Cerro del Pueblo Formation

Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian ~73.6–72.7  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Difunta Group
Underlies	Cerro Huerta Formation
Overlies	Parras Shale
Thickness	160 m (520 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Mudstone, sandstone
Other	Siltstone, conglomerate, limestone
Location
Coordinates	26°06′N101°06′W / 26.1°N 101.1°W / 26.1; -101.1
Approximate paleocoordinates	32°12′N75°30′W / 32.2°N 75.5°W / 32.2; -75.5
Region	Coahuila
Country	Mexico
Extent	Parras Basin
Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Mexico) Show map of Mexico Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Coahuila) Show map of Coahuila

Paleogeography of the Campanian

Outcrops of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation at the type locality of Cerro del Pueblo, on the edge of Saltillo, Coahuila

The Cerro del Pueblo Formation is a geological formation in Saltillo, capital city of the state of Coahuila, Mexico, whose strata date back to the latest Campanian of the Late Cretaceous, just before the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation. ^[1] The formation is believed to correlate with the Baculites reesidesi and Baculites jenseni ammonite zones, which dates it to 73.63-72.74 Ma. ^[2]

Fragments of a hadrosaur skeleton weathering out of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation near Rincon Colorado, Coahuila

The Cerro del Pueblo Formation includes marine, brackish, and non-marine environments, and was laid down in a coastal lowland environment, with Coahuila being on the edge of the Western Interior Seaway at the time. Fossils are abundant in the Cerro del Pueblo Formation, and include dinosaurs and other vertebrates, plants and seeds, and invertebrates including oysters, snails, and other molluscs. The formation is underlain by the Parras Shale and is overlain by the Cerro Huerta Formation.

Dinosaurs

Ornithischians

Remains of the following ornithischians have been found in the formation: ^[3]

Ankylosaurs

Ankylosaurs of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Ankylosauria [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A femur fragment, phalanx and a possible osteoderm. [3]	Indeterminate ankylosaur remains. [3]
Ankylosauridae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	Osteoderms. [3]	Indeterminate ankylosaurid remains. [3]
Nodosauridae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A caudal vertebra, osteoderms and a tooth. [3]	Indeterminate nodosaurid remains. [3]

Ceratopsians

Ceratopsians of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Centrosaurinae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A partial right squamosal. [3]	Probably represents a new taxon. [3]
Ceratopsidae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	Squamosal fragment, metatarsal, metacarpal, sacral vertebrae, proximal end of femora, proximal end of ulna, possible frill fragments and teeth. [3]	Indeterminate ceratopsid remains. [3]
Chasmosaurinae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	Supraorbital horncores, an orbit, dorsal vertebra, indeterminate cranial fragments, limb bones, and unspecified postcranial elements pertaining to juvenile specimens. [3]	Indeterminate chasmosaurine remains belonging to juvenile specimens. [3]

