La Boca Formation | |
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Stratigraphic range: Lower Pliensbachian-Latest Aalenian, [1] [2] | |
Type | Geological formation |
Unit of | Huizachal Group |
Sub-units |
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Underlies | La Joya Formation |
Overlies | Huizachal Formation |
Thickness | <10 m |
Lithology | |
Primary | Red sandstones, mudstones, and siltstones |
Other | Pyroclastic volcanic rocks |
Location | |
Region | Tamaulipas |
Country | Mexico |
The La Boca Formation is a geological formation in Tamaulipas state, northeast Mexico. It was originally thought to date back to the Early Jurassic, concretely the Pliensbachian stage epoch of 193-184 Ma. [3] Later studies found that while the unit itself was likely deposited during the earliest Pliensbachian, as proven by zircon dating 189.0 ± 0.2 Ma, the local vulcanism (related to the aperture of the Atlantic Ocean and the several Rift Events) continued until the Bajocian.
However, the lower section of the fossil taxa deposited on the rocks above the La Boca Formation is likely of Late Pliensbachian-Lower Toarcian age, and the upper section of Late Toarcian-Late Aalenian age. [4]
Due to successions of Aalenian depositional systems on the upper layers of the Huizachal Canyon, has been delimited the formation to the Toarcian stage, being the regional equivalent of the Moroccan Azilal Formation. [2] Deposits of Late Triassic Age referred to this unit have been reclassified in a new formation, El Alamar Formation. [5] In North America, La Boca Formation was found to be a regional equivalent of the Eagle Mills redbeds of southern United States, the Todos Santos Formation of southern Mexico and the Barracas Group of the Sonora desert region. [6]
La Boca Formation is genetically related to the Nazas volcanic Arc of the same age (Pliensbachian-Aalenian, ~189.5–171.6 Ma), which was created when Mexico evolved in a convergent plate margin, with the Gulf of Mexico remaining as a restricted basin and a passive margin. [7] The influence of this arc is seen on the continental units such as Todos Santos Formation, which deposited volcanic materials in both nonmarine strata and marginal marine red beds of eastern Mexico.
La Boca Formation left its sediments on a basin formed between the Nazas Volcanic Arc center and the so-called Huizachal-Peregrina Anticlinorium, giving the basin layers whose origin is linked with braided river deposits with different flooding levels, channels fills, and channel belts filling valleys. [7]
In locations such as Aramberri, the development of fluvial channels and the flooding of surfaces was restricted due to the presence of flanking volcanic activity, as well the local Paleozoic basement highs. [7] In this outcrop the fluvial system evolved in several ways. Towards the north, it meanders from braided to ephemeral sandy, with the presence of common laminated sands sheets. The latter are likely a local indicator of unconfined flash floods across floodplains, with some sections recovering periods of desiccation thanks to the presence of mudcracks.
