Agglutinated Middle-Upper Eocene foraminifera in Jabal Hafit, Al ...

Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève (juin 2005) 24 (1) : 17-27 

Agglutinated Middle-Upper Eocene foraminifera in Jabal Hafit, 

Al Ain area, United Arab Emirates 

Haidar Salim ANAN 1 

ISSN 1661-5468 

Abstract 

Fifteen small agglutinated foraminiferal species belonging to twelve benthic genera are identified from Middle-Upper Eocene 

succession of Jabal Hafit, Al Ain area (United Arab Emirates) and ten out of them are illustrated. The diversity of the identified species 

gradually decreases upward throughout the Middle-Late Eocene horizon. The global marked fall in the eustatic sea level took place at 

the end of the Middle Eocene (~ 40 Ma) may also has taken place in the Al Ain area and may caused the deposition of the phosphatic 

limestone bed, which represents the passage interval between the Middle and Upper Eocene succession. It seems that the changes in 

paleoceanographic conditions should accentuate the benthic faunal changes. 

Key words 

Eocene, United Arab Emirates, Jabal Hafit, benthic foraminifera, stratigraphy, paleobiogeography. 

I. INTRODUCTION 

The Maastrichtian and Paleogene post-nappe rocks 

outcrop as a discontinuous belt in mountains and hills 

around the western front of the Northern Oman Mountains 

in the United Arab Emirates. The present study is a part 

of the comprehensive works concerned with the complete 

record of the small foraminiferal content in these 

outcrops. The previous studies on Jabal Hafit (i.e. CHERIF 

& EL DEEB, 1984 ; CHERIF et al., 1992 ; ANAN et al., 1992 ; 

ANAN, 1994a, 1996, 2003, on Jabal Malaqet (HAMDAN & 

ANAN, 1989, 1993) ; HAMDAN & EL DEEB, 1990 ; ANAN & 

HAMDAN, 1992, 1993 ; ANAN, 1993a, 1995), on Jabal Oha 

(HAMDAN, 1990), on Qarn El Barr (HAMDAN, 1990 ; ANAN, 

1993b) are pertinent to the present study. 

II. MATERIAL OF STUDY 

Twenty two samples were collected from the nearly 

vertical succession of the Middle-Upper Eocene rocks 

of the eastern limb of Jabal Hafit anticline (Lat. 24 ° 

06ʼ-24 ° 9ʼ N, Long. 55 ° 46ʼ-55 ° 49ʼ E, Fig. 1), which is 

exposed in Al Ain-Mazyad road with about 249 m thick 

(Fig. 2). This exposure is equivalent in part to the shale, 

marl and marly limestone Tle5 of HUNTING, 1979 (where 

T = Tertiary, l = Lower, e = Eocene, 5 = the number of 

the coded mappable rock unit of Jabal Hafit and other 

outcrops in the Al Ain area). It is also equivalent to the 

lower part of the Mazyad Member of the Dammam 

Formation (formal lithostratigraphic scheme of HAMDAN 

Fig. 1 : Location map. 

& BAHR, 1992). The study samples yield well-preserved 

and diverse foraminiferal assemblages and have supplied 

the morphotypes of the illustrated species. 

1 Dean of Faculty of Science, Department of Geology, Al Azhar University-Gaza, Gaza, P.O. Box 1277, Palestine. 

Email : hsanan @ hotmail.com or drhsanan@yahoo.com

18 H. S. ANAN 

III. STRATIGRAPHY 

The disappearance of the Middle Eocene spinose planktic 

foraminiferal genera (Truncorotaloides, Morozovella, 

Acarinina) is taken by many authors (i.e. TOUMARKINE & 

LUTERBACHER, 1985) to mark the Middle/Upper Eocene 

boundary and drawn between the Truncorotaloides rohri 

Zone (P14) and the Globigerinatheka semiinvoluta Zone 

(P15). The codified zones of BLOW (1969) are used here. 