Ornithopods

Ornithopods of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Coahuilasaurus [4]	C. lipani [3]		A kritosaurin hadrosaurid	Coahuilasaurus Latirhinus Tlatolophus Velafrons
Hadrosauridae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A braincase, postorbital, quadrate, laterosphenoid, dentaries, mandibles, maxillae, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, neural spines, ribs, ilium, femora, fibulae, tibiae, humeri, ulnae, metatarsals, metacarpals, pedal phalanxes, pedal phalanges, pedal ungula, phalanges, phalanxes, various bone fragments, fibulae, scapulae, radii, coracoids, astragali, indeterminate pelvic bones, ossified tendons, isolated teeth and integumentary impressions. [3]	Indeterminate hadrosaurid remains from numerous specimens. [3]
Kritosaurus [5]	K. navajovius [5]	Predentary, symphyseal processes, rostral portion of dental battery of dentaries, rostral region of premaxillae, and fragments of maxilla. [5]	A kritosaurin hadrosaurid, originally referred to K. navajovius, [5] but reclassified to Coahuilasaurus .
Lambeosaurinae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	Maxillae, premaxillae, quadrate, partial braincase, dentaries, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, neural spines, ribs, ilia, ischium, femora, fibulae, tibiae, humeri, ulnae, metatarsals, metacarpals, pedal phalanges, phalanges, pedal unguals, astragali, radii, scapulae, pubes and other unprepared elements. [3]	Indeterminate lambeosaurine remains from numerous specimens, including a large hadrosaurid. [3]
Latirhinus [6]	L. uitstlani [6]	Caudal vertebrae, scapulae, humeri, ulnae, coracoid, metacarpals, manual ungual, ilia, ischia, femora, tibiae, fibula, and astragalus. [6]	Holotype specimen is chimeric as it consists of multiple individuals. Some material from the holotype specimen is assigned to Lambeosaurinae indet. and Saurolophinae indet.. [7]
Saurolophinae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A braincase, brain endocast, dentaries, maxillae, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, chevrons, neural spines, ribs, ilium fragments, femora, fibulae, tibiae, humeri, ulnae, metatarsals, phalanges, phalanxes, scapulae, a possible coracoid, radii, ossified tendons, and undescribed juvenile specimens. [3]	Indeterminate saurolophine remains from numerous specimens, including juvenile individuals. [3]
Tlatolophus [8]	T. galorum [8]	An almost complete skull, mandible, partial ilium, partial ischium, a femur, scapula, coracoid, sacral vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, and chevrons. [8]	A parasaurolophin hadrosaur, closely related to Charonosaurus and Blasisaurus . [8]
Velafrons [9]	V. coahuilensis [9]	Dentaries, predentaries, ceratobranchial, premaxillae, maxillae, jugal, quadrate, nasal, skull roof, cervical vertebrae, dorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, caudal vertebrae, neural arches, cervical ribs, ribs, chevrons, scapula, coracoids, humeri, ulnae, radii, metacarpals, manual phalanges, ilium, ischia, pubes, femora, tibiae, astragalus, metatarsals and pedal phalanges. [9]	A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid known only from a juvenile specimen. [9]

Thescelosaurids

Thescelosaurids of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Thescelosauridae [10]	Indeterminate [10]	A right premaxillary tooth and a posterior sacral vertebral centrum. [10]	Indeterminate thescelosaurid remains. [10]

Saurischians

Remains of the following saurischians have been found in the formation: ^[3]

Theropods

Coelurosaurs

Coelurosaurs of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
cf. Richardoestesia [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A tooth. [3]	A taxon only known from teeth. [3]

Dromaeosaurs

Dromaeosaurs of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Dromaeosaurinae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A pedal ungual and dentary teeth. [3]	Indeterminate dromaeosaurine remains. [3]
Saurornitholestinae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A pedal ungual, manual unguals and teeth. [3]	Indeterminate saurornitholestine remains. [3]

Oviraptorosaurs

Oviraptorosaurs of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Caenagnathidae		3 tibia fragments, distal, proximal and medial shaft elements respectively. [11]	An oviraptorosaur. Two different morphotypes are suggested, a small one, less than a meter in length. And a big morphotype, almost reaching two meters.

Ornithomimosaurs

Ornithomimosaurs of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Mexidracon [12]	M. longimanus [3]	A partial skeleton	A ornithomimid theropod
Paraxenisaurus [13]	P. normalensis [13]	Caudal vertebrae, femur, peses, manual phalanxes, manual ungual, tarsals, metatarsals, metacarpals, pedal phalanx, pedal phalanges, and pedal unguals. [13]	Represents the first known deinocheirid from North America. [13]
"Saltillomimus"	"S. rapidus"	Partial skeleton. [14]	An informally named ornithomimosaur. [14]

Tyrannosaurs

Tyrannosaurs of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Labocania [15]	L. aguillonae [3]		A teratophonein tyrannosaurine
Tyrannosauridae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A caudal vertebra, indeterminate vertebrae, tibia, fibula, fragments of ungual phalanges, phalanges, and teeth. [3]	Indeterminate tyrannosaurid remains. [3]

Other theropods

Theropods of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Theropoda [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A neural arch, complete and fragmented pedal and manual phalanxes, manual unguals, unspecified vertebra, complete and fragmented caudal vertebrae, chevron, proximal end of femur, and unidentified bone fragments. [3]	Indeterminate theropod remains. [3]
Troodontidae [3]	Indeterminate [3]	A pedal phalanx and a tooth. [3]	Indeterminate troodontid remains. [3]

