Quiriquina Formation

Quiriquina Formation
Quiriquina Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Maastrichtian
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Arauco Group
Underlies	Lebu Group
Overlies	Granitic rocks
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Other	Conglomerate
Location
Coordinates	33°30′S71°42′W / 33.5°S 71.7°W
Approximate paleocoordinates	35°36′S59°12′W / 35.6°S 59.2°W
Region	Bío Bío, Concepción & Valparaíso Regions
Country	Chile
Extent	Arauco Basin
Type section
Named for	Quiriquina Island
Named by	Biró-Bagóczky
Year defined	1982
	Quiriquina Formation (Chile)

Last updated September 12, 2025

The Quiriquina Formation is a geological formation in Chile whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.^[1] The glauconitic sandstones and conglomerates of the formation were deposited in a marine environment.^[2]

Paleofauna

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.

Reptiles

Birds

Birds reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Neogaeornis ^[3]^[4]	N. wetzeli	Bahía San Vicente	Two tarsometatarsi	A diving bird, possibly a vegaviid

Mosasaurs

Mosasaurs reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
cf. Halisaurinae indet.^[5]	Indeterminate	Loanco	Isolated tooth (SGO.PV.6629)	A halisaurine, another specimen formerly given the same classification has been reclassified as Halisaurus sp.
Halisaurus ^[5]^[6]^[7]	H. sp.	Cocholgüe	Jaw elements (CPOC/Q/3105)	Specimen formerly classified as cf. Plotosaurus sp. and cf. Halisaurinae indet.
Mosasauridae indet.^[5]^[8]	Indeterminate	Quiriquina Island	Dorsal vertebra (CPMC 18)	A mosasaur, specimen is too fragmentary and eroded for more precise identification
Mosasauridae indet.^[5]^[8]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	Isolated tooth (SGO.PV.6570) Three isolated tooth crowns (SGO.PV.6571)	Material resembles the teeth of a specimen now referred to Halisaurus sp. (CPOC/Q/3105)
Plotosaurus ^[6]^[7]	cf. P. sp.	Cocholgüe	Jaw elements (CPOC/Q/3105)	Specimen reassigned to Halisaurus sp.
Tylosaurinae indet.^[5]	Indeterminate	Cocholgüe Loanco	Two teeth (MPC 11000 & MPC 11001)	A tylosaurine

Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Aristonectes ^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]	A. quiriquinensis	Cocholgüe Las Tablas Bay	Partial skeleton (SGO.PV.957) Postcranial skeleton of a juvenile (SGO.PV.260) Complete femur (SGO.PV.135) Partial humerus (SGO.PV.169) Caudal vertebrae (SGO.PV.94)	An aristonectine, some specimens of this species were formerly reported as Aristonectinae indet. or Mauisaurus sp.
Aristonectinae indet.^[9]^[10]	Indeterminate	Las Tablas Bay	Postcranial skeleton of a juvenile (SGO.PV.260)	Specimen reassigned to Aristonectes quiriquinensis
Cimoliasaurus ^[4]^[13]^[14]	C. andium		Vertebrae and limb elements	An elasmosaurid, species now deemed a nomen dubium
Elasmosauridae indet.^[8]^[14]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	21 articulated vertebrae (SGO.PV.90) 17 teeth (SGO.PV.6572)	An elasmosaurid
Elasmosauridae indet.^[8]^[14]	Indeterminate	Mariscadero	Postcranial skeleton (SGO.PV.6506)	May represent the same species as material referred to the dubious "Cimoliasaurus" andium
Mauisaurus ^[12]^[15]	M. sp.	Las Tablas Bay	Complete femur (SGO.PV.135) Partial humerus (SGO.PV.169)	Specimens reassigned to Aristonectes quiriquinensis
Plesiosauria indet.^[8]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	Partial left propodial (SGO.PV.6638)	May represent a young individual
Pliosaurus ^[4]^[13]	P. chilensis		Vertebrae and limb elements (now lost)	Species now deemed a nomen dubium , material actually represents an elasmosaurid and not a pliosaur
Wunyelfia ^[16]	W. maulensis	Pelluhue	Partial skeleton (SGO.PV.6507)	An aristonectine

