Pliocene Coralline Algae, South Of Safaga (Red Sea, Egypt)

Abstract

Coralline algae are highly abundant in the Pliocene succession of the area south of Safaga (Red Sea, Egypt). The articulated corallines (Corallinoideae) are represented here by a single genus, Amphiroa. The crustose coralline group (Melobesioideae) are relatively common in the studied sections. They are represented only by two genera, Lithophyllum and Lithoporella. Thirteen species of coralline algae are here recorded and described, for the first time, from the Pliocene rocks of the concerned area. Among these, the following four species are new: Amphiroa bassiounii n.sp., Amphiroa cameroni n.sp., Amphiroa siyatinensis n.sp. and Lithoporella berggreni n.sp.