Mesozoic basins on the Adriatic continental margin – a cross-section through the Dinarides in Montenegro / Mezozojski bazeni na kontinentalnem robu Jadranske plošče – presek čez Dinaride v Črni gori

The Dinarides, together with the Albanides and Hellenides, preserve stratigraphic successions derived from the eastern margin of the Adriatic microplate and remnants of ophiolites obducted from the Maliac-Vardar branch of the Neotethys Ocean. The main stages in the Mesozoic geodynamic history are: 1) rifting leading to opening of the Maliac Ocean in the Late Anisian, 2) onset of an east-dipping intra-oceanic subduction in the Early-Middle Jurassic and sea-floor spreading in a supra-subduction setting (Vardar Ocean), 3) formation of ophiolitic mélanges in trench-like basins, westward obduction of young supra-subduction ophiolites in the Middle-Late Jurassic and accumulation of flysch-type deposits in foreland basins in the latest Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, 4) subaerial exposure of the newly formed nappes followed by middle to Late Cretaceous transgression, and 5) continental collision in the Maastrichtian and Paleogene. On the continental margin, the Middle Triassic to Early Jurassic extension created a complex horst-and-graben geometry that is apparent in the stratigraphic record. The present day NW-SE striking tectonic units are in rough accordance with the Mesozoic paleogeography. Hence, the inferred configuration for the most complete SW to NE transect through Montenegro and Serbia is as follows: The Dalmatian Carbonate Platform, the Budva Basin, the High Karst Carbonate Platform, the Bosnian Basin, the Durmitor High, the Lim Basin, the Drina-Ivanjica High, and the deep-marine distal continental-margin domain. We present a short description of the stratigraphy for these tectonic/paleogeographic units and discuss their possible connection with other units of the Dinarides and Hellenides. The field guide focuses on deep-water deposits, in which radiolarians are the crucial tool for dating. We describe the complete Mesozoic succession of the Budva Zone, the Middle Triassic pelagic episode of the High Karst Zone, the Upper Triassic and Jurassic pelagic rocks of the Lim Zone and two localities with radiolarites associated with ophiolites. The largest part of the guide is devoted to the Budva Zone, a deeply rifted trough in the continuation of the Pindos Basin. The Budva Zone with its external location in the Dinaric orogen was a site of continuous pelagic sedimentation from the Middle Triassic to the end Cretaceous. Radiolarites characterize the Middle Triassic, Hettangian–Sinemurian, Aalenian to Tithonian, and Hauterivian–Barremian to lower Turonian; pel