Rhaetian foraminiferal assemblage from the Dachstein Limestone of Mt. Begunjščica (Košuta Unit, eastern Southern Alps)

Abstract

Mt. Begunjščica (Karavanke Mts., northern Slovenia) structurally belongs to the Košuta Unit (eastern Southern Alps). The Dachstein Limestone, building the northern side of the mountain and its main ridge, was deposited on the Julian Carbonate Platform, while grey and red nodular Jurassic limestones of the southern slope represent sedimentation on the Julian High. The massive Dachstein Limestone contains a rich assemblage of benthic foraminifera. Typical representatives of the reef and back-reef area were recognized. The age of the assemblage is dated as Rhaetian, based on the co-presence of species with a Norian and Rhaetian time span, such as Galeanella tollmanni, "Sigmoilina" schaeferae, Alpinophragmium perforatum, Aulotortus tumidus, Variostoma catilliforme, Variostoma cochlea and Variostoma helicta, together with the Rhaetian to Lower Jurassic Involutina turgida.