Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece

This paper aims to contribute to the stratigraphic and geochronological evaluation of the primate bearing Dafnero fossil site of Northern Greece by means of lithostratigraphic, paleomagnetic and paleontological analyses. The 60 m thick fossiliferous deposits of fluviatile origin are recognized as re...

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Main Authors: Mouloud Benammi, Elina Aidona, Gildas Merceron, George D. Koufos, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-07-01
Series:Quaternary
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/3/3/22
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spelling doaj-0cdad27ac8024f51b608932a6b31760e2020-11-25T02:46:20ZengMDPI AGQuaternary2571-550X2020-07-013222210.3390/quat3030022Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. GreeceMouloud Benammi0Elina Aidona1Gildas Merceron2George D. Koufos3Dimitris S. Kostopoulos4Laboratoire Paléontologie, Evolution, Paléoécosystèmes, Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM) UMR 7262 CNRS INEE, Université de Poitiers UFR SFA, F-86022 Poitiers, FranceDepartment of Geophysics, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratoire Paléontologie, Evolution, Paléoécosystèmes, Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM) UMR 7262 CNRS INEE, Université de Poitiers UFR SFA, F-86022 Poitiers, FranceLaboratory of Geology & Palaeontology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratory of Geology & Palaeontology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceThis paper aims to contribute to the stratigraphic and geochronological evaluation of the primate bearing Dafnero fossil site of Northern Greece by means of lithostratigraphic, paleomagnetic and paleontological analyses. The 60 m thick fossiliferous deposits of fluviatile origin are recognized as representing a typical braided-river sequence unconformably overlying molassic sediments. Rock magnetic investigations indicate the presence of both medium and low coercivity minerals. Paleomagnetic sampling of the Dafnero sediments yielded a stable magnetic remanence, and the characteristic remanent magnetization directions pass reversal test with dual polarity. Based on calibration from mammal fossils, the normal polarity magnetozone N1 located in the upper third of the studied section could correlate with chron C2n (the Olduvai subchron), suggesting that the fossil horizon is within C2r with an extrapolated age of 2.4–2.3 Ma and rather closer to the upper age limit. The results allow the re-calibration of several middle Villafranchian assemblages of S. Balkans and the correlation of the corresponding mammal fauna with the environmental shifts of Praetiglian, as it is recorded in climatostratigraphic data from the Black Sea.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/3/3/22magnetostratigraphybiochronologylower PleistoceneVillafranchianBalkans
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Mouloud Benammi
Elina Aidona
Gildas Merceron
George D. Koufos
Dimitris S. Kostopoulos
spellingShingle Mouloud Benammi
Elina Aidona
Gildas Merceron
George D. Koufos
Dimitris S. Kostopoulos
Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece
Quaternary
magnetostratigraphy
biochronology
lower Pleistocene
Villafranchian
Balkans
author_facet Mouloud Benammi
Elina Aidona
Gildas Merceron
George D. Koufos
Dimitris S. Kostopoulos
author_sort Mouloud Benammi
title Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece
title_short Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece
title_full Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece
title_fullStr Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece
title_full_unstemmed Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece
title_sort magnetostratigraphy and chronology of the lower pleistocene primate bearing dafnero fossil site, n. greece
publisher MDPI AG
series Quaternary
issn 2571-550X
publishDate 2020-07-01
description This paper aims to contribute to the stratigraphic and geochronological evaluation of the primate bearing Dafnero fossil site of Northern Greece by means of lithostratigraphic, paleomagnetic and paleontological analyses. The 60 m thick fossiliferous deposits of fluviatile origin are recognized as representing a typical braided-river sequence unconformably overlying molassic sediments. Rock magnetic investigations indicate the presence of both medium and low coercivity minerals. Paleomagnetic sampling of the Dafnero sediments yielded a stable magnetic remanence, and the characteristic remanent magnetization directions pass reversal test with dual polarity. Based on calibration from mammal fossils, the normal polarity magnetozone N1 located in the upper third of the studied section could correlate with chron C2n (the Olduvai subchron), suggesting that the fossil horizon is within C2r with an extrapolated age of 2.4–2.3 Ma and rather closer to the upper age limit. The results allow the re-calibration of several middle Villafranchian assemblages of S. Balkans and the correlation of the corresponding mammal fauna with the environmental shifts of Praetiglian, as it is recorded in climatostratigraphic data from the Black Sea.
topic magnetostratigraphy
biochronology
lower Pleistocene
Villafranchian
Balkans
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/3/3/22
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