Miocene ostracods of the southern Mediterranean: a first record from Wadi Um Ashtan, Mersa Matruh, Western Desert Egypt

The ostracod assemblages of the Middle Miocene (Serravallian) of the Wadi U m Ashtan section belong to the newly introduced Keijella punctigibba Zone w hich is correlated with the planktonic and benthonic foraminiferal zonation s. Analyses of the microfacies and microfaunas indicate deposition in a sha llow marine and generally turbulent environment. The Egyptian ostracod asse mblage shows strong affinities with age-equivalent assemblages from other M editerranean areas.