Turtles

Turtles reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Australobaena ^[17]^[18]	A. chilensis	Quiriquina	Skull (SFMF R 4151)	A baenid
Chelonioidea indet.^[8]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	Partial left humerus (MPC.11001)	A sea turtle
cf. Dermochelyidae indet.^[8]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	Associated ilium, scapula and pubis (SGO.PV.6573)	A possible dermochelyid, though the feature used to diagnose it as such may also be present in some protostegids
Euclastes ^[19]	E. sp.	Cocholgüe	Skull (SGO.PV.6504)	A pancheloniid
Testudines indet.^[8]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	Neural plate (MPC.11003) Peripheral plate (MPC.11002)	A turtle, specimens cannot be identified more precisely

Fish

Bony fish

Bony fish reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Belonostomus ^[4]^[20]	B. longirostris	Algarrobo	Two rostrum fragments (SGO-PV 788 & SGO PV 790) Predentary (SGO-PV-789)	An aspidorhynchid
Enchodus ^[21]	E. sp.	Algarrobo	Abdominal centrum (SGO.PV.6825) Dermopalatine with attached fang (SGO.PV.6820a) Broken dermopalatine with attached broken fang (SGO.PV.6820b) Incomplete right articular (SGO.PV.6824) Two isolated fangs (SGO.PV.6519)	An aulopiform
Pachycormidae indet.^[21]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	Six teeth (SGO.PV.6620)	Specimens resemble the teeth of Protosphyraena but are much smaller
Pachyrhizodus ^[21]	P. sp.	Algarrobo	Three isolated teeth (SGO.PV.6571)	A crossognathiform

Cartilaginous fish

Cartilaginous fish reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Biropristis ^[22]	B. landbecki	Algarrobo	Oral teeth	A sawskate
Callorhynchus ^[4]	C. sp.		Dental plates	A ratfish
Carcharias ^[4]	C. sp.		Teeth	A sand shark
Centrophoroides ^[4]	C. sp.		Teeth	A dogfish shark
Chimaera ^[4]	C. sp.		Dental plates	A ratfish
Dasyatidae gen. et. sp. nov.^[4]	New species		Teeth	An unnamed species of stingray
Edaphodon ^[4]	E. sp.		Dental plates	A ratfish
Ischyrhiza ^[4]^[22]	I. chilensis	Algarrobo	Rostral teeth	A sawskate
Orectolobiformes gen. et. sp. nov.^[4]	New species		Teeth	An unnamed species of carpet shark
Paraorthacodus ^[4]	P. sp.		Teeth	A paraorthacodontid
Squatina ^[4]	S. sp.		Teeth	An angelshark

Crustaceans

Crustaceans reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Anomura indet.^[23]	Indeterminate	Algarrobo	Broken dactylus tip (SGO.PI.6408)	A possible hermit crab
Protocallianassa ^[23]^[24]	P. saetosa	Algarrobo Loanco	Multiple specimens	A callianassid

Molluscs

Bivalves

Bivalves reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Cardium ^[24]	C. acuticostatum	Loanco	82 specimens	A cockle

