Description and biostratigraphy of the ammonite fauna from the Kazhdumi Formation at Tang-e-Maghar, Northwest of Behbahan (Zagros Basin)

The Kazhdumi Formation is well exposed and accessible in Tang-e Maghar, northwest of Behbahan city, Zagros basin. In this area, this formation has a thicknees of 344 m and it mainly consists of alternation of black - gray shale with medium – thin-bedded cream – gray argillaceous limestone. The lower contact of the Kazhdumi Formation is disconformable with Daryan Formation and conformable with the Sarvack Formation at the top. A total of 220 ammonite bearing surface samples were collected including the uppermost part of the Daryan Formation (5m) and the whole thickness of the Kazhdumi Formation (344m). This investigation resulted in 21 species (15 genera) which belong to six families. The encountered ammonite species of the upper part of the Daryan Formation and the whole Kazhdumi Formation consist of Douvilleiceras sp., Douvilleiceras cf. mammillatum, Epicheloniceras subnodosocostum– buxtorfi, Hypacanithoplites cf. elegnas, Acanthohoplites cf. aschiltaensis, Nolaniceras nolani, Parahoplites cf. melchioris, Venezoliceras sp., Venezoliceras cf. venezolanum, Mirapelia cf. buarquianum, Mirapelia sp., Oxytropidoceras carbonarium, Oxytropidoceras cf. roissyanum, Hysteroceras cf. orbignyi, Hysteroceras sp., Tonohamites cf. aequicingulatus, Mortoniceras sp., Mortoniceras aff. inflatum, Dufrenoyia sp., Hemiptychoceras cf. gaultinum and Scaphites sp.Amongst these ammonite species, Scaphites sp. and Hemiptychoceras gaultinum are recorded for the first time and the remainder has previously been recorded from this rock unit in the Zagros basin. Likewise, based on stratigraphic potential of the encountered ammonite species the lower Aptian is suggested for the upper part of the Daryan Formation and upper Aptian –upper Albian for the Kazhdumi Formation.Therefore, a hiatus is present between the Daryan and Kazhdumi formations, encompassing the middle Aptian.