Middle Eocene-Early Miocene larger foraminifera from Dhofar (Oman) and Socotra Island (Yemen)

Here, the larger foraminifera found in Middle Eocene-Early Miocene rocks from Dhofar (Oman) and Socotra Island (Yemen) are studied in detail. The architectural analysis leads to the description of five new genera and nine new species: five agglutinated foraminifera, Pseudolituonella robineti n. sp., Socotraella ashawqi n. gen. n. sp., Pseudoaccordiella ayaki n. gen. n. sp., Barattolites andhuri n. sp., and Rogerella aydimi n. gen. n. sp.; and four porcellaneous foraminifera, Idalina grelaudae n. sp., Idalina pignattii n. sp., Macetadiscus incolumnatus n. gen. n. sp., and Omanodiscus tenuissimus n. gen. n. sp. The larger foraminifera identified in a composite section located in western Dhofar, in the Shuwaymiyah section located in eastern Dhofar, and in the Wadi Ayak section located on Socotra Island have facilitated the identification of the following larger foraminifera zones: SBZ 14-SBZ 15 (middle Lutetian), SBZ 16 (late Lutetian), SBZ 17 (Bartonian), SBZ 18 (latest Bartonian-earliest Priabonian), SBZ 19-SBZ 20 (Priabonian), SB 21-SB 22A (Rupelian), SB 22B-SB 23 (Chattian), and SB 24 (Aquitanian). All these data permit to assess the age of the following lithostratigraphic units: Dammam Fm.-Andhur Mb. lower Lutetian?-middle Lutetian age (SBZ 13?-SBZ 14 partim), Qara Mb. middle Lutetian (SBZ 14-SBZ 15), and Uyun Mb. upper Lutetian (SBZ 16); Aydim Fm.-Heiron Mb. Bartonian (SBZ 17), Moosak Mb. upper Bartonian-Priabonian (SBZ 18-SBZ 20), Tagut Mb. Priabonian (SBZ 19-SBZ 20), and Haluf Mb. Priabonian (SBZ 19-SBZ 20) to lower Rupelian (SBZ 21) on Socotra Island; Ashawq Fm. Rupelian (SB 21-SB 22A); and Mughsayl Fm. Chattian-Aquitanian (SB 23-SB 24).