Biostratigraphy of the Upper Cenomanian - Turonian (lower Upper Cretaceous) successions of the western Wadi Araba, Eastern Desert, Egypt

An ammonite zonation is proposed for the Upper Cenomanian - Turonian Gala la and Maghra El Hadida formations exposed on the footwall slopes of the northern and southern Gala la plateaus in the western Wadi Araba (north Eastern Desert, Egypt). Three zones were recognized in the Upper Cenomanian, from base to top, the Neolobites vibrayeanus, Metoicoceras geslinianum, and Vascoceras cauvini total range zones. The Lower Turonian likewise contains three zones, characterized by the taxon ranges of Vascoceras proprium, representatives of the genus Choffaticeras, and Wrightoceras munieri, respectively. The Middle Turonian is barren of ammonites. In the lower Upper Turonian, the Coilopoceras requienianum Zone was recognized. These biozones can be correlated, with considerable precision, to the NW European standard zonation and are compared to other Tethyan biostratigraphical frameworks. The occurrences of a few palaeobiogeographically widespread taxa such as Metoicoceras geslinianum, Choffaticeras spp., and Wrightoceras munieri as well as two inoceramid bivalve species of the genus Mytiloides allow calibrating the regional biostratigraphy. Furthermore, more precise correlations to NW Europe are now possible.