Robertson, A.H.F., Emeis, K.-C., Richter, C., and Camerlenghi, A. (Eds.

), 1998
Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, Vol. 160

8. CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL QUANTITATIVE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

OF HOLES 969E AND 963B (EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN)1

Enrico Di Stefano2

ABSTRACT

The distribution patterns of the selected biostratigraphically useful calcareous nannofossils were analyzed in the Pliocene–
Pleistocene sequences of Holes 969E and 963B drilled during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 160 (Eastern Mediterranean). Quan-
titative methods were used to verify the reliability of the sequence of calcareous nannofossil events detected during ODP Leg
107, Site 653 in the Western Mediterranean. In the Mediterranean record, just above the base of the Zanclean, the Reticu-
lofenestra pseudoumbilicus paracme interval can be used to improve biostratigraphic resolution in the basal Pliocene record. At
the base of the sequence of Hole 969E only the uppermost part of the Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilicus paracme was identified.
It is concluded, therefore, that a short segment is not present at the local base of the Pliocene.

INTRODUCTION cording to the estimated sediment accumulation rate (see the

following), a time interval of ~35 k.y. is represented per 70 cm of
A calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic scheme for the Mediter- core. The underlying upper Messinian Unit II is represented by ~2 m
ranean Pliocene–Pleistocene record was proposed by Raffi and Rio of calcareous silty clay that was not included in this study.
(1979) with reference to Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Leg 13 Hole 963B is located in the Strait of Sicily (Fig. 2), on the unstable
Site 132. Rio et al. (1990) revised this scheme after detailed analysis foreland of North Africa, close to the deformation front of the Gela
of Leg 107 Site 653, which reoccupied Site 132. Essentially based on Nappe. The sediments of the single recognized sedimentary unit are
the sequence of extinction levels of Discoaster taxa during the nannofossil ooze, with minor intercalations of silt, volcanic ash, and
Pliocene (only the MNN12/13 and MNN14−15/MNN16a zonal clay intervals. Samples examined totalled 253. Two samples from
boundaries are defined by nonasterolith markers) and on the evolu- each section were studied with a maximum sample spacing of about
tion of the Gephyrocapsa complex in the Pleistocene (Fig. 1), this 70 cm. As reported subsequently, this sample spacing covers a time
zonal scheme for the Western Mediterranean has been widely accept- interval of ~9 k.y. in lower Pleistocene sediments and ~3 k.y. in the
ed and used in several studies (Di Stefano and Sprovieri, 1990; Chan- middle Pleistocene through Holocene sediments.
nell et al.,1992; Di Stefano et al., 1993; Castradori, 1993). The de-
tailed analysis of calcareous nannofossils from the Pliocene–Pleisto- METHODS
cene sequence of Hole 969E provided the opportunity to apply this
zonal scheme to an Eastern Mediterranean geologic section, to com-
pare the calcareous nannofossil evolution in these two different Med- Smear slides for light microscope analyses were prepared accord-
iterranean sub-basins. Hole 963B was drilled seaward of the Sicilian ing to standard techniques. The scanning electron microscope (SEM)
Capo Rossello land section (Fig. 2). The recovered sequence encom- was used only to investigate the Emiliania huxleyi FO according to
passes the stratigraphic interval between the uppermost level out- the methodology introduced by Thierstein et al. (1977). The same un-
cropping at Capo Rossello, referable to the first occurrence (FO) of processed material that was used to prepare smear slides was smeared
large Gephyrocapsa (Di Stefano et al., 1993) and the Holocene. This on a SEM stub. To maintain the unaltered state of the nannofossil as-
hole is therefore important for reporting the sequence of bioevents sociations, no nonbiogenic material was removed. Taxon identifica-
that can be only sporadically identified, and only for the upper part of tion was conducted by light microscopy (transmitted light and
the lower Pleistocene, in outcropping sections along the southern crossed nicols) at magnifications of ~1000×.
coast of Sicily (Di Stefano et al., 1991). Abundance estimates of the nannofossils in the slides were made
with the following categories:

MATERIALS Abundant = usually more than 10 specimens occurring per field;

