Cerro Fortaleza Formation | |
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Stratigraphic range: Campanian to Maastrichtian ~ | |
Type | Geological formation |
Underlies | La Irene Formation |
Overlies | Anita Formation |
Thickness | 460 m (1,510 ft) |
Lithology | |
Primary | Sandstone |
Location | |
Coordinates | 49°54′S72°06′W / 49.9°S 72.1°W |
Approximate paleocoordinates | 51°54′S61°48′W / 51.9°S 61.8°W |
Region | Santa Cruz Province, southern Patagonia |
Country | Argentina |
Extent | Austral Basin |
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.
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.
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]
Color key
| Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Ornithischians of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation | ||||||
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Taxa | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic unit | Material | Notes | Images |
Ankylosauria | indet. | Small-sized isolated osteoderms. | ![]() | |||
Iguanodontoidea | indet. | One incomplete maxillary tooth crown. | ||||
Ornithopoda | indet. | Two isolated caudal centra. | ||||
Talenkauen | T. santacrucensis | Corro Los Hornos near Lake Viedma. | Upper | A partial articulated skeleton with exception of the rear part of the skull, the tail, and the hands. | An elasmarian ornithopod. | |
Sauropods of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation | ||||||
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Taxa | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic unit | Material | Notes | Images |
Clasmodosaurus | C. spatula | Lago Viedma | Two incomplete teeth. | A titanosaur | ![]() ![]() | |
Indeterminate | 32 isolated teeth. | |||||
Dreadnoughtus | D. schrani | Rio La Leona Valley, | Upper | Four incomplete proximal caudals and incomplete left astragalus. | A titanosaur. | |
Puertasaurus | P. reuili | Cerros Los Hornos, La Leona. | Upper | A holotype based on four disarticulated vertebrae, specifically one cervical, one dorsal, and two caudal vertebrae. | A titanosaur. |
Theropods of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation | ||||||
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Taxa | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic unit | Material | Notes | Images |
Abelisauridae | indet. | An incomplete ziphodont tooth. | ![]() ![]() | |||
Austrocheirus | A. isasii | Hoyada Arroyo Seco. | Upper | An incomplete right ulna | An ceratosaurian theropod. | |
Orkoraptor | O. burkei | Cerro Los Hornos. | Upper | Several isolated teeth, including two anteriormost, probably premaxillary teeth, left manual phalanx I-1, right, nearly complete fibula, and right ungual. | A megaraptoran | |
Fish of the Cerro Fortaleza Formation | ||||||
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Taxa | Species | Locality | Stratigraphic unit | Material | Notes | Images |
Atlantoceratodus | A. iheringi | Cerro 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. | ||