Reef-associated depositional environments in the lowermost Cretaceous facies (Berriasian) from the Eastern Prebetic domain (South-Iberian Palaeomargin, SE Spain)

The Berriasian carbonate successions cropping out in the shallow-water platform of the easternmost Prebetic Domain (SE Spain) involve reef-associated environments including a diverse epibiota with diceratid representatives unreported so far. Interpretation of different sub-environments suggests a proximal-distal shallow platform transect. In the shallowest nearshore environment, high energy conditions are recorded, with fine-grained bioclasts interbedded with episodes with black pebbles. Subsequently, a more restricted intra-platform environment is represented by oncoidal rudstones with benthic foraminifera, photophilic microencrusters, microbial-type coatings, mud mounds and a rich record of epibenthic biota preserved in life position (diceratid patches, stromatoporoids, and a diverse coral assemblage). This association points to relatively stable and restrictive low-energy conditions in a proximal shallow-water subtidal environment below the fair-weather wave base. Distally, a deeper, opener setting is established. Here, phaceloid and thin-laminated corals are preserved in life position in a calpionellid-rich matrix typifying a mesophotic reefal complex with clear open marine influence. Biostratigraphical analysis performed mainly on benthic foraminifera, algae, diceratids, and coral representatives allows to specify a Berriasian age for these facies. New occurrence data are also reported, such as the oldest record of the coral genus Floriastrea worldwide. The highly diverse coral assemblages reveal a species-level taxonomic divergence in relation with taxa from the same biochore and palaeogeographical domain, supporting the endemic condition for this fauna. The first report of diceratids in the Eastern Prebetic around the J/C transition evokes Heterodiceras as possible precursor of the Cretaceous rudist build-ups developed in the Urgonian platforms in the Prebetic Domain. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

The Berriasian carbonate successions in the Prebetic Domain of southeastern Spain exhibit reef-associated environments and previously unreported diceratid biota. Interpretation of different sub-environments reveals a gradual increase in depth from nearshore to offshore in the shallow water platform. This study is important for understanding the evolution of the Cretaceous biota and environments in this region.