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Ituzaingó Formation

The Ituzaingó Formation (Spanish: Formación Ituzaingó), in older literature also described as Entre Ríos or Entrerriana Formation, is an extensive geological formation of Late Miocene (Tortonian, or Huayquerian in the SALMA classification) age in the Paraná Basin of the Corrientes, Santa Fe and Entre Ríos Provinces in Mesopotamia, northeastern Argentina.[1] The formation comprises mudstones, cross-bedded sandstones and conglomerates deposited in a fluvio-deltaic environment and is renowned for the preservation of a rich fossil assemblage, including many mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, bivalves, foraminifera, ichnofossils and flora.

Ituzaingó Formation
Stratigraphic range: Tortonian (Huayquerian)
~9.0–7.3 Ma
↓
TypeGeological formation
Sub-unitsConglomerado Osifero Member
UnderliesPuerto Alvear, Hernandarías, Timbúes & Yupoí Formations
OverliesParaná & Rosario Formations
Area120,000 km2 (46,000 sq mi)
ThicknessUp to 150 m (490 ft)
Typically 10–20 m (33–66 ft)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone, mudstone
OtherConglomerate
Location
LocationMesopotamia
Coordinates31°42′S 60°24′W / 31.7°S 60.4°W / -31.7; -60.4
Approximate paleocoordinates31°48′S 58°18′W / 31.8°S 58.3°W / -31.8; -58.3
RegionCorrientes, Santa Fe & Entre Ríos Provinces
CountryArgentina
ExtentParaná Basin
Type section
Named forItuzaingó
Named byDe Alba
Year defined1953

Description

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Map of the Paraná River drainage basin with the river indicated. Most outcrops of the Ituzaingó Formation flank the middle course of the Paraná River.

The Ituzaingó Formation was first described by De Alba in 1953 and later by Herbst in 1971.[2] The up to 150 metres (490 ft), but in most areas between 10 and 20 metres (33 and 66 ft) thick formation is found in an area of 120,000 square kilometres (46,000 sq mi),[3] stretching from the Paraná River to 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Tostado.[4] The Ituzaingó Formation crops out in the northeasternmost part of Argentina (Mesopotamia), in the provinces of Corrientes, Santa Fe and Entre Ríos, among other locations along the banks of the Paraná River.[5]

Stratigraphy

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The formation overlies the marine Paraná Formation and is unconformably overlain by the Puerto Alvear,[6] Hernandarías and Yupoí Formations of Early Pleistocene (Uquian and Ensenadan respectively) age.[5][7][8] At the shores of the Paraná River, the formation underlies the Timbúes Formation.[9] In certain places along the same river, the formation cuts into the underlying Rosario Formation.[10]

The formation contains a basal conglomeratic member "Conglomerado osífero" (bony conglomerate) with abundant vertebrate remains.[11] This conglomerate is overlain by almost unfossiliferous whitish to yellow brown sandstones and green mudstones. The Ituzaingó Formation (as Entre Ríos Formation) was correlated with the Puelches Formation of the subsurface of Buenos Aires Province. According to the mammals occurring in the conglomerate and the stratigraphic relationships, the age of the base of Ituzaingo Formation is almost exclusively Tortonian (Late Miocene) or Huayquerian in the SALMA classification.[12]

Depositional environment

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The formation, as the Paraná and Puelches Formations, has been deposited in a vast Miocene tidal flat environment.[13] Both the terrestrial and freshwater fauna of the Ituzaingó Formation indicates a climate warmer than present. The freshwater vertebrate record suggests important basin connections with Amazonian basins.[11]

Alternatively, the Conglomerado Osífero Member has been interpreted as tide-dominated fluvial channels, pertaining to the marine Paraná Formation.[14]

