Magnetic polarity stratigraphy of late Oligocene to middle Miocene mammal-bearing continental deposits in Central Anatolia (Turkey)

The magnetostratigraphic results of six late Oligocene to middle Miocene mammal-bearing sections in central Anatolia are presented and - where possible - correlated to the geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS). Time stratigraphic constraints for the biostratigraphic zones recognized in the lower and middle Neogene are established. The Eucricetodon dominated assemblage (Yeniköy section) appears to be of early late Oligocene Age. The Yeniköy fossil locality is correlated to chron C10r (29.2 Ma). The Meteamys and Muhsinia dominated assemblages (Inkonak, Kargi sections) are of latest Oligocene to earliest Miocene Age; the age of the Inkonak locality is determined between 25.3-23.2 Ma. The Kargi section, which is estimated on biostratigraphic criteria to be somewhat younger than the Inkonak section, provided no reliable magnetostratigraphic results. The Eumyarion and Spano/Democricetodon dominated assemblages of the Harami 1 and 3 localities are correlated to chrons C6Bn.2n (22.9 Ma) and C6Bn.1r (22.8 Ma), respectively, and are of early Miocene Age. The similar, but biostratigraphically younger assemblage from the Keşeköy section has an age of 20.1 ± 2.2 Ma, based on fission track dating of zircons occurring in several intercalated tuff layers. The correlation to the GPTS of the polarity sequence of the Gemerek section remains uncertain.