Towards the south, in localities such as El Olmo Canyon, the layers show gravelly braided rivers, oriented east-west, which then evolve into high-sinuosity single-thread meandering rivers. [7] Other southern localities, such as the Caballeros Canyon and Huizachal Canyon, have layers that record gravel-bed braided rivers over a floodplain with high-energy flows: an element recorded on the local stratigraphy as older layers which were highly degraded by the increased force of the younger flows. The rock fragments moved by the currents are bigger in upper layers. In the southernmost outcrop, in Miquihuana the sheet sands show greater flooding events than on any other location. [7]
In the main fossiliferous level of the Huizachal Canyon, in which more than 8000 specimens have been found, the preservation of delicate specimens such as Pterosaurs suggests an environment with little transportation and reworking. Yet the fossils were not buried in situ, as most of the smaller specimens show disarticulation. [8]
All data trends suggest a highly unusual debris-flow environment in which local fluvial alluvial bodies were not big enough to sustain large freshwater biota such as fishes, and most of the preserved specimens were fast-buried near the place of death. [8]
Genus | Species | Location | Material | Type | Made by | Notes | Images |
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| Locomotion trace | Domichnia & Fodinichnia |
| Densely looped grooves or ridges. Taxon linked with the major Early Jurassic flooding of the Huizachal Valley, developed locally mostly on a gravel-bed braided fluvial style with paleocurrents oriented west-northwest | ||
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| Burrows | Domichnia & Fodinichnia |
| Burrow fossils in lacustrine or fluvial environments, probably made by arthropods | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
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B. tamaulipensis [9] | Jim's Joy, Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Teeth | A basal Mammaliaform [9] | ||
B. mexicanum [10] | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | IGM 3492, Skull | |||
H. wiblei [9] | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Teeth | |||
V. inaequalis [9] | Rene's Roost, Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Teeth | |||
Unnamed Mammaliaforms (IGM 6622,IGM 6855, and IGM 6856) [9] | Indeterminate |
| Lower Part | IGM 6855, partial right dentary; IGM 6856, left dentary; IGM 6622, partial right dentary | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
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T. morenoi | Dinosaur National Monument South, Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part |
| A strange burrowing Lepidosauromorph, probably related with Ardeosauridae. Described originally as a "Burrowing diapsid representing a heretofore unknown clade", was later found to have a compact skull similar to that of Dibamidae and Amphisbaenia by convergent evolution. [13] | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
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aff. C. sp. |
| Lower Part |
| A Sphenodontidae Rhynchocephalian of the family Clevosauridae. | ||
C. huizachalensis | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part |
| A sphenodontine rhynchocephalian closely related to the living tuatara. [16] | ||
aff. O. sp. |
| Lower Part |
| A Sphenodontidae Rhynchocephalian of the family Opisthodontia. | ||
S. jimmysjoyi [17] | Jim's Joy, Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | IGM 6076, an almost complete right lower jaw with teeth | A possible venomous Sphenodont [17] | ||
Z. ejidoensis | Tierra Buena, western part of the Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | IGM 3497, crushed skull, missing part of the skull table and roofing bones | A dwarf Sphenodont | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
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"D." weintraubi | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Fragmentary skeleton of a large rhamphorhynchoid that includes a remarkably preserved pes. | A Pterosaur of uncertain phylogenetic placement, being originally proposed as a member of the genus Dimorphodon, although, has some great differences with the original holotype, and Dimorphodon is a lower Liassic Genus. Most recent analyses place it on different positions on Novialoidea. [20] | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
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Indeterminate | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | IGM 3498 & additional specimens. Partial skulls and postcranial skeletons | Preliminary results suggest it may be a stem metasuchian. [21] | ||
Indeterminate | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Skull fragment | A possible member of Protosuchia. Found to be sister taxon of Platyognathus hsui from the Lower Jurassic Lufeng Formation of Yunnan. [21] | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Abundance | Notes | Images |
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Indeterminate | Casa de Fidencio, Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | IGM 6625, craneal fragmentary elements | A possible basal ceratosaur related with the African Berberosaurus . | ||
cf.H. sp. | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Teeth | An Ornithischian of the family Heterodontosauridae. | ||
" Megapnosaurus " [23] | "M." mexicanum [25] | Casa de Fidencio, Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | (IGM 6624) partial twelfth dorsal vertebra, partial thirteenth dorsal vertebra, partial synsacrum, incomplete fused pelvis | An indeterminate Coelophysoidean. | |
Indeterminate | Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Isolated teeth | Several morphotypes, maybe related with Coelophysoidea, Dilophosauridae or Tetanurae. [23] | ||