Fossil content

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The Ituzaingó Formation has provided a large variety of fossils, of various groups, from mammals to birds and reptiles to fish and flora. The terrestrial fauna is predominant while a few marine genera are also present.[15] The presence of typical Amazonian freshwater fish and absence of austral fauna in both the underlying Paraná and the Ituzaingó Formation suggests a connection with northern areas of South America. The faunas has been correlated to the older Miocene faunas of the Honda Group at La Venta in Colombia, the Urumaco Formation at Urumaco in Venezuela and the Pebas Formation of the Amazon region of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.[16] Several ground sloth genera present in the Ituzaingó Formation are endemic from this unit, whereas other are also present in the Arroyo Chasicó Formation of Buenos Aires Province, the Andalhuala and Corral Quemado Formations of Catamarca Province, and the Toro Negro Formation of La Rioja Province.[17]

Birds

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Andalgalornis A. steulleti
 
[18][19]
[20]
Devincenzia D. pozzi
Macranhinga M. paranensis
M. ranzii
Palaelodus P. cf. ambiguus
Rhea R. (Pterocnemia) mesopotamica
Megapaloelodus M. sp.
Phoenicopteridae Indeterminate.
Phorusrhacidae Indetermidate.
Rallidae Indeterminate.
Rheidae Indeterminate.

Mammals

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Chiroptera

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Eumysops E. parodii
[12][18]
[21]
Notictis N. ortizi

Cetaceans

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Saurocetes S. gigas
[22]
Iniidae indet.

Litopterns

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Brachytherium B. cuspidatum
[12][18]
[21]
Cullinia C. sp.
Diadiaphorus D. paranensis
 
Neobrachytherium N. ameghinoi
Oxyodontherium O. piramydatus
O. zeballosi
Paranauchenia P. denticulata
Promacrauchenia P. antiqua
Proterotherium P. cervioides
Scalabrinitherium S. bravardi
S. rothii

Marsupials

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Philander P. entrerianus
Chironectes C. sp.
Zygolestes Z. paranensis

Sparassodonts

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Thylacosmilus T. atrox
 
[23][24]
Stylocynus S. paranensis

Rodents

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Briaromys B. trouessartianus
[22]
Cardiatherium C. paranense
Carlesia C. pendolai
Diaphoromys D. compressidens
D. gamayensis
D. mesopotamicus
Doellomys D. parcus
Eumegamys E. contortus
E. dubius
E. scalabrinianus
E. paranensis
Eumegamysops E. praependens
Gyriabrus G. glutinatus
G. holmbergi
G. indivisus
G. rebagliattii
Haplostropha H. sacabriniana
Isostylomys I. ameghinoi
I. laurillardi
Lagostomopsis L. antiquus
L. pallidens
Myocastor M. obesus
M. paranensis
M. sinuata
Neoepiblema N. ambrosettianus
N. horridula
Olenopsis O. typicus
Paradoxomys P. cancrivorus
Pentastylodon P. racedi
Pentastylomys P. seriei
Perimys P. scalabrinianus
Phoberomys P. burmeisteri
P. insolita
P. lozanoi
P. minima
P. praecursor
Phugatherium P. cataclisticum
Potamarchus P. murinus
P. sigmodon
Protabrocoma P. paranensis
Protomegamys P. coligatus
Pseudosigmomys P. paranensis
Rusconia R. crassidens
Strophostephanos S. jheringi
Telodontomys T. compressidens
Tetrastylomys T. castellanosi
Tetrastylus T. aguilari
T. diffusus
T. laevigatus
T. robustus
T. (Protelicomys) atavus
Anatochoerus
Anchimysops A. sp.
Cardiatherium
Cardiomys
Caviodon
Colpostemma sp.
Contracavia
Kiyutherium
Paleocavia
Parodimys
Plexochoerus
Pliodolichotis
Procardiatherium
Prodolichotis
Protohydrochoerus

Toxodonts

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Adinotherium ?A. paranense
 
[12][18]
[21]
?Berroia ?B. sp.
Dilobodon D. lutarius
Dinotoxodon D. paranensis
Eutomodus E. elautus
Haplodontherium H. limun
Palaeotoxodon P. paranensis
?P. protoburmeisteri
?P. virgatus
Stenotephanos S. plicidens
Toxodontherium T.compressum
T. reverendum
Xotodon X. doellojuradi
 
X. foricurvatus

Typotheres

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Munyizia M. paranensis
[12][18]
[21]
Protypotherium P. antiquum
Trachytypotherium T. sp.

