Paleoecology of benthic foraminifera in coral reefs recorded in the Jurassic Tuwaiq Mountain Formation of the Khashm Al-Qaddiyah area, Central Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Thirty three benthic foraminiferal species belong to 23 genera and 16 families have been recorded from the coral reefs of the Callovian Tuwaiq Formation, Khashm Al-Qaddiyah area, Central Saudi Arabia. Three species: Astacolus qaddiyahensis, Nodosaria riyadhensis, Siderolites jurassica are believed to be new. Nearly all identified foraminifera are of Atlantic-Miditeranean affinity. The foraminiferal assemblage recorded in the present work is mixed of open marine, moderately deep marine conditions associations and shallow to deep lagoon. The reefal part of upper Twiaq Formation may have been deposited in shallow water of lower to middle shelf depth (20–50 m) as indicated by abundant corals and benthic foraminifera. The coral fauna and bearing benthic foraminifera indicated moderate water energy.