Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology 

of the Upper Miocene (Messinian) and 

Lower Pliocene(?) Cerro de Almendral Section, 

Almeria Basin, Southern Spain 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 774-F 

Prepared in cooperation with the 

f~nLpresa 1Vacional de In-uestigaciones 1\Iineras of SfJain 
Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology 

of the Upper Miocene (Messinian) and 

Lower Pliocene(?) Cerro de Alrnendral Section, 

Almeria Basin, Southern Spain 

By RICHARD Z. POORE and SEAN MURPHY STONE 

SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 774-F 

Prepared in cooperation with the 

·Empresa Nacional de Investigaciones Mineras of Spain 

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON 1981 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

CECIL D. ANDRUS, Secretary 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

H. William Menard, Director 

Library of Congress Cataloging in Pubiication Data 

Poore, Richard Z 

Biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the upper 

Miocene (Messinian) and lower Pliocene (?) Cerro 

de Almendral section, Alerm!a Basin, southern Spain. 

(Shorter contributions to general geology) 

(Geological Survey professional paper ; 774-F) 

Bibliography: p. 

Includes index. 

Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.16:774-F 

1. Ge·ology, Stratigraphic--Miocene. 

2. Geology, Stratigraphic--Pliocene. 3. Paleontology--Miocene. 4. Paleontology--

Pliocene. 5. Geology--Spain--Almer{a (Province) 

I. Stone, Sean Murphy, joint author. II. Empresa 

Nacional Adaro de Investigaciones Mineras. 

III. Title. IV. Series: United States. 

Geological Survey. Shorter contributions to general 

geology. V. Series: United States. Geological 

Survey. Professional paper ; 774-F. 

QE694.P67 551.7'86'094681 80-607164 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington, D.C. 20402 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Abstract .............................................................................................................................................................. F1 

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 

The Cerro de Almendral section and its geologic setting .................................................................... 2 

Biostratigraphy ................................................................................................................................................ 3 

Paleobathymetry .............................................................................................................................................. 4 

Discussion .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 

Taxonomic notes .............................................................................................................................................. 7 

References cited ································································································-~---··········································· 9 

Index .................................................................................................................................................................. 11 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

[Plates follow index] 

PLATE 1. Planktic foraminifers from the Cerro de Almendral section. 

2. Planktic and benthic foraminifers from the Cerro de Almendral section. 

Page 

FIGURE 1. Generalized geologic map of southern Almeria Province, southeastern Spain .............................................................................. F2 

2. Map showing location of Cerro de Almendral section .............................................................................................................................. 2 

3. Schematic diagram of southern Spain during the middle Miocene ...................................................................................................... 3 

4. Stratigraphic column of the Nijar formation and location of samples studied ................................................................................ 4 

5. Diagram showing planktic/benthic ratios, occurrence of selected benthic foraminifers, and cumulative percentages 

of hyaline benthic foraminifer superfamilies ........................................................................................................................................ 6 

TABLE 

Page 

TABLE 1. Chart showing stratigraphic distribution of planktic foraminifers in the Cerro de Almendral section ......... F5 

III 
I 
SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY 

OF THE UPPER MIOCENE (MESSINIAN) 

AND LOWER PLIOCENE(?) CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION, , ALMERIA BASIN, SOUTHERN SPAIN 

By RICHARD Z. POORE and SEAN MURPHY STONE 

ABSTRACT 

Planktic foraminifers from the Cerro de Almendral section in 

the Almer{a Basin of southern Spain show that sedimentary rocks 

below a 20-m-thick gypsum deposit are referable to the Messinian 

Globorotalia conomiozea Zone and suggest that 

sedimentary deposits above the gypsum are lower Pliocene. 

Benthic foraminifer assemblages indicate that the Messinian 

sedimentary rocks were deposited in middle bathyal (800-1,000 m) 

water depths and show no evidence for shallowing upsection to the 

gypsum. We therefore conclude that the gypsum was deposited in a 

basin having about 800-1,000 m of relief. 

INTRODUCTION 

During a reconnaissance study of the paleontology 

and stratigraphy of the Almeria Basin, southern 

Spain (Addicott and others, 1978), a 130-m upper 

Miocene (Messinian) and lower Pliocene(?) section 

containing 20m of massively bedded gypsum was 

found at Cerro de Almendral, approximately 16 km 

northeast of the village of Nijar (figs. 1 and 2). This 

sequence provides a record of the terminal Miocene 

event-the Messinian salinity crisis-in the northeastern Almerfa Basin. 

A major controversy concerning the latest Miocene 

history of the Mediterranean area revolves around 

whether the evaporites were deposited in shallow 

basins (on the order of a few hundred meters deep) 

that later underwent substantial subsidence or in 

preexisting deep basins of 1,000 m or more (Drogger, 

1973). The results of Deep Sea Drilling Project Legs 

13 and 42A (Ryan and others, 1973; Hsu and others, 

1978) clearly indicate the existence of deep basins 

(> 1,000 m) in the Mediterranean Sea during Messinian 

evaporite deposition. 

Moreover, a growing body of data shows that the 

Mediterranean Sea was linked to the Atlantic Ocean 

by a series of interconnected marine basins across 

southern Spain-the Betic Straits-and that some of 

these basins were relatively deep during much of the 

Messinian. These basins are thought to have provided the last communication between the Atlantic 

Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea at the end of the 

Miocene (Adams and others, 1977) (fig. 3). 

At the end of the Miocene, the Almeria Basin was 

one of a number of basins forming the east end of the 

Betic Straits. In this study we use foraminifers to 

document the occurrence of deep-water (800-1,000 m) 

preevaporite Messinian sedimentary deposits in the 

northeastern Almerfa Basin and thus the existence 

of a relatively deep basin within the Betic Straits 

during the Messinian. 

This study is a part of a cooperative program 

between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Em pres a 

N acional de Investigaciones Miner as of Spain. 