Indeterminate | Rene's Roost, Huizachal Canyon | Lower Part | Large bone fragments | A possible Basal Sauropodomorph. | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, affinites with the family Araucariaceae inside Pinales. Conifer pollen from medium to large arboreal plants. | ||
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, affinities with the Hirmeriellaceae in the Pinopsida. | ||
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| Cysts | A Dinoflajellate of the family Rhaetogonyaulacaceae inside Gonyaulacales | ||
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, afinnities with Erdtmanithecales inside Spermatophytes. | ||
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, affinities with the family Cupressaceae in the Pinopsida. Pollen that resembles that of extant genera such as the genus Actinostrobus and Austrocedrus , probably derived from dry environments. | ||
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| Spores | A Miospore, affinities with Dipteridaceae inside Filicopsida | ||
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| Spores | A Miospore, affinities with Selaginellaceae or Lycopodiaceae inside Lycopsida. | ||
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| Cysts | A Dinoflajellate of the family Nannoceratopsiaceae inside Nannoceratopsiales | ||
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, afinnities with Caytoniales inside Gymnospermopsida. | ||
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| Cysts | A Dinoflajellate of the family Pareodinioideae inside Gonyaulacales | ||
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, affinities with Podocarpaceae and Pinaceae inside Coniferophyta. | ||
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| Cysts | A Dinoflajellate of the family Peridiniphycidae inside Dinophyceae | ||
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, affinities with the Hirmeriellaceae in the Pinopsida. | ||
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| Pollen | A Pollen Grain, afinnities with Caytoniales inside Gymnospermopsida. | ||
Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
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| Affinities with Cheirolepidiaceae or Araucariaceae inside Pinales. Includes petrified wood logs up to 3.5 m in size | ||
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| Affinities with Cheirolepidiaceae inside Pinales. | ||
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| Affinities with Cupressaceae inside Pinales. | ||
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| Affinities with Cycadeoidaceae inside Bennettitales. | ||
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| Affinities with Williamsoniaceae inside Bennettitales. | ||
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| Affinities with Williamsoniaceae inside Bennettitales. Representative of large arboreal to low arbustive Bennetittes. The dominant foliar remain recovered on the formation, with up to 50 specimens | ||
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| Affinities with Williamsoniaceae inside Bennettitales. | ||
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| Affinities with Matoniaceae inside Gleicheniales. | ||
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| Affinities with Krassiloviaceae inside Voltziales. | ||
Repenomamus is a genus of opossum- to badger-sized gobiconodontid mammal containing two species, Repenomamus robustus and Repenomamus giganticus. Both species are known from fossils found in China that date to the early Cretaceous period, about 125-123.2 million years ago. R. robustus is one of several Mesozoic mammals for which there is good evidence that it fed on vertebrates, including dinosaurs. Though it is not entirely clear whether or not these animals primarily hunted live dinosaurs or scavenged dead ones, evidence for the former is present in fossilized remains showcasing the results of what was most likely a predation attempt by R. robustus directed at a specimen of the dinosaur Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis. R. giganticus is among the largest mammals known from the Mesozoic era, only surpassed by Patagomaia.
Sphenodontidae is a family within the reptile group Rhynchocephalia, comprising taxa most closely related to the living tuatara. Historically the taxa included within Sphenodontidae have varied greatly between analyses, and the group has lacked a formal definition. Cynosphenodon from the Jurassic of Mexico has consistently been recovered as a close relative of the tuatara in most analyses, with the clade containing the two and other very close relatives of the tuatara often called Sphenodontinae. The herbivorous Eilenodontinae, otherwise considered part of Opisthodontia, is considered to be part of this family in many recent studies as the sister group to Sphenodontinae. The earliest Sphenodontines are known from the Early Jurassic of North America, with other remains known from the Late Jurassic of Europe, the Late Cretaceous and possibly Paleocene of South America and the Miocene-recent of New Zealand. Sphenodontines are characterised by a complete lower temporal bar caused by the fusion of a forward directed process (extension) of the quadrate/quadratojugal and the jugal, which was an adaptation for reducing stress in the skull during hard biting. Other synapomorphies of Sphenodontinae include the presence of nasal foramina, a posterodorsal process of the coronoid of the lower jaw, the present of caniniform successional teeth at the front of the jaws, the presence of flanges on the posterior parts of teeth at back of the lower jaw, and an expanded radial condyle on the humerus. Like modern tuatara, members of Sphenodontinae were likely generalists with a carnivorous/insectivorous diet.