Other Fossils

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Taxa	Presence	Description	Images
Ichnogenus: Pteraichnus [16]	Saltillo, Coahuila [16]	Specimens kept at the Dinosaur Tracks Museum, of the University of Colorado at Denver and the Secretaría de Educación Pública de Coahuila, Mexico; [16] might also represent Haenamichnus . [17]

Turtles

Turtles of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Mexichelys [18]	M. coahuilaensis		New genus for Euclastes coahuilaensis, sea turtle
Chedighaii [19]	C. hutchisoni		A bothremydid turtle
Yelmochelys [20]	Y. rosarioae		A stem-kinosternid turtle

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

Other vertebrates

Fish

Fish of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Lepisosteus	L. sp.
Amiidae	Indet.

Fossil eggs

• Porituberoolithus sp.
• Spheroolithus sp.
• ?Prismatoolithus sp.

Mammals

Mammals of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Cimolomyidae indet.			A cimolomyid multituberculate. [14]
Pediomys	P. cf. elegans		A pediomyid tribosphenidan. [14]
Taeniolabidoidae indet.			A taeniolabidoid multituberculate. [14]
Turgidodon	T. cf. russelli		An alphadontid marsupialiform. [14]

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Mexico

References

1. Weishampel et al., 2004, pp.574-588
2. Fowler, Denver Warwick (2017-11-22). "Revised geochronology, correlation, and dinosaur stratigraphic ranges of the Santonian-Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) formations of the Western Interior of North America". PLOS ONE. 12 (11): e0188426. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1288426F. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188426 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   5699823 . PMID   29166406.
3. Ramírez-Velasco, A. A.; Hernández-Rivera, R. (2015). "Diversity of late cretaceous dinosaurs from Mexico" (PDF). Boletín Geológico y Minero. 126 (1): 63–108.
4. Longrich, N.R.; Ramirez Velasco, A.A.; Kirkland, J.; Bermúdez Torres, A.E.; Serrano-Brañas, C.I. (2024). "Coahuilasaurus lipani, a New Kritosaurin Hadrosaurid from the Upper Campanian Cerro Del Pueblo Formation, Northern Mexico". Diversity. 16 (9): 531. doi: 10.3390/d16090531 .
5. Prieto-Márquez, A. (2013). "Skeletal morphology of Kritosaurus navajovius (Dinosauria:Hadrosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of the North American south-west, with an evaluation of the phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of Kritosaurini". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 12 (2): 133–175. Bibcode:2014JSPal..12..133P. doi:10.1080/14772019.2013.770417. S2CID   84942579.
6. Prieto-Márquez, Albert; Serrano Brañas, Claudia Inés (2012). "Latirhinus uitstlani, a 'broad-nosed' saurolophine hadrosaurid (Dinosauria, Ornithopoda) from the late Campanian (Cretaceous) of northern Mexico". Historical Biology. 24 (6): 607–619. Bibcode:2012HBio...24..607P. doi:10.1080/08912963.2012.671311. S2CID   128964878.
7. Ángel Alejandro Ramírez-Velascoa; Jesús Alvarado-Ortegab (2021). "Review of the taxonomic affinities of Latirhinus uitstlani, an emblematic Mexican hadrosaurid" . Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 110. Bibcode:2021JSAES.11003391R. doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2021.103391.
8. Ramírez-Velasco, Á. A.; Aguilar, F. J.; Hernández-Rivera, R.; Gudiño Maussán, J. L.; Rodriguez, M. L.; Alvarado-Ortega, J. (2021). "Tlatolophus galorum, gen. et sp. nov., a parasaurolophini dinosaur from the upper Campanian of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, northern Mexico". Cretaceous Research . 126: Article 104884. Bibcode:2021CrRes.12604884R. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104884.
