Cerro Barcino Formation

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Cerro Barcino Formation
Stratigraphic range: Aptian-Cenomanian
~118–98  Ma
Type Geological formation
Unit of Chubut Group
Sub-unitsLas Plumas
Cerro Castaño
Puesto La Paloma
Bayo Overo
UnderliesPuesto Manuel Arce Formation
Overlies Los Adobes Formation
Lithology
Primary Mudstone, sandstone
Other Conglomerate, tuff
Location
Coordinates 43°48′S68°36′W / 43.8°S 68.6°W / -43.8; -68.6
Approximate paleocoordinates 44°42′S35°06′W / 44.7°S 35.1°W / -44.7; -35.1
Region Chubut Province
CountryArgentina
Extent Cañadón Asfalto Basin
Type section
Named forCerro Barcino
Relief Map of Argentina.jpg
Green pog.svg
Cerro Barcino Formation (Argentina)

The Cerro Barcino Formation (also known as the Gorro Frigio Formation) is a geological formation in South America whose strata span the Early Cretaceous to the earliest Late Cretaceous. The top age for the formation has been estimated to be Cenomanian. Earlier estimates placed the formation until the Campanian. [1]

Contents

The formation was deposited in the Cañadón Asfalto Basin, a rift basin that started forming in the earliest Jurassic. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

The Cerro Barcino Formation is the second-youngest unit of the Chubut Group, which also includes the older Los Adobes Formation. Both formations cover a vast area in Chubut Province, Argentina. The two formations are distinguished by geological features suggesting a distinct change in climate, from a wetter, flood plain environment in the Los Adobes to a much more arid, desert-like environment in the Cerro Barcino. [1]

The Cerro Barcino Formation is subdivided into several subunits (members). [1] From oldest to youngest:

The Puesto La Paloma Member dates from ~118-113 Ma, the Cerro Castaño Member dates from ~113-100.5 Ma, correlating with the Albian, and the Las Plumas Member dates from ~100.5-98 Ma. [2]

Fossil content

Indeterminate abelisaurid remains from the Puesto La Paloma Member. [1] Possible rebbachisaurid remains are known from the La Paloma Member. [1] [2]

Lepidosaurs ( Kaikaifilusaurus minimus ) and Testudinata ( Chubutemys copelloi and Prochelidella cerrobarcinae ) are also discovered from this formation. [2]

Crurotarsans

Crocodylomorphs
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Barcinosuchus [3] B. gradilisNear El Escorial village, Chubut Province Cerro Castaño Member"Skull, mandible, and postcranial remains."A peirosaurid. The first crocodyliform from the Chubut Group

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs
GenusSpeciesMemberMaterialNotesImages
Chubutisaurus [4] C. insignisBayo Overotwo partial skeletonsA basal somphospondylan
Chubutisaurus.jpg
Genyodectes [5] G. serusCerro Castañopartial snoutA possible ceratosaurid.
Genyodectes restoration.png
Patagotitan [6] P. mayorumCerro Castañopartial skeleton and other elementsA huge lognkosaur.
Patagotitan.png
Tyrannotitan [7] T. chubutensisCerro Castañotwo partial skeletons and teethA giant giganotosaurin carcharodontosaurid.
Tyrannotitan.jpg
"Megalosaurus""M." inexpectatusBayo OveroteethIndeterminate abelisaurid originally described as a species of Megalosaurus [8] [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Rauhut et al., 2003
  2. 1 2 3 Krause, J. Marcelo; Ramezani, Jahandar; Umazano, Aldo M.; Pol, Diego; Carballido, José L.; Sterli, Juliana; Puerta, Pablo; Cúneo, N. Rubén; Bellosi, Eduardo S. (2020-04-01). "High-resolution chronostratigraphy of the Cerro Barcino Formation (Patagonia): Paleobiologic implications for the mid-cretaceous dinosaur-rich fauna of South America" (PDF). Gondwana Research. 80: 33–49. Bibcode:2020GondR..80...33K. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2019.10.005. ISSN   1342-937X. S2CID   210265289.
  3. Leardi, Juan Martín; Pol, Diego (2009-12-01). "The first crocodyliform from the Chubut Group (Chubut Province, Argentina) and its phylogenetic position within basal Mesoeucrocodylia" (PDF). Cretaceous Research. 30 (6): 1376–1386. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2009.08.002. ISSN   0195-6671.
  4. Carballido, José L.; Pol, Diego; Cerda, Ignacio; Salgado, Leonardo (2011-02-10). "The osteology of Chubutisaurus insignis del Corro, 1975 (Dinosauria: Neosauropoda) from the 'middle' Cretaceous of central Patagonia, Argentina". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 31 (1): 93–110. doi:10.1080/02724634.2011.539651. hdl: 11336/94194 . ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   86055386.
  5. Rauhut, Oliver W. M. (2004-12-10). "Provenance and anatomy of Genyodectes serus, a large-toothed ceratosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from Patagonia". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 24 (4): 894–902. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2004)024[0894:PAAOGS]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   131178611.
  6. Carballido, José L.; Pol, Diego; Otero, Alejandro; Cerda, Ignacio A.; Salgado, Leonardo; Garrido, Alberto C.; Ramezani, Jahandar; Cúneo, Néstor R.; Krause, Javier M. (2017-08-16). "A new giant titanosaur sheds light on body mass evolution among sauropod dinosaurs". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 284 (1860). doi:10.1098/rspb.2017.1219. ISSN   0962-8452. PMC   5563814 . PMID   28794222.
  7. Canale, Juan Ignacio; Novas, Fernando Emilio; Pol, Diego (2015-01-02). "Osteology and phylogenetic relationships of Tyrannotitan chubutensis Novas, de Valais, Vickers-Rich and Rich, 2005 (Theropoda: Carcharodontosauridae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina" (PDF). Historical Biology. 27 (1): 1–32. doi:10.1080/08912963.2013.861830. ISSN   0891-2963. S2CID   84583928.
  8. Weishampel et al., 2004, pp.563-570
  9. Ezcurra, Martin Daniel; Novas, Fernando Emilio (2016). "Theropod dinosaurs from Argentina" (PDF). Contribuciones del MACN. ISSN   1666-5503.

Bibliography