Biostratigrafia dei macroforaminiferi del Paleogene della Maiella nel quadro delle piattaforme periadriatiche

The choice of larger Foraminifera as key-group for the biostratigraphy of the Paleogene of central Italy reflects a number of reasons. Among these are their abundance in shallow-water deposits and slope-proximal basin resediments, their relatively narrow paleoecological distributions, their short biostratigraphical ranges and their high interbasinal correlation value, at least for the Mediterranean segment of the Paleogene (Neo-)Tethys. The biostatigraphic framework proposed herein, which may be further refined, relies mainly on studies in progress on the faunal assemblages of the Maiella carbonate platform. Additional evidence comes from the Gargano promontory, the Tremiti Islands and the Latium-Abruzzi segment of the central Apennines. With exception of the latter, all these areas belong to the so-called "African Promontory" or "Adria microplate", which played an important role in the geodynamic evolution of the central Mediterranean. Among the main aims of the present contribution is the attempt to develop a regional biozonation based on multiple lineages and on different taxonomic groups, in order to minimize the bias arising from both reworking and ecological factors and to provide a practical means for age dating in the field and in thin sections. Additional, independent control and evidence is provided by calcareous planktic and smaller benthic Foraminifera and algae. Finally, paleoecological distributions of Paleogene larger Foraminifera represent an excellent instrument for interpreting the platform-basin transitional environment.