Structural and tectono-stratigraphic review of the Sicilian orogen and new insights from analogue modeling

The Apennines-Sicilian-Maghrebian fold-and-thrust belt originated from the subduction of the Alpine Tethys and the later collision of drifted continental blocks against the African and Apulian paleomargins. From North to South, the Sicilian Fold-and-Thrust Belt (SFTB) is divided in four main tectono-stratigraphic domains: (1) the Calabro-Peloritani terrane, drifted from the European margin, (2) the remnants of the Alpine Tethys accretionary Wedge (ATW) related to the subduction of the Tethys, (3) the folded and thrusted platform (Panormide) and deep-water (Imerese-Sicanian) series of the offscrapped African margin, and (4) the African foreland (Hyblean). Unfortunately, scarce quality seismic lines and outcrops of key tectono-stratigraphic units make the structure and dynamic evolution of the central-eastern part of the SFTB controversial.