Biochronology of Jurassic and Early Cretaceous radiolarites from the Lycian M61ange (SW Turkey) and implications for the evolution of the

Abstract: New radiolarian ages for blocks of radiolarian cherts associated with other blocks of distal pelagic facies and ophiolitic lithologies within the Lycian M61ange, SW Turkey, indicate deposition during Mid-Jurassic to EarlyCretaceous time. Radiolarites overlying pink pelagic limestones of an allochthonous carbonate unit accumulated during the Mid- to Late Jurassic. On the basis of tructural evidence the Lycian M61ange isinferred to have been rooted within the Northern Neotethys, to the north of the Tauride-Anatolide microcontinent. The Lycian radiolarites can b compared with other dated radiolarites from the Izmir-Ankara suture, the root zone of the Northern Neotethyan ocean. Based onall the available radiolarian data it is inferred that radiolarites accumulated within the Nor rn Neotethys in western Turkey from Late Triassic (Mid-Carnian to Late Norian) to Mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) t me. The radiolarites were later detached from their inferred oceanic basement a d accreted within a subduction complex during the Late Cretaceous (Turonian-Maastrichtian) and emplaced over the northern margin of the Tauride-Anatolide continent together with slices of continental margin and ophiolitic lithologies. Following the development of Mesozoic radi-olarian biostratigraphical schemes during the last 25 years, radiolarian biochronology has become invaluable for reconstructing the palaeogeogra-phy, palaeoceanography and tectonic evolution of Tethyan oceanic basins and margins (D