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New radiolarian biostratigraphic age constraints on Middle Triassic basalts and radiolarites from the Inner Hellenides (Northern Pindos and Othris Mountains, Northern Greece) and their implications for the geodynamic evolution of the early Mesozoic Neotethys

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Abstract

The Avdella Mélange in the northern Pindos Mountains and its equivalent formation, the Loggitsion Unit in the Othris Mountains expose early Mesozoic (Mid-Late Triassic) oceanic fragments beneath the Western Greek Ophiolite Belt of the Inner Hellenides, Northern Greece. The mélange consists of locally interfingering blocks and slices of ribbon radiolarite, radiolarian chert and pillow basalt and is usually overthrust by Jurassic ophiolites. New Middle and Upper Triassic radiolarian biostratigraphic data are presented from radiolarites and basalt-radiolarite sequences within mélange blocks. Pillow basalts associated with the radiolarites provide clues to the opening of the Neotethyan ocean basin. The radiolarians indicate a Middle Triassic age (latest Anisian, probably early Illyrian), which is documented for the first time in the northern Pindos Mountains. The new radiolarian biostratigraphic data suggest that rift-type basalt volcanism already began in pre-Ladinian time (late Scythian?—Anisian). These basalts were then overlain by Upper Anisian to Carnian (?Norian) radiolarites.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank A. H. F. Robertson for discussion in the field concerning the Avdella Mélange. J. Pálfy corrected on an earlier draft of the manuscript. Two anonymous reviewers and editorial comments by A. H. F. Robertson helped improve the clarity and presentation. Péter Ozsvárt acknowledges a grant of the Hungarian Scientific Foundation (OTKA F048341) in support of his studies on Triassic and Jurassic radiolarians. This work was also supported by OTKA (K61872 and K81298).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hungarian Academy of Sciences–Hungarian Natural History Museum, Research Group for Paleontology, P.O. Box 137, 1431, Budapest, Hungary

    Péter Ozsvárt

  2. Laboratory of Mineralogy-Geology, Agricultural University, Iera Odos 75, 11855, Athens, Greece

    Georgios Migiros

  3. Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Messoghion 70, 11855, Athens, Greece

    Vassilis Tselepidis

  4. Hungarian Geological Institute, Stefánia u. 14, 1143, Budapest, Hungary

    Lajos Dosztály

  5. Geological, Geophysical and Space Science Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences–Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary

    Sándor Kovács

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  1. Péter Ozsvárt
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  2. Lajos Dosztály
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  3. Georgios Migiros
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  4. Vassilis Tselepidis
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  5. Sándor Kovács
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Correspondence to Péter Ozsvárt.

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L. Dosztály and S. Kovács: Deceased.

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Ozsvárt, P., Dosztály, L., Migiros, G. et al. New radiolarian biostratigraphic age constraints on Middle Triassic basalts and radiolarites from the Inner Hellenides (Northern Pindos and Othris Mountains, Northern Greece) and their implications for the geodynamic evolution of the early Mesozoic Neotethys. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 101, 1487–1501 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-010-0628-9

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