New palaeontological data from the organic-rich layers of the Bathonian of the Grands Causses (France)

The palaeontological content (charophytes and vertebrates) of organic-rich layers from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of the Grands Causses at Mostuéjouls (Aveyron, France) has been examined. It is rich in gyrogonites of Porochara douzensis. The vertebrates of the lower layer include a single hybodontiform tooth, “semionotiform” teeth and scales, and one pycnodontiform tooth whereas the upper layer has yielded one hybodontiform tooth, a variety of actinopterygian remains (mostly Caturus sp. and indeterminate pycnodontiforms) and a few possible reptile remains. The variation in fauna between the two layers is ascribed to a different degree of marine influence.     

智利北部—阿根廷西北部两类斑岩铜矿成矿方式

智利北部和阿根廷西北部的中新生代斑岩铜矿形成于古生代地体拼贴造山带背景。随着大西洋的张开,南美大陆向西漂移,中新生代期间,南美克拉通块体俯冲到古生代造山带之下形成加厚或双倍地壳。智利北部作为南美活动大陆边缘的组成部分,不断"吞食"向东俯冲的太平洋（纳斯卡）板块,斑岩铜矿成矿作用发生在俯冲板块断离后导致的大规模岩浆活动,并沿再活化岩石圈不连续（先存的古生代拼接带、区域断裂）反复就位,形成安第斯型斑岩铜矿。阿根廷西北部大规模铜（金、钼）成矿与加厚的造山带垮塌有关,大规模成矿受控于造山岩石圈去根、软流圈物质和热上涌引发的大规模岩浆活动。总体而言,智利北部、阿根廷西北部安第斯型和造山带垮塌型斑岩铜矿,乃至南美安第斯山铜（金）矿成矿带形成,与中新生代以来南美大陆向西漂移、大西洋张开事件关系密切。     

A new species of the genus Echinorhinus (Chondrichthyes,Echinorhiniformes) from the upper cretaceous of southern South America (Argentina-Chile)

We describe isolated shark teeth collected from levels of the Calafate Formation at the SE coast of the Argentino Lake, Calafate city, Santa Cruz province, Argentina (Atlantic Ocean), and from the Algarrobo coast at the Valparaíso Region in central Chile (Pacific Ocean). The teeth belong to a new species of the echinorhiniform genus Echinorhinus. Echinorhinus maremagnum n. sp. was a taxon distributed in both the southwestern Atlantic and the southeastern Pacific. This new taxon constitutes the oldest record of echinorhiniforms from South America and one of the few Mesozoic records at a worldwide scale.     

白垩纪四足动物足印的生物地层学、生物年代学与遗迹相

从全球范围来看,白垩纪四足动物的足印多数是非鸟恐龙与鸟类留下的痕迹;少量足印来自翼龙、鳄鱼、龟、哺乳动物和其他四足动物。白垩纪的足迹化石以东亚(尤其是中国和朝鲜)和北美西部的最为人所知。南美(主要是阿根廷和巴西)也有一定数量广泛分布的足迹化石,欧洲、非洲与澳大利亚的白垩纪足迹组合则鲜为人知。以白垩纪四足动物的足印记录为基础,我们对两个全球足印生物年代重新进行了检查。早白垩世生物年代以蜥脚类与鸟脚类的足迹为特征。晚白垩世生物年代中的蜥脚类足迹较少,但是鸭嘴龙、暴龙和角龙的足迹增多了。另外,白垩纪足印化石的记录中记载了许多重要的生物地层学信息,如北美白垩纪中期蜥脚类恐龙的消失,以及白垩纪末恐龙的绝灭。越来越多来自东亚的白垩纪足印记录使我们对更精细的地方性白垩纪足印生物年代学有了初步印象。因此,以地方性四足恐龙(包括鸟类)遗迹属的地层分布为基础,可以识别出三个或四个足印生物年代。种类丰富并具有地方性特色的东亚的白垩纪鸟类动物的遗迹群,可能指示白垩纪时东亚存在着一个独特而繁盛的鸟类动物群。以足印化石为基础的这一假说有待进一步的验证。     

Palynological biozones and radiometric data at the Carboniferous–Permian boundary in western Gondwana

Absolute radiometric data obtained recently in Upper Paleozoic basins of South America and Southern Africa are available to constrain the age of some palynological biozones defined in the Western Gondwana. Some dates obtained from Argentina coincide with southern Africa's and are useful to constrain the palynological associations. In this way, the Permian Argentinian Lueckisporites–Weylandites (LW) Biozone is compared with the Lueckisporites virkkiae Biozone of Brazil and Zone 3 of South Africa. On the other hand, the palynofloras from Dwyka (South Africa) are comparable with Argentinian and Brazilian associations recovered near the Carboniferous–Permian boundary. Tuffaceous intervals of the Dwyka Group in South Africa suggest the beginning of that sequence at 307 Ma reaching the 290 Ma at the top. The available palynological, paleoenvironmental and radiometric data from these three western Gondwanan areas are analyzed and compared.     

