Early Oligocene calcareous nannofossils, planktonic and larger foraminifera from the United Arab Emirates, Oman Mountains

The Lower Oligocene Asmari Formation occupies the western and eastern flanks of the Jabal Hafit anticline and the western limb of the Jabal Malaget-Mundassah anticline in the southeast of the United Arab Emirates near the Oman border. In this area the Asmari Formation unconformably overlies the Upper Eocene Dammam Formation. In this study an Early Oligocene characteristic assemblage of calcareous nannofossils, foraminifera, corals, calcareous algae, bryozoa, mollusks and echinoids is described from the carbonate rocks of the Asmari Formation. The Asmari stratigraphic succession is dated by analysis of the calcareous nannofossil assemblages and planktonic and larger foraminifera. The results of this study indicate that the succession falls within the Early Oligocene Zones NP24 and P20-P21. About seventeen nannofossil species are documented for the first time in this formation, along with three planktonic and larger foraminiferal species. The Oligocene rocks in the study area provide results consistent with a shallow-water inner shelf within the photic zone.