The Late Eocene Turborotalia pseudoampliapertura 

Zone was introduced by HAGGAG (1990) to separate 

the Truncorotaloides rohri Zone (P14) from the 

Globigerinatheka semiinvoluta Zone (P15). STROUGO 

(1992) proposed to draw the base of the Upper Eocene at 

the base of the G. semiinvoluta Zone thus relegating the 

T. pseudoampliapertura Zone to the latest Middle Eocene 

(the latter zone is marked here by the proposed coded 

no. P14/15). This stratigraphical opinion was adopted by 

ANAN et al. (1992), ANAN (1994b, 2003) and this study. 

The section under investigation (the Tle5 succession) 

is represented by four planktic foraminiferal biozones, 

from base to top : the upper part of the Middle Eocene 

Truncorotaloides rohri Zone (P14) and Turborotalia 

pseudoampliapertura Zone (P14/15) and the Late 

Eocene : Globigerinatheka semiinvoluta Zone (P15) and 

Cribrohantkenina inflata Zone (P16). The phosphatic 

limestone bed (bed no.9, Fig. 2 ; about 25 m thick) 

represents the passage interval between the Middle and 

Upper Eocene succession in the study section. 

IV. TAXONOMY 

Fifteen diagnostic and well-preserved small agglutinated 

foraminiferal species are identified in the study 

section. Ten of them are illustrated here (Plate I), 

while another three species Orbulinelloides arabicus, 

Marssonella hafitensis and Plectina emiratensis were 

recently illustrated in ANAN (2003) as new species. The 

stratigraphic ranges of the identified species are shown 

in Fig. 3. 

Order Foraminiferida EICHWALD, 1830 

Suborder Textulariina DELAGE & HEROUARD, 1896 

Superfamily Astrorhizacea BRADY, 1881 

Family Bathysiphonidae AVNIMELECH, 1952 

Genus Bathysiphon SARS, 1872 

Type species : Bathysiphon filiformis SARS, 1872 

Bathysiphon eocenicus CUSHMAN & HANNA, 1927 

Pl. I, fig. 1 

1927. Bathysiphon eocenica CUSHMAN & HANNA ,p. 210, p1. 

13, figs 2, 3. 

1951. Bathysiphon eocenica CUSHMAN & HANNA. - CUSHMAN & 

STAINFORTH, p. 142, p1. 25, fig. 4. 

1975. Bathysiphon eocenicus CUSHMAN & HANNA. - BRAGA & 

GRÜNIG, p. 102, fig. 5. 

1994. Bathysiphon eocenicus CUSHMAN & HANNA. - BOLLI et 

al., p. 65, fig. 18.3. 

1996. Bathysiphon eocenica CUSHMAN & HANNA.- ANAN, p. 

149, fig. 3.1. 

Fig. 2 : Schematic diagram of the study section, Tle5 (the lower part of Mazyad Member, Dammam Formation), eastern limb of Jabal 

Hafit.

Agglutinated Middle-Upper Eocene foraminifera in Jabal Hafit, Al Ain area 19 

Fig. 3 : The stratigraphic ranges of the identified M/U Eocene 

agglutinated foraminiferal species. 

1997. Bathysiphon eocenica CUSHMAN & HANNA. - HUSSEIN, p. 

108, fig. 3.1. 

2000. Bathysiphon sp. 2 - ABUL-NASR, p. 72, fig. 16.5. 

The species was originally described from the Eocene of 

California, USA. It is also recorded from the Eocene of 

Ecuador (CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1951), Italy (BRAGA & 

GRÜNIG, 1975), Trinidad (BOLLI et al., 1994) and Egypt 

(ANAN, 1994b ; HUSSEIN, 1997). 

This species was recorded in the Early Eocene (P9) of 

Jabal Hafit by ANAN (1996). It occurs also in the Middle 

and Upper Eocene (P14-P16) of Jabal Hafit in the study 

section. 

Bathysiphon eocenicus has a cosmopolitan geographic 

distribution. 

