Left-lateral transtension along the Tierra Colorada deformation zone, northern margin of the Xolapa magmatic arc of southern Mexico

Structural analysis of steeply NNW-dipping tectonites along the northern margin of the Xolapa magmatic arc, southern Mexico, reveals progressive deformation involving ductile and brittle deformation mechanisms. Ductile deformation detached Cretaceous cover rocks from the Xolapa basement along a crustal-scale mylonite zone with normal fault geometry. Normal faults dissected the mylonite zone into blocks which rotated a minimum of 35° to the …