Calcare di Bari

The Calcare di Bari (Italian for Bari Limestone) is a Cretaceous (Valanginian to early Turonian, spanning approximately 45 million years) geologic formation in Apulia, southeastern Italy.[1] The formation comprises micritic limestones, in places karstified and dolomitized. Rudists and fossil ankylosaur, sauropod and theropod tracks have been reported from the 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) thick formation that was deposited in an inner carbonate platform environment towards the top dominated by rudist reefs.

Calcare di Bari Stratigraphic range: Valanginian-early Turonian ~138–93 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Avvantaggio, Montericco, Palorbitoline, Corato, Bisceglie & Sannicandro Members
Underlies	Calcare di Altamura
Overlies	not observed
Area	100 km^2 (39 sq mi)
Thickness	Up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Limestone
Other	Dolomite
Location
Coordinates	41.2°N 16.5°E
Approximate paleocoordinates	24.3°N 20.3°E
Region	Apulia
Country	Italy
Extent	Apulian Platform
Type section
Named for	Bari
Named by	Valduga
Location	Petraro Quarry
Year defined	1965
Coordinates	41.2869°N 16.2855°E
Region	Apulia
Calcare di Bari (Italy) Calcare di Bari (Apulia)

Description

The Calcare di Bari underlies the Calcare di Altamura, separated by an unconformity. The base of the formation is not recognized in outcrop.[2][3] The Calcare di Bari is subdivided into the Avvantaggio, Montericco, Palorbitoline, Corato, Bisceglie and Sannicandro Members.[2] The formation crops out around the Bari–Taranto railway.[4]

The formation comprises micritic and dolomitic limestones containing foraminifera with several levels of rudists. The depositional environment of the formation has been interpreted as inner platform with tidal and lagoonal influence. The formation crops out across an area of about 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi),[2] and the total thickness has been estimated at around 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).[3][5]

From the Valanginian to the early Aptian the present region of Apulia was dominated by a very shallow carbonate platform characterized by tranquil waters, evidenced by the muddy to marly limestones. Deepening occurred in the upper part of the formation with subtidal deposits containing a rudist reefal fauna.[3]

The upper part of the formation is dated to the Cenomanian based on the presence of the microfossils Sauvagesia sharpei, Chrysalidina gradata, Pseudolituonella reicheli, Pseudorhapydionina dubia, Nummofallotia apula, Nezzazata sp. and algae Heteroporella lepina.[6] The uppermost part is dated to the early Turonian.[2]

Fossil content

The formation has provided ichnofossils of:[1]

• Ankylosauria indet.[7]
• Sauropoda indet.[7]
• Theropoda indet.[7]

Foraminifera

• Miliolidae indet.[7]

See also

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Italy
• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
  • List of stratigraphic units with ornithischian tracks
    • Ankylosaur tracks

References

1. Calcare di Bari
2. APAT, 2001, p.31
3. Reina & Buttiglione, 2005, p.31
4. Reina & Buttiglione, 2005, p.35
5. APAT, 2001, p.32
6. Reina & Buttiglione, 2005, p.33
7. Leonardi, 2008

Bibliography

• Leonardi, G. 2008. Vertebrate ichnology in Italy. Studi Trentini di Scienze Naturali, Acta Geologica 83. 213–221.
• Reina, Alessandro, and Buttiglione Luigi. 2005. Tecniche geologiche tradizionali nella ricerca di nuovi giacimenti di pietre ornamentali in Puglia. Geologi e Territorio 1/2. 29–40.
• N., N. 2001. Carta Geologica d'Italia 1:50.000 - Catalogo delle Formazioni, 31–55. APAT - Dip. Scienze della Terra, Università di Firenze - Commissione Italiana di Stratigrafia.