Bathysiphon saidi (ANAN, 1994) 

Pl. I, fig. 2 

1994b. Rhabdammina saidi ANAN, p. 218, fig. 8.1 

1997. Bathysiphon abbassi HUSSEIN, p. 109, fig. 3.2. 

2000. Bathysiphon sp.1 - ABUL-NASR, p. 72, fig. 16.4. 

The species is regarded here to belong to the genus 

Bathysiphon due to its straight unbranched elongate tube 

and wider stratigraphic range (Up. Triassic-Holocene) than 

the restricted Holocene time of the genus Rhabdammina 

SARS, 1869 (LOEBLICH & TAPPAN, 1988, p. 24). 

Bathysiphon saidi differs from B. eocenicus in having 

rough agglutinated surface with cemented coarse 

fragmented sand grains. On the other hand, the coarsely 

agglutinated sand grains B. abbassi of HUSSEIN (1997) 

and also B. sp.1 of ABUL-NASR (2000) closely conspecific 

with B. saidi (ANAN, 1994b). 

Bathysiphon saidi was originally described from the top 

Middle - Upper Eocene of Egypt, while it is recorded 

only from the top Middle Eocene (P 14) of Jabal Hafit. 

Family Saccamminidae BARDY, 1884 

Subfamily Thurammininae A. D. MIKLUKHO-MAKLAY, 

1963 

Genus Orbulinelloides SAIDOVA, 1975 

Type species : Orbulinoides agglutinatus SAIDOVA, 1970 

Orbulinelloides arabicus ANAN, 2003 

2003. Orbulinelloides arabicus ANAN, p. 531, fig. 4.1. 

This species is characterized by its spherical to 

subspherical coarsely agglutinated test. It occurs in the 

top Middle Eocene (P14) to middle Late Eocene (P16) 

of Jabal Hafit. 

Superfamily Rzehakinacea CUSHMAN, 1933 

Family Rzehakinidae CUSHMAN, 1933 

Genus Miliammina HERON-ALLEN & EARLAND, 1930 

Type species : Miliolina oblonga (MONTAGU) var. 

arenacea CHAPMAN, 1916 

Miliammina kenawyi ANAN, 1994 

Pl. I, fig. 3 

1994b. Miliammina kenawyi ANAN, p. 218, fig. 8.2. 

The species is characterized by its fine agglutinated 

smooth wall in loose quinqueloculine arrangement with 

half coil chambers. It was originally described from the 

top Middle Eocene (P14) to early Late Eocene (P15) of 

Egypt. 

This species is recorded only in the top Middle Eocene 

(P14/15) of Jabal Hafit.

20 H. S. ANAN 

Superfamily Lituolacea de BLAINVILLE, 1827 

Family Haplophragmoididae MAYNC, 1952 

Genus Haplophragmoides CUSHMAN, 1910 

Type species : Nonionina canariensis dʼORBIGNY, 1839 

Haplophragmoides walteri (GRZYBOWSKI, 1898) 

Pl. I, fig. 4 

1898. Trochammina walteri GRZYBOWSKI, p. 290, p1. 11, fig. 

31. 

1981. Haplophragmoides walteri (GRZYBOWSKI).- MORGIEL & 

OLSZEWSKA, p. 10, p1. 3, fig. 15. 

1982. Haplophragmoides walteri (GRZYBOWSKI).- MILLER et 

al., p. 20, p1. 2, fig. 7. 

The species is characterized by its involutes planispiral 

test, agglutinated wall with fine quartz grains with 

siliceous cement, small umbonal depression on both 

sides, elongate triangular chambers increasing slowly in 

size, slightly depressed and curved sutures. 

In the Polish External Carpathians the species ranges 

from Senonian to Eocene (MORGIEL & OLSZEWSKA, 1981) 

and from Early to Middle Eocene in Labrador Sea, North 

Atlantic (MILLER et al., 1982). 

In this study, the species occurs in the top Middle Eocene 

(P14) of Jabal Hafit. 

Genus Ammobaculites CUSHMAN, 1910 

Type species : Spirolina agglutinans dʼORBIGNY, 1846 

Ammobaculites cubensis CUSHMAN & BERMUDEZ, 1937 

Pl. I, fig. 5 

1937. Ammobaculites cubensis CUSHMAN & BERMUDEZ, p. 106, 

p1. 16, figs 4, 16-18. 

