Aparamán-tepui

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Aparamán-tepui
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Aparamán-tepui
Location in Venezuela
Highest point
Elevation 2,100 m (6,900 ft) [1]
Coordinates 05°53′13″N62°07′52″W / 5.88694°N 62.13111°W / 5.88694; -62.13111 Coordinates: 05°53′13″N62°07′52″W / 5.88694°N 62.13111°W / 5.88694; -62.13111
Geography
Location Bolívar, Venezuela

Aparamán-tepui is the westernmost of the four main tepuis of the Los Testigos chain in Bolívar, Venezuela. [1] While the other three tepuis share a common slope area, Aparamán is derived from a separate basement. Aparamán-tepui has an elevation of around 2,100 metres (6,900 ft), a summit area of 1.25 km2 (0.48 sq mi), and an estimated slope area of 28 km2 (11 sq mi). [1] Its mostly bare summit plateau is highly dissected, presenting difficulties even for helicopter landings. [1]

Tepui A table-top mountain or mesa in the Guiana Highlands of South America

A tepui, or tepuy, is a table-top mountain or mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela and western Guyana. The word tepui means "house of the gods" in the native tongue of the Pemon, the indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana.

Los Testigos

Los Testigos, also known as the Aparamán range, is a mountain chain in Bolívar, Venezuela. It consists of four rather small tepuis, forming a bridge between the giant Auyán-tepui to the west and Ptari-tepui to the east. The four major peaks of Los Testigos are : Aparamán-tepui (2,100 m), Murisipán-tepui (2,350 m), Tereke-yurén-tepui (1,900 m), and Kamarkawarai-tepui (2,400 m), the latter three sharing a common slope area. There however remains some confusion in the literature regarding the names of these peaks.

Venezuela Republic in northern South America

Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and a large number of small islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. The capital and largest urban agglomeration is the city of Caracas. It has a territorial extension of 916,445 km2. The continental territory is bordered on the north by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Colombia, Brazil on the south, Trinidad and Tobago to the north-east and on the east by Guyana. With this last country, the Venezuelan government maintains a claim for Guayana Esequiba over an area of 159,542 km2. For its maritime areas, it exercises sovereignty over 71,295 km2 of territorial waters, 22,224 km2 in its contiguous zone, 471,507 km2 of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean under the concept of exclusive economic zone, and 99,889 km2 of continental shelf. This marine area borders those of 13 states. The country has extremely high biodiversity and is ranked seventh in the world's list of nations with the most number of species. There are habitats ranging from the Andes Mountains in the west to the Amazon basin rain-forest in the south via extensive llanos plains, the Caribbean coast and the Orinoco River Delta in the east.

In his 1978 book, La Vegetación del Mundo Perdido, Charles Brewer-Carías referred to a smaller lateral peak of Aparamán-tepui ( 05°52′32″N62°06′48″W / 5.87556°N 62.11333°W / 5.87556; -62.11333 (lateral mountain of Aparamán Tepui) ) as Murochiopán-tepui, though this name is now more commonly applied to the major peak immediately east of it. [1]

Charles Brewer-Carías is a Venezuelan explorer and naturalist. Known as the "Humboldt of the twentieth century", Brewer-Carías has led more than 200 expeditions to remote parts of the Venezuelan Guayana, particularly the tepuis of the region. His discoveries include the sink holes of Cerro Sarisariñama and the world's largest known quartzite cave, Cueva Charles Brewer.

Murisipán-tepui mountain in Venezuela

Murisipán-tepui, also spelled Murosipán or Murochiopán, is one of the four main tepuis of the Los Testigos chain in Bolívar, Venezuela. Looking west to east, it is the second major peak of the massif and is connected to the next two—Tereke-yurén-tepui and Kamarkawarai-tepui—by a common basement. Murisipán-tepui has an elevation of around 2,350 metres (7,700 ft) and a summit area of 5 km2 (1.9 sq mi). The mountain's mostly bare summit plateau has a small, seasonal lagoon near its centre.

See also

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Aprada-tepui mountain

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Araopán-tepui mountain in Venezuela

Araopán-tepui is a tepui in Bolívar state, Venezuela. It has an elevation of around 2,450 metres (8,040 ft) above sea level. Together with the larger Aprada-tepui to the west, it forms part of the Aprada Massif. A steep, semi-circular ridge connects these two summits.

Chimantá Massif

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Kamarkawarai-tepui mountain in Venezuela

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Tereke-yurén-tepui mountain in Venezuela

Tereke-yurén-tepui is one of the four main tepuis of the Los Testigos chain in Bolívar, Venezuela. Looking west to east, it is the third major peak of the massif and is connected to Murisipán-tepui and Kamarkawarai-tepui by a common basement. With a summit area of 0.63 km2 (0.24 sq mi) and an elevation of around 1,900 metres (6,200 ft), Tereke-yurén-tepui is both the smallest and lowest of the four peaks. Its summit plateau comprises mostly bare rock.

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Uaipán-tepui mountain in Venezuela

Uaipán-tepui, also spelled Waipán, is a tepui in Bolívar state, Venezuela. It is a southern satellite peak of the vast Auyán Massif, with a maximum elevation of around 1,950 metres (6,400 ft). Its mostly forested summit plateau has an area of 2.5 km2 (0.97 sq mi). The mountain's slope area has been estimated at 60 km2 (23 sq mi).

Ptari-tepui mountain in Venezuela

Ptari-tepui, also spelled Pu-tari and sometimes called Cerro Budare or Cerro del Budare, is a tepui in Bolívar state, Venezuela. Lying near the centre of the Sierra de Lema, it has a maximum elevation of around 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) above sea level. Its mostly bare summit plateau has an area of 1.25 km2 (0.48 sq mi). Though generally flat, distinctive erosional rock formations are found on the more dissected eastern edge of the summit.

Carrao-tepui mountain in Venezuela

Carrao-tepui, also spelled Karrao, is a tepui in Bolívar state, Venezuela. It has a maximum elevation of around 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) and its densely forested summit plateau covers an area of 1.25 km2 (0.48 sq mi). Part of the Ptari Massif, it lies just northeast of neighbouring Ptari-tepui, with which it shares a common slope area of 28 km2 (11 sq mi), and north of the large ridge known as Sororopán-tepui.

Cerro Aracamuni mountain in Venezuela

Cerro Aracamuni is a tepui in Amazonas state, Venezuela. Part of the Neblina–Aracamuni Massif, it lies north of Cerro Avispa and the vast complex of Cerro de la Neblina. Cerro Aracamuni and Cerro Avispa share a common slope area; they have a combined summit area of 238 km2 (92 sq mi) and an estimated combined slope area of 658 km2 (254 sq mi). Both of these cerro-plateaus have a maximum elevation of around 1,600 metres (5,200 ft).

Cerro Avispa

Cerro Avispa is a tepui in Amazonas state, Venezuela. Part of the Neblina–Aracamuni Massif, it lies south of Cerro Aracamuni and north of Cerro de la Neblina. Cerro Avispa and Cerro Aracamuni have a combined summit area of 238 km2 (92 sq mi) and an estimated combined slope area of 658 km2 (254 sq mi). Both of these cerro-plateaus have a maximum elevation of around 1,600 metres (5,200 ft).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Huber, O. (1995). Geographical and physical features. In: P.E. Berry, B.K. Holst & K. Yatskievych (eds.) Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Volume 1. Introduction. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. pp. 1–61.