Endemic foraminifera of the LateMaastrichtian from the northern branch of the Neotethys, NE Turkey

The study of benthic foraminifera from the upper Maastrichtian intraplatform open shelf limestones in northeastern (Eastern Pontides) and central (Anatolides parts of Turkey reveals the presence of some benthic foraminiferal taxa,which appear to characterize the northern branch of the Neo-Tethys. The limestones are mainly composed of two microfacies: skeletal wackestone and bioclastic wackestone. These facies include Sirelina orduensis (Meric and Inan), Laffitteina turcica (Inan), Cideina soezerii (Sirel), Selimina spinalis (Inan), Sivasella goekceni (Meric and Inan) and Postomphalocyclus merici (Inan). The geographic distribution of these species seems to be limited to the southern continental margin of the northern branch of the Neo-Tethys Ocean and the southern margin of the Rhodope-Pontide Fragment. These endemic taxa are associated with Orbitoides medius, Orbitoides apiculatus, Omphalocyclus macroporus, Pseudomphalocyclus blumenthali, Simplorbites papyraceus, Hellenocyclina beotica, Siderolites calcitrapoides, Loftusia minor, Smoutina cruysi, Sirtina orbitoidiformis, Laffitteina marsicana, Cuneolina ketini, Moncharmontia sp. and Dargenionella sp. which indicate a Late Maastrichtian age.