Common = 1−10 specimens per field;
Holes 969E and 963B were studied. Hole 969E is located on the Few = 1 specimen per 1−10 fields; and
Mediterranean Ridge, about 100 km south of the island of Crete, on Rare = 1 specimen per more than 10 fields.
a ridge that separates the Ionian Basin from the Levantine Basin (Fig.
2). A total of 133 samples of the Pliocene–Pleistocene Unit I were ex- The qualitative evaluation of the state of preservation of the cal-
amined from Hole 969E (from Cores 1 through 11). The pelagic se- careous nannofossils was made with the following criteria:
quence includes more than 80 sapropel layers. Two samples per sec-
tion were studied with a maximum sample spacing of ~70 cm. Ac- Good = specimens exhibit little or no dissolution and/or over-
growth;
Moderate to good = specimens exhibit slight to moderate dissolu-
tion and/or overgrowth, and the identification of some species
1 Robertson, A.H.F., Emeis, K.-C., Richter, C., and Camerlenghi, A. (Eds.), 1998.
is impaired;
Proc. ODP, Sci. Results, 160: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program).
Moderate = specimens exhibit moderate dissolution and/or over-
2 Department of Geology and Geodesy—Corso, Tuköry 131-90100, Palermo, Italy. growth, and identification is impaired at the specific level; and
[email protected] Poor = specimens exhibit extreme dissolution and/or overgrowth.

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E. DI STEFANO

Chronostratigraphy

Rio et al. (1990)

Cita (1975)
Planktonic foraminifer Calcareous nannnofossil

Age (Ma)

amended
Polarity

Chron
bioevents bioevents

HOLOCENE MNN21b
0 E. huxleyi increase
MNN21a

MIDDLE/LATE
PLEISTOCENE
E. huxleyi
MNN20

G. truncat.
P. lacunosa

excelsa
Gephyrocapsa sp. 3
0.78 MNN19f
1 Gephyrocapsa sp. 3
1
1.07
PLEISTOCENE

G. truncatulinoides excelsa MNN19e

Large Gephyrocapsa, H. sellii
EARLY

G. caria
MNN19d

coensis
Large Gephyrocapsa
MNN19c C. macintyrei
MNN19b
Increasing in abundance of Medium-size Gephyrocapsa
N. pachyderma sinistral MNN19a
L. PLIOCENE

1.95 D. brouweri, D. triradiatus

GELASIAN

2 MPL6 T. truncatulinoides
2 G. inflata
b MNN18

G. bononiensis D. pentaradiatus
MPL5

MNN16b/17
PIACENZIAN

LCO D. tamalis
PLIOCENE

a N. atlantica sinistral
MIDDLE

3 D. tamalis paracme
3.11
Sphaeroidinellopsis spp.
2A b MNN16a
MPL4

3.58 G. puncticulata D. pentaradiatus paracme

a Sphenolithus spp.
PLIOCENE

LCO G. margaritae R. pseudoumbilicus

4 MNN14/15
D. asymmetricus
ZANCLEAN

4.29
MPL3
MNN13
G. puncticulata H. sellii
EARLY

4.62
3 MPL2
4.89 MNN12
5 FCO G. margaritae R. pseudoumbilicus paracme
5.28
Reestablishment of open- Reestablishment of open-
MPL1 marine conditions marine conditions

Figure 1. Adopted calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic scheme for the Pliocene–Pleistocene Mediterranean record from Rio et al. (1990) correlated to the
chronostratigraphy, geomagnetic polarity time scale, and planktonic foraminifer bioevents. In the right-hand column, the positions of second-order events are
also reported.

Abundance data of nannofossil taxa were collected by quantita-

tive methods. Their application in calcareous nannofossil biostratig-
raphy and biochronology studies has been discussed at length by
Backman and Shackleton (1983) and Rio et al. (1990).
The following counting methods were applied in this work:

1. Index species vs. the total assemblage was used to detect the E.
huxleyi FO and its increase and the Pseudoemiliania lacunosa
last occurrence (LO). Counts were restricted to the first 300
nannofossils for E. huxleyi and to the first 500 for P. lacunosa.
2. Index species vs. a fixed number of taxonomically related
forms. This method was used to detect the abundance patterns
of Discoaster markers relative to 100 asteroliths, Calcidiscus
macintyrei relative to 100 Calcidiscus, Helicosphaera sellii
relative to 50 helicoliths, medium-sized Gephyrocapsa rela-
tive to 300 placoliths >3 µm, large Gephyrocapsa relative to
100 Gephyrocapsa spp. >4 µm, and Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 rela-
tive to 100 Gephyrocapsa spp. >4 µm.
3. The number of specimens of a taxon in a pre-determined area
of the slide (4.52 mm2) was utilized to quantify:
a. The total accumulation of the genus Discoaster through the
record;
b. The early Pliocene bioevents relative to P. lacunosa and the
Amaurolithus and Ceratolithus index forms; and
Figure 2. Index map with the location of ODP Sites 969, 964, and 963. 1 = c. The relative abundance of Reticulofenestra pseudoumbili-
Capo Rossello-Punta Piccola; 2 = Monte San Nicola; 3 = Capo Spartivento- cus and Sphenolithus spp. (Sphenolithus abies and S. neo-
Roccella Jonica. abies).

