GeolCarp_Vol54_No2_81

CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF VARDAR ZONE 81

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 54, 2, BRATISLAVA, APRIL 2003

81 — 92

UPPER CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

IN THE WESTERN BELT OF THE VARDAR ZONE

SVETLANA POLAVDER

Geoinstitut, Rovinjska 12, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia; polavder@yubc.net

(Manuscript received December 12, 2001; accepted in revised form December 12, 2002)

Abstract: A new integrated biostratigraphic concept of an Upper Cretaceous series near Novi Pazar, Stara Raška region,
the Vardar Zone, for Bajevica-Mur and Gradina, is based on the distribution of benthic foraminifers, planktonic micro-
fossils, and calcareous nannoplankton, supported by available information on rudists from Bajevica. The Upper Creta-
ceous succession in the Stara Raška region is characterized by a transgressive trend. The shallow-water sedimentation
was short (uppermost Santonian?—Lower Campanian). Progressive deepening during the Campanian elevata, or the
CC17 and CC18 Nannoplankton Zones, is indicated by successive deposition of shallow-water limestones and lower-
ramp hemipelagic carbonates, and then of basinal pelagic sediments.

Key words: Vardar Zone, Senonian, integrated biostratigraphy, Foraminifera, Algae, Mollusca, nannoflora.

Introduction

Upper  Cretaceous  sedimentary  rocks  of  the  Novi  Pazar  area,
Stara  Raška  region,  the  Vardar  Zone,  have  been  a  subject  of
different  geological  investigations,  mostly  after  the  Second
World War (Mojsilović et al. 1980, cum. bibl.). Published mi-
cropaleontological  data,  however,  are  scanty,  especially  that
on benthic fauna and flora from shallow-water pre-Maastrich-
tian rocks which have not been previously studied. Planktonic
foraminifers were studied only from deposits a hundred metres
thick of the sequences of hemipelagic and pelagic carbonates
(“preflysch” auct.). The nannoflora from shallow-water hemi-
pelagic  and  pelagic  sediments  researched  by  P.  de  Capoa
(University of Naples, Italy, in press.), were also studied.

Pre-Maastrichtian macrofauna from the studied localites has

been studied by Pejović (1953, 1978; rudists, gastropods) and
Rampnoux  (1964,  1974;  rudists).  The  first  information  on
planktonic foraminifers in the preflysch part of the unit is giv-
en  by  Rampnoux  in  1964.  Large  Maastrichtian  foraminifers
are  known  from  carbonate  clastics  and  terrigenous  deposits
(Radoičić 1988; Petrović & Jankičević 1988).

Geological setting

The Cretaceous sediments in the Novi Pazar area cover Pa-

leozoic rocks assigned to the Carboniferous (“Golija Paleozo-
ic belt”). The Upper Cretaceous succession is observable only
in sections of the south-western limb of the Novi Pazar syncli-
norium, that is in the western part of the Novi Pazar Creta-
ceous belt (Fig. 1). The northeastern limb of the synclinorium
is inverted and in a tectonic contact with ophiolite rocks
(Rampnoux 1964; Fig. 1).

The Cretaceous succession consists of basal terrigenous de-

posits overlain by shallow-water and hemipelagic uppermost
Santonian?-Campanian (earlier dated as Santonian) limestones,
then a thick sequence of preflysch Campanian/Maastrichtian

and flysch post-Maastrichtian deposits (de Capoa et al. 1998).
The latter deposits were earlier assigned to the Maastrichtian
(Rampnoux 1964, 1974; Petrović & Jankičević 1988).

Bajevica—Mur and Gradina localities are marked in the Fig. 1.

Maastrichtian terrigenous rocks from two small outcrops at
Alulovići and Kovačevo were also analysed.

Lithostratigraphy

Stratigraphic succession of Bajevica—Mur (Fig. 2)

A Cretaceous stratigraphic section at Bajevica and Mur un-

covered on the periphery of Novi Pazar, in Novi Pazar-Riba-
rići road cuttings on either side of the bridge across the Jošani-
ca (Fig. 1-Ia). The older part of the sequence is found south of
the bridge (Bajevica) and the younger part north of the bridge
(Mur). Formations newly described in this locality are the Ba-
jevica and Mur Formations, and the Novi Pazar clastics (infor-
mal formation).