1955. Ammobaculites cubensis CUSHMAN & BERMUDEZ.- 

ANSARY, p. 17, p1. 1, fig. 1. 

1994. Ammobaculites cubensis CUSHMAN & BERMUDEZ.- BOLLI 

et al., p. 325, fig. 62.3. 

The species was originally described from the Eocene 

of Cuba by CUSHMAN & BERMUDEZ (1937) and from the 

Middle and Upper Eocene of Egypt (ANSARY, 1955) and 

Trinidad (BOLLI et al., 1994). 

It is recorded here in the top Middle Eocene (P14) of 

Jabal Hafit. 

Superfamily Spiroplectamminacea CUSHMAN, 1927 

Family Spiroplectamminidae CUSHMAN, 1927 

Subfamily Spiroplectammininae CUSHMAN, 1927 

Genus Spiroplectinella KISELʼMAN, 1972 

Type species : Spiroplecta wrightii SILVESTRI, 1903 

Spiroplectinella nuttalli (LALICKER, 1935) 

Pl. I, fig. 6 

1935. Spiroplectammina nuttalli LALICKER, p. 43, p1. 6, figs 

3, 4. 

1951. Spiroplectammina nuttalli LALICKER.- CUSHMAN & 

STAINFORTH, p. 143, p1. 25, figs 19, 20. 

1955. Bolivinopsis nuttalli (LALICKER) - ANSARY, p. 19, p1. 1, 

fig. 7. 

1997. Bolivinopsis nuttalli (LALICKER).- HUSSEIN, p. 11, fig. 

3.10. 

2000. Bolivinopsis cf. nuttalli (LALICKER).- ABUL-NASR, p. 72, 

fig. 14.11. 

LOEBLICH & TAPPAN (1988, p. 111, 112) noted that 

the biserial stage of the genus Spiroplectinella is 

characterized by its lozenge shaped in cross section and 

may have a marginal keel, while it is long and nearly 

constant width throughout in Bolivinopsis and ovoid in 

Spiroplectammina. Hence, the species is related here to 

the genus Spiroplectinella. 

The species was originally described from the Eocene of 

Venezuela by LALICKER (1935), then in the same horizon 

of Ecuador (CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1951) and Egypt 

(ANSARY, 1955 ; HUSSEIN, 1997 ; ABUL-NASR, 2000). 

It is recorded here from the top Middle to early Late 

Eocene (P14 - P15) of Jabal Hafit. 

Subfamily Vulvulininae SAIDOVA, 1981 

Genus Vulvulina dʼORBIGNY, 1826 

Type species : Vulvulina capreolus CUSHMAN, 1928 

Vulvulina haeringensis (GÜMBEL, 1868) 

1868. Venilina haeringensis GÜMBEL, p. 71, pl. 2, fig. 84. 

1975. Vulvulina haeringensis (GÜMBEL).- PROTO DECIMA & de 

BIASE, p. 91, pl. 1, figs 4, 23. 

1975. Vulvulina haeringensis (GÜMBEL).- BRAGA & GRÜNIG, 

p. 102, pl. 5, fig. 5. 

1978. Vulvulina haeringensis (GÜMBEL).- PROTO DECIMA & 

BOLLI, p. 797, pl. 1, fig. 5. 

1988. Vulvulina haeringensis (GÜMBEL).- PARISI & COCCIONI, p. 

103, pl. 1, figs 8, 9. 

1996. Vulvulina haeringensis (GÜMBEL).- ANAN, p. 149, fig. 

3.3. 

The species was recorded in Italy (PROTO DECIMA & de 

BIASE, 1975 ; BRAGA & GRÜNIG, 1975 ; PARISI & COCCIONI, 

1988) and also in South Atlantic, DSDP Leg 40, west 

coast of Africa (PROTO DECIMA & BOLLI, 1978). 

The species was recorded in the Early Eocene (P9) of 

Jabal Hafit (ANAN, 1996). It occurs also in the Middle- 

Late Eocene (P14-P15) of the study section. 

