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REVISION DE LA LIMITE CRETACE -TERTIAIRE DE LA COUPE D'ELLES (TUNISIE): PROPOSITION D'UN NOUVEAU PARASTRATOTYPE

Zaghbib-Turki Dalila , KAROUI YAAKOUB Narjess, SAID-BENZARTI RAKiA, ROCCHIA ROBERT, Robin Eric, 2000

Revue de Paléobiologie, 1-13, 27, 13, Juillet 2000

Résumé

The review of the Cretaceous-Tertiary interval deposits of the EllEs section based on a closer sampling than done before allows to well characterise the K/T boundary and to reconstitute the geological events underlining this boun-dary. Than, the discovery of a thin Ir rich layer, with Ni and Cr rich spinel testify to the cosmic event. This sudden event added to some longer term other events (e.g. climatic, eustatic) generated a mass extinction, at the K/T boundary, of specialists among the globotruncanids and heterohelicids planktic Foraminifera species. This biological crisis is followed by  a slow biotic turnover into the Danian which contains also ecological generalist species inherited from the Cretaceous lot. The underlining of the all Cretaceous-Tertiary interval biozones (i.e.A. mayaroensis zone, G. conusa zone, Pv. eugu-

bina subzone, P. pseudobulloides subzone, T. trinidadensis subzone and h T. uncinata zone) certifes that the Ellis section is complete. This Ell6s section, compared to the E1 Kef section (considered up today as the K/T stratotype) exposes a better K/T interval outcrops. Besides, at the Elles section the interval deposits of the all indicated zones and subzones is slightly more expanded than elsewhere. All these characteristics prevail the Ell6s section to be proposed as a new stratotype or at least a parastratotype for the K/T boundary.