Bajevica Formation. Its type section is exposed in an out-

crop south of the bridge over the Jošanica. The formation is
28 metres thick, composed of two members:

1. basal terrigenous deposits, and
2. shallow-water carbonates.
1. Basal terrigenous deposits (conglomerates and sand-

stones). Coarse-grained predominantly quartz conglomerate
passes gradually into finer-grained sandstone, about 12 me-
tres thick, which passes into shallow-water carbonates. A
few beds of fine-grained sandstone shows coaly rashings in
insignificant amounts. The likely age of the member is San-
tonian. Its contact with the underlying Paleozoic unit is not
exposed.

2. Shallow-water carbonates. These limestones are 16 me-

tres thick and continuously pass upwards into hemipelagic
and pelagic deposits of the Mur Formation. Shallow-water

82 POLAVDER

low-silty, clayey limestones sporadically in low dolomitized
limestones of the Bajevica Formation abound in benthic for-
aminifers, rudists, dominantly radiolitids, and fewer relative-
ly small hippuritids. According to D. Pejović, even the low-
ermost  nodular  limestone  bed  (no  longer  exposed),  when
sampled in 1972, contained numerous radiolitids, easily ex-
tractable  from  this  and  the  overlying  bed.  D.  Pejović  de-
scribes a new radiolitid species – Bournonia murensis from
Bajevica limestones. She also mentions: Bournonia retrolata
(Astre),  Bournonia  sp.,  Lapeirouseia  zitteli  Douvillé,  L.
laskarevi Milovanović, L. pervinquierei (Toucas), Gorjanov-
icia  aff.  costata  Polšak,  Radiolitella  secunda  Kühn  et  An-
drusov  (Pejović  1978).  Bournonia  excavata  (d’Orbigny)  is
now included in this list.

The microfossils assemblage includes: Idalina antiqua Mu-

nier  Chalmas  et  Schlumberger,  Nummofallotia  cretacea
(Schlumberger),  Minouxia  conica  Gendrot,  Antalyna  korayi
Farinacci et Köylüoglu, Pseudocyclammina massiliensis Maync,
Pseudocyclammina  sphaeroidea  Gendrot,  Cribrostomoides
paralens  Omara,  Dicyclina  schlumbergeri  Munier  Chalmas,
Cuneolina  pavonia  d’Orbigny,  Binconcava  bentori  Hamaoui
et Saint-Marc, Nezzazatinela picardi (Henson), Moncharmon-
tia apenninica (de Castro), Nezzazatinela sp. 1., Nezzazatinela
sp. 2.,  Spiroplectamina  sp.,  Pseudolituonella  sp.,  Cornuspira
sp., Conorboides? sp., Spiroloculina sp., Rumanoloculina sp.,
Miliolidae gen. and sp. indet., rotalids and others foraminifers
(Fig.  3.2,4,5,12;  Fig.  4.1,4—11,13—17;  Fig.  5.6—8,11,13—16;

Fig. 6.18); rare algae: Neomeris sp., Marinella lugeoni (Pfen-
der), Udoteacea gen. indet. than micronerineae, other gastro-
pods and small solitary corals.

Mur Formation. Type section of the Mur Formation is ex-

posed partly south of the bridge, and largely north of the
bridge over the Jošanica. The formation is about 87 metres
thick, but the uppermost, about 10 metres thick part is poorly
exposed. Its upper boundary is marked by Maastrichtian brec-
cia. The Mur Formation consists of two members:

1. hemipelagic marly limestone with slumped blocks,
2. hemipelagic and pelagic carbonates.
1. Hemipelagic marly limestone with slumped blocks in

the upper part. The lowermost beds of the Mur Formation,
south of the bridge, are friable low silty marly hemipelagic
rocks (at present, a part of the section obliterated by marly de-
tritus) and marly rocks emplacing limestone blocks

and clasts

from a fractured “perireef” area. The episode ended with the
influx of finer material: a thick bed of biolithoclastic lime-
stone was found in the section exposed north of the bridge.

