined Fahliyan, Sar Bisheh, Ghari, Gadvan and Chahoo formations in the Zagros fold-thrust belt. Six biozones are established for the benthic foraminifers, four plus one subzone (taxon-range zone) for the dasycladalean algae and three for the tintinnids. The top and base of these biozones are calibrated with Sr-isotope numerical dating. The dataset is founded on outcrops and subsurface data in the Khuzestan, Fars and Bandar Abbas areas. High resolution biostratigraphic studies reveal that a sedimentary break corresponding to an exposure is present at the base of the Berriasian across the platform, and becomes younger from west toward the east. Another diachronous regional hiatus is detected on top of the Sar Bisheh Formation. Dated late Valanginian pro parte, it is the largest hiatus occurring in the Fars area. This study demonstrates that the boundary between the Sar Bisheh Formation and the Ghari/Chahoo formations, respectively covering the former Lower Fahliyan and Upper Fahliyan/Gadvan-Dariyan formations, is Hauterivian, not Barremian as stated by previous authors. It also shows that the Gadvan Formation does not reach the Aptian, contrary to previous statements. Sr-isotope stratigraphy offers a comparable resolution to that achieved by biostratigraphy. Combining the two methods results in a better resolution, enabling to estimate the depositional rates and importance of missing intervals.