Xenarthrans

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Cingulates
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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Berthawyleria B. sp.
[23][24]
Chasicotatus C. spinozai
Chlamyphractus C. pressulus
Comaphorus C. concisus A dubious glyptodont.
Dasypus D. neogarus Relatives of nine-banded armadillos.
Eleutherocercus E. paranensis A glyptodont.
 
Kraglievichia K. paranense
 
Macroeuphractus M. retusus
Palaehoplophorus P. antiquus
Paraglyptodon P. paranensis
Parahoplophorus P. paranensis
Plohophorus P. paranensis
Proeuphractus P. limpidus
Protoglyptodon P. primiformis
Pseudoeuryurus P. lelongianus
Scirrotherium S. carinatum
Trachycalyptus ?T. cingulatus
Urotherium U. interundatum
Zaedyus ?Z. sp.
Ground sloths
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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Amphiocnus A. paranense
[18][12]
[21]
[25][26]
[27][28]
[29][30]
Eomegatherium E. nanum
Megabradys M. darwini
Megalonychops M. primigenius
Mesopotamocnus M. brevirostrum
Neohapalops N. rothi
Octomylodon O. aversus
Ortotherium O. laticurvatum
O. robustum
O. schlosseri
O. scrofum
O. seneum
Paranabradys P. vucetichae
Pliomegatherium P. lelongi
Pliomorphus P. ameghinoi
P. gracilis
P. mutilatus
P. robustus
Prolestodon P. antiquus
P. paranensis
Promegatherium P. parvulum
P. smaltatum
Promylodon P. paranensis
Pronothrotherium P. mirabilis
 
Protomegalonyx P. doellojuradoi
P. praecursor
Pyramiodontherium P. sp.
Ranculcus R. scalabrinianus
Scelidotheriidae Indeterminate.
Sphenotherus S. paranensis
Strabosodon S. acuticavus
S. obtusicavus
Torcellia T. paranense

Other Mammals

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Cyonasua C. Argentina

Reptiles

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Caiman C. australis Relative of Caiman
 
Yacare Caiman
[12][18]
[31]
C. cf. yacare
C. latriostris
C. yacare
Gryposuchus G. neogaeus A giant extinct gavialid crocodilian.
Mourasuchus M. arendsi
Paranacaiman[32] P. bravardi
Paranasuchus[32] P. gasparinae
Tupinambis T. cf. merianae
 
Parahydraspis P. paranaensis
Phrynops P. cf. geoffroanus
Testudo T. paranensis

Fish

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Colossoma C. macropomum
 
[12][18]
[33][34]
Megapiranha M. paranensis
Potamotrygon P. motoro
 
[35]
Squatina S. dumeril
 
[35]
Phractocephalus P. ivy
[36]
[12][18]
Cynodontidae Indetermidate.

Invertebrates

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Protelphidium P. tuberculatum
[37]
Ostrea O. sp.

Microflora

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Anadenantheroxylon A. villaurquicense
[38][39]
[40][41]
[42][43]
Astroniumxylon A. bonplandianum
A. parabalansae
Curtiembreoxylon C. poledrii
Gleditsioxylon G. paramorphoides
Guadua G. morronei
G. zuloagae
Laurinoxylon L. artabeae
Mangroveoxylon M.areniensis
Menendoxylon M. vasallensis
Microlobiusxylon M. paranaensis
Maytenoxylon M. sp.
Mimosoxylon M. sp.
Palmoxylon P. yuqueriense
Prosopisinoxylon P. americanum
Prumnopityoxylon P. gnaedingerae
Ruprechtioxylon R. breae
Scalarixylon S. sp.
Schinopsixylon S. heckii
Soroceaxylon S. entrerriensis
Syagrus S. sp.
Uruguaianoxylon U. striata