Vulvulina jarvisi CUSHMAN, 1932 

Pl. I, fig. 7 

1932. Vulvulina jarvisi CUSHMAN, p. 84, pl. 10, fig. 20. 

1976. Vulvulina jarvisi CUSHMAN.- BERGGREN & AUBERT, p. 

314, pl. 1, fig. 1.


The species has been recorded in mid-Tertiary rocks 

of some Caribbean Sea (CUSHMAN & RENZ, 1941 in 

Venezuela, CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1945 in Trinidad) 

and also North Atlantic region (BERGGREN & AUBERT, 

1976). 

It is recorded only in the early Late Eocene (P15) of Jabal 

Hafit. 

Superfamily Verneuilinacea CUSHMAN, 1911 

Family Prolixoplectidae LOEBLICH & TAPPAN, 1985 

Genus Plectina MARSSON, 1878 

Type species : Gaudryina ruthenica REUSS, 1851 

Plectina emiratensis ANAN, 2003 

2003. Plectina emiratensis ANAN, p.534, fig. 4.2. 

The species is characterized by its subconical and short 

test, coarse-grained surface, subterminal and traverse 

elongate slit aperture on the apertural face of the last 

formed chamber. 

This species occurs in the top Middle Eocene (P14) of 


Family Tritaxiidae PLOTNIKOVA, 1979 

Genus Tritaxia REUSS, 1860 

Type species : Textularia tricarinata REUSS, 1844 

Tritaxia alpina (CUSHMAN, 1936) 

Pl. I, fig. 8 

1936. Clavulinoides alpina CUSHMAN, p. 22, pl. 3, fig. 16. 

1975. Tritaxia alpina (CUSHMAN).- PROTO DECIMA & de BIASE, 

p. 91, pl.1, fig. 12. 

The species was recorded by PROTO DECIMA & de BIASE 

(1975) to range from Early to Middle Eocene of Possagno 

section of Italy. 

In this study, it is recorded only from the Late Eocene 

(P15-P16) of Jabal Hafit. 

Superfamily Textulariacea EHRENBERG, 1838 

Family Eggerellidae CUSHMAN, 1937 

Subfamily Dorothiinae BALAKHMATOVA, 1972 

Genus Dorothia PLUMMER, 1931 

Type species : Gaudryina bullata CARSEY, 1931 

Dorothia nacataensis (WHITE, 1929) 

Pl. I, fig. 9 

1929. Textularia nacataensis WHITE, p. 31, pl. 4, fig. 2. 

1978. Marssonella nacataensis (WHITE) - PROTO DECIMA & 

BOLLI, p. 794, pl. 1, fig. 15c. 

LOEBLICH & TAPPAN (1988, p. 169) noted that the biserial 

stage of Dorothia is increasing very slowly in size, so 

that test has nearly parallel sides and is circular in cross 

section, while it is rapidly increasing diameter and 

conical in Marssonella. Hence, it is related here to the 

genus Dorothia. 

The species was originally described from the Eocene 

rocks of the Tampico Embayment of Mexico. It was 

also recorded by PROTO DECIMA & BOLLI (1978) from the 

Paleocene of southeast Atlantic DSDP Leg 40, west coast 

of Africa. 

In this study, the species is recorded in the top Middle to 

Late Eocene (P14 - P16) of Jabal Hafit. 

Genus Marssonella CUSHMAN, 1933 

Type species : Gaudryina oxycona REUSS, 1860 

Marssonella hafitensis ANAN, 2003 

2003. Marssonella hafitensis ANAN, p. 535, fig. 4.3. 

Marssonella hafitensis is recognized from the Upper 

Cretaceous-Paleocene M. oxycona by its nearly equal 

length and breadth test, coarse- grained wall and concave 

terminal face. 

The species is recorded from the top Middle to Late 

Eocene (P14 - P16) of Jabal Hafit. 

Family Textulariidae EHRENBERG, 1838 

Subfamily Textulariinae EHRENBERG, 1838 

Genus Textularia DEFRANCE, 1824 

Type species : Textularia sagittula DEFRANCE, 1824 

Textularia communis (dʼORBIGNY, 1826) 

Pl. I, fig. 10 

1826. Textilaria communis dʼORBIGNY, p. 263. 

1955. Textularia communis (dʼORBIGNY).- ANSARY, p. 21, pl. 1, 

fig. 8. 

