THE MEDITERRANEAN LOWER CRETACEOUS

17. GREECE
The stratigraphie differentiation of the Lower Cretaceous in Greece is hampered
by the strongly manifested tectonic processing and the absence of sufficient fossils
(A u b о u i n et al., 1963).
In the Western part of Greece, in the Preapulian zone, the Lower Cretaceous
comprises part of the Vigla Limestones (Tithonian-Lowe: Senonian). The
limestones are developed in the Ionian zone as well, where they are of deepersea
type, with radiolaria and jaspes lenses. They contain calpionellids, aptychi,
Mesohibotites and Orbitolina, which permit the determination of the interval from
the Berriasian to the Albian inclusive.
In the continental part of the Gavrovo zone the Lower Cretaceous is connected
with algal limestones which pass into the Uppei Jurassic. More varied neritic
limestones are developed in the Peloponnesus, with remains of foraminifera
and corals, which characterize the interval between the Upper Jurassic and the base
of the Lower Cretaceous.
In the Pind zone the base of the series is connected with radiolarites, often impregnated
with manganese oxides, which alternate with pelagic limestones containing
radiolaria. In the peripheral parts there are intercalations of breccia-like limestones,
sometimes sandy and oolitic with Trocholina alpina L e u p . and T. elongata
L e u p. A sandy-marly flysch associated with red marls svith radiolaria follows
above these sediments. Different Orbitolina and Dictyoconus define Barremian-
Aptian age.
In the Parnas zone the Lower Cretaceous comprises part of the breccia-like
limestones with Ellipsactinia ellipsoidea Stein (Tithonian-Valanginian), oolitic
and dense limestones, above which the second bauxite level of Parnas is developed.
The Lower Cretaceous is absent in the Subpelagonian and Pelagonian zones,
to appear again in the Vardar zone, where Aptian-Albian sediments with Orbitolinidae
and Nerinea are developed. These are conglomerates with limestone and
sometimes with ophiolite fragments; sandy-detritic limestones are also represented.
They overlie transgressively and discordantly Upper Jurassic ophiolites.
In Crete the Lower Cretaceous is represented exclusively by limestones, in some
places with radiolarites.
In the Southeastern Rhodopes the Lower Cretaceous is connected with the phyllite
complex of Makri village, discovered to the northwest of Alexandroupolis. This
complex is built of phyllites, shales, greywackes and slightly metamorphosed ophiolites.
They contain intercalations of limestones among which Upper Jurassic and
Lower Cretaceous corals have been found (B r a u n, 1968).
At Makri village (west of Alexandroupolis) in Northeastern Greece the
Greek geologist L. Dimadis found among phyllitized rocks an ammonite which
was i dentified by the author as Pseudosubplanites sp. (Upper Tithonian-Lower
Berriasian).
In Samothrace the Lower Cretaceous comprises part of the ophiolite complex.
It is represented by gabbro, diabases, coral limestones, shales and polygenous breccias.
The interactions of the gabbro and diabases with the sediments indicate that the
basic volcanism was manifested at the boundary between the Lower and Upper
Cretaceous (B r a u n, 1968).
In Trodos the Lower Cretaceous is represented by dolerites (130-120 m. y.)
(D e 1 a 1 о у с et al., 1980).
18. TURKEY
The Lower Cretaceous has limited distribution in Turkey. It often transgressively
overlies Jurassic or Palaeozoic terrains.
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