THE TARKHANIAN-KARAGANIAN STAGE IN DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUXINIAN-CASPIAN BASIN (EASTERN PARATETHYS). PART 2

Abstract

Evolution and confinement of biota to concrete sea zones, and paleogeography of the Euxinian-Caspian basin (the Eastern Paratethys since the initial Oligocene) at the beginning of the middle Miocene (Chokrakian) are considered. It is shown that this was a time of most intense structural reorganizations in the basin. The changes were related to the growing differentiation of the sea floor: to shoaling and partial exsiccation of an axial part and to subsidence of shelf depressions. Surrounding land areas, which grew in size at the same time, experienced orogenic movement in the south as a consequence of collision between the Anatolian-Iranian and Afro-Arabian continental blocks. Relationships of the initial mid-Miocene time between the Euxinian-Caspian, Central Iranian, and East Mediterranean basins are discussed.