Acknowledgments.-We thank W.O. Addicott and 

A.K. Armstrong for providing us with samples from 

the Cerro de Almendral section. We also thank 

Kristin McDougall for discussions on the benthic 

foraminifers and W. 0. Addicott and John Barron for 

constructive criticism of this manuscript. 

Fl 
F2 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 

36°45' 0 

Adra 

ME D I T E 

L MER\ p. 

R R 

~ EXPLANATION 

CJ Neogene sedimentary rocks 

CJ Cabo de Gata Volcanic Complex 

D Pre-Tertiary rocks AN E A N S E A --- Fault-Dashed where concealed 

X Cerro de Almendral section 10 15 20 KILOMETERS 

30 2~0' 

FIGURE I.-Generalized geologic map of southern Almeria Province, southeastern Spain, showing location of Cerro de Almendral 

section (from Addicott and others, 1978). 

N 

I 

NIJAR 17 KM 

Cortijada 

Los Arojos 

Ruins&>() 

't-:Q 

'f-0 

Cerro de 

Almendral 

J. 

!~ ...::::::===;)== : ~.::::::::::.~..... / 1/ / I . z 

;Cerro de / \'\ 

/

Aimendral 1/ section If 

I // It 

II 

~(>~~-· i' 

/ If 

( 

(>~~,' ;/' 

.:::::.~ CJ{ // 

.........__ ___ -... ~~;=k==::::::::.::;.~ 

----~ 

1000 METERS 

FIGURE 2.-Location of the Cerro de Almendral section on the 

south side of Cerro de Almendral between the Nijar-Sorbas 

Road and Canada Blanco (loc. Mf3331, section G-76-2 of 

Addicott and others, 1978). 

THE CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION AND 

ITS GEOLOGIC SETTING 

Neogene rocks deposited in the Almena Basin crop 

out in Almeria Province, southeastern Spain (fig. 1). 

The Almerfa Basin, one of several late Neogene 

basins that occur in the northeast-trending Betic 

Cordilleras of southern Spain, is bounded to the 

north by the Sierra de Gador and the Sierra de 

Almendral and to the south by the Mediterranean 

Sea and the Sierra de Gador. 

The late Neogene stratigraphy of the northeastern 

part of the Almeria Basin (Campo de Nijar) is 

summarized by Addicott and others (1978), whose 

stratigraphic nomenclature is followed in this report. 

Briefly, upper Miocene rocks consist of interfingering 

shallow- and deep-water carbonate rocks with minor 

amounts of clastic rocks; these rocks unconformably 

overlie the middle Miocene Cabo de Gata Volcanic 

Complex or pre-Tertiary rocks. The most widespread 

upper Miocene units are the shallow-water Vicar 

Formation and the predominantly deep-water Nijar 

formation. The Pliocene sequence consists of marly 

sandstone and siltstone (Cuevas Viejas formation) 

and coarser clastic rocks (Morales formation). The 

base of the Pliocene is usually marked by a distinct 

unconformity. 
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY. CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION. SPAIN F3 

EXPLANATION 

0 Emergent area 

• Cerro de Almendral section 

N 

I 

0 

100 KILOMETERS 

FIGURE 3.-Schematic diagram of southern Spain during the middle Miocene (modified from Fernex and others, 1967). 

The Cerro de Almendral section (figs. 2, 3, and 4) 

consists, in ascending order, of (1) 92 m of tan to 

light-gray massive foraminiferal siltstone, the base 

of which is faulted against Triassic dolomite, (2) 22m 

of massive-bedded selenite gypsum, and (3) 21 m of 

tan to brownish-yellow sandy siltstone that is capped 

by terrace gravel. The gypsum appears conformable 

with units above and below. This section, excluding 

the terrace gravel, is referred to the Nijar formation 

by Addicott and others (1978). The Nijar formation of 

the Almeria Basin is coeval with the A bad member of 

the Turre Formation (Volk and Rondeel, 1964) of the 

Vera and Sorbas Basins (Dronkert, 1976), which 

adjoin the Almeria Basin to the north and northeast. 

Samples from the Cerro de Almendral section 

examined for this study are those of Addicott and 

others (1978). 

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY 

The stratigraphic distribution of planktic foraminifers in 10 samples examined from the Cerro de 

Almendral section is shown in table 1. Planktic 

foraminifers are common to abundant but only moderately well to poorly preserved in samples +0 m 

through + 120 m. In general, the quality of preservation of foraminifers declines upsection. Sample+ 132 

m is almost barren of microfossils. 

Common and consistent members of the planktic 

assemblages throughout the section include Neogloboquadrina acostaensis (Blow), Globigerinoides 

obliquus Bolli (s.l.), Globigerina bulloides d'Orbigny, 

and G. pseudobesa (Salvatori). Globorotalia co no idea 

Walters, G. conomiozea Kennett, and G. menardii 

(Parker, Jones, and Brady) (s.l.) are common in samples 

below the gypsum bed. 

The occurrence of Globorotalia conomiozea in 

samples below the gypsum is significant because the 

oldest occurrence of this taxon is within upper Zone 

N17 (Poore and Berggren, 1975; Berggren and Haq, 

1976) at a level that coincides with the base of the 

Messinian Stage as modified by D'Onofrio and others 

(1975). Following their studies of several sections in 
F4 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 

Q) Q) 

C) C) co <{ ci5 

~ co ~ 

w ;:::: 

c 

co 

Q) 

c C3 >-Q) c:: -C:: co "-Q) N cou 

wo 

I ~~ ·-~1 

Q) 

c:: 

Q) c:: (.) .~ .Q c:: ~ 'iii 

(/) 

Q) 

! ~ co 

....J 

·~ (.) 

'iii 

(/) 

co 

~ 

...... 

c:: 

::::> 

Q) 

> 

~ C) 

Q) 

(.) 

~ 

Q5 

~ 

c:: 

0 

·.;::; 

co 

E 

0 

-.... 