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 CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL QUANTITATIVE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

TAXONOMY which crops out at Capo Rossello (Cita and Gartner, 1973). This
boundary is at the same lithological level as the Miocene/Pliocene
The taxonomic concepts of Backman and Shackleton (1983), Rio boundary proposed by Cita (1975). The Zanclean chronostratigraphic
et al. (1990), and Raffi et al. (1993) were followed. They have been unit spans the interval between the base of the Pliocene and the base
adopted by previous authors who studied the Pliocene–Pleistocene of the Piacenzian. After the revision of the Piacenzian stratotype sec-
Mediterranean record (Channell et al.,1992; Castradori, 1993; Di Ste- tion (Rio et al., 1988), the GSSP of the base of the Piacenzian is pro-
fano et al., 1993; Glaçon et al., 1990). posed by Cita et al. (1996) coinciding with lithologic small-scale cy-
cle 77 of Hilgen (1991a). In this cycle, which crops out at the base of
the Punta Piccola section (Agrigento, Southern Sicily), the Gilbert/
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY Gauss boundary was identified at the top, and the LO of Globorotalia
puncticulata was recognized in lithologic cycle 79 (Hilgen, 1991a).
The Mediterranean region acted as a distinct biogeographic prov- The GSSP of the base of the Gelasian Stage (recently ratified by
ince during the Pliocene–Pleistocene time interval (Thunell, 1979; International Union Geological Sciences (IUGS) is defined in the
Berggren, 1984). As a consequence, regional calcareous plankton Monte San Nicola section (Gela, Southern Sicily) (Rio et al., 1994),
biostratigraphic schemes have been proposed by different authors coinciding with a laminated level correlated to the oxygen isotopic
(Cita, 1975; Colalongo and Sartoni, 1979; Spaak, 1983; Iaccarino, Stage 103. No bioevents are present at the base of this stage. The best
1985; and Sprovieri, 1992 for planktonic foraminifers; and Bukry, approximation for its recognition is the LO of Discoaster pentaradi-
1973; Schmidt, 1973; Müller, 1978; Ellis, 1979; Raffi and Rio, 1979; atus, which in the stratotype section is ~0.089 Ma younger than the
and Rio et al., 1990 for calcareous nannofossils). boundary stratotype.
Previous studies on the Pliocene–Pleistocene calcareous nanno-
fossil biostratigraphy of the Mediterranean were summarized by Rio Pliocene/Pleistocene Boundary
et al. (1990). They introduced quantitative definitions for the zonal
boundaries. Their scheme, correlated with the standard zonations of This boundary, ratified by IUGS in the Vrica (stratotype bound-
Martini (1971) and Okada and Bukry (1980), was adopted in subse- ary) section (Calabria, Italy; Aguirre and Pasini, 1985; Bassett,
quent studies of land sections in the Western Mediterranean (Chan- 1985), is best approximated by the first increase of the planktonic for-
nell et al., 1992; Di Stefano et al., 1993) and in Quaternary deep-sea aminifer left-coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma and the FO of
cores recovered in the Eastern Mediterranean (Castradori, 1993). the calcareous nannofossil Gephyrocapsa oceanica s.l. (= FO of me-
This scheme is adopted here, but as modified by Sprovieri et al. dium-size Gephyrocapsa spp., according to Raffi et al. 1993).
(1994). Sprovieri et al. (1994) define the upper boundary of the Zone In this study the Pleistocene is divided into the lower and middle-
MNN16a by the last common occurrence (LCO) of Discoaster tama- upper Pleistocene. The definition of this boundary is still under dis-
lis and not by the LO of the marker species (Fig. 2). The LCO coin- cussion (Cita and Castradori, 1995). One of the proposed options is
cides with the uppermost sharp decrease of D. tamalis above the the recognition of this boundary by the FO of Gephyrocapsa sp. 3.
paracme interval. This option was followed during shipboard studies of Leg 160
(Emeis, Robertson, Richter, et al., 1996) and in this paper.

CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY
RESULTS
Miocene/Pliocene Boundary
Hole 969E
The Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of this boundary
was recently proposed by Hilgen and Langereis (1993) at the base of Calcareous nannofossils are abundant in all samples from Unit I.
the Trubi sequence in the Eraclea Minoa section (Southern Sicily) The assemblages are rich, well diversified, and show good to moder-
since at Capo Rossello, where Cita (1975) proposed this boundary, ate-good preservation. Etching is minimal and present only in some
paleomagnetic data could not be obtained. The proposal by Benson sapropel layers. A moderate degree of overgrowth is observed mainly
and Rakic-El Bied (1996), to define this boundary in the Bou Regreg in the lower Pliocene interval. Reworking is minimal. The relative
section (Morocco), in coincidence of the base of the C3r paleomag- distribution patterns of the species are comparable to that reported by
netic interval, is controversial and still under discussion. Rio et al. (1990) for the Western Mediterranean. The stratigraphic po-
Following Hilgen and Langereis (1993) the recognition of this sition of the recognized events is listed in Table 1. The biostratigraph-
boundary in the open-ocean record is difficult, owing to a lack of bio- ic and chronostratigraphic subdivision of the sequence is summarized
stratigraphic markers at this stratigraphic level. Recent papers based in Figure 3. The distribution patterns of the considered taxa are plot-
on land sections that crop out in Calabria show that this boundary oc- ted in Figures 4−11.
curs slightly (five precession astronomical cycles) below the base of In Unit II, the calcareous nannofossil assemblages are few to com-
the Thvera subchron and slightly below the Triquetrorhabdulus rug- mon and specimens exhibit moderate to moderate–good preservation
osus LO (Channell et al., 1988; Hilgen and Langereis, 1988; Di Ste- conditions. Reworked taxa (Micula decussata, Cribrosphaerella
fano et al., 1996). Therefore, this boundary has an age of about 5.33 ehrembergii, Cyclicargolithus floridanus, and Dictyococcites bisec-
Ma (Hilgen, 1991b; Sprovieri, 1993). In extra-Mediterranean marine tus) from older sediments are present with nondiagnostic taxa that
sequence this boundary is within Subzone CN10a of the Okada and range from the Miocene to Pliocene. They include Sphenolithus
Bukry (1980) zonation scheme. abies, Coccolithus pelagicus, Discoaster pentaradiatus, Calcidiscus
macintyrei, and Reticulofenestra spp. and are interpreted as reworked
Pliocene from upper Miocene sediments of late Messinian. The transition be-
tween Unit I and Unit II is sharp, as evidenced by a strong change in
The Pliocene two-fold chronostratigraphic scheme of Berggren et the abundance and composition of the assemblages. This change is
al. (1985) was discussed by Rio et al. (1991, 1994) and Cita et al. (in considered indicative of the re-establishment of open-marine condi-
press), who propose a three-fold subdivision based on well-estab- tions above the upper Messinian Unit II at the base of the Pliocene
lished stratotype boundaries. Consequently, the Pliocene Series is (Cita, 1975; Rio et al., 1984). In this hole, the base of the Pliocene is
subdivided into the Zanclean, Piacenzian, and Gelasian Stages. The not represented, as evidenced by a hiatus whose duration has been es-
base of the Zanclean is defined at the base of the Trubi sequence, timated at ~200 k.y. (see below).

101
E. DI STEFANO

Table 1. Summary of the stratigraphic positions of calcareous nanno-

fossil events at Hole 969E.

Core, section, Depth Error limit

Depth (mbsf)
Event interval (cm) (mbsf) (cm)

160-969E-
E. huxleyi increase 1H-2, 39−40 1.89 87
E. huxleyi FO 2H-1, 118−119 6.08 66
P. lacunosa LO 2H-5, 104−105 11.94 65
Gephyrocapsa sp.3 LO 2H-7, 39−40 14.29 70
Gephyrocapsa sp.3 FO 3H-2, 117−118 17.07 72
Large Gephyrocapsa LO 3H-5, 113−114 21.53 74
H. sellii LO 3H-5, 113−114 21.53 74
Large Gephyrocapsa FO 4H-1, 123−124 25.13 66
C. macintyrei LO 4H-3, 123−124 28.13 84
Medium-size Gephyrocapsa FO 4H-4, 39−40 28.79 84
D. brouweri LO 4H-7, 38−39 33.28 65
D. triradiatus LO 4H-7, 38−39 33.28 65
D. triradiatus increase 5H-2, 39−40 35.29 71
D. pentaradiatus LO 5H-CC 42.93 14
D. syracuse LO 5H-CC 42.93 14
D. tamalis LCO 6H-4, 109−110 48.49 70
D. pentaradiatus paracme top 8H-2, 39−40 63.79 80
Sphenolithus spp. LO 8H-3, 109−110 65.99 70
R. pseudoumbilicus LO 8H-5, 109−110 68.99 70
D. pentaradiatus paracme bottom 8H-6, 39−40 69.79 70
A. delicatus LO 9H-1, 40−41 71.8 131
P. lacunosa FO 9H-1, 40−41 71.8 69
D. tamalis FO 9H-1, 109−110 72.49 81
D. asymmetricus FCO 9H-4, 109−110 76.99 81
A. primes LO 10H-1, 110−112 82 71
H. sellii FO 10H-2, 110−112 83.5 79
C. rugosus FO 10H-3, 39−40 84.29 71
A. tricorniculatus LO 10H-3, 110−112 85 71
R. pseudoumbilicus paracme top 11H-5, 109−110 95.49 67

Note: FO = first occurrence, LO = last occurrence, LCO = last common occurrence,

FCO = first common occurrence.