Dimorphodon was a genus of medium-sized pterosaur from Europe during the early Jurassic Period. It was named by paleontologist Richard Owen in 1859. Dimorphodon means "two-form tooth", derived from the Greek di- (δι-) meaning 'two', morphḗ (μορφή) meaning 'shape' and odṓn (ὀδών) meaning 'tooth', referring to the fact that it had two distinct types of teeth in its jaws – which is comparatively rare among reptiles. The diet of Dimorphodon has been questioned among researchers, with earlier interpretations depicting it as an insectivore or a piscivore. Recent studies have suggested that Dimorphodon likely hunted small vertebrates, though it still would have consumed soft invertebrates like insects.
The Kayenta Formation is a geological formation in the Glen Canyon Group that is spread across the Colorado Plateau province of the United States, including northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. Traditionally has been suggested as Sinemurian-Pliensbachian, but more recent dating of detrital zircons has yielded a depositional age of 183.7 ± 2.7 Ma, thus a Pliensbachian-Toarcian age is more likely. A previous depth work recovered a solid "Carixian" age from measurements done in the Tenney Canyon. More recent works have provided varied datations for the layers, with samples from Colorado and Arizona suggesting 197.0±1.5-195.2±5.5 Ma, while the topmost section is likely Toarcian or close in age, maybe even recovering terrestrial deposits coeval with the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event. This last age asignation also correlated the Toarcian Vulcanism on the west Cordilleran Magmatic Arc, as the number of grains from this event correlate with the silt content in the sandstones of the upper layers.
Homoeosaurus is an extinct genus of rhynchocephalian reptile, known from the Late Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous of Europe, with specimens being reported from France, England and Germany. Several species have been described within the genus, based on varying proportions of the limb bones to the body length based on the presacral vertebrae. Specimen C.M.6438 of H. maximiliani from Germany has a total length of around 17 centimetres (6.7 in), with a skull length of about 1.7 centimetres (0.67 in). In comparison to other rhynchocephalians, the limbs are proportionally long. Recent studies have classified Homoeosaurus as a member of Neosphenodontia, with some studies including it as part of the clade Leptorhynchia, also including sapheosaurs, pleurosaurs, Kallimodon and Vadasaurus. Despite being found in aquatic deposits, it is suggested to have been terrestrial. It is thought to have been a carnivore/insectivore. One specimen was found as stomach contents of the fish Belonostomus.
Cynosphenodon is an extinct genus of rhynchocephalian in the family Sphenodontidae from the Middle Jurassic La Boca Formation of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is known from a largely complete lower jaw and fragments of the upper jaw. It is suggested to be among the closest known relatives of the tuatara, with both being placed in the Sphenodontinae, which is supported by among other characters, the growth pattern of the teeth.
Theretairus is a Late Jurassic genus of sphenodont reptile from the Morrison Formation of western North America, present in stratigraphic zones 5 and 6.
Gobiconodontidae is a family of extinct mammals that ranged from the mid-Jurassic to the early Late Cretaceous, though most common during the Early Cretaceous. The Gobiconodontids form a diverse lineage of carnivorous non-therian mammals, and include some of the best preserved Mesozoic mammal specimens.
Zapatadon is an extinct genus of sphenodontid reptile from the end of the Early Jurassic in the lower part of La Boca Formation of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Is known from a nearly complete skull with mandible of a post-hatchling individual, and is one of the smallest skulls between the sphenodontians, with an estimated total length of 11.3 millimetres, a bit smaller than the hatchling individuals observed in the modern tuatara (Sphenodon); features like the oblique mandibular symphysis suggests that the holotype is from an individual in a relatively mature stage of ontogenic development. Zapatadon is diagnosed by their hatchling tooth series located in a depression in the anterior part of the dentary bone, the prefrontal bone surrounding the dorsal process of the maxilla and the broad jugal that extends over the maxillary suborbital process, been almost excluded of the orbit.