Hemipelagic sediments bear scarce planktonic foraminifers

and calcareous nannoplankton. A sample of marl between
blocks of shallow-water limestone also contains calcareous
nannoplankton (CC17 Zone; de Capoa et al. in press).

Limestone blocks (lateral development of the second Ba-

jevica  member)  contain  mainly  large  hippuritids,  fragments
and detritus of colonial corals, and calcisponges. The foramin-
iferal assemblage is the same, only far less abundant and, char-
acteristically, rotalids and rotaliforms are somewhat more nu-
merous.  In  this  outcrop,  many  large  hippuritids  (large
fragments from 30 to 40 cm long) are conspicuous in individu-
al  blocks  or  as  bioclasts.  Dozens  of  large  hippuritids  have
been recovered in this locality for museum collections (D. Pe-
jović).  The  identified  species  are:  Vaccinites  atheniensis*
(Ktenas),  V.  cornuvaccinum*  (Bronn),  V.  galloprovincialis
(Matheron),  V.  gossaviensis  (Douville),  V.  sulcatus  (De-
france),  V.  vredenburgi  (Kühn),  Hippurites  canaliculatus*
Rolland  du  Roquan,  H.  heritschi  Kühn,  H.  matheroni  Dou-
ville, H. microstylus Douville, Hippuritella aff. H. lapeirousei
(Goldfuss),  Radiolites  squamosus  d’Orbigny  (Pejović  1978;
asteriscs denote species also mentioned by Rampnoux 1964).

The less abundant microfossil assemblage in slump blocks

south of the bridge includes: Idalina antiqua, Nummofallotia
cretacea,  Pseudocyclammina  massiliensis,  Pseudocyclammi-
na  sphaeroidea,  Dicyclina  schlumbergeri,  Cuneolina  gr.  G.
pavonia,  Pseudolituonella  sp.,  Conorboides?  sp.,  Nezzazati-
nella  picardi,  Antalyna  korayi,  Cribrostomoides  paralens,
Dictyopsella  cuvillieri  Genrot,  Sirtina  sp.,  Cornuspira  sp.,
Miliolidae gen. and sp. indet. (Fig. 5.2—5,9; Fig. 6.10,13), and
algae Dasycladacea gen. and sp. indet.

Biolithoclastic limestone from the top of the first member

(north of the bridge) contains few planktonic microfossils –
poorly  preserved  rare  calcisphaerae – in  addition  to  benthic
foraminifers  and  transported  rudists  and  gastropods:  Idalina
antiqua,  Murgeina  apula  (Luperto  Sinni),  Dicyclina  schlum-
bergeri,  Rotalia  reicheli  Hottinger  miliolidae,  hippurites,  ac-
teonellae (Fig. 3.1,13,14; Fig. 4.3). This bed gradually passes
into low-sandy hemipelagic and pelagic carbonate of the sec-
ond member.

Fig. 1. Detail from Geological map of the Novi Pazar area – Milo-
vanović & Ćirić (1968, simplified).  I—IV studied outcrops: I – Ba-
jevica,  Ia – The  Jošanica  bridge,  II – Gradina,  III – Alulovići,
IV – Kovačevo.    1.  Paleozoic,  2.  basal  terrigenous  deposits  and
shalow-water  carbonates,  3.  “Upper  Cretaceous  flysch”,  4.  ophio-
lites, 5. quartz latites.

note that recent landslides mask the preexisting relationship.

CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF VARDAR ZONE 83

Fig. 2. Stratigraphic column of Bajevica—Mur (asterisks denote nannofossil analysis).

2. Hemipelagic and pelagic carbonates. The biolithoclastic

limestone  is  continuously  overlain  by  low-sandy  hemipelagic
and  pelagic  carbonates  bearing  pithonellae,  other  cal-
cisphaeruilidae,  and  few  planktonic  foraminifers  which  are
more frequent in the marly, locally silty, limestones of the upper
part of the member. The lower part of the second member con-
tains:  Andriella  trejoi  (Bonet),  Pithonella  ovalis  (Kaufmann)
and  other  calcisphaerulids,  heterohelicids  and  Globotruncana
linneiana  (d’Orbigny),  Gl.  bulloides  Vogler,  Globotruncanita
elevata  (Brotzen),  Gl.  gr.  G.  linneiana  (d’Orbigny)  (Fig.  7.1).
The nannofossil assemblage indicated the CC18 Zone. Besides
planktonic  microfossils,  these  beds  also  contain,  very  few
benthic foraminifers: gavelinellae, sulcoperculinae and lituolid
Tekkeina anatoliensis Farinacci et Yeniay (Fig. 7.5; Fig. 6.15).