:~ 

z 

1!f .E 

0 

0 

100 

50 

0 

co +132m 

& +120m 

Massive-bedded gypsum 

8> +90m 

co +84m 

<21 +60m 

<21 +45m 

&+5m 

60+0 

Fault 

METERS 

50 

0 

0 VERTICAL SCALE 

EXPLANATION 

8:J For am in iferal·local ity 

+45m ·Meters above base of section 

1\ Gypsum (bedded) 

-t Gypsum (isolated, large crystals) 

FIGURE 4.__;Stratigraphic. column of the Nijar formation and 

location of samples studied at Cerro de Almendral (modified 

from Addicott and others, 1978). 

the Mediterranean area that included the neostratotype of the Messinian Stage and the stratotype of the 

Tortonian Stage, D'Onofrio and others (1975) used 

the first occurrence of Globorotalia conomiozea and 

several other related taxa to define the base of a 

Globorotalia conomiozea Zone that is equivalent to 

the Messinian. Because rich planktic foraminifer 

assemblages in samples +0 m through +90 m contain 

Globorotalia conomiozea and lack typical Mediterranean Pliocene indicators such as G. margaritae 

Bolli and Bermudez and G. puncticulata (Deshayes), 

the lower 92 m of this section is assigned to the 

Messinian Globorotalia conomiozea Zone of 

D'Onofrio and others (1975). 

The age of the rocks above the gypsum is not 

certain, but we assign them questionably to the lower 

Pliocene for the following reasons. In the Vera Basin, 

which is about 50 km northeast of the Almeria Basin, 

Montenat and others (1976) report that a change 

from sinistral to dextral coiling preference in N eogloboquadrina acostaensis, the last occurrence of 

Globorotalia conomiozea, and the first occurrence of 

G. rriargaritae mark the Miocene-Pliocene boundary. 

In the Cerro de Almendral section, a change from 

sinistral to dextral coiling in Neogloboquadrina 

acostaensis occurs across the interval containing the 

gypsum (between samples +90 m and + 120 m), and 

Globortalia conomiozea is absent in sample+ 120m; 

this evidence suggests a Pliocene assignment for the 

interval above the gypsum. The occurrence in sample 

+ 120 m of Globigerinoides conglobatus Brady, a 

useful indicator for the base of the Pliocene in the 

South Atlantic (Berggren, 1977), further supports a 

Pliocene assignment. The lower limit of Globigerinoides conglobatus, however, is not well documented 

in the Mediterranean area, and Globorotalia margaritae, an indicator of the Pliocene, does not occur in 

our samples. 

PALEOBATHYMETRY 

Planktic/benthic (P /B) ratios, the quantitative 

composition of benthic foraminifer faunas at the 

superfamily level, and the occurrence of selected 

benthic foraminifer species in five samples were used 

to infer the bathymetric history of the Cerro de 

Almendral section. P /B ratios are based on counting 

splits of approximately 300 foraminifers that were 

extracted from the ~149-J.,Lm size fraction with a 

microsplitter. Relative a bun dances of benthic foraminifer superfamilies are based on counting the first 

300 benthic foraminifers·found in a strewn slide of 

the ~149-J..Lm size fraction. Water depth values used in 

the following interpretations are modified from 

values outlined by Berggren and Haq (1976): neritic 

(0-200 m), upper bathyal (200-600 m), middle bathyal 

(600-1,000 m), lower bathyal (1,000-2,000 m). 
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY, CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION, SPAIN F5 

TABLE I.-Chart showing stratigraphic distribution of planktic foraminifers in the Cerro de Almendral section 

[aff, affinity] 

E E Planktic foraminifers ~ ~ 

Globigerina angustiumbilicata Bolli ............................ 

G. apertura Cushman ························································ .......... 

G. bulloides d'Orbigny --------------·-·------------------------------------· X X 

G. decoraperta Takayanagi and Saito ........................ .......... 

G. falconensis Blow ······························------------------------------ X X 

G. nepenthes Todd -------------------------------------------·-···-···-········· G. pseudobesa (Salvatorini) ............................................ X X 

G. woodi Jenkins ··················---------------------------------------------- X X 

Globigerinita glutinata (Egger) ...................................... X X 

G. uvula (Ehrenberg) ·············--------------------------------------------- X 

Globigerinoides conglobatus (Brady) -----------------········· G. extremus Bolli and Bermudez .................................... X 

G. obliquus Bolli ···········---------·-············································ X X 

G. sacculifer (Brady) ·········------··········································· X 

G. seigliei Bermudez and Bolli ........................................ 

G. trilobus (Reuss) s.l ---------------·-··············-----------------------·--- X X 

Globorotalia cibaoensis Bermudez ................................ 

G. conoidea Walters ···························································· X 

\>< ____ 

G. conomiozea Kennett ······················································ X X 

G. aff. G. lenguaensis Bolli .............................................. X 

G. menardii (Parker, Jones, and 

Brady)s.l ............................................................................ X X 

G. nicolae Catalano and Sprovieri ································ X 

G. aff. G. scitula (Brady) ·················································· X X 

G. subscitula Conato ·················································-······-· X 

Hastigerina siphonifera (d'Orbigny) ······················--···· X 

Neogloboquadrina acostaensis (Blow) -------·------·-·------- X X 

N. humerosa (Takayanagi and Saito) -------------------------- X X 

? 

N. pachyderma (Ehrenberg) s.l -------------------------------------- X X 

Orbulina uniuersa d'Orbigny ------------------------------·----------- X X 

Turborotalita quinqueloba Natland ---------····················· X X 

Figure 5 shows the P /B ratios, the occurrence of 

selected benthic foraminifers, and the cumulative 

percentages of hyaline (perforate)benthic foraminifer 

superfamilies in the five samples. Porcelaneous and 

agglutinated species average less than 1 percent of 

the benthic assemblages and therefore are not 

plotted. 

P /B ratios range from 4/1 to 24/1 but display no 

particular trend. Following Berggren and Haq (1976) 

and Berggren and others (1976), these P /B values 

suggest a lower bathyal water depth of about 1,000 m 

or greater for all our samples. Analysis of the benthic 

fauna, however, as discussed below, indicates that 

water depths were somewhat shallower than this. 

