Cerro Fortaleza Formation
The Cerro Fortaleza Formation, in older literature described as Pari Aike Formation, is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation of Campanian to Maastrichtian age[1][2] (although it has formerly been reported to be Cenomanian to Santonian)[3] of the Austral Basin in southern Patagonia, Argentina.
| Cerro Fortaleza Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Campanian to Maastrichtian ~ | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Underlies | La Irene Formation |
| Overlies | Anita Formation |
| Thickness | 460 m (1,510 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 49.9°S 72.1°W |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 51.9°S 61.8°W |
| Region | Santa Cruz Province, southern Patagonia |
| Country | Argentina |
| Extent | Austral Basin |
  Cerro Fortaleza Formation (Argentina) | |
Description
The sandstones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial environment. The formation has an estimated thickness of 460 metres (1,510 ft) and overlies the Anita Formation, while it is overlain by the La Irene Formation.[4] These formations are considered Campanian & Maastrichtian in age, respectively,[4][5] making the Cerro Fortaleza Formation aged between them.
The giant titanosaurs Puertasaurus and Dreadnoughtus, the megaraptoran Orkoraptor, Austrocheirus isasii, and the ornithopod Talenkauen have been recovered from the formation alongside turtles and crocodiles.[6]
References
- Sickmann, Zachary T.; Schwartz, Theresa M.; Graham, Stephan A. (2018). "Refining stratigraphy and tectonic history using detrital zircon maximum depositional age: An example from the Cerro Fortaleza Formation, Austral Basin, southern Patagonia". Basin Research. 30 (4): 708–729. Bibcode:2018BasR...30..708S. doi:10.1111/bre.12272.
- Lacovara, Kenneth J.; Ibiricu, L.M.; Lamanna, M.C.; Poole, J.C.; Schroeter, E.R.; Ullmann, P.V.; Voegele, K.K.; Boles, Z.M.; Egerton, V.M.; Harris, J.D.; Martínez, R.D.; Novas, F.E. (September 4, 2014). "A gigantic, exceptionally complete titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from Southern Patagonia, Argentina". Scientific Reports. 4: 6196. Bibcode:2014NatSR...4E6196L. doi:10.1038/srep06196. PMC 5385829. PMID 25186586.
- Varela et al., 2012
- Marenssi et al., 2003, p.406
- Varela et al., 2012
- Novas et al., 2008
Bibliography
- Marenssi, Sergio A.; Silvio Casadío, and Sergio N. Santillana. 2003. Estratigrafía y sedimentología de las unidades del Cretácico superior-Paleógeno aflorantes en la margen sureste del lago Viedma, provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina 58. 403–416. Accessed 2018-09-07.
- Novas, F.E.; M.D. Ezcurra, and A. Lecuona. 2008. Orkoraptor burkei nov. gen. et sp., a large theropod from the Maastrichtian Pari Aike Formation, Southern Patagonia, Argentina. Cretaceous Research 29. 468–480. Accessed 2018-09-07.
- Varela, A.N.; D.G. Poiré; T. Martin; A. Gerdes; F.J. Goin; J.N. Gelfo, and S. Hoffmann. 2012. U-Pb zircon constraints on the age of the Cretaceous Mata Amarilla Formation, Southern Patagonia, Argentina: Its relationship with the evolution of the Austral Basin. Andean Geology 39. 359–379. Accessed 2018-09-07.