Marly limestones forming the upper part of the second

member contain:  Globotruncana linneiana, Gl. gr. G.  linnei-
ana, Gl. bulloides, Gl. ventricosa White, Gl. arca (Cushman),
Globotruncanita  stuartiformis  (Dalbiez),  Contusotruncana
patelliformis  (Gandolfi),  Globotruncanella  cf.  G.  pschadae
(Keller) (Fig. 7.2—4,10). The nannoplankton assemblage indi-
cate the CC19b Nannofossil Zone.

The hemipelagic and pelagic carbonates of the Mur Forma-

tion  are  Campanian  representing  the  elevata  Zone  (Lower
Campanian),  ventricosa  Zone  (Middle  Campanian)  and  cal-
carata Zone (Middle Upper Campanian). The youngest beds
of  the  upper  member  (several  meters  beneath  Maastrichtian
breccia bed) are Upper Campanian by the contained nannofos-
sils (CC23a Nannofossil Zone; de Capoa et al. in press).

CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF VARDAR ZONE 85

The Novi Pazar clastics

The Novi Pazar clastics is an informal formation because

the  information  on  its  upper  part  is  lacking.  The  basal  bed
(60 cm thick) is biolithoclastic limestone –  breccia contains
in  rudist  fragments  and  debris,  large  Maastrichtian  foramini-
fers (Siderolites calcitrapoides Lamarck, Orbitoides gr. media
(d’Archiac),  Orbitoides  gr.  tissoti  Schlumberger,  Orbitoides
sp., Lepidorbitoides sp.) and lithoclasts of varied shallow-wa-
ter limestone.

Marl-sandy sediments directly over the breccia contain ear-

ly  Maastrichtian  nannofossils  (CC23b  Nannofossil  Zone).
Consequently,  the  older  part  of  the  Novi  Pazar  formation  is
early  Maastrichtian  in  age.  This  formation  probably  exceeds
hundred metres in thickness.

Stratigraphic succession of Gradina

Cretaceous sediments of Gradina are exposed along a vil-

lage road on the southern slope of Gradina Hill, north of the
Šaronjska reka (river). Many quartz latite intrusions in the area
of the Šaronjska and Deževska rivers obscure the succession
(Fig. 1). The examined Cretaceous section consists of the Ba-
jevica, the Gradina Formations and the Deževo carbonate clas-
tics. While the Bajevica Formation (both members) is recog-
nized in the examined Cretaceous section, the overlying
sediments differ from those outcropping at Mur. The Gradina
Formation and the Deževo carbonate clastics are newly de-
scribed.

The Bajevica Formation. 1. Basal terrigenous sediments

(about  11  metres  thick  conglomerate  and  sandstone)  lie  over
the  Paleozoic  and  consist  predominantly  of  Paleozoic  schist.
This  member  has  a  middle  bed  of  coarse  conglomerate  with
quartz pebbles, its upper part is of clay-sandy rocks and, un-
like  those  at  Bajevica,  with  a  thin  cm  level  of  carbonaceous
matter. The basal member, like at Bajevica, is most likely of
the Santonian age.

2. Shallow-water carbonates. Unlike the type section, the

second member begins with a 35 cm bed of accumulated more
or less large fragments of rudist tests in dark clay-sand ferrugi-
nous sediment (storm bed “coquinite”). A large fragment from
this bed is assigned by D. Pejović to Radiolitella. Upward fol-
lows  about  eight  metres  of  low-sandy  limestone  which  con-
tains  benthic  foraminifers,  occasional  recrystallized  udo-
teacean  segments  and  dasycladacean  fragments,  and  only  a
few small solitary corals and microgastropods. Notable in this
shalow-water limestone is the lack of rudists, unlike the type
section. An abundance of white Idalina antiqua tests is visible
with the naked eye in the first metre of the member (above the
35  cm,  “coquinite”  bed).  Upward  occur  numerous  lituolids
(Pseudocyclammina massiliensis, Ps. sphaeroidea) and much
scantier idalinae and other foraminifers.

