Magnetobiostratigraphy of the Spathian to Anisian (Lower to Middle Triassic) Kçira section, Albania

Magnetobiostratigraphic data are presented from three Early/Middle Triassic Han-Bulog Limestone successions from Kçira, northern Albania. A total of 206 standard palaeomagnetic samples were obtained for thermal demagnetization and statisticalanalysis from the 42, 10 and 5m thick sections. The reversal-bearing characteristic component, carried by haematite and magnetite, defines a composite sequence of six main polarity intervals (Kçln to Kç3r) in which are embedded four short polarity intervals, one at the base of Kçln and three towards the top of Kçlr. The early acquisition of the characteristic remanence is supported by the lateral correlation of magnetozones between sections. The Early/Middle Triassic boundary, approximated by the first occurrence of the conodont Chiosella timorensis, falls close to the Kçlr/Kç2n polarity transition. This is in good agreement with recently published magnetobiostratigraphic data from the coeval Chios (Greece) sections. The palaeomagnetic pole calculated from the Kçira characteristic directions lies close to the Triassic portion of the apparent polar wander path for Laurussia (in European coordinates). However, a 40-45" clockwise rotation of the external zone of the Albano-Hellenic Belt to the south of the Scutari-Pec Line is thought to have occurred since the Early-Middle Miocene. The Kçira pole acquires a West Gondwana affinity when restored for the Neogene clockwise rotation. If the clockwise rotation was entirely related to Neogene tectonics, the Kçira area was evidently associated with West Gondwana and located at 12-16"N of the western Tethys margin

PELAGIC TRIASSIC IN ALBANIA, CONODONT ASSOCIATIONS AND BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC SCHEME

A biostratigraphic scheme for the Triassic pelagic sediments in Albania, based on the distribution of conodonts, is presented for the first time. The investigated series range from Late Olenekian (Spathian) to the Norian or Early Rhaethian. The lowest Spathian level contains Neospathodus waageni, N. triangularis and N. homeri. The Aegean (Lower Anisian) is characterized by Chiosella timorensis, the Pelsonian (Upper Anisian) by Pararagondelolla. bulgarica and the presence of Nicoraella kokaeli, whereas the Late Anisian to Early Ladinian transition remains problematic, the Illyrian being documented by the presence of Paragondolella bifurcata only, Paragondolella exelsa morphotypes and the P. cornuta-constricta complex being considered Fassanian, the upper part of the Langobardian (Late Ladinian) being well documented by Sephardiella diedeli and S. mostleri. The Carnian with Paragondolella. polygnathiformis and P. auriformis is followed most Norian conodont levels from Ancyrogondolella primitia to E. bidentata. The Uppermost Norian - Rhaetian boundary is verified by the presence of Misikella hernsteini, associated with Epigondolella slovakensis. Conodont associations provide a biostratigraphic scheme of the Triassic pelagic facies for each tectonic zone of Albania.&nbsp

MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY AND BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE LATE TRIASSIC GURI ZI SECTION, ALBANIA: CONSTRAINT ON THE AGE OF THE CARNIAN-NORIAN BOUNDARY

We present the magnetostratigraphy and conodont biostratigraphy across the Carnian-Norian boundary from a 70 m-thick limestone section located at Guri Zi in northern Albania. A total of 14 magnetozones were observed. The Carnian-Norian boundary is placed in a thin stratigraphic interval between the last occurrence of Paragondolella nodosa and the first occurrence of Epigondolella abneptis. Data from Guri Zi are in substantial agreement with already published data from Silicka Brezova in Slovakia and Pizzo Mondello in Sicily, which complessively indicate that the conodont Carnian-Norian boundary, when magnetostratigraphically traced onto the Newark astrochronological polarity time scale (APTS), has an age of ~228-227 Ma