Cephalopods

Cephalopods reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Anagaudryceras ^[25]	A. politissimum	Las Tablas Colchogüe Tomé	Five specimens	A gaudryceratid ammonite
Anagaudryceras ^[25]	A. subtilineatum	Colchogüe Tomé Lirquén	Three juvenile specimens	A gaudryceratid ammonite
Baculites ^[25]	B. anceps	Colchogüe Las Tablas Lirquén San Vicente Santa Sabina Tomé	40 specimens	A baculitid ammonite
Baculites ^[25]	B. huenickeni	Colchogüe Las Tablas San Vicente Santa Sabina	32 specimens	A baculitid ammonite
Diplomoceras ^[24]^[25]	D. cylindraceum	Colchogüe Las Tablas Loanco San Vicente	Seven specimens	A diplomoceratid ammonite
Gaudryceras ^[25]	G. kayei	Colchogüe San Vicente Las Tablas Lirquén Tomé	Six specimens	A gaudryceratid ammonite
Eubaculites ^[24]^[25]	E. carinatus	Colchogüe Las Tablas Laguna Lo Méndez Lirquén Loanco	56 specimens	A baculitid ammonite
Grossouvrites ^[24]^[25]	G. gemmatus	Las Tablas Loanco San Vicente	Nine specimens	A kossmaticeratid ammonite
Grossouvrites ^[24]^[25]	G. joharae	Colchogüe Las Tablas Loanco	Six specimens	A kossmaticeratid ammonite
Gunnarites ^[25]	G. cf. bhavaniformis	San Vicente	Two fragments	A kossmaticeratid ammonite
Hoploscaphites ^[25]	H. constrictus quiriquiniensis	Colchogüe Dichato	51 specimens	A scaphitid ammonite
Hypophylloceras ^[25]	H. (Neophylloceras) hetonaiense	Las Tablas Colchogüe Tomé Lirquén	20 specimens	A phylloceratid ammonite
	H. (Neophylloceras) inflatum	Las Tablas Tomé	Seven specimens	A phylloceratid ammonite
	H. (Neophylloceras) ramosum	Las Tablas Los Viejos Colchogüe Tomé	17 specimens	A phylloceratid ammonite
	H. (Neophylloceras) surya	Las Tablas Colchogüe	Three specimens	A phylloceratid ammonite
Kitchinites ^[25]	K. darwini	Colchogüe Las Tablas Santa Sabina	30 specimens	A desmoceratid ammonite
	K. ifrimae	Colchogüe	Four specimens	A desmoceratid ammonite
	K. vicentensis	San Vicente	Four specimens	A desmoceratid ammonite
Kossmaticeras ^[25]	K. (Natalites) erbeni	Colchogüe Las Tablas San Vicente Tomé	Nine specimens	A kossmaticeratid ammonite
Maorites ^[25]	M. densicostatus	Colchogüe Las Tablas	Six specimens	A kossmaticeratid ammonite
Menuites ^[25]^[26]	M. gerardoi	San Vicente	Seven specimens	A pachydiscid ammonite
Menuites ^[25]^[26]	M. fresvillensis	Las Tablas San Vicente	Eight specimens	A pachydiscid ammonite
Naefia ^[27]	N. neogaeia	Quiriquina Island	Shell	A groenlandibelid
Pachydiscus ^[25]	P. (Pachydiscus) gutierrezi	Colchogüe Las Tablas Lirquén Puente Perales	14 specimens	A pachydiscid ammonite
Pachydiscus ^[25]	P. (Pachydiscus) jacquoti chilensis	Colchogüe Las Tablas	Three specimens	A pachydiscid ammonite
Phyllopachyceras ^[25]	P. forbesianum	Las Tablas	One specimen	A phylloceratid ammonite
Phylloptychoceras ^[25]	P. sp.	Tomé	Five fragments	A diplomoceratid ammonite
Pseudophyllites ^[24]^[25]	P. indra	Colchogüe Las Tablas Loanco	Five specimen	A tetragonitid ammonite
Trachybaculites ^[25]	T. vicentei	San Vicente	One specimen	A baculitid ammonite
Zelandites ^[25]	Z. varuna	Colchogüe Las Tablas Los Viejos Lirquén Tomé	11 specimens	A gaudryceratid ammonite

Gastropods

Gastropods reported from the Quiriquina Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Material	Notes	Images
Anisomyon ^[28]	A. patelliformis			A siphonariid
Austrosphaera ^[28]	A. difficilis			A buccinoid
Avellana ^[28]	A. (Eriptycha) chilensis			A ringiculid
Brunonia ^[28]	B. sp.			A carinariid
Calyptraea ^[28]	C. (Trochita) laevis			A calyptraeid
Concepcionella ^[28]	C. bonillana
Crenilabium ^[28]	C. (Nonacteonina) chilensis			An acteonid
Crenilabium ^[28]	C. (Eacteon) valdovinosensis	Quiriquina Island		An acteonid
Gyrodes ^[28]	G. (Dockeryella) euryomphalus			A naticid
Petropoma ^[28]	P. biroensis	Quiriquina Island		A colloniid
Polinices ^[28]	P. (Polinella) ganae			A naticid
Pyrifusus ^[28]	P. (Deussenia) gigantea	Quiriquina Island		A pholidotomid
Pyropsis ^[28]	P. (Chilenopsis) quinzioensis	Quiriquina Island		A pyropsid
Tegula ^[28]	T. ovallei		Numerous specimens, very common	A tegulid
Tephlon ^[28]	T. tummidus			A pugnellid
Trochifusus ^[28]	T. hombroniana			A pyropsid

