Ichnological analysis of the Messinian-Zanclean (Miocene-Pliocene) transition at Eraclea Minoa (Sicily): Tracemaker response to the Terminal Messinian Flood Rodríguez Tovar, Francisco J. van Dijk, Gijs Maars, Jasper Andreetto, Federico Hernández Molina, Francisco Javier Krijgsman, Wout Deep marine deposits Trace fossils Messinian Salinity Crisis Miocene/Pliocene boundary Mediterranean Sea A detailed ichnological analysis has been conducted, for the first time, of the Arenazzolo and Trubi formations of the Caltanissetta Basin in Sicily. Aim of this analysis is to evaluate paleoenvironmental changes affecting macrobenthic tracemaker communities during the re-flooding of the Mediterranean at the end of the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The uppermost Messinian Arenazzolo Formation is characterized by a scarcity of trace fossils, probably related to high energy depositional conditions, and perhaps no fully normal salinity level yet, resulting in an unfavourable habitat for macrobenthic tracemaker communities. The exclusive presence of small traces (Chondrites) sparsely distributed in several horizons is associated to intermittent phases of lower energy conditions facilitating colonization by opportunistic tracemakers. A significant change in trace fossil assemblages is observed at the transition to the Zanclean Trubi Formation. Here the ichnofossil assemblage consists of?Arenicolites, Chondrites, Halimedides, Palaeophycus, Planolites, Thalassinoides, Trichichnus and Zoophycos, assigned to the Zoophycos ichnofacies, revealing an abundant, diverse, well-developed, multi-tiered, tracemaker community. This change observed at the Messsinian/Zanclean boundary is related to the rapid establishment of normal, fullmarine, conditions with well oxygenated bottom- and pore-waters, and food availability in a deep marine environment. Comparison with previous micropaleontological studies supports the magnitude of the paleoenvironmental change affecting both pelagic and benthic environments. 2023-04-20T06:55:27Z 2023-04-20T06:55:27Z 2023-04-07 journal article Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 619 (2023) 111539 https://hdl.handle.net/10481/81112 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2023.111539 eng info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/Marie Sklodowska-Curie 765256 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ open access Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License Elsevier