Stratigraphy revision of upper Badenian of Rakovica stream near Belgrade (Central Paratethys, Serbia)

Abstract

Belgrade area is a region of high paleobiodiversity, being ranked among the best known in Serbia. The prominent position among a number of Middle Miocene (Badenian) fossiliferous sites in the vicinity of Belgrade (southern Pannonian Basin, Central Paratethys) are occupied with sediments of Rakovica stream, also known as “Rakovica sands”. Here, the integrated evidence based on new fossil findings of calcareous nannoplankton, foraminifera and molluscs assemblages, allows the stratigraphic revision of the clastic facies of the Rakovica succession. Based on the studies of lithological composition, high paleodiversity molluscs fauna and local palaeogeographical setting, it can be concluded with reasonable certainty that deposits of Rakovica stream entitled “Rakovica sand” represents a sandstone of the shallow marine (littoral) environment during Lower Badenian time. Large benthic foraminifera Ammonia viennensis (d’ORBigny), and Borelis haueri (d’ORBigny) as well as zone marker nn5 Sphaenolithus heteromorphus defLandRe correspond to this biostratigraphic level. during the late early Miocene and Middle Miocene (Badenian), the climate in the Central Paratehys was mainly subtropical. This is supported at its southern margin by the presence of thermophilous mollusc taxa, as well as the Conidae, Strombidae, Xenophoridae, Pleurotomidae, Turridae, Muricidae, etc. Consequently, the investigated deposit can be ascribed to the early Badenian which biostratigraphically corresponds to the nn5 nannozone by correlation with successions in theirs type-areas to the Central Paratethys, and defines preciously the time of the marine transgression in this area.