Original paper
Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of the Oligocene – middle Miocene benthic foraminifera from North El Fayrouz Offshore Field, Mediterranean Sea, Egypt
Ismail, Ahmed; Boukhary, Mohamed; Sharabi, Safaa; Kotb, Omnya
Palaeontographica Abteilung A Band 332 Lieferung 1-3 (2026), p. 51 - 93
73 references
published: Mar 17, 2026
published online: Jan 15, 2026
manuscript accepted: Oct 13, 2025
manuscript received: Apr 14, 2025
DOI: 10.1127/pala/0172
Abstract
The study of three wells from the North El Fayrouz Offshore Field, Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, subdivided the encountered Oligocene–Miocene succession into three formations: Sidi Salem, Qantara and Tineh and revealed the identification of eighty-three benthic foraminiferal species, in addition to some paleoecological changes. Seventy-four calcareous benthic and nine agglutinated benthic foraminiferal species were identified and taxonomically discussed. These identified benthic species were used to record four benthic associations (BA1, BA2, BA3 and BA4) characterizing the Rupelian, Chattian, Aquitanian and Burdigalian–Langhian ages in the studied wells, based on the species abundance in these intervals. The Benthic Association (BA1) occupies the lower part of the Tineh Formation and is represented by the most common species Cyclammina rotundidorsata and Uvigerina curta. The Benthic Association (BA2) occupies the middle part of the Tineh Formation and is represented by the most common species Karreriella subglabra and Pleurostomella subnodosa. The Benthic Association (BA3) occupies the upper part of the Tineh Formation and is represented by the most common species Nonion boueanum and Cibicides boueanus. The Benthic Association (BA4) occupies the Sidi Salem and Qantara formations and is represented by Martinottiella petrosa and Cycloforina badenensis. Furthermore, the paleoenvironmental analysis for the Oligocene–Miocene succession have been achieved by estimation of some paleoecological parameters, such as the total foraminiferal number (TFN), planktic ratio (P%), the planktic/benthic foraminiferal ratio (P/B ratio) and species diversity. These parameters resulted in the Mango-2 and Mango-3 wells being deeper and more marine environment than the Mango-1 well, which is near shore than the other two wells in the study area. The Mango-3 well is near shore than the Mango-2 well, so the TFN of the Mango-3 well, planktic and benthic numbers are lower in values than the Mango-2 well which interpreted as a lower bathyal environment, while the Mango-3 well is lower to middle bathyal environment and the Mango-1 well is lower bathyal to outer shelf environment.
Keywords
benthic foraminifera • paleoecology • Oligocene–Miocene • Mediterranean Sea • Egypt