Abstract The development of the central Tauride region was dominated by rifting and passive margin development during Triassic–Early Cretaceous. The Tauride continental margin was later destabilized, followed by subsidence and collapse to form a flexurally controlled foredeep. Volcanic–sedimentary mélange and ophiolitic rocks were thrust onto the northern margin of the Tauride carbonate platform (Geyik Dağ) during Campanian–Maastrichtian. The remaining non-emplaced Tauride shelf subsided to form a second-stage foredeep during the Eocene. This basin was finally over-ridden by large thrust slices of Tauride shelf sediments, represented by the Hadim and Bolkar nappes, together with previously emplaced continental margin and ophiolitic units. Large- and small-scale field kinematic data indicate regional emplacement towards the west or SW. The ophiolitic rocks and related mélange were emplaced directly onto the Tauride autochthon (Geyik Dağ) in response to regional-scale out-of-sequence thrusting. Localized backthrusting to the NE took place in a transpressive setting. In the south, the relatively distal Bolkar nappe was emplaced over the more proximal Hadim nappe to produce the present thrust stacking order. The two-phase emplacement reflects initial northward subduction, which culminated in trench-continental margin collision (Campanian–Maastrichtian). This was followed by continent–continent collision (Eocene) related to suturing of a Mesozoic ocean basin to the north.

Abstract Upper Permian marine carbonates are distinguished in two contrasting biofacies belts in Turkey. The Southern Biofacies Belt, represented by low-energy inner platform deposits of the Tauride Belt and the Arabian Platform, is rich in algae and smaller foraminifera but poor in fusulines. The Kubergandian and Murgabian stages are missing, although the rest of the Upper Permian consists of monotonous, shallow-marine carbonate deposits. The extremely tectonised and fragmented Northern Biofacies Belt includes the Upper Permian of the Karakaya Orogen and outer platform or platform margin deposits of the Tauride Belt. These deposits are rich in parachomata-bearing fusulines comprising Cancellina, Verbeekina, Afghanella, Sumatrina, Neoschwagerina and Yabeina . The reconstructed biostratigraphic scheme indicates that all Upper Permian stages (Kubergandian-Dorashamian) are present. The lateral continuity of the two biofacies belts is detected by the presence of tongues of he Northern Biofacies Belt pinching out in the Southern Biofacies Belt. Upper Permian blocks in the Karakaya Orogen display similar palaeontologic and biofacies characteristics, with the outer platform or platform margin deposits of the Taurides constituting the northernmost extension of the carbonate platform. This platform was probably facing a basin or a trough to the north. The lack of any transgressive Upper Permian deposits resting unconformably on the pre-Permian basement of the Sakarya Continent strongly suggests that such a basin was located between the Late Permian carbonate platform in the south and the basement rocks of the future Sakarya Continent in the north.

Abstract The Tauride–Anatolide continent, stretching for c . 900 km across western and central Turkey, is one of the world's best example of a subducted, exhumed passive margin within a collisional orogen. Twelve widely separated areas were studied and correlated to develop a new plate-tectonic model. A metamorphosed, rifted continental margin of Triassic–Lower Cretaceous age (Tauride–Anatolide platform) is overlain by Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Lower Maastrichtian) pelagic sediments and then by both tectonic melange (subduction complexes) and sedimentary melange (foredeep gravity complexes). The melanges are overthrust by unmetamorphosed ophiolitic rocks, commonly peridotites with swarms of diabase/gabbro dykes, and are underlain by metamorphic soles. New geochemical evidence from basaltic blocks in the melange indicates predominantly subduction influenced, within-plate and mid-ocean ridge-type settings. The dykes cutting the ophiolites were probably intruded during early-stage intra-oceanic arc genesis. The metamorphosed continental margin, melanges and ophiolites in the north (Anatolides) are correlated with unmetamorphosed equivalents in the Taurides further south (e.g. Beyşehir and Lycian nappes). Oceanic crust of Triassic–Late Cretaceous age formed between the Gondwana-related Tauride–Anatolide continent in the south and the Eurasia-related Sakarya microcontinent in the north. Following Late Triassic–Early Cretaceous passive margin subsidence, the continental margin was covered by Cenomanian-Turonian pelagic carbonates ( c . 98–90 Ma). Ophiolites formed in an intra-oceanic subduction zone setting in response to northward subduction, probably within a two-stranded ocean, with the Inner Tauride ocean in the SE and the İzmir–Ankara–Erzincan ocean in the north/NW. Metamorphic soles relate to intra-oceanic subduction ( c . 95–90 Ma). Oceanic sedimentary/igneous rocks accreted to the advancing supra-subduction oceanic slab. The Tauride–Anatolide continental margin then underwent diachronous collision with the trench ( c . 85 Ma), deeply subducted and metamorphosed at HP/LT ( c . 80 Ma). Accretionary, ophiolitic and exhumed HP/LT rocks were gravity reworked into a southward-migrating flexural foredeep and progressively overridden ( c . 70–63 Ma). Slices of the upper part of the platform and its margin detached and were thrust southwards as the (Tauride) Lycian and Beyşehir nappes, together with regional-scale ophiolites. The continental margin and melange were simultaneously exhumed during Maastrichtian–Early Paleocene (70–63 Ma) and transgressed by shallow-water sediments, beginning in the Late Maastrichtian in the east ( c . 64 Ma) and the Mid?-Late Paleocene ( c . 60 Ma) further west. Remnant oceanic crust was consumed during Early Cenozoic time, followed by Mid Eocene (45–40 Ma) diachronous continental collision and a second phase of regional deformation. Rather than being progressive there were two stages of collision: first, Upper Cretaceous ophiolite emplacement driven by continental margin-subduction trench collision, and secondly Eocene collision of the Tauride and Sakarya/Eurasian continents.

Abstract Reconstructions of the Anatolian continent and adjacent areas assume the existence of one or more continental fragments during Mesozoic–Early Cenozoic time. These rifted from North Africa (Gondwana) during the Triassic, drifted across the Mesozoic Tethys and collided with Eurasia during latest Cretaceous–Paleocene time. Current reconstructions range from a regional-scale Tauride–Anatolide continent with oceanic basins to the north and south, to numerous rifted continental fragments separated by small oceanic basins. Field-based evidence for the inter-relations of the continental blocks and associated carbonate platforms is discussed and evaluated here, especially to distinguish between sutured oceans and intra-continental convergence zones. Several crustal units are restored as different parts of one large Tauride–Anatolide continent, whereas several smaller crustal units (e.g. Kırşehir massif; Bitlis/Pütürge and Alanya/Kyrenia units) are interpreted as continental fragments bordered by oceanic crust. We infer a relatively wide İzmir–Ankara–Erzincan ocean in the north and also a wide South Neotethyan ocean in the south. Several smaller oceanic strands (e.g. Inner Tauride ocean, Berit ocean and Alanya ocean) were separated by continental fragments. Our proposed reconstructions are shown on palaeotectonic maps for Late Permian to Mid-Miocene. The reconstructions have interesting implications for crustal processes, including ophiolite genesis and emplacement.