Paleolatitudes of Late Triassic radiolarian cherts from Argolis, Greece: Insights on the paleogeography of the western Tethys

摘要: The Hellenides fold-and-thrust range comprises two subparallel ophiolite belts of Triassic to Jurassic age – the external belt (e.g., Mirdita, Pindos, Argolis) in west, and internal east broadly separated by continental crust units Korabi–Pelagonian Zone. It is still a matter debate whether these ophiolites derived from single ocean (Meliata–Maliac–Vardar) or mark suture distinct oceanic seaways (Pindos Meliata–Maliac–Vardar). We contribute resolution this controversy studying Migdalitsa Ophiolitic Complex Argolis (Greece), which contains basalts pertains (western) belt. Three key areas were mapped several sites targeted for structural, biostratigraphic, paleomagnetic analyses. Radiolarian cherts primary tectonic contact with dated Late (Carnian–Norian) using radiolarians, provided directions origin carried magnetite hematite. mean direction was corrected sedimentary inclination shallowing yielded paleolatitude ~ 22°N that placed broader paleogeographic context reconstructing Pangea at 225 ± 5 Ma recent apparent polar wander path shallowing. paleogeography Tethys Ocean constrained additional estimates literature, we checked (when possible) According our reconstruction, Meliata–Maliac–Vardar between Adria promontory Africa Europe represents locus ophiolitic rocks belt, presently resting on Pindos–Subpelagonian zones, represent deep-water trough no substantial evidence situ oceanization Triassic.