Bathymetric data on key living benthic foraminifers used below in making paleobathymetric interpretations are included in the section entitled 

"Taxonomic notes." 

Rocks below the gypsum in the Cerro de Almendral 

section are interpreted to represent middle bathyal 

water depths. Planulina ariminensis (d'Orbigny) 

and Cibicidoides mediocris (Finlay) are the dominant 

taxa. Planulina ariminensis has an upper depth of 

M£3331 

G-76-2 

E E 8 E E E 8 8 

0 C'l 

0 lO 0 lO ~ 0 

~ 1 'f! t.;.- ~ ~ ~ ~ 

X X 

---------- .......... ---------- .......... X 

X X X X X X X 

X X 

X X X X X 

---------- X X 

X X X X X X X 

X X X X X X X 

X X X X X X X 

X X X X X X 

·········· ·········· X 

X X X X X X 

X X X X X 

aff 

X X X X X 

·····-···· ------···· X 

X X X X X X X X 

X 

X X X X X X 

X X X X X X 

X X X X X 

X 

X X 

X X X X X X X 

X X 

X X X 

X X X X X X X 

X X X X X X X 

about 200m but is characteristic of upper bathyal to 

middle bathyal water depths. Cibicidoides mediocris 

is a useful marker for bathyal water depths that 

increases in frequency with increasing depth. The 

occurrence of Gyroidinoides neosoldanii in percentages greater than 1 percent suggests water depths 

about 600 m or greater. The occurrence of Pullenia 

bulloides (d'Orbigny) in three samples (+5, +75, and 

+90 m) with frequencies of2-3 percent indicates water 

depths greater than 900 m and suggests that the 

entire section below the gypsum was deposited in the 

deeper part (800-1,000 m) of the middle bathyal 

range. Hispid uvigerinids of the Uvigerina pygmaea 

(d'Orbigny)-U. hispido-costata (Cushman and Todd) 

group occur in all samples below the gypsum. The 

development of hispid ornamentation is generally 

considered to indicate bathyal water depths with an 

upper limit of about 600-1,000 m (for example, Bandy, 

1964; Pflum and Frerichs, 1976). 

Above the gypsum, benthic foraminifers display a 

reduction in diversity, as do the planktic foraminifers. 

Planulina ariminensis, Cibicidoides mediocris, and 

Gyroidinoides neosoldanii occur in only small per-
F6 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 

hickness Q) 

Series in a. 

E meters co 

(/) 

Planktic/benthic 

foraminifer ratio 

Occurrence of selected 

benthic foraminifer 

taxa 

Cumulative percent of 

hyaline benthic 

foraminifer families 

Estimated 

paleobathymetry, 

,... in meters Q) 

c: 

CD 

0 

.!2 

a: 

Qj 

~ 0 _:_ 

CD 

c: 

CD 

0 

0 

~ 

8. 

Q. 

::> 

140 

120 

100 No data 

~ "2 

1.1 ~ .5! 0 

"0 

<II ~ <II E c: 

:s! 

:l ~ 0 "5 "0 c: 

:Q '6 

~ ·e u ::.. 

1.:> 

20 40 60 80 200 600 1000 

from gypsum 

~ I ~ 1.1 

0 

:s! 

a. 

.!! 

.c 

:::) 

a • <II 

Q 

E 

0) 

~ Q 

c: 

l: 

<II 

.!?1 

:3 

• 

FIGURE 5.-Planktic/benthic foraminifer ratios, occurrence of selected benthic foraminifer taxa, cumulative percent of hyaline benthic 

foraminifer families, and estimated paleobathymetry of the Cerro de Almendral section. Hyaline benthic foraminifer families 

include (1) Nodosariacea, (2) Buliminacea, (3) Discorbacea, (4) Rotalinacea, (5) Orbitoidacea, (6) Cassidulinacea, and (7) other. 

centages in sample + 120 m. Only a general paleobathymetric interpretation of bathyal water depths 

can be made on the basis of these few occurrences of 

depth-diagnostic species. Analysis of the benthic 

foraminifers on the superfamily level, which can 

serve as a general indication of the paleobathymetry 

(Sliter, 1977), suggests a depth interpretation of 

upper bathyal for the rocks above the gypsum. 

According to Sliter (1977), the Buliminacea dominate 

the upper bathyal zone and decrease in abundance 

with increasing water depth. The Cassidulinacea, on 

the other hand, are less abundant in the upper 

bathyal zone than at greater depths. These two 

super-families comprise over 65 percent of the benthic 

fauna in each sample analyzed in the Cerro de 

Almendral section (fig. 5). Below the gypsum, the 

Cassidulinacea are slightly more abundant than the 

Buliminacea. Above the gypsum, the Buliminacea 

increase dramatically in relative abundance (from 33 

to 88 percent), and the Cassidulinacea show the 

reverse trend (from 33 to 6 percent). Following Sliter 

(1977), these trends indicate a change from middle to 

upper bathyal water depths. Typical shallow-water 

(neritic) species of Miliolacea, Robertinacea, 

Lituolacea, and large Nodosariacea (Sliter and 

Baker, 1972; Sliter, 1976) are rare or absent. 

Some downslope transport in the preevaporitic 

part of the Cerro de Almendral section is suggested 

by the occurrence of abraded shallow-water benthic 

foraminifers such as Elphidium crispum (Linne), 

Elphidium sp., Discorbinella bertheloti (d'Orbigny), 

and Florilus boueanum (d'Orbigny). The very sparse 

and sporadic occurrences of these taxa, however, 

indicate that downslope transport was minimal. 

Above the gypsum (sample + 120 m), only a few 

abraded Elphidium sp. were found. 

In summary, data from the preevaporite part of the 

Cerro de Almendral section indicate uniform middle 

bathyal water depths of600-1,000 m, probably closer 

to 1,000 m, whereas limited data from above the 

gypsum indicate upper bathyal (200-600 m) water 

depths. Analysis of the foraminiferal faunas below 

the gypsum provides no evidence for shallowing 

upsection. We therefore conclude that the gypsum 

was deposited in a preexisting basin having about 

800-1,000 m of relief. 

