Former tectonostratigraphic terrane in the Mediterranean Sea
Alkapeca,[1] also called Mesomediterranean terrane,[2] is the name given to the
terrane located 10 million years ago inside the
Tethyan domain, between the
Iberian plates and Europe to the north,
Apulia to the east and Africa to the south.
Van Dijk & Scheepers[3] place it in parallel with
Sardinia and
Corsica, on the edge of the European continent, inside the "Trans Mediterranean Bridge".
The Alkapeca terrane was made up of present-day
Kabylia,
Sicily, and Sardinia. It probably acquired its individuality only from the
Toarcian. Previously, the Alkapeca still had to be part of the margin of the Iberia plate. Today Sicily and Sardinia are islands while Kabylia is attached to the African continent on Algerian territory and
Calabria is attached to the European continent on Italian territory.
Etymology
AlKaPeCa is composed of the initials of
Alboran, Kabylia,
Peloritani, and Calabria.