Elsa Gliozzi

The Central Anatolian Plateau (CAP) has played a dynamic role in the Africa-Eurasia convergence system since the mid-Mesozoic. It has been influenced by various geological processes, including lithospheric delamination, slab segmentation (specifically the Cyprus and Antalya slabs), tilting, and slab break-off. The southern margin of the CAP, marked by the Central Taurides, is unconformably overlain by Neogene marine sedimentary deposits from the Mut and Antalya basins. To better understand the mechanisms driving the Middle Pleistocene uplift, we present new evidence from a marine succession (Tol-1 section) of the Mut Basin, located at 1171 m a.s.l. Tol-1 section is approximately 71 m thick and consists of marls, clayey marls, and occasional calcarenite layers, indicating a shallowing-upward sequence. The calcareous nannofossil analysis revealed two key bioevents: the Last Occurrence (LO) of Pseudoemiliania lacunosa (0.46 Ma), in the midsection, and the First Occurrence (FO) of Emiliania huxleyi (0.26 Ma), near the top. Although the abundant reworked specimens, these taxa provide reliable chronological markers. The FO of E. huxleyi and the estimated sedimentation rate for the top of the Tol-1 section point to an age of ca. 0.21 Ma (Marine Isotope Stage, MIS 7) for the youngest marine deposits of the Mut Basin. Ostracod taphonomy suggests paleobathymetric conditions ranging from littoral to upper epibathyal environments (depths not exceeding 400 m). Paleomagnetic analysis confirms Brunhes' normal polarity, supporting a late Middle Pleistocene age for the Tol-1 section. So far, this section is identified as the youngest marine deposits reported at this elevation along the southern margin of the CAP. By combining our age constraints, the paleobathymetry of the top section (50 m b.s.l.), and the eustatic sea level during the late Middle Pleistocene (~-18.5 m), we estimate an uplift rate of ~5.9 m/kyr for the southern margin of the CAP. This uplift may be induced by the upwelling of low-density asthenospheric mantle following slab break-off as suggested in previous studies (Faccenna et al., 2006; Keskin, 2003; Cosentino et al., 2012; Schildgen et al., 2014; Öğretmen et al., 2018; Racano et al., 2020; 2021).

Understanding deep-time marine biodiversity change under the combined effects of climate and connectivity changes is fundamental for predicting the impacts of modern climate change in semi-enclosed seas. We quantify the Late Miocene–Early Pliocene [11.63 to 3.6 million years (Ma)] taxonomic diversity of the Mediterranean Sea for calcareous nannoplankton, dinocysts, foraminifera, ostracods, corals, molluscs, bryozoans, echinoids, fishes, and marine mammals. During this time, marine biota was affected by global climate cooling and the restriction of the Mediterranean’s connection to the Atlantic Ocean that peaked with the Messinian salinity crisis. Although the net change in species richness from the Tortonian to the Zanclean varies by group, species turnover is greater than 30% in all cases, reflecting a high degree of reorganization of the marine ecosystem after the crisis. The results show a clear perturbation already in the pre-evaporitic Messinian (7.25 to 5.97 Ma), with patterns differing among groups and subbasins.

Massive salt accumulations, or salt giants, have formed in highly restricted marine basins throughout geological history, but their impact on biodiversity has been only patchily studied. The salt giant in the Mediterranean Sea formed as a result of the restriction of its gateway to the Atlantic during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) 5.97 to 5.33 million years ago. Here, we quantify the biodiversity changes associated with the MSC based on a compilation of the Mediterranean fossil record. We conclude that 86 endemic species of the 2006 pre-MSC marine species survived the crisis, and that the present eastward-decreasing richness gradient in the Mediterranean was established after the MSC.