References

↑ Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, South America)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 600-604. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
↑ Cocholgüe village, sea coast at Fossilworks.org
↑ Olson, Storrs (1991). "Neogaeornis wetzeli Lambrecht, a Cretaceous loon from Chile (Aves: Gaviidae)" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 12 (1): 122–124. doi:10.1080/02724634.1992.10011438. S2CID 4807730.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Suarez, Mario E.; Quinzio, L.A.; Fritis, Omar; Bonilla, Ramiro (2003). "Aportes al conocimiento de los vertebrados marinos de la Formación Quiriquina". 10°Congreso Geológico Chileno 2003 (in Spanish).
1 2 3 4 Jiménez-Huidobro, Paulina; Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; Suárez, Mario E. (2015). "Mosasaurios (Squamata: Mosasauroidea) del Cretácico Superior de Chile". Publicación Ocasional del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile (in Spanish): 99–111. ISSN 0716-0224.
1 2 Frey, Eberhard; Mulder, Eric W. A.; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang; Salazar, Christian; Héctor Quinzio-Sinn, Luis Arturo (2016-06-01). "A mosasaur, cf. Plotosaurus, from the upper Maastrichtian Quiriquina Formation in Central Chile" . Cretaceous Research. 61: 17–25. Bibcode:2016CrRes..61...17F. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2015.12.006. ISSN 0195-6671.
1 2 Jiménez-Huidobro, Paulina; Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; Caldwell, Michael W. (2019-11-01). "Reassessment of cf. Plotosaurus from the upper Maastrichtian of Chile, with comments on the South American distribution of halisaurine mosasaurs" . Cretaceous Research. 103 104162. Bibcode:2019CrRes.10304162J. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2019.06.008. ISSN 0195-6671.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Otero, Rodrigo A.; Parham, James F.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; Jimenez-Huidobro, Paulina; Rubilar-Rogers, David (2012-06-01). "Marine reptiles from Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian) deposits in Algarrobo, central Chile" . Cretaceous Research. 35: 124–132. Bibcode:2012CrRes..35..124O. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2011.12.003. ISSN 0195-6671.
1 2 Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; Rubilar-Rogers, David (2012). "A postcranial skeleton of an elasmosaurid plesiosaur from the Maastrichtian of central Chile, with comments on the affinities of Late Cretaceous plesiosauroids from the Weddellian Biogeographic Province". Cretaceous Research. 37: 89–99. Bibcode:2012CrRes..37...89O. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2012.03.010.
1 2 Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; O'Keefe, Frank Robin; O’Gorman, José P.; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang; Suárez, Mario E.; Rubilar-Rogers, David; Salazar, Christian; Quinzio-Sinn, Luis Arturo (2014). "Aristonectes quiriquinensis, sp. nov., a new highly derived elasmosaurid from the upper Maastrichtian of central Chile". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 34 (1): 100–125. Bibcode:2014JVPal..34..100O. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.780953. hdl: 11336/79718 . ISSN 0272-4634.
↑ Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; O'keefe, Frank R. (2018). "Osteology of Aristonectes quiriquinensis (Elasmosauridae, Aristonectinae) from the upper Maastrichtian of central Chile". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 38 (1): e1408638. Bibcode:2018JVPal..38E8638O. doi:10.1080/02724634.2017.1408638.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: article number as page number (link)
1 2 Otero, Ra; O'Gorman, Jp; Hiller, N (2015-07-03). "Reassessment of the upper Maastrichtian material from Chile referred to Mauisaurus Hector, 1874 (Plesiosauroidea: Elasmosauridae) and the taxonomical value of the hemispherical propodial head among austral elasmosaurids". New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 58 (3): 252–261. Bibcode:2015NZJGG..58..252O. doi:10.1080/00288306.2015.1037775. hdl: 11336/53493 . ISSN 0028-8306.
1 2 Steinmann, Gustav (1895). Das Alter und die Fauna der Quiriquina-Schichten in Chile (in German). E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagshandlung (E. Koch).