Icnofossils

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Taxa Species Presence Abundance Description Images Notes
Arenicolites
[37]

Huayquerian correlations

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Huayquerian correlations in South America
Formation Cerro Azul Ituzaingó Paraná Camacho Raigón Andalhuala Chiquimil Las Flores Maimará Palo Pebas Muyu Rosa Saldungaray Salicas Urumaco Map
Basin Colorado Paraná Hualfín Tontal Andes Salta Amazon Huasi Altiplano BA Velasco Falcón
Ituzaingó Formation (South America)
Country   Argentina   Uruguay   Argentina   Brazil
  Peru		   Bolivia   Argentina   Venezuela
Cardiatherium        
Lagostomus            
Macroeuphractus      
Proeuphractus        
Pronothrotherium    
Pseudotypotherium      
Thylacosmilus      
Xotodon        
Macraucheniidae            
Primates  
Rodents                      
Reptiles            
Birds        
Terror birds      
Flora    
Environments Aeolian-fluvial Fluvio-deltaic Fluvial Fluvio-lacustrine Fluvial Fluvio-lacustrine Fluvio-deltaic
  Huayquerian volcanoclastics

  Huayquerian fauna

  Huayquerian flora
Volcanic Yes

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ituzaingó Formation at Fossilworks.org
  2. ^ Vezzosi, 2015, p.27
  3. ^ Vezzosi, 2015, p.28
  4. ^ Vezzosi, 2015, p.29
  5. ^ a b Franco, 2014, p.16
  6. ^ Brunetto, 2013, p.22
  7. ^ Cione et al., 2000, p.195
  8. ^ Cione et al., 2009, p.3
  9. ^ Vezzosi, 2015, p.41
  10. ^ Vezzosi, 2015, p.75
  11. ^ a b Cione et al., 2005, p.49
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i Colonia La Celina at Fossilworks.org
  13. ^ Torra, 2005, p.46
  14. ^ Martín Pérez, 2013, p.291
  15. ^ Martín Pérez, 2013, p.27
  16. ^ Cione et al., 2005, p.58
  17. ^ Brandoni, 2013, p.135
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i Paraná, Pueblo Brugo to Diamante, Ituzaingó Fm. Archived 2022-11-10 at the Wayback Machine at Fossilworks.org
  19. ^ Noriega & Agnolin, 2008, pp.272-285
  20. ^ Agnolin & Noriega, 2012
  21. ^ a b c d e Ciudad de Paraná at Fossilworks.org
  22. ^ a b Candela, 2005, pp.43–46
  23. ^ a b Scillato et al., 2013, pp.119–120
  24. ^ a b Góis et al., 2013, p.177
  25. ^ Brandoni & Scillato, 2007, p.430
  26. ^ Brandoni & Scillato, 2007, p.431
  27. ^ Brandoni, 2008, p.14
  28. ^ Brandoni, 2008, p.16
  29. ^ Brandoni, 2011, p.36
  30. ^ Brandoni, 2014, p.34
  31. ^ Scheyer & Delfino, 2016, p.56
  32. ^ a b Bona, P.; Barrios, F.; Ezcurra, M.D.; Victoria, M.; Blanco, F.; Cidade, G.M. (2024). "New taxa of giant caimans from the southernmost hyperdiverse wetlands of the South American late Miocene". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 22 (1). doi:10.1080/14772019.2024.2375027.
  33. ^ Cione et al., 2009, p.4
  34. ^ Cione et al., 2013, p.70
  35. ^ a b Cione et al., 2005, p.52
  36. ^ Azpelicueta & Cione, 2016, p.221
  37. ^ a b Torra, 2005, p.45
  38. ^ Franco, 2018, p.646
  39. ^ Franco, 2014, p.25
  40. ^ Brea et al., 2013a, pp.45-47
  41. ^ Brea et al., 2013b, p.4
  42. ^ Franco & Brea, 2015, p.3
  43. ^ Moya & Brea, 2020

Bibliography

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Further reading

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