A Km-scale Cretaceous slope in western Sicily (Italy)

Cretaceous slopes are well known from many regions of the world, since they are among the most prone depositional systems to host hydrocarbons. As far as Italy, in spite of fully described examples as the Majella and Gargano escarpments, detailed sedimentological and biostratigraphic studies from Sicily are not available, although the presence of slope carbonates of Cretaceous age in northwestern Sicily, is mentioned in several papers dealing with regional geology or geological mapping. The Cretaceous slope carbonates from this area, i.e. the San Vito Lo Capo Peninsula, belong to several thrust sheets of the Maghrebian chain. The stratigraphic setting in these tectonic units allows to recon…