“Canaralele din Portul Hârșova”- Paleontological importance of the most representative Oxfordian geosite in Central Dobrogea, Romania

Abstract

“Canaralele din Portul Hârșova" geosite is integrated into ‘Canaralele Dunarii' Natura 2000 site (ROSCI0022), and represents the northern part of the geologic profile in Jurassic deposits that is exposed along the Danube River valley between Hârșova and Capidava. This sector exhibits Middle and Upper Jurassic deposits, developed in biohermal (<em>in situ</em> spongalgal, coralgal reefs and stromatolits) and biostromal facies. All around Hârșova, on the right bank of the Danube, the landscape is dominated by ruiniform shapes of this spongalgal limestones, formed through differential dissolution. The Callovian and Oxfordian fossil fauna contents are of biostratigrafic and paleoecological importance.