Colorado Formation, Argentina

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Colorado Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian-Maastrichtian
Type Geological formation
Overlies Paleozoic basement
Thickness30 m (98 ft)
Lithology
Primary Sandstone
Other Conglomerate
Location
Coordinates 38°12′S64°30′W / 38.2°S 64.5°W / -38.2; -64.5
Approximate paleocoordinates 41°18′S49°48′W / 41.3°S 49.8°W / -41.3; -49.8
Region La Pampa Province
CountryArgentina
Extent Colorado Basin
Type section
Named for Colorado River
Relief Map of Argentina.jpg
Lightgreen pog.svg
Colorado Formation, Argentina (Argentina)

The Colorado Formation is a Late Cretaceous (Campanian to Maastrichtian geologic formation that is exposed within the Colorado Basin in the southeastern part of La Pampa Province, Argentina. Fossil dinosaur eggs of Sphaerovum erbeni have been reported from the nonmarine, fluvial strata of this formation. [1] [2]

Contents

Description

The formation overlies the Paleozoic basement and has an estimated thickness of 30 metres (98 ft). [3] The Colorado Formation comprises medium-grained sandstones with intercalated conglomerates with pebbly beds that can be interpreted as fluvial to alluvial deposits. [3] [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

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The Lecho Formation is a geological formation in the Salta Basin of the provinces Jujuy and Salta of northwestern Argentina. Its strata date back to the Early Maastrichtian, and is a unit of the Salta Group. The fine-grained bioturbated sandstones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial to lacustrine coastal plain environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen Formation</span> Geological formation in Argentina

The Allen Formation is a geological formation in Argentina whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous (middle Campanian to early Maastrichtian. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation. Indeterminate chelid remains and other vertebrates have also been discovered in this formation.

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The Angostura Colorada Formation is a Campanian to Maastrichtian geologic formation of the Neuquén Basin and North Patagonian Massif in the Río Negro Province of Argentina. Dinosaur remains diagnostic to the genus level are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

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The Puerto Yeruá Formation is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation in the Paraná Basin, pertaining to Entre Ríos Province, Argentina. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, as well as egg fragments and fossilized wood.

The El Jume Formation is an Early Cretaceous geologic formation in Argentina. Indeterminate fossil dinosaur tracks have been reported from the formation. The formation, belonging to the El Gigante Group, overlies the Los Riscos Formation and is overlain by the El Toscal Formation. The sandstones and claystones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial environment. Part of the formation was assigned to a new formation, Balde de Leyes Formation in 2015.

Sphaerovum is an oogenus of dinosaur egg that has only been discovered in South America.

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

The Malargüe Group is a group of geologic formations of the Neuquén Basin of the Mendoza, Neuquén, Río Negro and La Pampa Provinces in northern Patagonia, Argentina. The formations of the Malargüe Group range in age between the middle Campanian to Deseadan, an Oligocene age of the SALMA classification, straddling the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, about 79 million to 30 million years in age. The group overlies the older Neuquén Group, separated by an unconformity dated to 79 Ma. The rocks of the Malargüe Group comprise both marine and continental deposits which are over 400 m (1312 ft) thick in total.

The Cañadón Asfalto Basin is an irregularly shaped sedimentary basin located in north-central Patagonia, Argentina. The basin stretches from and partly covers the North Patagonian Massif in the north, a high forming the boundary of the basin with the Neuquén Basin in the northwest, to the Cotricó High in the south, separating the basin from the Golfo San Jorge Basin. It is located in the southern part of Río Negro Province and northern part of Chubut Province. The eastern boundary of the basin is the North Patagonian Massif separating it from the offshore Valdés Basin and it is bound in the west by the Patagonian Andes, separating it from the small Ñirihuau Basin.

The Colorado Basin is a sedimentary basin located in northeastern Patagonia. The basin stretches across an area of approximately 180,000 square kilometres (69,000 sq mi), of which 37,000 square kilometres (14,000 sq mi) onshore in the southern Buenos Aires Province and the easternmost Río Negro Province extending offshore in the South Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerro Azul Formation</span>

The Cerro Azul Formation, also described as Epecuén Formation, is a geological formation of Late Miocene age in the Colorado Basin of the Buenos Aires and La Pampa Provinces in northeastern Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faveoloolithidae</span> Oofamily of dinosaur eggs

Faveoloolithidae is an oofamily of dinosaur eggs. It contains Faveoloolithus, Hemifaveoloolithus, Parafaveoloolithus, and probably Sphaerovum. However, unlike the other Faveoloolthids, Sphaerovum has compactituberculate ornamentation more similar to megaloolithids. Like Dictyoolithidae, the membrane and the calcareous part of the eggshell formed simultaneously instead of forming the membrane before the calcareous like modern birds.

References

  1. Casadio, S., T. Manera, A. Parras, C. L. Montalvo (2002) Huevos de dinosaurios (Faveoloolithidae) del Cretácico superior de la Cuenca del Colorado, Provincia de La Pampa, Argentina. Ameghiniana. 39(3):285–293.
  2. Weishampel; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution". In Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; Osmólska, Halszka (eds.). The dinosauria (2nd ed.). Berkeley: Univ. of California Press. pp.  604. ISBN   978-0-520-24209-8.
  3. 1 2 López, 2017, p.19
  4. Hucal eggsite locality A at Fossilworks.org

Bibliography