CONSIDERAÇÕES SOBRE A SUBDIVISÃO ESTRATIGRÁFICA DA FORMAÇÃO SANTANA CRETÁCEO DO NORDESTE DO BRASIL

Abstract

By present consensus, three distinct members can be recognized in the sedimentary sequence of the Santana Formation (Araripe Group), Cretaceous of northeastern Brazil named, respectively, Crato, Ipubi and Romualdo. This subdivision was presented by BEURLEN (1971, p. 415), based on environmental differences related to the proposed members. In the present study, the viability of this subdivision is examined. Analysis of the information, now available, permits the conclusion that only the Crato Member should be mantained in reality. The other proposed subdivisions should be abandoned or redefined, since their representative sequences do not truly reflect distinct phases in the sedimentary deposition of the Santana Formation.