1992. Textularia communis (dʼORBIGNY).- CHERIF et al., p. 46, 

pl. 1, fig. 7. 

The species was recorded in the Upper Eocene rocks of 

Egypt (ANSARY, 1955). 

CHERIF et al., (1992) have recorded this species from 

the Oligocene of Jabal Hafit, while it occurs in the top 

Middle Eocene (P14/15) of the study section. The rare 

found specimens are broken with missing initial part. 

Textularia plummerae LALICKER, 1935 

1935. Textularia plummerae LALICKER, p. 50, pl. 6, fig. 10. 

1975. Textularia plummerae LALICKER.- PROTO DECIMA & de 

BIASE, p. 91, pl. 1, fig. 6. 

1989. Textularia plummerae LALICKER.- HULSBOS et al., p. 268, 

pl. 1, fig. 7.

22 H. S. ANAN 

The species was recorded from the Paleocene to Middle 

Eocene of Italy (PROTO DECIMA & de BIASE, 1975) and 

from the Lower Eocene of Norwegian Sea, DSDP Site 

338 (HULSBOS et al., 1989). 

It occurs in the top Middle Eocene (P14 and P14/15) of 


V. TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION AROUND M/U 

EOCENE BOUNDARY 

According to many authors (ex. VAIL et al., 1977 ; HAQ et 

al., 1987) a marked fall in the eustatic sea level took place 

at the end of the Middle Eocene (39-40 Ma). This global 

regression may also has taken place in the Al Ain area. It 

may caused the deposition of the phosphatic limestone bed 

(bed no. 9, Fig. 2 ; about 25 m thick), which represents the 

passage interval between the Middle and Upper Eocene 

succession in the study section. Previously, ABUL-NASR 

& THUNELL (1987) noted that the concentration of clastic 

phosphatic sediment being a function of reworking during 

times of lowered sea level. 

The temporal distribution of the fifteen identified species 

in the Middle-Upper Eocene succession of the study 

section is shown in Fig. 3. The following remarks are 

presented : 

1. The diversity of the identified species gradually 

decreases upward throughout the M/U Eocene 

succession. About 87 % of the identified species 

(13/15 species) are recorded in the Middle Eocene 

compared to 53 % (8/15 species) in the Late Eocene. 

It is interesting to note that the M/U Eocene boundary 

in Egypt (ANAN, 1994b) is also marked by a sudden 

fall in abundance and/or diversity of the foraminiferal 

assemblage. 

2. Seven out of the identified species are recorded only 

from the Middle Eocene zones (P14 and P14/15). 

These species are : Ammobaculites cubensis, 

Bathysiphon saidi, Haplophragmoides walteri, 

Miliammina kenawyi, Plectina emiratensis and 

Textularia plummerae, T. communis. 

3. Two species Tritaxia alpina and Vulvulina jarvisi are 

restricted to the Late Eocene (P15 and P16). 

4. Six out of thirteen Middle Eocene species continue 

into the Late Eocene (P15 and P16). These are : 

Bathysiphon eocenicus, Dorothia nacataensis, 

Marssonella hafitensis, Orbulinelloides arabicus, 

Spiroplectinella nuttalli and Vulvulina haeringensis. 

5. Four species B. eocenicus, O. arabicus, M. hafitensis 

and D. nacataensis, among other species, have a long 

ranged throughout the M/U Eocene horizon, and 

represent the Tle5 succession. 

VI. PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY AND 

PALEOECOLOGY 

The paleogeographic reconstruction maps of MOORE et 

al. (1978) and ZACHOS et al. (1993) for the Middle-Late 

Eocene show that the Tethyan realm extended to the 

southeast and had been connected with the Indo-Pacific 

realm via a seaway separating Arabia from Iran-India 

region. At that time, the North America and South 

America were separated and the Atlantic and Pacific 

realms connected by another seaway. On the other 

hand, CHERIF & EL DEEB (1984) noted that close to the 

end of the Middle Eocene the previously arid climates 

became markedly wetter and seems also to have been 

accompanied by a cooling of the water temperature. 