The microfossil assemblage includes: Idalina antiqua,

Nummofallotia cretacea, Ps. cf. P. massiliensis, Antalyna ko-
rayi, Broeckina dufrenoyi (d’Archiac), Dictyopsella cuvillieri
Gendrot, Cuneolina gr. pavonia, Nezzazatinella picardi, Dicy-
clina schlumbergeri, Moncharmontia apenninica, Cornuspira
sp., Sirtina? sp., Conorboides? sp., Quinqueloculina sp.,

Lituolidae gen. and sp. indet., Miliolidae gen. and sp. indet.
(Fig. 3.3,6—10; Fig. 4.2; Fig. 5.10,12,18; Fig. 6.17), and algae:
Udoteaceae and Neomeris sp.

The lowermost Campanian age of the bed with Idalina anti-

qua is corroborated by nannofossils (CC17 Nannofossil Zone).

The Gradina Formation. The Gradina Formation, continu-

ously overlying the Bajevica Formation, consists of 19 metres
thick nodular sandy limestone in alternating compact and thin-
ner softer beds. The basal bed is slumped: wackstone with fine
algal  and  other  debris  and  bioclastic  limestones  with  udo-
teacean,  echinoderm  and  recrystallized  mollusca  fragments.
The  formation  is  discontionuously  overlied  by  Deževo  car-
bonate clastics.

Lituolids (Pseudocyclammina massiliensis, Fig. 6.14) still

occur in the lowest two metres, but microfossils are scanty in
other  beds.  Besides  a  paucity  of  predominantly  small  rotali-
form foraminifers (Rotalia sp. Pararotalia minimalis Hofker,
Fig.  6.7,9),  two  or  three  specimens  of  other  foraminifers  are
found only in thin sections, a few recrystallized segments and
fragments  of  udoteacean  algae,  and  occasional  dasycla-
dacean – Neomeris fragment. Small and often completely re-
crystallized  solitary  corals  are  common.  Samples  from  the
middle and upper parts of the formation bear few planktonic
microfossils: Hedbergella? sp., Globotruncana sp., Andriella
trejoi, Pithonella ovalis. The upper boundary is marked by a
sharp lithological change.

Sediments of the Gradina Formation are Campanian in age,

largely lateral equivalents of the Mur Formation.

The Deževo carbonate clastics

Since its upper boundary undefined, this is an informal for-

mation roughly estimated in excess of 100 metres. Its lowest
bed  is  polygenous  breccia  (which  indicates  a  discontinuity),
and  lateral  slump  breccia  containing  a  mixture  of  limestone
with benthic foraminifers: Nummofallotia cretacea, Monchar-
montia  apenninica,  Sulcoperculina  aff.  cubensis  (Palmer),
sensu  Hottinger,  Hemicyclammina  chalmasi  (Schlumberger)
(Fig. 4.12; Fig. 6.1—4,16) and limestone with abundant plank-
tonic foraminifers: Gl. linneiana, Gl. gr. G. linneiana, Gl. ori-
entalis  El  Naggar,  Gl.  arca,  Contusotruncana  fornicata
(Plummer),  Globotruncana  arca—Gl.  orientalis  (transitional
forms), Gl. bulloides, Globotruncana stuartiformis, Gl. cf. G.
ventricosa, Marginotruncana gr. sinuosa tarfayensis (Fig. 7.5,6,
9,11,12,13).

Above this a few metres of microbreccia, calcarenites and

marly  limestones  with  planktonic  foraminifers  (Contusotrun-
cana fornicata) crop out. This succession is intruded by quartz
latite.  Subsequently  further,  turbidity  carbonate  clastics  also
crop out: several sequences of breccia, calcarenite, and marly
globotruncana  limestone  with  Globotruncana  linneiana,  Gl.
bulloides, Gl. stuartiformis, “Globotruncanita angulata—Gan-
sserina  gansseri”,  Gl.  arca,  Globotruncanella  sp.,  Archaeo-
globigerina cf. A. cretacea (d’Orbigny) (Fig. 7.7). A more or
less  coarse  breccia  bed  contain  numerous  clasts  of  the  shal-
low-water limestones bearing rudists.

