- 1Faculty of Geology and Mining, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
- 2Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Energy Geosciences, Montanuniversitat Leoben, Peter-Tuner Strasse 5, 8700 Leoben, Austria
- 3Polytechnic University of Tirana, Earth Science Department, Rruga e Elbasanit, Tirana, Albania
- 4Department of Geology and Research Centre for Integrated Geological Studies, Babeș-Bolyai University, M. Kogãlniceanu 1, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- 5Department of Geology, Institute of Geosciences, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
The East Vardar Ophiolites and their provenance are still a matter of controversial discussion. Most authors place these ophiolites east of a proposed Sava suture zone. To provide new data for the discussion, we studied a series of units north of Parallova village, Gjilan area (SE Kosovo), where two different tectonic units could be distinguished.
The lower unit consists of metamorphosed Late Triassic–Jurassic carbonates. The succession starts with shallow-water open-lagoonal Dachstein carbonates overlain by reefal to fore-reefal limestones, followed by non-recrystallized shallow-water limestones with well-preserved microfacies, and Early Jurassic limestones. The identified microfacies correspond to transitional facies between the Lithiotis Carbonate Ramp and the drowned Dachstein Carbonate Platform. This metamorphosed succession shows similarities to the Pelagonia domain of the Hellenides.
The upper unit consists of non-metamorphosed ophiolites with ophiolitic mélanges at the base, comprising an OM3-type mélange overlain by an OM2-type mélange, and an overlying Tithonian overstep sequence. The ophiolitic unit is relatively thin compared to other ophiolite units in the Dinarides–Albanides–Hellenides, indicating deep erosion. This sequence begins with a basal conglomerate that locally contains metre-sized blocks of recrystallized shallow-water carbonates and fills depressions of the erosional unconformity. Upsection, carbonate beds contain shallow-water bioclastic material derived from a carbonate platform margin and platform interior comparable to the Kurbnesh Carbonate Platform. The carbonate clasts yield a rich microfossil assemblage including Mohlerina basiliensis, Neokilianina rahonensis and Labyrinthina mirabilis, indicating a Kimmeridgian–Tithonian age. The succession continues upward into turbiditic deposits showing a fining-upward trend and ultimately passes into organic-rich marls of probable Berriasian–Valanginian age.
The overlying succession resembles the Tithonian/Berriasian–Valanginian Firza Formation in Albania, sealing the obducted ophiolites and contains reworked reefal material derived from the Kurbnesh Carbonate Platform. In the so-called East Vardar zone, this succession corresponds to the “Paraflysch sequence” and shows close similarities to successions known from the Axios Zone and the Vardar Gorge in Macedonia, deposited above the eastward downgliding ophiolites during Tithonian und younger uplift and unroofing. The succession records post-obduction uplift, erosion, and progressive basin deepening. Continued unroofing is reflected by the fining-upward trend of the turbiditic succession.
Keywords: Neo-Tethys, East Vardar, ophiolites, Paraflysch, turbidites
How to cite: Bilalli, B., Gawlick, H.-J., Prela, M., Pleș, G., Onuzi, K., and Uta, A.: A deeply eroded ophiolitic unit above metamorphosed Late Triassic Jurassic carbonates and below a Tithonian and younger turbiditic overstep sequence (Gjilan Area, SE Kosovo): evidence for Neo Tethyan ophiolites obducted during the Middle Late Jurassic, 17th EGU Émile Argand Conference on Alpine Geological Studies, Fruška Gora, Serbia, 14–16 Sep 2026, alpshop2026-22, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-alpshop2026-22, 2026.