They also suggested that the climatic changes inferred 

from the Hafit area seem to have been widespread, at 

least in parts of the Middle East. KELLER et al. (1987) 

noted that the Middle/Late Eocene boundary is marked 

by expansion of cooler water assemblages and a major 

extinction event among warmer water species involving 

80 % of the individuals of the population, or 23 % of the 

species population. 

Table I shows the identified fifteen agglutinated 

foraminiferal species in the Middle-Upper Eocene 

succession from Jabal Hafit, as well as, the other 

recorded species from Egypt, Italy, Caribbean region and 

Ecuador by different authors. The following remarks can 

be presented : 

1. The study section yields 15 agglutinated foraminiferal 

species around the M/U Eocene boundary, compared 

to 13 species from Egypt, 19 from Italy, 17 from 

Caribbean region and 13 species from Ecuador 

(Pacific realm). 

2. Seven species : Ammobaculites cubensis, Bathysiphon 

eocenicus, B. saidi, Haplophragmoides walteri, 

Miliammina kenawyi, Spiroplectinella nuttalli and 

Textularia communis are recorded from both Jabal 

Hafit (UAE) and Egypt in one hand, while only 

four species Ammobaculites cubensis, A. subglabra, 

Bathysiphon eocenicus and Textularia recta are 

recorded from both Egypt and Italy (Tethyan realm) 

in the other hand. 

3. Eleven species Dorothia colei, D. nipeenis, 

Gaudryina pseudocollins, Haplophragmoides 

emaciatus, Karreriella hantkeniana, K. subcylindrica, 

Lituotuba navetensis, Martinottiella petrosa, 

Plectina dalmatina, Pseudoclavulina trinitatensis 

and Spiroplectammina trinitatensis are endemic to 

Caribbean region. 

4. Three species Ammobaculites cubensis, Bathysiphon 

eocenicus and Haplophragmoides emaciatus are 

recorded in both the Tethyan and Caribbean regions. 

5. Two species Ammodiscus incertus and Bathysiphon 

eocenicus are recorded from both the Caribbean 

region and Ecuador. 

6. Only one species Spiroplectinella nuttalli is recorded 

in UAE, Egypt and Ecuador.

Table I : Middle/Upper Eocene agglutinated foraminiferal species in Jabal Hafit (UAE), Egypt, Italy, Caribbean region and Ecuador. 

sp. 

no. 


AGGLUTINATED FORAMINIFERAL SPECIES AROUND THE 

M/U EOCENE BOUNDARY IN JABAL HAFIT(UAE) AND OTHER 

LOCALITIES 

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) 

1 Ammobculites cubensis CUSHMAN & BERMUDEZ, 1937 x x x x - 

2 subglabra (GÜMBEL, 1898) - x x - - 

3 Ammodiscus glabratus CUSHMAN & JARVIS, 1928 - - x - - 

4 incertus (dʼORBIGNY, 1839) - - - x x 

5 Ammospirata mexicana (CUSHMAN, 1933) - - - - x 

6 Ammovertella retrorsa CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1945 

7 Bathysiphon eocenicus CUSHMAN & HANNA, 1927 x x x x x 

8 saidi (ANAN, 1994) x x - - - 

9 samanica (BERRY, 1928) - - - - x 

10 Cyclamina acutidorsata (HANTKEN, 1975) - - x - - 

11 cf. pacifica BECK, 1943 - - - - x 

12 Cylindroclavulina colomi HANG,1956 - - x - - 

13 Dorothia colei (NUTTALL, 1932) - - - x - 

14 fallax HANG,1954 - - x - - 

15 nacataensis (WHITE, 1929) x - - - - 

16 nipeensis KEIJZER, 1945 - - - x - 

17 traubi HANG, 1956 - - x - - 

18 Gaudryina jacksonensis CUSHMAN, 1926 - - - x - 

19 pseudocollins CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1945 - - - x - 