Hole 963B
Calcareous nannofossils are abundant in all analyzed samples.
The assemblages are dominated by placoliths identified as Gephyro-
capsa spp. These assemblages compare well to the Quaternary as-
semblages reported for the Mediterranean Basin by Müller (1978,
1990). Reworked Pliocene, Miocene, Eocene, and Late Cretaceous
species also occur. The abundance of reworked taxa increases upsec-
tion, beginning at about 115 m below sea floor (mbsf), which indi-
cates that during this time interval the sources for reworking were
more active. Evidence of similar reworking was documented from
lower Pleistocene land sections that outcrop along the southern coast
of Sicily (Channell et al., 1992, Di Stefano et al., 1993).
Preservation of the in situ Pleistocene assemblages is generally
good. Nevertheless, because of strong reworking the recognition of
Figure 3. Composite of calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic events recog-
the LO of P. lacunosa can be identified with accuracy only by quan-
nized at Hole 969E.
titative analyses. The biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic subdi-
vision of the sequence studied from Hole 963B is reported in Figure
12. The stratigraphic positions of the recognized events are listed in biostratigraphic boundaries with accuracy. In particular, Rio et al.
Table 2. The distribution patterns of the considered taxa are plotted (1990) proposed quantitative thresholds for many of these bioevents,
in Figure 13. below or above which the species is considered biostratigraphically
not relevant. Effectively, this is an essentially biostratigraphic crite-
rion. It is not necessarily coincident with the total range of the living
BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC REMARKS species. The species may occur beyond the stratigraphic level in
which the proposed threshold is identified, but with very low percent
The same sequence of biozones reported from the Tyrrhenian Sea values. Such low values are biostratigraphically inconsistent for the
study of Rio et al. (1990) was identified in the Holes 969E and 963B. recognition of correlatable biostratigraphic boundary, particularly in
Although the sample spacing was less than that used by Rio et al. the presence of strong reworking.
(1990), the abundance patterns from the Eastern Mediterranean and In addition to the identification of the primary biostratigraphic
the Tyrrhenian Basin are the same. The same stratigraphic and paleo- events, quantitative methods in this study resulted in the identifica-
ecologic evolution, therefore, affected the calcareous nannofossil as- tion of some sharp changes in the relative abundance distribution dur-
semblages in the two Mediterranean sub-basins during the Pliocene– ing the total range of some species. As already reported implicitly by
Pleistocene. Several papers on calcareous nannofossil biostratigra- Rio et al. (1990), their importance for improving the biostratigraphic
phy pointed out the opportunity for quantitative analyses to detect the resolution based on the calcareous nannofossil assemblage is stressed

102
 CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL QUANTITATIVE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

Figure 4. Abundance pattern of Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilicus in Hole 969E.

Figure 5. Abundance pattern of Sphenolithus spp. (S. abies and S. neoabies) in Hole 969E.

103
E. DI STEFANO

Figure 6. Abundance pattern of the ceratolith taxa in the lower Pliocene and Helicosphaera sellii in Hole 969E.

