Paleoecology and Depositional Environment of the Govanda Formation in the Kurdistan region, northeast of Iraq

The Govanda Formation was deposited during the Early-Middle Miocene Epoch in intermountain areas between Zagros Suture and Imbricate zones. Paleoecology depositional environment of has been studied detail Mergasor Penjwen districts for first time. formation these two sections from bottom to top is comprised thick bedded, oyster chert bearing conglomerate, pebbly sandstone, red-brown shale siltstone, fossiliferous limestone detrital limestone. Mergasor, Beshkariya Village 85 m Penjwen, Gole 60 thick. study based on detailed microscopic analysis benthic planktonic foraminifera with miscellaneous fossils that exists carbonate rocks Formation. Larger smaller include following genera: Operculina sp., Borelis melo Austrotrilina Peneroplis Meanderopsina Miogypsinoids Miogypsina Archaias Amphistegina Textularia Lepidocyclina Miliolids, Quenquiloculina Pyrgo Spiroloculina Triloculina Ammonia Elphidium Dendritina sp. Rotalia venoti dominated limestones Planktonic foraminifers are mostly includes Globigerinoids Globigerina Globorotalia Orbulina Moreover, corals, coralline red algae, echinoderms, bivalves, ostracods, bryozoans, brachiopods serpulid worms (Ditrupa sp.). paleoecological condition interpreted as follow; temperature basin ranges 15-30 °C, nutrient level eutrophic mesotrophic, salinity ranged normal saline hypersaline water, light intensity ranging euphotic mesophotic less oligophotic zones, water depths 0-120 m, clastic influx high basin, differences size shape within indicate various environments ecological conditions, energy moderate. deposition being ramp environment. Depending different microfauna exist formation, four main zones distinguished model follows; proximal inner setting which open lagoon, distal back-reef environment, middle reef fore-reef environments, ramp/ outer setting, marine