DISCUSSION 

Sedimentary deposits directly referable to the 

Messinian Globorotalia conomiozea Zone are present 

in a series of basins extending from Alicante south to 

Almeria (Montenat and others, 1976; Bizon and 

others, 1972; Iaccarino and others, 1975). The similarity of Messinian planktic assemblages from these 

basins indicates that these basins were interconnected during much of the Messinian, together 
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY, CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION, SPAIN F7 

representing the east end of the Betic Straits. There 

are, however, differences in the depositional histories 

of these basins. For example, in the Sorbas Basin, 

just north of the Almeria Basin, cyclic evaporite 

deposits are 70-100 m thick, and deeper water sedimentary deposits directly underneath these evaporites are upper bathyal (Iaccarino and others, 1975; 

Dronkert, 1976). In the Vera Basin, 50 km northeast 

of the Almeria Basin, evaporites do not occur in an 

apparently continuous section across the MiocenePliocene boundary. In the Cuevas del Almanzora 

section of the Vera Basin, laminated sedimentary 

deposits at the top of the Globorotalia conomiozea 

Zone contain an impoverished benthic fauna but a 

rich planktic fauna. These laminated sedimentary 

deposits in this apparently continuous depositional 

sequence grade upward into bioturbated sedimentary 

deposits containing a more diverse benthic fauna 

and planktic foraminifers of the basal Pliocene 

Globorotalia margaritae Zone (Montenat and others, 

1976). Water depths are thought to have been upper 

bathyal throughout this time. The laminated sedimentary deposits represent deposition in a silled 

basin that became stratified in the latest Miocene 

because of greatly restricted access to normal marine 

waters. Restoration of free access to marine waters at 

or near the beginning of the Pilocene resulted in welloxygenated bottom waters and consequently a 

diverse benthic fauna (Montenat and others, 1976). 

In summary, the east end of the Betic Straits 

during the Messinian is best viewed as a series of 

semi-isolated basins of various depths that became 

progressively more isolated toward the end of the 

Messinian. 

The amount of evaporites, if any, accumulated in 

each basin was controlled by the degree and length of 

time of isolation. Moreover, if the interpretation of 

the Cuevas de Almanzora section by Montenat and 

others (1976) is correct, the Betic Straits and thus the 

Mediterranean Sea were never totally isolated from 

the Atlantic Ocean during the Miocene. 

TAXONOMIC NOTES 

In the following section, comments for selected 

planktic foraminifers are followed by brief notes 

concerning benthic foraminifers used for paleobathymetric interpretations. 

PLANKTIC FORAMINIFERS 

GLOBIGERINA WOOD/ (JENKINS, 1960) 

Plate 2, figures 1, 2 

Globigerina woodi is widely reported from southern 

Spain. This species ranges through the Miocene and 

becomes extinct during the early Pliocene. The occurrence of Globigerina woodi in sample + 120 m sets an 

upper age limit of early Pliocene for sedimentary 

deposits above the gypsum in the Cerro de Almendral 

section. The form illustrated as Globigerina riveroae 

Bolli and Bermudez by Montenat and others (1976, 

pl. 3) is referable to G. woodi. 

GLOBOROTALIA CONOMIOZEA (KENNETT, 1966) 

Plate 1, figures 1-3 

Globorotalia conomiozea is one end member of an 

important group oflate Neogene keeled globorotaliids 

that evolved from G. miozea Finlay. Other members 

of this plexus include Globorotalia conoidea Walters, 

G. saphoae Bizon, G. mediterranea Catalano and 

Sprovieri, and perhaps, G. saheliana Catalano and 

Sprovieri. A recent discussion of the taxonomy ofthis 

plexus and the problems of separating end members 

is given by Berggren (1977). Because much of our 

material is poorly preserved, we have referred 

individu.als of this group with <5 chambers in the 

ultimate whorl to Globorotalia conomiozea and 

individuals with ~5 chambers in the ultimate whorl 

to G. conoidea (see pl. 1). 

GLOBOROTALIA MENARDII 

(PARKER AND OTHERS, 1865) 

Plate 1, figures 7-9 

Considerable confusion surrounds the taxonomy 

of late Miocene "menardii-like" keeled globorotaliids. 

Because our material is not particularly well preserved, we have employed a broad concept of 

Globorotalia menardii in this study. 

NEOGLOBOQUADRINA ACOSTAENSJS 

(BLOW, 1959) 

Plate 1, figures 10-12 

Neogloboquadrina acostaensis is one of the more 

abundant taxa in the Cerro de Almendral section. 

This taxon shows a change in coiling preference from 

sinistral to dextral between samples +90 m and +120 

m. This coiling change is used to correlate to the 

Miocene-Pliocene boundary in the Mediterranean 

area (Zachariasse, 1975; Montenat and others, 1976). 

BENTHIC FORAMINIFERS 

PLANVLINA ARIMINENSIS (D'ORBIGNY, 1826) 

Plate 2, figures 4-6 

Planulina ariminensis is characterized by its 

compressed, essentially flat test, thick curved lim bate 

sutures, and coarse punctae on one side of the test. 
F8 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 

This taxon is the second most abundant benthic 

species in our samples, with frequencies ranging 

from 1.3 to 12.3 percent. In the neritic to middle 

bathyal stratotype of the Andalusian Stage on the 

Southwest coast of southern Spain, Planulina 

ariminensis is the dominant benthic species 

(Berggren and Haq, 1976), whereas in the nearby 

lower bathyal El Cuervo section, P. ariminensis is 

replaced by the deeper dwelling P. wuellerstorfi 

(Schwager) (Berggren and others, 1976). Berggren 

and others (1976) thus suggest that the distribution 

of these two species provide a means of distinguishing 

middle to upper bathyal depths from lower bathyal 

and greater depths. 