The outcropping part of the Deževo carbonate clastics is

dated Upper Campanian/Lower Maastrichtian. It is a lateral

CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF VARDAR ZONE 87

equivalent of the upper Mur Formation and the Novi Pazar
clastics.

Some silicoclastic levels outcropping in the same area and

probably overlying the Campanian/Maastrichtian Deževo car-
bonate clastics are dated Lutetian at latest (CP15 = NP15; de
Capoa et al. in press).

Outcrops in Alulovići and Kovačevo (Fig. 1)

For the purpose of reconnaissance, only a few samples were

collected from Maastrichtian sediments at Alulovići and
Kovačevo (Middle-Upper Maastrichtian by Radoičić 1988).

Some beds in the sandstone outcrop, at Alulovići abounded

in  poorly  preserved  recrystallized  orbitoids.  The  sandstone
also  contained  sporadic  mollusc  accumulations.  A  mollusc
collection  from  this  locality  includes:  Neritina  compacta
Forbes,  Natica  transsylvanica  Palfy,  Cerithium  alulovici  Pe-
jović,  Cardium  duclouxi  Vidal,  Corculum  (Fragum)  cerevi-
cianum Pašić, Lucina producta Goldf., L. falax Forbes (Pejo-
vić 1953).

Marly sandstone and sandy argilites in the river at Čekovića

millhouse in the village of Kovačevo bears, besides foramini-
fer Laffiteina mengaudi (Fig. 3.15), numerous Cardium du-
clouxi,

other bivalvia and gastropods (Radoičić 1988).

Maastrichtian sediments of Alulovići and Kovačevo are

shallow-water  equivalents  of  the  basinal  Deževo  and  Novi
Pazar formations – actually parts thereof (more accurate cor-
relations will result from further study). These rocks were in-
terpreted by Mojsilović et al. (1979) as lying in the middle of
the flysch column about 300 m thick. They are shown in the
geological  map  Sheet  Sjenica  (Mojsilović  et  al.  1979),  and
Petrović & Jankičević (1988) refer to them as a young flysch
series.  However,  according  D.  Pejović  &  R.  Radoičić  (pers.
com.) these sediments of Alulovići and Kovačevo are not fly-
sch.  The  latest  stratigraphical  data  indicate  the  post-Maas-
trichtian age of the flysch (de Capoa & Radoičić 2000).

Paleontological comments on selected foraminifers

Binconcava bentori Hamaoui et Saint-Marc, 1970

(Fig. 4.13—15)

This species was described by Hamaoui et Saint-Marc,

1970 from specimens found in Lebanon and Israel. Those
from Lebanon have fewer chamberlets in the terminal coil and
less curved septae. My specimens resemble more those from
Lebanon in having fewer (14 or less) chamberlets in the termi-
nal coil. The species described was found in Cenomanian
rocks, but it also occurs in early Senonian and Campanian of
the Apennines, Dinarides, Hellenides, and Provence.

Antalyna korayi Farinacci et Köylüoglu, 1985

(Fig. 3.12)

In the present stage of our knowledge, this species, de-

scribed from Maastrichtian sediments of Turkey, ranges from
Santonian to Upper Maastrichtian (Polavder 2000).

Hemicyclammina chalmasi (Schlumberger), 1899

(Fig. 6.16)

In the type locality, the little known species Hemicyclammi-

na chalmasi ranges from Coniacian to Upper Santonian. H.
chalmasi found in Gradina limestones is Campanian in age
(Polavder 2000).

Broeckina dufrenoyi (d’Archiac, 1854)

(Fig. 6.17)

Broeckina dufrenoyi was known only from the type locali-

ty, from specimens of the B-generation. In 1975 Cherchi &
Schroeder presented specimens of the A-generation from the
same locality. The only section of the species in Campanian
limestone of Gradina is also of the A-generation (Polavder
1997).

