Comment on “The Late Devonian Variscan suture of the Iberian Massif: A correlation of high-pressure belts in NW and SW Iberia. Tectonophysics 654, 96–100" by R. Fernández and R. Arenas

• Published in: Tectonophysics 2016-01, Vol.666, p.281-284
• Main Authors: Simancas, J.F., Azor, A., Martínez Poyatos, D.J., Expósito, I., Pérez-Cáceres, I., González Lodeiro, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Frontal collision; Iberian Variscides; Oblique collision; Variscan nappe
• ISSN: 0040-1951; 1879-3266
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2015.07.040

A vast Variscan nappe spreading from the Allochthonous Complexes of NW Iberia to the Ossa-Morena Zone in SW Iberia has been proposed by Díez Fernández and Arenas (2015), based on the correlation of different outcrops of high-pressure and MORB-type rocks. This interpretation conflicts with well-known geological and geophysical data regarding the SW Iberian Variscides, which point to: i) major kinematic and geometric inconsistencies come up when interpreting the Ossa-Morena Zone as an allochthonous unit, ii) the outcrops of high-pressure and MORB-type rocks belong to two different sutures rather than a single one, and iii) SW Iberia is characterized by transpressional deformation related to a very oblique left-lateral continental collision, while NW Iberia features a rather frontal collision. •We document the Variscan crustal structure of SW Iberia.•This crustal structure is incompatible with an allochthonous terrane.•A vast Variscan allochthon is not supported.•SW Iberia records oblique collision unlike frontal collision in NW Iberia.