9. Gates, Terry A.; Sampson, Scott D.; Delgado de Jesús, Carlos R.; Zanno, Lindsay E.; Eberth, David; Hernandez-Rivera, René; Aguillón Martínez, Martha C.; Kirkland, James I. (2007). "Velafrons coahuilensis, a new lambeosaurine hadrosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) from the Late Campanian Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, Mexico". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (4): 917–930. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[917:VCANLH]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   86157621.
10. Rivera-Sylva, Héctor E.; Frey, Eberhard; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang; Amezcua, Natalia; Flores, Flores Huert (2018). "First occurrence of Parksosauridae in Mexico, from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Late Cretaceous; late Campanian) at Las Águilas, Coahuila". Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana. 70 (3): 779–784. doi: 10.18268/BSGM2018v70n3a10 . S2CID   202193814.
11. Serrano-Brañas, Claudia Inés; Espinosa-Chávez, Belinda; Maccracken, S. Augusta; Guevara, Daniela Barrera; Torres-Rodríguez, Esperanza (2022-09-30). "First record of caenagnathid dinosaurs (Theropoda, Oviraptorosauria) from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Campanian, Upper Cretaceous), Coahuila, Mexico". Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 119: 104046. Bibcode:2022JSAES.11904046S. doi: 10.1016/j.jsames.2022.104046 . ISSN   0895-9811.
12. Serrano-Brañas, Claudia Inés; Espinosa-Chávez, Belinda; de León-Dávila, Claudio; Maccracken, S. Augusta; Barrera-Guevara, Daniela; Torres-Rodríguez, Esperanza; Prieto-Márquez, Albert (2025-01-28). "A long-handed new ornithomimid dinosaur from the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, Mexico" . Cretaceous Research : 106087. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106087. ISSN   0195-6671.
13. Serrano-Brañas, Claudia Inés; Espinosa-Chávez, Belinda; Maccracken, S. Augusta; Gutiérrez-Blando, Cirene; de León-Dávila, Claudio; Ventura, José Flores (April 2020). "Paraxenisaurus normalensis, a large deinocheirid ornithomimosaur from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Coahuila, Mexico". Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 101: 102610. Bibcode:2020JSAES.10102610S. doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102610. S2CID   218968100.
14. "Fossil vertebrates from the Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Coahuila, Mexico, and the distribution of Late Campanian (Cretaceous) terrestrial vertebrate faunas - ProQuest". www.proquest.com. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
15. Rivera-Sylva, Héctor E.; Longrich, Nicholas R. (2024). "A New Tyrant Dinosaur from the Late Campanian of Mexico Reveals a Tribe of Southern Tyrannosaurs". Fossil Studies. 2 (4): 245–272. doi: 10.3390/fossils2040012 .
16. Lockley, M.; Harris, J.D.; and Mitchell, L. 2008. "A global overview of pterosaur ichnology: tracksite distribution in space and time." Zitteliana. B28. p. 187-198. ISSN   1612-4138.
17. Witton, Mark P.; Naish, Darren; McClain, Craig R. (28 May 2008). "A Reappraisal of Azhdarchid Pterosaur Functional Morphology and Paleoecology". PLOS ONE. 3 (5): e2271. Bibcode:2008PLoSO...3.2271W. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002271 . PMC   2386974 . PMID   18509539.
18. James F. Parham; Nicholas D. Pyenson (2010). "New Sea Turtle from the Miocene of Peru and the Iterative Evolution of Feeding Ecomorphologies since the Cretaceous". Journal of Paleontology. 84 (2): 231–247. Bibcode:2010JPal...84..231P. doi:10.1666/09-077R.1. S2CID   62811400.
19. Gaffney, Eugene S.; Tong, Haiyan; Meylan, Peter A. (Peter Andre) (2006). "Evolution of the side-necked turtles : the families Bothremydidae, Euraxemydidae, and Araripemydidae; Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 300". American Museum of Natural History.
20. Don Brinkman; Martha Carolina Aguillon-Martinez; J. Howard Hutchison; Caleb M. Brown (2016). "Yelmochelys rosarioae gen. et sp. nov., a stem kinosternid (Testudines; Kinosternidae) from the Late Cretaceous of Coahuila, Mexico". PaleoBios. 33: 1–20.

