Abstract The Paleocene-lower Eocene succession is well exposed in Sierra Espuna-Mula Basin (Betic Cordillera, S Spain) and carbonate platforms are well represented as part of this succession. The study of the paleoenvironmental evolution of these platforms has allowed to cover an important gap in the knowledge in the westernmost Tethys. Thirteen microfacies (Mf1 to MF13) were recognized based mainly on the fossil assemblage (principally larger benthic foraminifera), texture and fabric of the microfacies. The fossiliferous assemblage of the entire succession shows a mixture of photozoan and heterotrophic biogenic elements, typical of an inner to outer ramp environment of a warm temperate biogeographic province. Fragments of hermatypic corals have also been detected in the lower part of the succession (Paleocene) allowing thinking in propitious conditions in this period. The succession evolves upwards (Lower Eocene) to low-energy shallow marine protected environments (lagoon) in inner ramp settings. In addition, abundant porcelaneous larger benthic foraminifera such as alveolinids and soritids are indicative of euphotic shallow marine conditions in moderately oligotrophic upper subtidal environments. In the upper part of the succession, hermatypic corals as displaced fragments and in situ isolated coral phaceloid colonies also appear together with other biogenic components indicating warm shallow and euphotic marine conditions (coral-maerl environment). Lenticular larger benthic foraminifera, characterizing marine mesophotic and oligotrophic habitats can be found in the upper part of the middle ramp, and flattened larger benthic foraminifera forms indicating lowermost mesophotic conditions in a distal middle ramp. The obtained results have been compared with other similar Tethyan sectors obtaining a broader view. The biogenic marine association is characterized by the absence of the ‘Lockhartia community’ of the Tethyan domain, together with the dominance of alveolinids, nummulitids and orthophragminids. During most of the Paleocene, northern Mediterranean Tethys platforms were located in the middle paleolatitudes and characterized by coral-reef and coralgal biofacies. The studied platforms (located at a latitude close to 25°N) show, in a ramp-like context, underdeveloped in situ coral constructions probably of patch-reef type. In the early Eocene the expansion and abundance of the larger benthic foraminifera and the practical disappearance of coral took place in the sedimentary platforms through the entire Tethys. However, in the study area small reef coral build-ups have also been observed in the lower Cuisian beds, indicating that in westernmost Tethys coral construction continued at these latitudes.

中文翻译：

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最西端特提斯古新世-下始新世碳酸盐地台

摘要 在 Sierra Espuna-Mula 盆地（西班牙南部贝蒂科迪勒拉），古新世-下始新世序列充分暴露，碳酸盐台地很好地代表了该序列的一部分。对这些平台古环境演化的研究弥补了最西端特提斯的重要知识空白。主要根据化石组合（主要是较大的底栖有孔虫）、微相的质地和结构识别出 13 个微相（Mf1 至 MF13）。整个系列的化石组合显示出光生动物和异养生物元素的混合，这是暖温带生物地理省从内到外的斜坡环境的典型特征。在序列的下部（古新世）也发现了雌雄同体的珊瑚碎片，这使得人们可以在这一时期的有利条件下进行思考。在内部斜坡设置中，该序列向上（下始新世）演变为低能量浅层海洋保护环境（泻湖）。此外，丰富的瓷质较大的底栖有孔虫，如肺泡类和梭类，表明在中等贫营养的上潮下带环境中存在富光的浅海海洋条件。在序列的上部，作为移位碎片的雌雄同体珊瑚和原位分离的珊瑚晶状体群落也与其他生物成分一起出现，表明温暖的浅层和透光的海洋条件（珊瑚-maerl 环境）。透镜状较大的底栖有孔虫，在中间斜坡的上部可以找到表征海洋中光和贫营养栖息地的特征，扁平的较大底栖有孔虫形式表明远端中间斜坡的最低中光条件。获得的结果与其他类似的特提斯部门进行了比较，以获得更广阔的视野。生物海洋协会的特点是没有特提斯域的“Lockhartia 群落”，以及 alveolinids、nummulitids 和 orthophragminids 的优势。在古新世的大部分时间里，北地中海特提斯地台位于中古纬度，以珊瑚礁和珊瑚藻生物相为特征。所研究的平台（位于接近 25°N 的纬度）显示，在斜坡状环境中，原位珊瑚结构可能是斑块礁类型的不发达。在始新世早期，较大的底栖有孔虫的扩张和丰富以及珊瑚的实际消失发生在整个特提斯的沉积平台中。然而，在研究区，在较低的崔西亚河床中也观察到小礁珊瑚的堆积，表明在这些纬度最西端的特提斯珊瑚礁继续建造。