Coquimbo Formation

Coquimbo Formation (Spanish: Formación Coquimbo) is a Miocene to Middle Pleistocene sedimentary formation located in Coquimbo Region in Norte Chico, Chile. The lowermost unit belongs to the lower Miocene, with the third-deepest unit dated at 11.9 ± 1.0 Ma. The uppermost unit of the formation is estimated at 1.2 Ma. In the area of Tongoy, the Coquimbo Formation was deposited in an ancient bay that was formed in a graben or half-graben, with a normal fault dipping east. Sea level changes during the Holocene have caused erosion to cut several marine terraces into the formation.[1]

Coquimbo Formation
Stratigraphic range: MioceneMid Pleistocene
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Marine terrace exposing strata of the Coquimbo Formation, at Caleta Hornos
TypeGeological formation
UnderliesAlluvium
OverliesLiman Formation
Thickness63 m (207 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryConglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, shale and coquina
OtherClay lenses, terra rossa
Location
Coordinates30°20′21″S 71°32′03″W
Approximate paleocoordinates30.1°S 70.3°W / -30.1; -70.3
RegionCoquimbo Region
Country Chile
ExtentTongoy Bay
Type section
Named forCoquimbo
Coquimbo Formation is located in Chile
Coquimbo Formation
Coquimbo Formation (Chile)

Fossil content

The following fossils have been found in the formation:

SALMA Group Fossils Notes
MontehermosanMammalsDelphinus domeykoi, Megaptera hubachi, Pliopontos sp., ?Squalodon sp., Balaenidae indet.
Birdscf. Palaeospheniscus sp., Spheniscus sp., Diomedeidae indet., Spheniscidae indet.
FishCarcharodon carcharias
MayoanCosmopolitodus hastalis

See also

References

Further reading

  • C. Acosta Hospitaleche, J. Canto, and C. P. Tambussi. 2006. Pingüinos (Aves, Spheniscidae) en Coquimbo (Mioceno Medio-Plioceno Tardio), Chile y su vinculación con las corrientes oceánicas. Revista Española de Paleontología 21(1):115-122
  • Staig, Felipe; Sebastián Hernández; Patricio López; Jaime A. Villafaña; Cristian Varas; Luis Patricio Soto, and Jorge D. Carrillo Briceño. 2015. Late Neogene Elasmobranch fauna from the Coquimbo Formation, Chile. Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia 18. 261–272. Accessed 2017-08-15.
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