here, because evidence exists that these abundance changes may be stratigraphic resolution within this biozone. At Hole 969E, as at Site
synchronous in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean (Sprovieri et 653, the first clearly recognizable placoliths of P. lacunosa occur
al., Chap. 12, this volume). with abundance value below 2% in the same sample in which the A.
delicatus LO was detected. These two taxa co-occur in a very short
Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilicus Paracme interval below the threshold (2%) used by Rio et al.(1990) to identify
the FO of P. lacunosa. Since the same trend in the distribution of
Just above the base of the Pliocene a short time interval is present these two species was recognized also in the Eastern Mediterranean
during which R. pseudoumbilicus is absent or extremely rare com- Pliocene, at Hole 969E the FO of P. lacunosa is reported just in co-
pared with the underlying and overlying segments (see fig. 5 of Rio incidence of the A. delicatus LO.
et al., 1990). Identified as the R. pseudoumbilicus paracme, it encom- In addition at Hole 969E, small Gephyrocapsa (detected on the
passes a stratigraphic interval that includes small-scale cycles 6 to 14 basis of semiquantitative observations) become common from just
of Hilgen (1991b) in the Roccella Jonica-Capo Spartivento section above the base of this biozone, and well below the P. lacunosa FO.
(Di Stefano et al., 1996). The ages reported by these authors for the Only rare and scattered specimens of small Gephyrocapsa are present
base and top of this paracme are 5.20 and 5.01 Ma, respectively. At through the underlying MNN13 Zone. These data compare well with
Hole 969E the basal sediment of Unit I includes a floral assemblage data reported from the Western and Eastern Mediterranean by Müller
in which R. pseudoumbilicus is very rare (94.82 mbsf). Above this (1978) and Driever (1988).
level R. pseudoumbilicus abruptly increases in abundance (93.99
mbsf). This distribution pattern suggests that these basal levels can be Discoaster pentaradiatus Paracme
correlated with the topmost part of the R. pseudoumbilicus paracme
interval. Consequently, the very base of the Pliocene correlatable The D. pentaradiatus paracme was originally identified by Driev-
with the first 10−11 lithologic cycles in the Roccella Jonica-Capo er (1981). It straddles the MNN14−15/16a boundary. The age of the
Spartivento composite section, which spans ~0.2 m.y. (Di Stefano et base of this paracme interval, characterized by a temporary absence
al., 1996), is not present at the base of Hole 969E. of the species in the Mediterranean, is ~3.90 Ma (Sprovieri, 1993).
The top of the D. pentaradiatus paracme is just above the last occur-
Bioevents at the Base of MNN14/15 Zone rence of Globorotalia puncticulata (Sprovieri et al., 1994; Channell
et al., 1992) and the age proposed for this event is 3.56 Ma (Sprovieri,
At the base of MNN14/15 Zone three second order bioevents oc- 1993). The identification of the top of the D. pentaradiatus paracme
cur, respectively D. tamalis FO, Amaurolithus delicatus LO, and P. allows the recognition of the lower part of the MNN16a Zone, above
lacunosa FO. They follow each other in the Western Mediterranean the extinction level of Sphenolithus spp. (Fig. 2). According to the
sequence of Site 653 (Rio et al., 1990) and can be used to implement proposal of Cita et al. (1996), the top of the D. pentaradiatus paracme

104
 CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL QUANTITATIVE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

Figure 7. Discoaster abundance fluctuations in the Pliocene interval in Hole 969E.

Figure 8. Abundance pattern of discoasterids relative to 100 specimens of Discoaster spp. in Hole 969E.

105
E. DI STEFANO

Figure 9. Abundance pattern of Discoaster brouweri relative to 100 specimens of Discoaster spp. Percentages of D. triradiatus are plotted vs. the total number
of D. brouweri in Hole 969E.

Figure 10. Abundance pattern of the Pleistocene index calcareous nannofossils in Hole 969E.

106
 CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL QUANTITATIVE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

Figure 11. Abundance pattern of the middle–late Pleistocene index forms in Hole 969E.

can be used to approximate in the Mediterranean the base of the Pi- interval is represented by only one sample. Also the short interval,
acenzian Stage. This option has been adopted in this paper. above the paracme event, in which D. tamalis is present again with
relatively high abundance, is also represented by only one sample.
Discoaster asymmetricus–Discoaster tamalis Consequently, the LCO and LO of D. tamalis are nearly coincident.
Abundance Change The detailed quantitative distribution of D. tamalis at the top of its
range was identified with accuracy at Site 964 (Sprovieri et al., Chap.
12, this volume), for which closely spaced samples were analyzed.
In the upper part of the D. pentaradiatus paracme, close to the LO
of Sphenolithus spp., a significant inversion in the quantitative distri-
bution of D. asymmetricus and D. tamalis occurs. Below this level D. Discoaster triradiatus Increase
asymmetricus is always quantitatively prominent relative to D. tama-
Several studies report that in the uppermost part of the range of
lis. Above this level, up to the top of the biozone, D. tamalis is more
Discoaster brouweri, D. triradiatus strongly increases in abundance
abundant.
and the ratio between the two species indicates higher percentages
values of D. triradiatus vs. D. brouweri. Backman and Shackleton
Discoaster tamalis Paracme (1983) proposed values consistently greater than 20% to recognize
the interval of the increase of D. triradiatus, but Rio et al. (1990) pro-
In the uppermost part of the MNN16a (Discoaster tamalis) Zone, posed a threshold of 40% to recognize this event within the Mediter-
D. tamalis displays a peculiar abundance pattern, which can be iden- ranean Basin. The relative abundance pattern of these species in sev-
tified only with the study of closely spaced samples. Above a long in- eral Mediterranean sequences shows a short increase in abundance of
terval, in which the species is always more or less frequent, it abrupt- D. triradiatus, followed upward by a short interval with very low per-
ly decreases in abundance and is very rare or missing. This short in- cent values, and then by an interval with consistent high percent val-
terval is proposed as the D. tamalis paracme by Sprovieri et al. ues up to the extinction level of the two species. At Site 964
(1994). Above the paracme, D. tamalis is again present with relative- (Sprovieri et al., Chap. 12, this volume), above the first abundance
ly high abundance for another short interval before abruptly decreas- peak, which correlates with oxygen isotopic Stage 85, the abundance
ing at its LCO (Sprovieri et al., 1994). This distribution pattern allows of D. triradiatus fluctuates strongly, with values as high as 50%. This
easy and unambiguous identification of the top of this biozone. Un- peak abundance is intercalated by short intervals during which D. tri-
fortunately, at Hole 969E the available samples were not spaced to al- radiatus strongly decreases below this value. At Hole 969E, a larger
low the clear identification of this event. In Hole 969E, the paracme sample spacing was used and the abundance shift for D. triradiatus

