Late Triassic-Jurassic basinal successions in Molise and northern Basilicata: the northernmost witness of the Ionian Ocean.

Molise and northern Lagonegro successions (Central and Southern Apennines) are described and compared in order to depict their sedimentary evolution and their paleogeographic relationships. The Molise Mesozoic facies were studied in the Mt. Marrone section (Abruzzi National Park), Pesche section (Isernia) and in the Matese area. Mt. Marrone contains pelagic facies (cherty dolostones) since the late Carnian-early Norian at least, and Early Cretaceous radiolarian cherts. Evidence of Late Triassic-Early Jurassic synsedimentary tectonics was found in the western Matese carbonate platform. The northern and proximal Lagonegro successions were studied in two stratigraphic sections: Mt. Pierno (for the lower part) and S. Fele. The Mt. Pierno section is identical to the Mt. Marrone one, being formed by cherty dolostones of the same Late Triassic age. The S. Fele section contains Middle and Late Jurassic radiolarian cherts with a large amount of calcarenites. The comparison between the Lagonegro and Molise successions suggests: a) palaeogeographic identity between the Molise and Lagonegro units during the Late Triassic (cherty limestones in the distal Lagonegro facies and cherty dolostones in the proximal Lagonegro facies and in the Molise facies); b) progressive deepening below the CCD from the distal facies to the proximal ones during the Jurassic; c) occurrence of synsedimentary tectonics during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic after the Early and Middle Triassic phases that originated the Lagonegro-Molise basin.