20 Glomospira charoidescorona CUSHMAN & JARVIES,1928 - - x - - 

21 Haplophragmoides carinatum CUSHMAN & RENZ, 1941 - - x - x 

22 emaciatus BRADY, 1908 - x - x - 

23 cf. hetha BERRY, 1932 - - - - x 

24 subglobosus SARS, 1868 - x - - - 

25 walteri (GRZYBOWSKI, 1868) x - - - - 

26 Karreriella hantkeniana CUSHMAN, 1936 - - - x - 

27 subcylindrica (NUTTALL, 1928) - - - x - 

28 Lituotuba navetensis CUSHMAN, & RENZ, 1948 - - - x - 

29 Marssonella hafitensis ANAN, 2003 x - - - - 

30 Martinottiella petrosa (CUSHMAN & BERMUDEZ, 1937) - - - x - 

31 Miliammina kenawyi ANAN, 1994 x x - - - 

32 Orbulinelloides arabicus ANAN, 2003 x - - - - 

33 Plectina dalmatina (SCHBERT, 1911) - - x - - 

34 emiratensis ANAN, 2003 x - - - - 

35 nuttalli CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1951 - - - - x 

36 trinitatensis CUSHMAN & RENZ, 1948 - - - x - 

37 Psammosphaera eocenica CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1951 - - - - x 

38 Pseudoclavulina trinitatensis CUSHMAN & RENZ, 1948 - - - x - 

39 Spiroplectammina eocenica (CUSHMAN & BARKSDALE, 1930) - - - - x 

40 trinitatensis CUHSMAN & RENZ,1948 - - - x - 

41 Spiroplectinella nuttalli (LALICKER, 1935) x x - x x 

42 Techanitella archaeonitida STAINFORTH & STEVENSON, 1964 - - - - x 

43 Textularia communis (dʼORBIGNY, 1926) x x - - - 

44 concava KARRER, 1884 - x - - - 

45 fahmyi ANAN, 1994 - x - - -

24 H. S. ANAN 

46 halkyardi LALICKER, 1935 - x - - - 

47 plummerae LALICKER, 1935 x - x - - 

48 recta CUSHMAN, 1923 - x x - - 

49 Tritaxia alpina CUSHMAN, 1936 x - x - - 

50 szaboi (HANTKEN, 1875) - - x - - 

51 Vulvulina chirana CUSHMAN & STONE, 1947 - - - - x 

52 haeringensis (GÜMBEL, 1868) x - x - - 

53 jarvisi CUSHMAN, 1932 x - x x - 

54 lacera REUSS, 1851 - - x - - 

55 aff. pectinata HANTKEN,1875 - - x - - 

sp. no. = species number ; x = recorded ; - = not recorded 

(1) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) : ANAN, 2003 and ANAN (this study). 

(2) EGYPT : ANSARY, 1955 and ANAN, 1994b. 

(3) ITALY : PROTO DECIMA & de BIASE, 1975 and BRAGA & GRÜNIG, 1975. 

(4) CARIBBEAN REGION : BOLLI et al., 1994. 

(5) ECUADOR : CUSHMAN & STAINFORTH, 1951. 

7. Only one species Bathysiphon eocenicus is 

recorded in all five localities and has a widespread 

cosmopolitan geographic distribution. 

8. It seems that the most of the recorded species are 

endemic to the tropical-subtropical regions. 

The existence of a marked differences between the 

benthic assemblages of the five widespread studied 

localities which may indicates that they are apparently 

not so much the results of the different latitudes in 

the tropical and subtropical regions (45º N - 30º S), 

but rather of variations in foraminiferal number, 

planktic/benthic ratio, substrate sediments, depth, water 

temperature, water-column stability, light penetration, 

salinity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, etc. It seems that 

the changes in paleoceanographic conditions should 

accentuate the benthic faunal changes. More detailed 

studies in the different localities of these taxa will give a 

precise answer of this question. 

Plate I 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

Gratitude is expressed to Prof. Hanspeter LUTERBACHER, 

Tübingen University, Germany, for his kind help in 

photography of the fauna. 

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