NEW GEOGRAPHIC RECORD OF THE UAE PLANKTIC FORAMINIFERA TURBOROTALIA SEMICUNIALENSIS ANAN IN INDIA AND EGYPT

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INTRODUCTION
The Turborotalia cerroazulensis and T. cocoaensis were recorded from the Upper Eocene outcrops of the Cambay Basin, northwest India (Mukhopadhyay, 2005, Figure 1).
On the other hand, the Late Eocene strata (Priabonian, Globigerinatheka semiinvoluta Zone, E14) are exposed in Wadi Hitan or 'Valley of whales' is a world heritage site in the Western Desert of Egypt, some 140 kilometers southwest of Cairo and 60 kilometers west of Fayum (Figure 2).
The stratigraphic log and stratigraphic range of the T. semicunialensis from the Cambay Basin, northwest India, including the stratigraphic position of the recorded species, T. p, 104b (Figures 4,5).
On the other hand, Strougo et al. (2013) presented a comprehensive stratigraphic study base on planktic foraminifera for the Late Eocene of Wadi Hitan section (Figure 6).

FAUNAL DISCUSSION
The Turborotalia semicunialensis Anan, represents a transitional specimen between Turbrotalia cocoaensis (Cushman) and Turbrotalia cunialensis (Toumarkine & Bolli).It differs from T. cunialensis in having weak raised keel in the first two chambers only than all chambers, and acute last chamber but without keel.It has the same stratigraphic level as Globigerinatheka inflata (Howe).In this study this species extends its stratigraphic level into the lower horizon to be existed in the early Late Eocene with the Globigerinatheka semiinvoluta.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
The planktic foraminiferal species T. semicunialensis was originally recorded from the Late Eocene of Jabal Hafit, UAE.In this study, this species were recorded in another two localities around UAE, but under another names from the Turborotalia cerroazulensis group, from Cambay Basin, northwest of India (to the east of UAE), and from Wadi Hitan, Fayum area, Western Desert of Egypt (to the west of UAE) (Figure 7), which indicates an open marine environment.

TAXONOMY
The taxonomy followed in this study is that of (Pearson et al., 2006).

PALEOGEOGRAPHY
The paleogeographic map of many authors (e.g.Adams et al., 1983;Anan, 1994Anan, , 1995) ) shows that the ancestral Tethyan Ocean in the Paleogene time is connected with the ancestral Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans.The late Eocene planktic foraminiferal assemblage, including Cribrohantkenina inflata, Turborotalia semicunialensis, T. cunialensis and Hantkenina alabamensis are restricted in the tropical-subtropical provinces (Lat.45º N-30º S).Rögl (1999) noted that by the end of the Eocene the Tethyan Ocean had already vanished (the new Indian Ocean was born), and the western end of the Tethys was reduced to the Mediterranean Sea (Figure 8).The deficiency of available literatures, and/or the less homogeneity in the species concept between different authors, most probably provided the researchers of a complete information of the recorded species Turborotalia semicunialensis in other localities around the study area.

PALEOENVIRONMENT
The Late Eocene planktic foraminiferal assemblage from Egypt (in the west of the UAE) and India (in the eat) had been located in the tropical and warm temperature region based on many faunal environmental elements, i.e. tubular spines in the hantkeninids, keels in some Turborotaliids, and accessory apertures in the Globigerinatheka spp.(Frerichs, 1971;Coxall & Pearson, 2006, Wade & Pearson, 2008).

Figure 7 :
Figure 7: The geographic distribution of the Late Eocene T. semicunialensis Anan in the three localities (Egypt, UAE, India) in the Southern Tethys.

Figure 8 :
Figure 8: The Eocene paleogeographic map of the Neo-Tethys throughout the three locations: Egypt, UAE and India.