Brown mesophotic coral reefs in prodelta setting.
late middle Chattian according to Sr-isotope stratigraphy.
Coral-bearing beds are in general alternated with clay-rich horizons and along the measured sections they display a variable overall thickness, from about 4.5 m (Cascine section) up to 10.5 m (Valletta section). Four different coral facies have been identified: branching Stylophora floatstone (BSF), Acropora-Stylophora floatstone/rudstone (ASFR), Goniopora/Caulastraea pillarstone (GCP), mixed-coral domestone (MCD); their descriptions and interpretation are reported below and summarized in Table 1.