The Pliocene Pleshet Formation near Khassif, southern Israel, and its shallow marine ostracode fauna

• Published in: Stratigraphy Vol. 5; no. 2; pp. 193 - 204
• Main Authors: Ilani, S., Mostafawi, N., Honigstein, A., Minster, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: Aurila; Cyprideis; Foraminifera; Gaza; Marine; MED, Israel; Israel, Gaza; Europe, Mediterranean Region
• ISSN: 1547-139X; 2331-656X
• DOI: 10.29041/strat.05.2.05

Neogene sediments, several hundred meters thick, are exposed in the Gaza - Be’er Sheva Canyon, southern Israel. Isolated Khassif sections at the edge of the canyon south of Ofaqim are only up to 12m thick. A micropaleontological study undertaken on more than 40 samples reveals, in addition to benthonic foraminifers, a diversified fauna of 31 species of ostracodes belonging to 22 genera. Representatives of the genus Aurila are the most common forms. Nearly all taxa are stenohaline, shallow marine species. The occurrence of the euryhaline Cyprideis cf. torosa marks a shallowing event in the middle parts of both sections. Other sea level changes are evidenced in the exposures by erosional unconformities, as well by changing lithologies of calcareous sandstones and marls versus conglomerates. A Pliocene age is attributed to the sections based on the distribution of common ostracodes inMediterranean region. The stratigraphic ranges of Cistacythereis robusta and Oblitacythereis mediterranea suggest an Early Pliocene age for these exposures.Marine Pliocene ostracodes are described in the present study for the first time from Israel. The age and lithology of the Khassif sections allow their correlationwith the sediments of the Pleshet Formation from the Gaza - Be’er Sheva Canyon.