1 2 Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; Vargas, Alexander O.; Rubilar-Rogers, David (2014). "A new postcranial skeleton of an elasmosaurid plesiosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of central Chile and reassessment of Cimoliasaurus andium Deecke". Cretaceous Research. 50: 318–331. Bibcode:2014CrRes..50..318O. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.05.008.
↑ Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; Rubilar-Rogers, David (2010). "Presence of the elasmosaurid plesiosaur Mauisaurus in the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of central Chile". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 55 (2): 361–364.
↑ Otero, Rodrigo A.; Soto-Acuña, Sergio (2021-02-01). "Wunyelfia maulensis gen. et sp. nov., a new basal aristonectine (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of central Chile" . Cretaceous Research. 118 104651. Bibcode:2021CrRes.11804651O. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104651. ISSN 0195-6671.
↑ Karl, Hans-Volker; Tichy, Gottfried (2002). "Australobaena chilensis n. gen. n. sp., and the homology of secondary palatines in turtles (Anapsida: Testudines)". Stvdia Geologica Salamanticensia. 38: 11–19.
↑ Karl, Hans-Volker; Safi, Amtyaz; Tichy, Gottfried (2024-12-23). "Cranial anatomy and holotype reconstruction of the Late Cretaceous turtle, Australobaena chilensis from the Quiriquina Formation, Chile" . Mesozoic. 1 (4): 474–482. doi: 10.11646/mesozoic.1.4.5 . ISSN 3021-1867.
↑ Parham, James F.; Otero, Rodrigo A.; Suárez, Mario E. (2014-05-01). "A sea turtle skull from the Cretaceous of Chile with comments on the taxonomy and biogeography of Euclastes (formerly Osteopygis)" . Cretaceous Research. 49: 181–189. Bibcode:2014CrRes..49..181P. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.03.004. ISSN 0195-6671.
↑ Brito, Paulo M; Suárez, Mario E (2003). "Late Cretaceous Belonostomus (Pisces, Actinopterygii, Aspidorhynchidae) from Algarrobo, Chile, with comments on aspidorhynchid paleodistribution in South America". Revista geológica de Chile. 30 (1). doi: 10.4067/S0716-02082003000100008 . ISSN 0716-0208.
1 2 3 Otero, Rodrigo A.; Suárez, Mario E. (2022-02-01). "Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) from the lower Maastrichtian of Algarrobo, central Chile" . Cretaceous Research. 130 105027. Bibcode:2022CrRes.13005027O. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105027. ISSN 0195-6671.
1 2 Suárez, Mario E.; Cappetta, Henri (2004). "Sclerorhynchid teeth (Neoselachii, Sclerorhynchidae) from the Late Cretaceous of the Quiriquina Formation, central Chile". Revista geológica de Chile. 31 (1). doi: 10.4067/S0716-02082004000100005 . ISSN 0716-0208.
1 2 Encinas, A.; Suárez, M.; Schweitzer, C. E.; Feldmann, R. M. (2006-01-01). "New Cretaceous and Eocene Callianassoidea (Thalassinidea, Decapoda) from Algarrobo, Chile". Journal of Crustacean Biology. 26 (1): 73–81. Bibcode:2006JCBio..26...73E. doi:10.1651/C-2603.1. hdl: 10533/177295 . ISSN 0278-0372.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Castro, Nataly; Salazar, Christian; Otero, Rodrigo; Stinnesback, Wolfgang; Escare, Andrés. "An invertebrate assemblage from the Quiriquina Formation (Upper Cretaceous), in Loanco, central Chile". IV Simposio de Paleontología en Chile: 26–28.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Salazar, Christian; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang; Quinzio-Sinn, Luis Arturo (2010-08-01). "Ammonites from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) Quiriquina Formation in central Chile". Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 257 (2): 181–236. Bibcode:2010NJGPA.257..181S. doi:10.1127/0077-7749/2010/0072. ISSN 0077-7749.
↑ Salazar, Christian (2013). "The largest Menuites fresvillensis (Seunes, 1890) (Ammonoidea, Pachydiscidae) from the Maastrichtian Quiriquina Formation, Chile". Boletín del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile. 62 (3): 31–40.
↑ Bandel, Klaus; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang (2006). "Naefia Wetzel 1930 from the Quiriquina formation (Late Maastrichtian, Chile) : Relationship to modern Spirula and ancient coleoidea (Cephalopoda)". Acta Universitatis Carolinae - Geologica. 49 (1): 21–32.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Bandel, K.; Stinnesbeck, W. (2000). "Gastropods of the Quiriquina Formation (Maastrichtian) in Central Chile: Paleobiogeographic relationships and the description of a few new taxa". Zentralblatt für Geologie und Paläontologie, Teil I: 757–788. S2CID 91132446.