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Abstract

A main area where several Uppermost Cretaceous-Lower Cenozoic formations are exposed in the SW Transylvanian Depression is the region outlined by the localities Alba Iulia, Sebeş, Vinţu de Jos (Alba district). In Maastrichtian, continental formations belonging to the post-Laramian cover began their deposition. In Early Cenozoic, the dominance of continental formations continued, but some short marine transgress events occur too, with specific marine and brackish deposits interbedded into the continental successions. Some new lithostratigraphic units are proposed: Vurpăr (Maastrichtian), Şard (Maastrichtian-Late Eocene), Bărăbanţ (Oligocene) and Sântimbru (Aquitanian) formations. Ighiu Fm. (Late Eocene-Early Oligocene) is also reinterpreted. This region is an outstanding one for the fossil vertebrate heritage too due to the Uppermost Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) dinosaur fauna discovered into Vurpăr and Şard formations, very similar with the famous faunas described by Nopcsa from Haţeg Basin. The autochthony of these fossils is obvious. In this context, some corrections should be done on several older geological maps, where these deposits correspond to erroneous geological ages.

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