Primeros registros paleontológicos de la localidad de Cerro Pampa (Formación Chiquimil, Mioceno Tardío), Provincia de Catamarca, Argentina

Abstract

The taphoflora and the mollusk content identifi ed in a lacustrine interval from the El Áspero Member, Chiquimil Formation, at Cerro Pampa (Department of Belén, province of Catamarca, Argentina) is presented herein. In the fl oral assemblage the Fabaceae is the dominant component, represented by the subfamilies Caesalpinoideae (Chamaecrista fl exuosa (L.) Greene, Sena obtusifolia (L.) Irwin y Barneby y Sena bicapsularis (L.) Rouxbourgh), Papilionoideae (Desmodium cf. D. adscendens (Swart) De Candolle y Tipuana tipu (Benth.) Kuntze and Mimosoideae (Mimosa cf. M. fl agellaris Bentham y Prosopis sp.). They are accompanied by leaf remains related to Malvaceae (Malvaciphyllum quenquiadensis Anzótegui y Cristalli), Anacardiaceae (Schinopsis lorentzii (Griseb.) Engler, and Cyperaceae (Scirpites sp.1 and others Incertae sedis). The paleofauna is represented by bivalves (Neocorbicula anzoteguiae Morton, Neocorbicula herbsti Morton and Neocorbicula stelzneri (P) Morton) and gastropods (Chilina totoralensis Morton and Biomphalaria sp.). Some paleoenvironmental considerations inferred from the biota of this Mio-Pliocene unit are made. The fl oristic and faunal fossil assemblage indicates a close relationship between the Chiquimil Formation and the Playa del Zorro Aloformation, exposed at Valle del Cajón, both units being part of the deposits of the Santa María-Hualfín Basin. © 2012.