107
E. DI STEFANO

Table 2. Summary of the stratigraphic positions of calcareous nannofos-

sil events at Hole 963B.

Core, section, Depth Error limit

Event interval (cm) (mbsf) (cm)

160-963B-
E. huxleyi increase 4H-1, 140−141 29.4 80
E. huxleyi FO 10H-2, 71−72 84.71 70
P. lacunosa LO 13H-5, 141−142 116.31 70
Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 LO 15H-1, 71−72 127.11 130
Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 FO 19H-4, 70−71 163.6 70
Large Gephyrocapsa LO 22H-1, 70−71 184.1 30
H. sellii LO 22H-1, 70−71 184.1 30
Large Gephyrocapsa FO 24H-6, 140−141 206.4 60

Note: FO = first occurrence, LO = last occurrence.

considered a useful event for improving the stratigraphic resolution

within this long zone. In the Eastern Mediterranean, Castradori
(1993) recognized the LO of Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 between Sapropel
S9 and the Brunhes/Matuyama boundary, at ~584 k.y. Castradori in
Sanvoisin et al. (1993) correlated this event with climatic fluctuation
(possibly correlatable with oxygen isotopic Stage 15). At Site 964,
the LO of this taxon has been correlated with the middle part of iso-
topic Stage 15 (Sprovieri et al., Chap. 12, this volume).

BIOCHRONOLOGY AND SEDIMENTATION RATE

During the recent years, magnetobiostratigraphic results from

Pliocene and lower Pleistocene Mediterranean sequences have been
used to correlate calcareous plankton biostratigraphic events to the
geomagnetic polarity time scale (Channell et al., 1988, 1990, 1992;
Hilgen and Langereis, 1988; Zachariasse et al., 1989, 1990). Addi-
tionally, cyclostratigraphic results from both lithologic signals
(Hilgen, 1991a, 1991b) and planktonic foraminiferal abundance fluc-
tuations (Sprovieri, 1993) have enabled proposal of new, more re-
fined ages for the chronostratigraphic and biostratigraphic bound-
aries. The ages used in this study for establishing sediment accumu-
lation rates are reported in Table 3. Because Sprovieri (1993) did not
report an age estimate for the H. sellii FO, the FO of Ceratolithus
rugosus with its Mediterranean age evaluation (Berggren et al., 1995)
was used for the Zanclean.
Sedimentation rates were calculated using as calibration points
calcareous nannofossil events detected in each hole (Figs. 14, 15).
Figure 12. Composite of calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic events rec- The age data are plotted vs. depth. The line that connects the plotted
ognized in Hole 963B. points is the sedimentation rate curve. It was traced using depth value
of the first or last sample where the marker species was found. An
was not recognized. The first abundance peak correlatable with oxy- open square symbol is used to indicate the degree of uncertainty as to
gen isotopic Stage 85 is also not present, and the interval with high the position of the events within the holes.
abundance of D. triradiatus is apparently continuous, with only one
sample in which it is practically absent. Hole 969E

