The age of the foredeep sedimentation in the Betic–Rifian Mauretanian Units: A major constraint for the reconstruction of the tectonic evolution of the Gibraltar Arc

In the Gibraltar Arc, the age of the turbiditic formations capping the Mauretanian successions, deposited in the internal side of the Maghrebian Flysch Basin Domain and testifying to the foredeep stage of the basin occurring immediately before its deformation, has been re-examined using the calcareous nannoplankton. The base of the successions resulted to be not older than Chattian or Early Miocene, whereas the top is not older than Late Burdigalian. Therefore, the foredeep evolution and the deformation of the Mauretanian Sub-Domain started not before the Late Oligocene and the Late Burdigalian, respectively, and the Iberia–Africa collision occurred as from the Middle Miocene.