Nummofallotia cretacea (Schlumberger, 1899)

(Fig. 3.3—9)

This is a common species, especially in Mur limestones. Its

preservation and size (diameter, thickness) vary. The external
test coils are frequently dissolved to the degree that only um-
bilical plug has been preserved. Oblique sections of such a
test remainder strongly resemble trocholina (Fig. 3.8).

Sulcoperculina aff. S. cubensis (Palmer, 1934)

(Fig. 6.1—4)

A foraminifer, exactly like the one presented by Hottinger

(1966) as Sulcoperculina aff. cubensis, found in the Campa-
nian of Gradina has been reported only from the Pyrenees;
now this is another region of its occurrence (Polavder 1997).

Tekkeina anatoliensis Farinacci et Yeniay, 1994

(Fig. 6.15)

This little known and recently described species from Turkey

is  found  in  the  Lower  Campanian  hemipelagites  of  the  Mur
Formation, as corroborated by planktonic foraminifers (elevata
Zone)  and  nannofossils  (CC18  Zone).  From  Brač  Island,  this
species  is  presented  as  “a  large  coarsely  agglutinated  similar
foraminifer (or okin) to Navarella juaquini” which also occurs
in  Lower  Campanian  hemipelagic  limestones  with  pitonellae
and calcisphaerae (Gušič & Jelaska 1990 – Pl. XI: Fig. 2).

Miliolidae gen. and sp. indet.

(Fig. 5.6—15)

The third most abundant, besides quinqueloculina type and

Idalina antiqua, are miliolids of planispiral coiling at the final
stage  of  growth.  Tests  of  the  Massilina  Schlumberger,  1893
and Derventina Neagu, 1968 are characterized by the ball-like
early  stage  developing  into  planispiral  coiling.  Massilinae
have apertures with bifid tooth, and derventinae have dentate
aperture. Since these structural features are not visible in the
available  sections,  they  are  presented  as  miliolidae  of  open

CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF VARDAR ZONE 91

nomenclature. Some of them may be new species of one/or
another genus.

Biostratigraphical comments

The assemblage of benthic foraminifers in Cretaceous

shallow-water limestones of Novi Pazar, includes the fol-
lowing species:

a) distributed throughout the Upper Cretaceous (Nezza-

zatinella picardi, Dicyclina schlumbergeri),

b) occurring in the uppermost Turonian or the lowermost

Coniacian,  and  common  in  the  Santonian  (Idalina  antiqia,
Pseudocyclammina  massiliensis,  Hemicyclammina  chalma-
si,  Nummufallotia  cretacea);  the  Turonian  dating  of  some
species of this association ought to be confirmed by an anal-
ysis of nannofossils.

c) believed to be Santonian or occurring in the Santonian

(Rotalia reicheli, Sulcoperculina aff. S. cubensis, Broeckina
dufrenoyi, Tekkeina anatoliensis),

d) known so far from the Maastrichtian – Antalyna ko-

rayi,

e) small, little known rotaliform foraminifers and varied

miliolids having the terminal planispiral stage, possibly in-
cluding new species.

According to reference information the Santonian age of

the  studied  shallow-water  limestones  should  probably  be
maintained. A more accurate dating is based on an analysis
of nannofossils in the shallow-water limestones and nanno-
fossils and planktonic foraminifers contained in the succes-
sive sediments. The shallow-water limestones in this part of
the  Novi  Pazar  Cretaceous  belt  are  uppermost  Santonian?—
Lower Campanian. The range of I. antiqua is extended into
Campanian, however, it does not have to be its ultimate last
occurrence.  According  to  D.  Pejović,  the  above  mentioned
rudists from Bajevica limestones (and blocks) are known as
Santonian/Campanian species.

