A lost carbonate platform deciphered from clasts embedded in flysch: Štramberk-type limestones, Polish Outer Carpathians

Limestones designated the Štramberk-type are most common carbonate exotic clasts (exotics) embedded in uppermost Jurassic–Miocene flysch deposits of Polish Outer Carpathians. About 80% stratigraphically determinable exotics from Silesian, Sub-Silesian and Skole units (nappes) Tithonian (mostly)–Berriasian (sporadically Valanginian) age. A study these revealed eight main facies types: coral-microbial boundstones (FT 1), microencruster-microbial-cement 2), microbial microbial-sponge 3), detrital limestones 4), foraminiferal-algal 5), peloidalbioclastic 6), ooid grainstones 7), mudstones-wackestones with calpionellids 8). Poland better known Štramberk Limestone Czech Republic remnants lost platforms, collectively Carbonate Platform. Narrow platforms were developed on intra-basinal, structural highs (some them generalized as Silesian Ridge), their morphology determined by Late Jurassic synsedimentary tectonics. An attempt was made to reconstruct distribution Tithonian–earliest Cretaceous platform. In inner platform, patch-reefs 1) grew, while upper slope platform depositional setting for 2). Microbial analogous Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian northern Tethyan shelf (also present among exotics), a deeper setting. inner, open part 5) peloidal-bioclastic 6) deposited. Poorly sorted, including clastsupported breccias, formed mainly peri-reefal environment margin high-energy Ooid rarely represented exotics, margin. Mudstones-wackestones 8) deposited and/or basinal tectonic grabens, between ridges attached sedimentation pelagic (analogous FT allodapic (“pre-flysch”) Cieszyn Formation took place. The 4 1. Sedimentation Platform terminated earliest Cretaceous, when destroyed drowned. It is recorded few thin, neptunian dykes (and large Limestone), filled dark, deep-water limestones. Reefal share similarities several respects (e.g., presence microencrustermicrobial-cement boundstones) reefs other intra-Tethyan but clearly differ palaeogeographically close coral-bearing epicontinental coeval subsurface Carpathian Foredeep Lublin Upland Poland; Ernstbrunn Austria Republic). Corals world’s diverse coral assemblages Jurassic–Cretaceous transition. intra-basinal ridge (ridges), traditionally called Cordillera, which evolved through time an emerged Upper Massif accretionary prism, important provenance area Series. They especially Lower Hradiště Cretaceous–Paleocene Istebna Formation. Baška-Inwałd Ridge source areas Formation), Northern (Marginal) Unit Maastrichtian–Paleocene Ropianka Formation).