We present the geological map of the north-eastern margin of the Fucino Basin, which is mainly characterized by Plio-Quaternary continental deposits that show transition from deeper-water lacustrine environment, marginal lacustrine system, and fluvial facies. These deposits unconformably overlie upper Messinian Lago-Mare sediments and pre-orogenic carbonate succession. The occurrence of Caspiocypris tiberina in the Plio-Quaternary lacustrine sediments, coupled with the normal magnetic polarity of Casa Colombaia section, led to suggest the onset of the sedimentation of these continental deposits to the late Piacenzian (2.58–3.04 Ma). The upper Messinian deposits are characterized by ostracod assemblages related to the Loxocorniculina djafarovi zone, pointing to the last Lago-Mare event of the Messinian Salinity Crisis (5.40–5.33 Ma). This new stratigraphic framework may be useful to refine the long-term slip rates of the still active normal faults that affect the north-eastern margin of the Fucino Basin.

Unraveling the evolution of supradetachment basins developed in the hanging wall of low‐angle detachment faults may be an invaluable tool in reconstructing the tectonic evolution of highly extended terrains. These basins may record major regional tectonic events related to the exhumation of metamorphic core complexes, and the reconstruction of their evolution helps to quantify the amount of extension accommodated by such processes. Here we present stratigraphic and structural field evidence and micropaleontological constraints to the Neogene‐to‐Quaternary evolution of the supradetachment Gediz Graben that developed on top of the exhuming Central Menderes Massif (SW Turkey). This basin displays three different structural styles during its evolution: (i) it initiated as a ramp basin following the activation of the Gediz Detachment in the Middle Miocene, (ii) evolved as a half graben during the late Miocene following the activation of high‐angle brittle faults at its southern margin, and (iii) reached its final symmetric graben configuration in Late Pliocene (?)‐Quaternary times following the activation of its northern margin. New micropaleontological data document a short‐lived upper Tortonian marine episode in the basin, and major along‐strike variations in exhumation are documented on its southern margin. Our reconstruction shows how sedimentary basins originally formed in the hanging wall of detachment faults may eventually end up in tectonic contact with the mylonitic footwall. Finally, we highlight the importance of magmatism in localizing the deformation in highly extended terrains and in controlling the evolution of supradetachment systems.

During the Cenozoic, the constant northward movement of the African plate led to the division of the Tethys Ocean into two: the Palaeomediterranean and the Paratethyan branches. The latter was represented by a huge epicontinental sea and brackish to freshwater lakes that extended across central Europe and western Asia. Neogene and Quaternary ostracods from the Paratethys originated through major adaptive radiations, which gave rise to endemic brackish taxa. Unfortunately, much confusion surrounds their taxonomy, due to the quality of descriptions and images in the original literature and the incompleteness of the type material, making necessary a taxonomic revision. In this paper, we propose a systematic revision of several Paratethyan endemic candonid genera based on the analysis of the type material, new material collected from the type localities, and new fossil material from the Ponto-Caspian area. The study focuses on the description of the valve morphology and particularly on the geometric morphometric analysis of the valve outline. Thirty-three genera were taken into account of which four (Advenocypris, Candoniella, Graviacypris, Telekia) were considered to be junior synonyms of Typhlocypris, Pseudocandona or Candona. Moesiella is considered a nomen nudum. In the case of Caspiollina, Dacicandona, Liventalina and Turkmenella the scarcity of material and/or the poor descriptions reported in the literature prevented us from performing a full revision. The monospecific genus Thaminocypris possibly includes a teratological form. The remaining 23 genera were merged into nine valid, endemic, genera (Bakunella, Camptocypria, Caspiocypris, Hastacandona, Lineocypris, Pontoniella, Propontoniella, Typhlocyprella and Zalanyiella). Emended diagnoses and descriptions are proposed for these genera and a new species, Bakunella anae sp. nov., is described. This study considerably reduces the taxonomic uncertainty within the Paratethyan candonids, providing new data for the evaluation of the palaeobiodiversity of the Paratethyan domain. Finally, the palaeobiogeography of Paratethyan candonids during the Neogene and Quaternary is also discussed. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EB9EC2D4-AFD2-428E-9958-C97F36ED7FF2