Parker (1958) found Planulina ariminensis at 

depths between 106 and 1,016 meters in the eastern 

Mediterranean, and Phleger and Parker (1951) noted 

P. ariminensis from 275 to 2,925 meters in the North 

Atlantic. Two studies in the Gulf of Mexico (Parker, 

1954; Pflum and Frerichs, 1976) show thatf.lanulina 

ariminensis is characteristic of middle and upper 

bathyal water depths with an upper depth of about 

200m. 

CIBICIDOIDES MEDIOCRIS (FINLAY, 1940) 

Plate 2, figures 3, 7 

Cibicidoides mediocris is the most common benthic 

species in our samples, ranging in abundance from 1 

to 18 percent; in four samples the frequency is over 10 

percent. This distinctive species is also a dominant 

component of the El Cuervo section of southwestern 

Spain (Berggren and others, 1976) and the 

Andalusian stratotype (Berggren and Haq, 1976). 

Cushman (1931) reported the occurrence of this 

taxon [identified as Cibicides pseudoungeriana 

(Cushman)] in the western Atlantic Ocean at depths 

between 23 and 2,369 fathoms, but mostly below 500 

fathoms. Pflum and Frerichs (1976, figure 14) show 

the distribution of this taxon [identified as Cibicides 

cf. C. pseudoungerianus (Cushman)] as ranging 

throughout bathyal water depths. Berggren and 

others (1976) consider· Cibicidoides mediocris 

as a useful marker for bathyal depths that increases 

in frequency with increasing depth. 

GYROIDINOIDES NEOSOLDANII (BROTZEN, 1936) 

·Plate 2;.figuresl2-14 

Gyroidinoides neosoldanii is distinguished by its 

circular outline; medium whorl size with the outer 

whorl somewhat na-rrower than the others in larger 

individuals, closed umbilicus except in larger 

individuals where the umbilicus is narrow and deep, 

and channeling of the outer whorl in larger individuals. Gyroidinoides neosoldanii is the most 

common gyroidinid in our samples, ranging in 

frequency from 0. 7 to 4. 7 percent. 

Parker (1954) recorded G. neosoldanii in the 

northeast Gulf of Mexico with frequencies of 1-5 

percent below 585 m and frequencies of less than 1 

percent above that depth. Parker (1958) also recorded 

this species in the eastern Mediterranean (as 

Gyroidina cf. G. neosoldanii), where its distribution 

ranged from 106 to 2,738 m, generally deeper than 

200m and with its highest frequencies deeper than 

650m. 

UVIGERINA PYGMAEA (D'ORBIGNY, 1826) 

UVIGERINA HISPIDO-COSTATA (CUSHMAN AND 

TODD, 1945) GROUP 

Plate 2, figures 8-11 

This group of uvigerinids reflects a morphologic 

gradation between forms that are entirely costate ( U. 

pygmaea) and forms that are costate but terminally 

hispid ( U. hispido-costata). The tests are generally 

robust and compact, with narrow, prominent costae. 

Chambers are low and numerous, the later-formed 

ones being somewhat more inflated. Both Uvigerina 

pygmaea and U. hispido-costata occur in the four 

samples examined for benthic foraminifers below the 

gypsum, but neither occurs in sample + 120 m. This 

group is also common in the middle bathyal to neritic 

Andalusian stratotype (Berggren and Haq, 1976) but 

is absent in the lower bathyal El Cuervo section 

(Berggren and others, 1976). 

Bandy (1956) reported Uvigerina hispido-costata 

from the north-east Gulf of Mexico, where it is 

diagnostic of water depths of 400-600 m and increases 

in abundance with increasing depth. The develop-

. ment ofhispid ornamentation is generally considered 

to indicate bathyal depths with an upper depth limit 

of about 600-1,000 m (Bandy, 1964; Pflum and 

Frerichs, 1976; Berggren and Haq, 1976). 

PULLEN/A RULLO/DES (D'ORBIGNY, 1826) 

Pullenia bulloides, a very distinctive taxon, occurs 

in three of the five samples studied for benthic 

foraminifers, with frequencies ranging from 2 to 3 

percent. 

Parker (1954) reported Pullenia bulloides in the 

northeastern Gulf of Mexico with frequencies of1 to 2 

percent at depths greater than 900 m and frequencies 

of less than 1 percent at shallower depths. Berggren 

and others (1976) consider Pullenia bulloides to occur 

in predominantly middle to .lower bathyal water 

depths. 
I 

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOECOLOGY, CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION, SPAIN F9 

REFERENCES CITED 

Adams, C. G., Benson, R. H., Kidd, R. B., Ryan, W. B. F., and 

Wright, R. C., 1977, The messinian salinity crisis and evidence 

oflate Miocene eustatic changes in the world ocean: Nature, v. 

269, p. 383-386. 

Addicott, W. 0., Snavely, P. D., Jr., Bukry, David, and Poore, R. Z., 

1978, Neogene stratigraphy and paleontology of southern 

Almeria Province, Spain: An overview: U.S. Geological Survey 

Bulletin 1454, 49 p. 

Bandy, 0. L., 1956, Ecology of Foraminifera in north-eastern Gulf 

of Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 274-G, 

p. 179-204. 

__ 1964, General correlation of foraminiferal structure with 

environment, in Imbrie, J., and Newell, Norman, eds., 

Approaches to paleoecology: New York, John Wiley and Sons, 

p. 75-90. 

Berggren, W. A., 1977, Late Neogene planktonic foraminiferal 

bio-stratigraphy of the Rio Grande Rise (South Atlantic): 

Marine Micropaleontology, v. 2, p. 265-313. 

Berggren, W. A., Benson, R. H., Haq, B. U., Riedel, W. R. 

Sanfilippo, Annika, Schrader, H. J., and Tjalsma, R. C., 1976, 

TheEl Cuervo section (Andalusia, Spain): Micropaleontologic 

anatomy of an early late Miocene lower bathyal deposit: 

Marine Micropaleontology, v. 1, p. 195-247. 

Bergrren, W. A., and Haq, B. U., 1976, The Andalusian Stage (late 

Miocene)-Biostratigraphy, biochronology, and paleoecology: 

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 20, p. 