Pamizinisaurus is a genus of sphenodontian reptile known from Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Tlayúa Formation of central Mexico. It was named Pamizinsaurus tlayuaensis by Reynoso in 1997, after Tlayua Quarry were it was found. It is known from the crushed skeleton of a juvenile individual, with a skull length of around 16 millimetres (0.63 in), and a total length of about 77 millimetres (3.0 in). The fossil was covered in small round osteoscutes, unique among known sphenodontians but similar to those of helodermatid lizards like the Gila monster, which probably served to protect it from predators.
Kayentavenator is a genus of small carnivorous tetanuran dinosaur that lived during the Early Jurassic Period; fossils were recovered from the Kayenta Formation of northeastern Arizona and were described in 2010.
The Amphidontidae are a family of extinct mammals from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous, belonging to the eutriconodonts. It contains most of the species previously belonged to Amphilestidae.
The Tlayúa Formation is an Early Cretaceous geological formation near Tepexi de Rodríguez, Puebla.
Coelophysis? kayentakatae is an extinct species of neotheropod dinosaur that lived approximately 200–196 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period in what is now the southwestern United States. It was originally named Syntarsus kayentakatae, but the genus Syntarsus was found to be preoccupied by a Colydiine beetle, so it was moved to the genus Megapnosaurus, and then to Coelophysis. A recent reassessment suggests that this species may require a new genus name.
Triconodon is a genus of extinct mammal from the Early Cretaceous of England and France with two known species: T. mordax and T. averianovi. First described in 1859 by Richard Owen, it is the type genus for the order Triconodonta, a group of mammals characterised by their three-cusped (triconodont) molar teeth. Since then, this "simplistic" type of dentition has been understood to be either ancestral for mammals or else to have evolved multiple times, rendering "triconodonts" a paraphyletic or polyphyletic assemblage respectively, but several lineages of "triconodont" mammals do form a natural, monophyletic group, known as Eutriconodonta, of which Triconodon is indeed part of.
Sphenovipera jimmysjoyi is an extinct species of sphenodontian dated from the Middle Jurassic. If was discovered in the lower part of the La Boca Formation located in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Only the lower jaw of this organism has been discovered and studied. It is possibly the only species of rhynchocephalian yet discovered to show evidence of venom delivery.
Sapheosaurs are an extinct group of rhynchocephalian reptiles from the Late Jurassic period. "Sapheosaurs" is an informal name for a group of rhynchocephalians closely related to the genus Sapheosaurus. It was first recognized as a group containing multiple genera by Hoffstetter in 1955. The group has sometimes been given a formal taxonomic name as the family Sapheosauridae, although in some analyses this group belongs to the family Sphenodontidae and thus cannot be assigned its own family. They were fairly advanced rhynchocephalians which may have had semiaquatic habits.
Bocaconodon is an early mammaliaform genus that lived during the Pliensbachian of Mexico. The type and only species, Bocaconodon tamaulipensis, was named and described in 2008. It is known from a single specimen, a partial right dentary bone preserving two nearly complete molar teeth and the rear portion of a third molar. The specimen was found at the Huizachal Canyon locality, "a Pliensbachian floodplain siltstone in the La Boca Formation".
Dinnetherium is an extinct genus of mammaliaforms from the Early Jurassic of Arizona. The type species, D. nezorum, was named in 1983. It was discovered in a Sinemurian layer of the Kayenta Formation, within the Gold Spring Quarry 1. The holotype is MNA V3221, which is a partial right mandible.
Tamaulipasaurus is an extinct genus of lepidosauromorph reptile from the Early Jurassic of Mexico. It contains a single species, Tamaulipasaurus morenoi, which is based on skull material found at Huizachal Canyon, a productive fossil site in the La Boca Formation. Tamaulipasaurus had an unusual condensed skull similar to that of amphisbaenians, a modern group of burrowing squamates. It also possessed a variety of plesiomorphic ("primitive") skull features indicating that it was not a true squamate. Nevertheless, other traits do support a position close to squamates, within the broader reptile group Lepidosauromorpha.