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Quaternary changes in the Egyptian shoreline of the Northwestern Red Sea and Gulf of Suez

1995; Elsevier BV; Volume: 29-30; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/1040-6182(95)00003-2

1873-4553

Jean-Claudé Plaziat, F. Baltzer, Abdelmajib Choukri, Odette Conchon, Pierre Freytet, F. Orszag-Sperber, B. H. Purser, Annick Raguideau, Jean‐Louis Reyss,

Marine Biology and Ecology Research

On the NW, Egyptian, shoreline of the Red Sea, remarkably preserved Pleistocene-Holocene marine (reefs, beaches, mangrove swamps, gypsum-salinas) and non marine (alluvial fans and wadi terraces) deposits are located within a complex Neogene rift frame. The Early and Middle Pleistocene reefs are uplifted to a maximum of 40 m, subsequent movement being limited to a few metres (except on the S Gulf of Suez shores) which suggests a decreasing tectonic activity of the northern part of the rift. A new series of radiometric dates and precise levelling have demonstrated a short-lived, low stand of relative sea level during the Last Interglacial high stand (5e). At that time, flooding of the Isthmus of Suez has enabled exchanges between Mediterranean and Indian Ocean faunas and the biogeographic limit was temporarily located in the Southern Gulf of Suez, thus explaining the Late Quaternary introduction of Potamides conicus into the Indian Ocean subprovince.