67-129. 

Bizon, Germaine, Bizon, Jean-Jacques, and Montenat, Christian, 

1972 Le Miocene Terminal dansle levant Espagnol: Revue de 

l'Institut Francais du Petrole, v. 27, no. 6, p. 831-863. 

Blow, W. H., 1959, Age, correlation, and biostratigraphy of the 

upper Tocuyo (San Lorenzo) and Pozon Formations, eastern 

Falcon, Venezuela: American Paleontology Bulletin, v. 39, p. 

1-251. 

Brotzen, Fritz, 1936, Foraminifera a us dem schwedischen untersten 

senon von Eriksdal in Schonen: Sveriges Geologiska 

Undersokning Arsbok, v. 30, no. 3, ser. 3, no. 396, p. 1-206. 

Cushman, J. A., 1931, The Foraminifera of the Atlantic Ocean: 

U.S. National Museum Smithsonian Institution Bulletin 104, 

179 p. 

Cushman, J.A., and Todd, R., 1945, Miocene Foraminifera from 

Buff Bay, Jamaica: Cushman Laboratory for Foraminiferal 

Research, Special Publication No. 15, p. 1-73. 

D'Onofrio, S., Giannelli, L., Iaccarino, S., Morlotti, E., Romeo, M., 

Salvatorini, G., Sampo, M., and Sprovieri, R., 1975, Planktonic 

Foraminifera ofthe upper Miocene from some Italian sections 

and the problem of the lower boundary of the Messinian: 

Italiana Paleontologica Societa Bolletin, v. 14, no. 2, p. 

177-196. 

Dronkert, Hans, 1976, Late Miocene evaporites in the Sorbas 

Basin and adjoining areas: Memoir Societa Geologico Italia, 

v. 16, p. 341-361. 

Drooger, C. W., ed., 1973, Messinian events in the Mediterranean: 

Amsterdam, North-Holland Publishing Company, Geodynamics Scientific Report no. 7, 272 p. 

Fernex, Francois, Magne, Jean, and Mongin, Denise, 1967, The 

palaeogeography of the eastern Betic Ranges of southern 

Spain during the Caenozoic, in Adams, C. G., and Ager, D. V., 

Aspects of Tethyan biogeography: Systematics Association 

Publication 7, p. 239-246. 

Finlay, H. J., 1940, New Zealand Foraminifera: Key species in 

stratigraphy, No. 4: Royal Society of New Zealand Transactions and Proceedings, v. 69, pt. 4, p. 448-472. 

Hsu, K., Montardert, L., and others, 1978, Initial reports of the 

Deep Sea Drilling Project: Washington, U.S. Government 

Printing Office, v. 42, pt. 1, 1249 p. 

laccarino, S., Morlotti, E., Papani, G., Pelosio, G., and Raffi, S., 

1975, Litostratigrafia e biostratigrafia di alcune serie neogeniche della provincia di Almeria (Andalusia orientaleSpagna): Ateneo Parmense, acta naturalia, v. 11, no. 2, p. 

237-313. 

Jenkins, D. G., 1960, Planktonic Foraminifera from the Lakes 

Entrance oil shaft, Victoria, Australia: Micropaleontology, v. 

6, p. 345-371. 

Kennett, J. P., 1966, The Globorotalia crassa{ormis bioseries in 

north Westland and Marlborough, New Zealand: Micropaleontology, v. 12, p. 235-245. 

Montenat, Christian, Bizon, Germaine, and Bizon, Jean-Jacques, 

1976, Continuite ou discontinuite de sedimentation marine 

Mio-Pliocene en Mediterranee occidentale: Revue de l'lnstitut 

Francais du Petrole, v. 31, no. 4, p. 613-663. 

d'Orbigny, A., 1826, Tableau methodique de la classe de Cephalopodes: Annales des Sciences Naturelles de Paris, ser. 1, v. 7, 

p. 96-169, 245-314,pls. 10-17. 

Parker, F. L., 1954, Distribution ofthe Foraminifera in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico: Harvard Museum of Comparative 

Zoology Bulletin, v. 111, no. 10, p. 453-547. 

__ 1958, Eastern Mediterranean Foraminifera: Swedish DeepSea Expedition Reports, v. 8, p. 219-283. 

Parker, W. K., Jones, T. R., and Brady, H. B., 1865, On the 

nomenclature of the Foraminifera; (continued)-The species 

enumerated by d'Orbigny in the "Annales des Sciences 

Naturelles," v. 7, 1826: The Annals and Magazine of Natural 

History, London, ser. 3, v. 16, p. 15-41, pls. 1-3. 

Pflum, C. E., and Frerichs, W. E., 1976, Gulf of Mexico deep-water 

Foraminifers: Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal 

Research Special Publications no. 14, 125 p. 

Phleger, F. B., and Parker, F. L., 1951, Foraminifera species: Geological Society of America Memoir 46, pt. II, 64 p. 

Poore, R. Z., and Berggren, W. A., 1975, Late Cenozoic planktonic 

foraminiferal biostratigraphy and paleoclimatology of 

Hatton-Rockall Basin: DSDP Site 116: Journal of Foraminiferal Research, v. 5, no. 4, p. 270-293. 

Ryan, W. B. F., Hsii, K., and others, 1973, Initial reports of the Deep 

Sea Drilling Project: Washington, U.S. Government Printing 

Office, v. 13, pts. 1 and 2, 1447 p. 

Sliter, W. V., 1977, Cretaceous benthic foraminifers from the 

western South Atlantic, Leg 39, Deep Sea Drilling Project, in 

Supko, P. R., Perch-Nielsen, K., and others, Initial reports of 

the Deep Sea Drilling Project: Washington, U.S. Government 

Printing Office, v. 39, p. 657-697. 

Sliter, W. V., and Baker, R. A., 1972, Cretaceous bathymetric 

distribution of benthic foraminifers: Journal of Foraminiferal 

Research, v. 2, no. 4, p. 167-183. 

