Cerro Fortaleza Formation

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Cerro Fortaleza Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian to Maastrichtian
~76–70  Ma
Type Geological formation
Underlies La Irene Formation
Overlies Anita Formation
Thickness460 m (1,510 ft)
Lithology
Primary Sandstone
Location
Coordinates 49°54′S72°06′W / 49.9°S 72.1°W / -49.9; -72.1
Approximate paleocoordinates 51°54′S61°48′W / 51.9°S 61.8°W / -51.9; -61.8
Region Santa Cruz Province, southern Patagonia
CountryArgentina
Extent Austral Basin
Relief Map of Argentina.jpg
Lightgreen pog.svg
Cerro Fortaleza Formation (Argentina)

The Cerro Fortaleza Formation, in older literature described as Pari Aike Formation, is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation of Campanian to Maastrichtian age [1] [2] (although it has formerly been reported to be Cenomanian to Santonian) [3] of the Austral Basin in southern Patagonia, Argentina.

Contents

Description

The sandstones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial environment. The formation has an estimated thickness of 460 metres (1,510 ft) and overlies the Anita Formation, while it is overlain by the La Irene Formation. [4] These formations are considered Campanian and Maastrichtian in age, respectively, [4] [3] making the Cerro Fortaleza Formation aged between them.

Paleobiota

The giant titanosaurs Puertasaurus and Dreadnoughtus , the megaraptoran Orkoraptor , the berthasaurid Austrocheirus isasii , and the ornithopod Talenkauen have been recovered from the formation alongside turtles and crocodiles. [5] [6] [7]

Dinosaurs

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Ornithischians

Ornithischians of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation
TaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImages
Ankylosauria indet.Small-sized isolated osteoderms.
Iguanodontoidea indet.One incomplete maxillary tooth crown.
Ornithopoda indet.Two isolated caudal centra.
Talenkauen T. santacrucensisCorro Los Hornos near Lake Viedma.UpperA partial articulated skeleton with exception of the rear part of the skull, the tail, and the hands.An elasmarian ornithopod.
Talenkauen santacrucensis 1.jpg

Sauropods

Sauropods of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation
TaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImages
Clasmodosaurus C. spatulaLago ViedmaTwo incomplete teeth.A titanosaur
Dreadnoughtus Dreadnoughtus Published Reconstruction (Version 2).jpg
Dreadnoughtus
Puertasaurus Puertasaurus reuili.png
Puertasaurus
Indeterminate32 isolated teeth.
Dreadnoughtus D. schraniRio La Leona Valley,UpperFour incomplete proximal caudals and incomplete left astragalus.A titanosaur.
Puertasaurus P. reuiliCerros Los Hornos, La Leona.UpperA holotype based on four disarticulated vertebrae, specifically one cervical, one dorsal, and two caudal vertebrae.A titanosaur.

Theropods

Theropods of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation
TaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImages
Abelisauridae indet.An incomplete ziphodont tooth.
Austrocheirus isasii Austrocheirus isasii.png
Austrocheirus isasii
Orkoraptor burkei Orkoraptor drawing.jpg
Orkoraptor burkei
Austrocheirus A. isasiiHoyada Arroyo Seco.UpperAn incomplete right ulnaAn ceratosaurian theropod.
Orkoraptor O. burkeiCerro Los Hornos.UpperSeveral isolated teeth, including two anteriormost, probably premaxillary teeth, left manual phalanx I-1, right, nearly complete fibula, and right ungual.A megaraptoran

Fish

Sauropods of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation
TaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImages
Atlantoceratodus A. iheringiCerro Los Hornos and Hoyada Arroyo Seco.Four lower tooth plates, one lower tooth plate attached to a partial mandibular bone and four upper tooth plates.A lungfish.

See also

Related Research Articles

Clasmodosaurus is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Mata Amarilla Formation and the Cerro Fortaleza Formation. It lived during the Late Cretaceous in what is now Argentina. It is known from five fossilized and assorted teeth, but is diagnosed by a unique combination of characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neuquén Group</span> Group of geologic formations in Argentina

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<i>Talenkauen</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

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References

  1. Sickmann, Zachary T.; Schwartz, Theresa M.; Graham, Stephan A. (2018). "Refining stratigraphy and tectonic history using detrital zircon maximum depositional age: An example from the Cerro Fortaleza Formation, Austral Basin, southern Patagonia". Basin Research. 30 (4): 708–729. Bibcode:2018BasR...30..708S. doi:10.1111/bre.12272.
  2. Lacovara, Kenneth J.; Lamanna, Matthew C.; Ibiricu, Lucio M.; Poole, Jason C.; Schroeter, Elena R.; Ullmann, Paul V.; Voegele, Kristyn K.; Boles, Zachary M.; Carter, Aja M.; Fowler, Emma K.; Egerton, Victoria M.; Moyer, Alison E.; Coughenour, Christopher L.; Schein, Jason P.; Harris, Jerald D.; Martínez, Rubén D.; Novas, Fernando E. (4 September 2014). "A Gigantic, Exceptionally Complete Titanosaurian Sauropod Dinosaur from Southern Patagonia, Argentina". Scientific Reports. 4 (1): 6196. Bibcode:2014NatSR...4.6196L. doi:10.1038/srep06196. PMC   5385829 . PMID   25186586.
  3. 1 2 Varela et al. 2012.
  4. 1 2 Marenssi, Casadio & Santillana 2003, p. 406.
  5. Novas, Fernando E.; Ezcurra, Martín D.; Lecuona, Agustina (June 2008). "Orkoraptor burkei nov. gen. et sp., a large theropod from the Maastrichtian Pari Aike Formation, Southern Patagonia, Argentina". Cretaceous Research. 29 (3): 468–480. Bibcode:2008CrRes..29..468N. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2008.01.001.
  6. Agnolín, Federico L.; Álvarez Herrera, Gerardo; Rolando, Mauro Aranciaga; Motta, Matías; Rozadilla, Sebastián; Verdiquio, Lucía; D'Angelo, Julia S.; Moyano-Paz, Damián; Varela, Augusto N.; Sterli, Juliana; Bogan, Sergio; Miner, Santiago; Moreno Rodríguez, Ana; Muñoz, Gonzalo; Isasi, Marcelo P.; Novas, Fernando E. (February 2024). "Fossil vertebrates from the Cerro Fortaleza Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Santa Cruz Province, Argentina". Cretaceous Research. 154: 105735. Bibcode:2024CrRes.15405735A. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105735.
  7. Paulina-Carabajal, Ariana; Barrios, Francisco T.; Méndez, Ariel H.; Cerda, Ignacio A.; Lee, Yuong-Nam (8 September 2021). "A Late Cretaceous dinosaur and crocodyliform faunal association–based on isolate teeth and osteoderms–at Cerro Fortaleza Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian) type locality, Santa Cruz, Argentina". PLOS ONE. 16 (9): e0256233. Bibcode:2021PLoSO..1656233P. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256233 . PMC   8425559 . PMID   34495977.

Bibliography