Environmental Parameters of Late Carboniferous (Bashkirian Stage) Coral Assemblage from the Sardar Formation (Carbiniferous), Zaladu Section, Ozbak-Kuh Mountains, East of Central Iran

Rich assemblages of Carboniferous corals exist in the Zaladu stratigraphic section. After the identification of the corals, more than of 200 thin sections of coral fossils and microfacies were selected and studied for environmental parameters. This association belonging to Bashkirian age (the oldest stage of Late Carboniferous) and were found in two horizons. Based on the colonies geometry, the distance between them, the abundance and distribution of corals and microfacies study, the habitats of lower horizon is “Coral meadows (subtype B1) “. The upper horizon made a “polyspecific Coral biostrome (subtype C2) “. These corals existed in a lagoon toward barrier and open marine toward barrier belonging to a shallow carbonate ramp environment. This association favored a shallow, warm, and clear marine environment with normal salinity and high oxygen, within the photic zone. The fasciculate rugose of Fomichevella and Heintzella, have the most abundance, and these colonies made main builders of the coral association. Colonial rugose corals of Fomichevella and Minatoa have maximum diversity. Michelinia tabulate corals, has the least abundance and diversity.