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Paleoecologic implications of foraminiferal assemblages in the Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene strata, eastern Dahomey (Benin) Basin, southwestern Nigeria

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Abstract

The paleoecologic conditions of eastern Dahomey (Benin) Basin during Late Campanian-Eocene were investigated using foraminifera as proxies. Twenty-four (24) samples obtained from four (4) exploration boreholes and three (3) exposed outcrop sections were subjected to conventional micropaleontological processing techniques. Thirty-one (31) species of foraminifera (25 benthic and 6 planktic species) were identified from the samples. The recovered assemblages consist predominantly of Paleocene calcareous benthic species such as Anomalinoides midwayensis, Anomalinoides umboniferus, Eponides pseudoelevatus, Gavellina guineana, and Cibicides succedens. Sparse occurrence of Late Cretaceous agglutinated benthic species comprising Ammobaculites coprolithiformis and Textularia hockleyensis was also recorded. The Upper Cretaceous strata are either devoid of microfauna or contain few agglutinated taxa suggestive of continental to brackish water settings. The development of calcareous benthic foraminiferal assemblages in Paleogene strata of the study area signaled the incursion of open marine neritic conditions. Influx of sandy sediments at some horizons in the studied boreholes resulted into increased pore-water oxygenation leading to poor preservation of benthic foraminifera at these horizons. Planktic/benthic (P/B) ratio analysis of the foraminiferal assemblages suggests paleo-water depth not exceeding 65 m.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Nigeria, for providing core samples. Digital topography has been provided by Olusola Olayinka and Dr. Taiwo Bolaji. We gratefully acknowledge our discussions with Prof. Obianuju Umeji and Prof. Olugbenga Ehinola as well as comments and suggestions by two anonymous reviewers and an anonymous associate editor of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences. The paper benefitted greatly from reviews by Chris Ogunyele (Adekunle Ajasin University) and James Boaner (Federal University of Technology Akure).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria

    Oladotun A. Oluwajana, Bridget A. Adejayan, Oluwafemi D. Ayodele, Peace M. Adeniran, Damilola O. Arabi & Toheeb A. Adedokun

  2. Department of Geology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Bamidele A. Adebambo

  3. Department of Marine Geosciences, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Gabriel T. Olawuyi

  4. Department of Geosciences, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

    John O. Ewuji

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  1. Oladotun A. Oluwajana
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  2. Bamidele A. Adebambo
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  3. Gabriel T. Olawuyi
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  6. Oluwafemi D. Ayodele
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  8. Damilola O. Arabi
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Correspondence to Oladotun A. Oluwajana.

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Oluwajana, O.A., Adebambo, B.A., Olawuyi, G.T. et al. Paleoecologic implications of foraminiferal assemblages in the Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene strata, eastern Dahomey (Benin) Basin, southwestern Nigeria. Arab J Geosci 14, 752 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07038-x

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