Trace fossils from the middle Aptian sedimentary succession of the Bellezma Mountains, NE Algeria
Icnofósiles de la secuencia sedimentaria del Aptiano medio de las montañas Bellezma, NE Argelia
Imad Bouchemla1,2,*, Madani Benyoucef 2, Abdelmoumen Garah3, Mariusz A. Salamon4, Marcin Krajewski5, Rafika Slami3
1 Department of Geological Sciences, Faculty of Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Mouloud Mammeri University of Tizi-Ouzou, DZ15000 Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria.
2 Laboratory of Geomatics, Ecology and Environment, Mustapha Stambouli University of Mascara, DZ-29000 Mascara, Algeria.
3 Institut des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Univers, Université de Batna 2, DZ-05078 Batna, Algeria.
4 Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Będzińska 60, PL-41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.
5 Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, GH University of Krakow, 30 Mickiewicza Av., 30-059, Kraków, Poland.
Corresponding author: (Bouchemla) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
How to cite this article:
Bouchemla, I., Benyoucef, M., Garah, A., Salamon, M.A., Krajewski, M., Slami, R., 2025, Trace fossils from the middle Aptian sedimentary succession of the Bellezma Mountains, NE Algeria: Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana, 77(1), A231024. http://dx.doi.org/10.18268/BSGM2025v77n1a231024
Manuscript received: July 31, 2024; Corrected manuscript received: October 12, 2024; Manuscript accepted: October 22, 2024
ABSTRACT
The Aptian sedimentary succession exposed in the southern Bellezma Mountains contains a low diversity trace fossil assemblage, with ichnofossils being common in the middle part of the studied section. The recorded trace fossils comprise eight ichnogenera: Archaeonassa, Cochlichnus, Chondrites, Gyrochorte, Palaeophycus, Protovirgularia, Rhizocorallium, and Thalassinoides. Ethologically, these ichnogenera display feeding, crawling, and dwelling activities of epiand infaunal organisms. The presence of these trace fossils is mainly related to the activity of the deposit feeders, due to the accumulation of nutrients on the seafloor in unconsolidated, poorly sorted, soft substrate after storms under good environmental conditions. Together with sedimentological features, the ichnoassemblage suggests that the studied Aptian sedimentary succession was deposited in the upper offshore zone, corresponding to the Cruziana ichnofacies. These trace fossils are reported herein for the first time in the Bellezma Mountains. Furthermore, this study represents the first investigation of Mesozoic trace fossils in eastern Algeria.
Keywords: ichnofossils, palaeoenvironment, offshore zone, Aptian, Bellezma Mountains.