The assemblage with I. antiqua in the Cretaceous succes-

sions of Novi Pazar resembles largely the association includ-
ing  Santonian  foraminifers  of  the  pre-Pyrenees  and
Provence,  though  some  of  the  species  are  widespread  in
some other regions. I. antiqua from the pre-Pyrenees (Leri-
da) is commonly mentioned as a Santonian species (Cornella
1977;  Hottinger  et  al.  1989).  Cornella  mentions  it  from
member five of section “El Barranco de la Font de la Plata”,
which  lies  directly  under  massive  Campanian  limestones
(microfauna in the latter is not mentioned as it was not the
subject  of  her  study).  An  important  stratigraphical  fact  is
that orbitoids occur at the top of the third and in the fourth
members, beneath the beds with I. antiqua. The Cretaceous
Stratigraphy  Subcommission  WGCM  field  trip  guide  book,
(Caus  et  al.  1981),  contains  a  revised  version  of  the  same
section. The same authors state that Cornella’s fifth member
is equivalent to the lowest part of their unit seven which is
entirely Campanian.

In the Cretaceous of Provence, according to Tronchetti

(1981), I. antiqua occurs in uppermost Turonian and is com-
mon in the Upper Santonian. In Provence, the assemblage
including I. antiqua and Ps. massiliensis occurs in the ma-

rine Upper Santonian (late Upper Santonian are lacustrine
and continental deposits). Facies bearing assemblages of this
type, excluding Provence, are not well known. I. antiqua is
not even mentioned in many publications on Campanian
benthic foraminifers.

Depositional environments

The Bajevica Formation is characterized by ramp environ-

ments inhabited by rudists, foraminifers and algae.

According to Bandy & Arnal (1960, p. 215), diverse abun-

dant populations of quinqueloculinas, triloculinas, and other
miliolids indicate a coastal marine environment. In the lower
part of the Bajevica Formation the association with Idalina
antiqua is autochthonous while in the upper beds it is parau-
tochthonous (floatstone with rudist fragments and debris).

The Early Campanian rise of sea level caused substitution of

shallow-water sediments (Bajevica Formation) by lower-ramp
hemipelagic carbonates (Mur Formation). The beginning of
bottom subsidence is indicated by slumping phenomena.

The sequence with slumped blocks is terminated by thick

biolithoclastic or silty limestone bed, at the top of which plank-
tonic microfossils already occur, indicating further deepening
of the depositional environment. Subsequently, pelagic sedi-
ments are followed by flysch-like and flysch deposits.

Excluding a thin bed of accumulated fragments (most likely

carried by a strong tide and deposited in a shallow littoral area),
the lack of rudists is notable in the Bajevica Formation (the
Gradina Succession). The lack of rudists can be explained by
the absence of an important environmental factor for rudists.

Rare benthic foraminifers are parautochthonous in the Gra-

dina Formation, which bears segments, fragments and detritus
of udoteacean algae and occasional solitary corals. The occur-
rence of few planktonic foraminifers in the middle part of the
Gradina Formation indicates a slow progressive deepening of
the still shallow sea (infralittoral, deeper ramp area).

In the Gradina Succession the shallow-water sedimentation,

ends with infralittoral deposits. This formation is followed
discontinuously by deposition of the turbidite carbonate-
clastics.

Conclusion

The oldest Senonian, sedimentary rocks in the western part

of Stara Raška (the Vardar Zone) Cretaceous belt lie trans-
gressively over the Paleozoic basement.

The oldest shallow-water carbonates of the Bajevica For-

mation, believed to be Santonian so far, are dated uppermost
Santonian?—Lower Campanian. Shallow-water sedimentation
of this part of the Novi Pazar Cretaceous unit was short. The
depositional area began to deepen during the Early Campa-
nian (CC17 Nannoplankton Zone) and continued during Mid-
dle—Late Campanian and also in Maastrichtian (CC23b Nan-
noplankton Zone).

Relatively shallow-water proximal basinal sandstones with

Laffitteina mengaudi and Cardium duclouxi at Kovačevo and
sandstones with orbitoids and molluscs at Alulovići are lateral

92 POLAVDER

equivalents of part of the Novi Pazar clastics and Deževo car-
bonate clastics.

Acknowledgments: I am grateful for useful suggestions to
the professor M. Sudar of the University of Belgrade. I am
also indebted to Dr D. Pejović for data on the rudist fauna, to
Prof P. De Capoa (University of Naples, Italy), for her analy-
sis of nannofossils and to Dr D. Jovanović for sedimentologi-
cal consultations. And most of all – for the borrowed refer-
ence books, thin-sections and expertise – I owe thanks to Dr
R. Radoičić.

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