Distribution Pattern of Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 The sedimentation rate in Hole 969E (Fig. 14) shows some chang-
es along the sequence. At the base of the Pliocene interval, C. rugosus
As a consequence of the high sediment-accumulation rate in Hole FO and D. asymmetricus first common occurrence (FCO) events
963B, a detailed distribution pattern of Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 was ob- have been used as calibration points to interpolate the sedimentation
served within the MNN19f Zone. Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 shows wide curve. Extrapolation of this line in the MNN12 interval indicates that
relative abundance fluctuations, separated by short intervals in which the base of the interval referred to this biozone cannot be older than
it is absent. At Site 964 (Sprovieri et al., Chap. 12, this volume), 5.1 Ma. This is in good agreement with the biostratigraphic conclu-
where a detailed abundance pattern was also observed for this spe- sions, which points out the absence of a distinct paracme interval of
cies, the second absence level above its FO correlates well with iso- R. pseudoumbilicus. As a consequence, a hiatus is interpreted at the
topic Stage 22. This correlation is in good agreement with the distri- base of the MNN12 biozone. The hiatus is estimated to be ~0.20 m.y.
bution of Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 in some Sicilian land sections (Di Ste- in duration.
fano et al., 1991). At Cava Puleo-Ficarazzi (E. Di Stefano, unpubl. From the uppermost part of the Zanclean to the Piacenzian the
data; Vergnaud Grazzini et al., 1994), this taxon is not present in the sedimentation rates increase up to 2.9 cm/k.y. From this interval to
interval identified as isotopic Stage 22. the base of the Pleistocene, sediment accumulation is rather constant.
The Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 LO occurs in the upper part of the In the middle Pleistocene, between the Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 FO
MNN19f Zone, as already reported in other Mediterranean sequences and the P. lacunosa LO, sediment accumulation appears to decrease,
by Rio et al. (1990) and Castradori (1993). Consequently, it can be but this result may be affected by the wider spaced samples, which do

108
 CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL QUANTITATIVE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

Figure 13. Abundance pattern of Pleistocene index forms in Hole 963B.

Table 3. Biochronology of Pliocene–Pleistocene calcareous nannofossils. not allow accurate identification of biostratigraphic boundaries.
Within the MNN21 Biozone the sedimentation rate increases again,
Age with values above 2 cm/k.y.
Event (Ma) Reference

E. huxleyi increase 0.054 4 Hole 963B

E. huxleyi FO 0.26 1
P. lacunosa LO 0.46 1
Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 LO 0.584 2 At Hole 963B the sedimentation rate is higher than in Hole 969E,
Gephyrocapsa sp. 3 FO 0.99 3 because of the different depositional setting (Fig. 15). According to
Large Gephyrocapsa LO 1.25 3
Large Gephyrocapsa FO 1.5 3 the biostratigraphic data used as key points, a significant change in
C. macintyrei LO 1.62 3 the sedimentation rate is present at 116.31 mbsf. From the base (207
Medium Gephyrocapsa FO 1.75 3 mbsf) to the P. lacunosa LO, the sedimentation rate ranges between
D. brouweri LO 1.95 4
D. triradiatus LO 1.95 4 7.88 cm/k.y. and 9 cm/k.y. From this datum to the top, the sedimen-
D. pentaradiatus LO 2.51 3 tation rate progressively increases up to 32.5 cm/k.y. This strong in-
D. tamalis LCO 2.88 3
D. pentaradiatus paracme top 3.56 3 crease in the sedimentation rate is in good agreement with the pres-
Sphenolithus spp. LO 3.73 3 ence of several ash layers reported in the upper 100 m (Shipboard
R. pseudoumbilicus LO 3.85 3
D. pentaradiatus paracme bottom 3.9 3 Scientific Party, 1996) and is also supported by greater dilution of the
D. asymmetricus FCO 4.11 3 autochthonous assemblages, presence of quartzose silt, foraminifer
C. rugosus FO 4.5 5 fragments, and increase of reworked taxa.
R. pseudoumbilicus paracme top 5.01 6

Notes: In reference column, definitions are as follows: 1 = Rio et al. (1990); 2 = Castra-
dori (1993); 3 = Sprovieri (1993); 4 = Sprovieri et al. (Chap. 12, this volume); 5 = CONCLUSION
Berggren et al. (1995); 6 = Di Stefano et al. (1996). FO = first occurrence, LO = last
occurrence.
The distribution patterns of several biostratigraphically signifi-
cant calcareous nannofossil markers within the Pliocene–Pleistocene
record of Holes 969E and 963B have been studied using quantitative
analyses. The data indicate that the floral assemblage evolution in
time and in quantitative patterns compares well to similar studies re-
ported from Western Mediterranean sequences, including ODP Site

109
E. DI STEFANO

Figure 14. Age vs. depth diagram of the sediment accu-

mulation rate Hole 969EThe line connects samples in
which the marker species were found (first occurence or
last occurrence datum). Open squares represent the
error, considering the overlying or underlying sample in
which the marker species was not found.

653. The traceability of the calcareous nannofossil events used as Castradori and T.S. Staerker for the scientific review of the manu-
zonal markers and identified on the base of the same quantitative script and E. Kapitan-White who patiently reviewed the editorial part
thresholds is reliable for the entire Mediterranean Pliocene–Pleisto- of the manuscript.
cene record.
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early Matuyama invasion of Neogloboquadrina atlantica in the Mediter- Ms 160SR-009

Figure 15. Age vs. depth diagram of the sediment

accumulation rate in Hole 963B. Conventions as in
Figure 14.

112