[dinosaur] Fossil vertebrates from Cretaceous Chubut Group in Argentina

Ben Creisler
[email protected]


A new paper:


Lucio M. Ibiricu, Gabriel A. Casal, Rubén D. Martínez, Bruno N. Alvarez &
Stephen F. Poropat (2019)
New materials and an overview of Cretaceous vertebrates from the Chubut
Group of the Golfo San Jorge Basin, central Patagonia, Argentina.
Journal of South American Earth Sciences, Article 102460 (advance online
publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1016_j.jsames.2019.102460&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=kAawjcA1x1Ez5jSj1HfRsZeJNJfPY90vfmhXoBn67qc&s=mrrhSgMloU8oqrsAeSifIaheqqWGqVbuq_KrZ1kevyg&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.sciencedirect.com_science_article_abs_pii_S0895981119303840&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=kAawjcA1x1Ez5jSj1HfRsZeJNJfPY90vfmhXoBn67qc&s=VmijYWhqQwRxiKwGp-5WBEVKssj2Nj732g1aIxKmBFM&e= 


Highlights

South-central Patagonia preserves a rich and important vertebrate fossil
record.
New materials described augment our understanding of Cretaceous vertebrates.
The information mentioned constitutes an important source for future
comparisons.

Abstract

In this paper, we present an updated revision of fossil vertebrates from
the Chubut Group, Golfo San Jorge Basin, while also describing some new
remains. Extensive exposures of both Lower and Upper Cretaceous sedimentary
sequences are present in central Patagonia. These outcrops have, over the
past several decades, yielded a varied vertebrate fauna, including fishes,
turtles, crocodyliforms, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs, currently herein
characterized and described. Although vertebrate diversity in the Chubut
Group in central Patagonia is remarkable, the most abundant vertebrates
recovered are dinosaurs. The Matasiete Formation (Hauterivian?-Albian) is
markedly less prolific in terms of fossils discoveries than either the Bajo
Barreal Formation (Cenomanian-early Turonian) or the recently recognized
Lago Colhué Huapi Formation (Coniacian-Maastrichtian). The Bajo Barreal
fauna is, at a high level, typical of coeval Gondwanan faunas. However,
interestingly, several taxa occupy a basal position within their respective
groups. The Lago Colhué Huapi Formation has produced a more derived
vertebrate fauna, again similar to those from other Gondwanan regions.
Finally, in a broad context, the new materials described augment our
understanding of Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrate assemblage of central
Patagonia and add to the generally meager record of vertebrate in the
Cretaceous of the Southern Hemisphere.