Eocene ostracods from southern Tibet: Implications for the disappearance of Neo-Tethys

First report of the early Eocene pteropods from the Zhepure Formation in Yadong, southern Tibet, China

“…The marine strata of Tethyan Himalaya of the Tüna (Yadong, Tibet) represent the sedimentary development of the passive northern continental margin of the Indian Plate (Jiang et al, 2016; Niu et al, 2016; Wang et al, 2020) and document the narrowing and closure of the Neo-Tethys (Wang et al, 2020). The lower part of the Sand-Shale Member consists of greenish-gray calcareous marls with some green-colored sandstones, indicating a shallow-marine sedimentary environment.…”

“…The Gulupu section in Tüna was first investigated in 2015, and samples collected for later analysis. Abundant benthic and planktic foraminifers, radiolarians, ostracodes, calcareous nannofossils, calcareous algae, charophytes, dinoflagellates, and sporopollen (Li, 2015; Niu et al, 2016; Niu, 2017; Zhang and Li, 2017; Li and Li, 2019; Yao et al, 2019; Zhang et al, 2019; Wang et al, 2020) were recovered. Five samples (samples G65–G69) from the lower Sand-Shale Member yielded pteropods.…”

Biostratigraphy and provenance analysis of the Cretaceous to Palaeogene deposits in southern Tibet: Implications for the India‐Asia collision

“…The collection of well-preserved radiolarian fauna and the resultant enhancement in resolution of the radiolarian biostratigraphy has allowed for a reassessment of the timing of the formation of the ophiolite belt, the geological processes related with the closure of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic basin, and the collision between India and Asia (Ding, 2003;Hu et al, 2015;Li, Wan, et al, 2007;Liang et al, 2012;Wang et al, 2017Wang et al, , 2020Wu, 1993;Ziabrev et al, 2003). Radiolarians are widespread during the Jurassic to Palaeogene in the Tethyan Himalaya, southern Tibet, and are particularly common in the YTSZ and the adjacent ophiolite, which are remnants of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic basin.…”

“…The Upper Cretaceous to Palaeogene sediments of the southern Tethyan Himalaya were deposited in shallow to deep continental shelf environments, whereas those of the northern Tethyan Himalaya are indicative of deeper slope and basin environments (Li et al., 2009). The southern and northern Tethyan Himalaya also have distinct fauna: with a mixture of planktonic and benthic fauna/flora assemblages in the south, including bivalves, ammonoids, gastropods, crinoids, ostracods, foraminifers and calcareous nannofossils (Jiang et al., 2016; Li, Jiang, et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2020), whereas the northern communities are dominated by planktonic assemblages including cephalopods, planktonic foraminifers and radiolarians (Li et al., 2011; Li, Wan, et al., 2009).…”

“…Biostratigraphic and biochronological studies of the Palaeogene strata in southern Tibet are critical for determining the age of the final marine deposits and thus the closing of Neo‐Tethyan Ocean (Jiang et al., 2016; Li, Wan, et al, 2005; Wang et al., 2020). Due to the complicated tectonic setting and the shortage of macrofossils in southern Tibet, the study of regional biostratigraphy of continental collision mostly relies on microfossils.…”