Volk, H. R., and Rondeel, H. E., 1964, Zur gliederung des 

jungtertiars im becken von Vera, Sudostpanien: Geologie en 

Mijnbouw, v. 43, p. 310-315. 

Zachariasse, W. J., 1975, Planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy 

of the late Neogene of Crete (Greece): Utrecht Micropaleontological Bulletins, no. 11, 171 p. 

INDEX 

[Italic numbers indicate major references and descriptions] 

Page Page 

Abad member .................................................................................................. 3 Globorotalia -Continued 

Betic Straits .............. .. . . .. ...... ........ ................ .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. ............ .. .. .. .. ............ I saheliana ................................................................................................. . 

Buliminacea .................................................................................................... 6 saphoae...................................................................................................... 7 

Cabo de Gata Volcanic Complex........................................................................ 2 

Cassidulinacea ................................................................................................ 6 

Gyroidina ........................................................................................................ 8 

Gyroidinoides neosoldanii ...................................................................... 5, 8; pl. 2 

Cibicides pseudoungeriana ................................................................................ 8 Introduction ................................................................................................... . 

Cibicidoides mediocris ............................................................................ 5, 8; pl. 2 Lituolacea ........................................................................................................ 6 Cuevas del Almanzora section .......................................................................... 7 

Cuevas Viejas formation .................................................................................. 2 Messinian salinity crises .................................................................................. I 

Miliolacea .................................... .. .. .. . . . . ............ ................. ... .. . . .. .... .. .. . . .... .... 6 Discorbinella bertheloti .... ...... .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .. .. .... ........ ........................ .. . . ...... .......... 6 Morales formation ............................................................................................ 2 

Elphidium crispum .......................................................................................... 6 

sp .............................................................................................................. 6 Neogloboquadrina acostaensis ............................................................ 3, 4, 7; pl. I 

Nijar formation .............................................................................................. 2, 3 

Florilus boueanum ........ .................. .... .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .................. .. . ....... 6 Nodosariacea.................................................................................................... 6 

Foraminifers ............... .'...... ... . .. . . .. .. . . .. .... ...... ................................ .. .. . . .......... .... 3 Paleobathymetry.............................................................................................. 4 

Geologic setting................................................................................................ 2 Planulina ariminensis .. .... .. .................. ........ .. . . . . .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .................... 6, 7; pl. 2 

Globigerina bulloides ........................................................................................ 3 wuellerstorfi .............................................................................................. 7 

pseudobesa ................................................................................................ 3 Pullenia bulloides .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .... ............................ .. .. .. .. .. . ... . ......... .. . . .... 5, 8 

riueroae...................................................................................................... 7 References cited................................................................................................ 9 woodi .................................................................................................. 7; pl.2 

Globigerinoides conglobatus .............................................................................. 4 Robertinacea ................................ .................................................................... 6 

obliquus .................................................................................................... 3 Sorb as Basin.................................................................................................. 3, 7 

Globorotalia conoidea ........................................................................ 3, 4, 7; pl.l Taxonomic notes ...... .... .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. . ........................................... .. .. .. .... .. .. . . ........ 7 

conomiozea .................................................................................. 3, 4, 7; pl. I Turre Formation .............................................................................................. 3 margaritae .......................................................................................... 4, 7 

mediterranea.............................................................................................. 7 Uvigerina hispido-costata........................................................................ 5, 8; pl. 2 

menardii .... .. .. ............ .. .. .. .... .................... .... .. .. .. .. . . . . .... ............ .. . . .... 3, 7; pl. I pygmaea .......................................................................................... 5, 8; pl. 2 

miozea ...................................................................................................... 7 

puncticulata ............................................................................................. . Vera Basin .................... ...................... .... .... .. .. .. . . .. . ......... .. .. ... . .. ........ .. .. .... 3, 4, 7 

Vicar Formation .............................................................................................. 2 

Fll 

PLATES 1 AND 2 

Contact photographs of the plates in this report are available, at cost, 

from U.S. Geological Survey Library, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 
PLATE! 

[Planktic foraminifers from the Cerro de Almendralsection. All specimens are from sample +30m. Scale bar= 100 ,..m for all 

figures.] 

FIGURES 1-3. Globorotalia conomiozea Kennet. 1, umbilical view. 2, side view. 

3, spiral view of fig. 1. 

4-6. Globorotalia conoidea Walters. 4, umbilical view. 5, side view. 

6, spiral view of fig. 5. 

7-9. Globorotalia menardii (Parker, Jones, and Brady) (s. 1). 7, umbilical view. 

8, side view. 9, spiral view of fig. 7. 

10-12. Neogloboquadrina acostaensis (Blow). 10, umbilical view. 11, spiral view. 

12, umbilical view. 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 774-F PLATE 1 

PLANKTIC FORAMINIFERS FROM THE CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION 
PLATE2 

[Planktic and benthic foraminifers from the Cerro de Almendral section. Figures 1 and 2 are from sample +30 m. All other 

specimens are from sample +45 m. Scale bar= 100 1-1m for all.] 

FIGURES 1, 2. Globigerina woodi Jenkins. 1, umbilical view. 2, spiral view of fig. 1. 

3, 7. Cibicidoides mediocris (Finlay). 3, spiral view. 7, umbilical view. 

4-6. Planulina ariminensis (d'Orbigny). 4, spiral view. 5, side view. 6, umbilical view. 

8-11. Uvigerina pygmaea (d'Orbigny) Uvigerina hispido-costata (Cushman and Todd) 

group. 8-11, side views. Note variation in ornamentation from all costate to terminally hispid. 

12-14. Gyroidinoides neosoldanii (Brotzen). 12, umbilical view. 13, side view. 

14, spiral view. 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 774-F PLATE 2 

PLANKTIC AND BENTHIC FORAMINIFERS FROM THE CERRO DE ALMENDRAL SECTION 
GPO 789-035/51 
Poore and Stone-BIOSTRATIGRA.:PHrAND PAl~EbEC OLOGY, ALMERIA 'BASIN, SPAIN -Geological Survey Profession~! Paper 774-F 

f