Bibliography

• Gudiño Maussán, José L.; Aguilar, Felisa J.Hernández; Hernández-Rivera, René (2018). "Aplicación de fotogrametría digital para el registro de las huellas de dinosaurio de la Formación Cerro del Pueblo (Campaniano tardío), Coahuila, México" (PDF). Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana . 70 (2): 307–324. doi: 10.18268/BSGM2018v70n2a3 .

Further reading

• J. L. Gudiño Maussán, F. J. Aguilar, and R. Hernández-Rivera. 2018. Aplicación de fotogrametría digital para el registro de las huellas de dinosaurio de la Formación Cerro del Pueblo (Campaniano tardío), Coahuila, México [Application of digital photogrammetry for recording dinosaur footprints of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation (late Campanian), Coahuila, Mexico]. Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana 70(2):307-324
• D. Brinkman, M. C. Aguillon-Martinez, J. H. Hutchison and C. M. Brown. 2016. Yelmochelys rosarioae gen. et sp. nov., a stem kinosternid (Testudines; Kinosternidae) from the Late Cretaceous of Coahuila, Mexico. PaleoBios 33(30601):1-20
• A. A. Ramírez-Velasco, R. Hernández-Rivera, and R. Servin-Pichardo. 2014. The hadrosaurian record from Mexico. In D. A. Eberth & D. C. Evans (ed.), Hadrosaurs 340-360
• D. Brinkman, M. C. Aquillon-Martinez, C. A. De Leon Dávila, H. Jamniczky, D. A. Eberth and M. Colbert. 2009. Euclastes coahuilaensis sp. nov., a basal cheloniid turtle from the late Campanian Cerro del Pueblo Formation of Coahuila State, Mexico. PaleoBios 28(3):76-88
• H. E. Rivera-Sylva and B. Espinosa-Chávez. 2006. Ankylosaurid (Dinosauria: Thyreophora) osteoderms from the Upper Cretaceous Cerro de Pueblo Formation of Coahuila, Mexico. Carnets de Géologie/Notebooks on Geology Letter(2006/02):1-5
• M. Aguillon-Martinez, D. Zelenitsky, D. B. Brinkman and D. A. Eberth. 2004. Eggshell fragments from the uppermost Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Upper Cretaceous; Mexico). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(3, suppl.):33A
• D. Eberth, S. D. Sampson, R. A. Rodriguez-De La Rosa, M. Aguillon-Martinez, D. B. Brinkman and J. Lopez-Espinoza. 2003. Las Aguilas: an unusually rich Campanian-age vertebrate locale in southern Coahuila, Mexico. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23(3):47A
• R. A. Rodríguez-de la Rosa, D. A. Eberth, D. B. Brinkman, S. D. Sampson, and J. López-Espinoza. 2003. Dinosaur tracks from the late Campanian Las Aguilas locality, southeastern Coahuila, Mexico. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23(3):90A
• J. I. Kirkland and M. C. Aguillón-Martínez. 2002. Schizorhiza: a unique sawfish paradigm from the Difunta Group, Coahuila, Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas 19(1):16-24
• R. A. Rodriguez-de la Rosa and S. R. S. Cevallos-Ferriz. 1998. Vertebrates of the El Pelillal locality (Campanian, Cerro del Pueblo Formation), southeastern Coahuila, Mexico. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 18(4):751-764
• R. Hernández-Rivera. 1997. Mexican dinosaurs. In P. J. Currie & K. Padian (ed.), Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs 433-437
• R. A. Rodriguez-de la Rosa and S. R. S. Cevallos-Ferriz. 1994. Upper Cretaceous Zingiberalean fruits with in situ seeds from Southeastern Coahuila, Mexico. International Journal of Plant Sciences 155(6):786-805
• R. Hernández and J. I. Kirkland. 1993. The rediscovery of a rich uppermost Campanian dinosaur locality in the Cerro del Pueblo Fm., Coahuila, Mexico. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 13(3, suppl.):41A
• G. E. Murray, D. R. Boyd, J. A. Wolleben and J. A. Wilson. 1960. Late Cretaceous fossil locality, eastern Parras Basin, Coahuila, Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 34(2):368-370