Early Aptian rudist faunas from the Taurides (Southern Turkey): their stratigraphic, palaeogeographic and palaeobiogeographic significance

The eastern Taurides yield an early Aptian rudist fauna including Agriopleura libanica and Offneria murgensis, two key members of the Arabo-African biome, reported for the first time in Turkey. The presence of this assemblage which closely resembles that of the Shu'aiba Formation of Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, fills a distributional, geographical gap between its Arabian, North African and Apulian occurences. The rudist fauna and the composition of the associated micropalaeontological elements suggest an early Bedoulian age and a close palaeogeographic proximity with the regional outer platform margin. The presence in the Taurides of an Arabo-African fauna is consistent with the palaeotectonic placement of the Anatolides-Taurides in between the Arabian promontory and the peri-Adriatic zone. •An Aptian rudist fauna, is reported for the first time in Turkey.•The composition of the associated micropaleontological elements suggest an early Bedoulian age.•There is a close palaeogeographic proximity with the regional outer platform margin.•The Arabo-African fauna is consistent with the palaeotectonic placement of the Anatolides-Taurides in between the Arabian promontory and the peri-Adriatic zone.