Zurupleuropholis gen. nov. (Teleostei,Albian, Argentina), first pleuropholids from the Cretaceous of South America

Although the Cretaceous is characterized by a rich fish diversity, Cretaceous continental fishes from Gondwana are poorly known and comparatively scarce. Among these fishes, the family Pleuropholidae is only known by a few species relatively poorly preserved, from the Middle Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous of Europe, Africa, North America, and South America. In this paper, two new species of the pleuropholid new genus Zurupleuropholis are described, Z. quijadensis gen. et sp. nov. and Z. decollavi gen. et sp. nov. The new fishes were recovered in the Lower Cretaceous lacustrine Lagarcito Formation of central-west Argentina. This taxon constitutes a relevant finding considering that the representation of the family Pleuropholidae is rare worldwide. Zurupleuropholis gen. nov. appears to be the youngest known member of Pleuropholidae, and it represents the second record of the family in South America and the first record in the Cretaceous of the continent.     

Devonian-Carboniferous unconformity in Argentina and its relation to the Eo-Hercynian orogeny in southern South America

The Devonian-Carboniferous contact in southern South America, characterized by a sharp unconformity, has been related to the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous Eo-Hercynian orogeny. The Calingasta-Uspallata basin of western Argentina and the Sauce-Grande basin (Ventana Foldbelt) of eastern Argentina have been selected to characterize this unconformity. The Eo-Hercynian movements were accompanied in western Argentina by igneous activity related to a Late Devonian—Early Carboniferous magmatic arc mainly exposed today along the Andean Cordillera. This magmatic activity is partly reflected also in eastern Argentina (Ventana Foldbelt), where isotopic dates suggest a thermal event also related to the intrusions present to the west in the North Patagonian Massif and Sierras Pampeanas. The scarcity of Lower Carboniferous deposits in the stratigraphic record of southern South America suggests that the Early Carboniferous was a time interval dominated by uplift and erosion followed by widespread subsidence during the Middle and Late Carboniferous. The origin of the Eo-Hercynian orogeny can be linked with the convergence between the Arequipa Massif, and its southern extension, and the South American continent. Its effects are best represented along the Palaeo-Pacific margin, although distant effects are discernible in the cratonic areas of eastern South America. Correspondence to: O. R. López-Gamundí     

Cretaceous sauropod diversity and taxonomic succession in South America

The South American sauropod dinosaurs fossil record is one of the world's most relevant for their abundance (51 taxa) and biogeographical implications. Their historical biogeography was influenced by the continental fragmentation of Gondwana. The scenery of biogeographic and stratigraphic distributions can provide new insight into the causes of the evolution of the sauropods in South America. One of the most important events of the sauropods evolution is the progressive replacement of Diplodocimorpha by the Titanosauriformes during the early Late Cretaceous. The fluctuation of the sea levels is frequently related to the diversity of sauropods, but it is necessary to take into account the geological context in each continent. During the Maastrichthian, a global sea level drop has been described; in contrast, in South America there was a significant rise in sea level (named ‘Atlantic transgression’) which is confirmed by sedimentary sequences and the fossil record of marine vertebrates. This process occurred during the Maastrichtian, when the hadrosaurs arrived from North America. The titanosaurs were amazingly diverse during the Late Cretaceous, both in size and morphology, but they declined prior to their final extinction in the Cretaceous/Paleocene boundary (65.5Yrs).     

中国晚泥盆世至早三叠世楔叶类植物多样性研究*

化石类群的分类单元多样性和形态多样性变化是生物宏演化的2个基本方面,而以往的研究对于后者的关注较少。晚古生代的楔叶类植物易于识别,化石记录丰富,但针对这一类群多样性演化的研究还较为缺乏。基于华北板块、华南板块晚泥盆世至早三叠世楔叶类植物属、种以及叶片形态编码数据库,对楔叶类植物宏演化历程进行详细研究。中国(华北板块和华南板块)楔叶类植物的属、种丰富度在晚古生代呈现出不稳定的持续增长,表现为晚泥盆世的初始兴盛、早石炭世杜内期至早二叠世萨克马尔期的缓慢上升、早二叠世萨克马尔期至晚二叠世吴家坪期的快速上升;晚二叠世长兴期,总体的属种多样性骤减;每百万年属种多样性在二叠纪—三叠纪之交亦有明显降低。华南板块楔叶类植物的属种多样性总体上小于华北板块,达到峰值的时间为卡匹敦期—吴家坪期,而华北楔叶类植物的属级多样性在空谷期—沃德期达到峰值。中国楔叶类植物叶片的形态多样性的剧烈变化与属种丰富度并不同步,表现为法门期至韦宪期较小,在宾夕法尼亚亚纪达到峰值,随后稍微下降并在二叠纪的大部分时段保持平稳。在晚古生代的叶片形态演化过程中,楔叶类植物的叶面积由小变大、叶片由深裂至不裂、叶尖形状由分裂变为圆形或钝圆、叶轮中的叶从大小相等到大小不等并出现叶镶嵌,这可能与当时植物群落中林下层光照强度的变化有关。     

First record of stereospondyls (Tetrapoda,Temnospondyli) in the Upper Triassic of Southern Brazil

Stereospondyls survived the Permo-Triassic extinctions in a refuge probably located in the landmass that nowadays comprises Australia. Subsequently, they radiated to other parts of Pangaea, reaching their highest distribution and diversification during the Early Triassic. An incomplete interclavicle from the Caturrita Formation represents their first record in the Upper Triassic of Brazil. Previously, Upper Triassic South American stereospondyls were restricted to Argentina. This new record reinforces a former hypothesis that suggests the presence of a more diverse stereospondyl fauna in South America during the Late Triassic than previously assumed. Additionally, the presence of a stereospondyl and a phytosaur in the Caturrita Formation reinforces the hypothesis of a change to more humid climatic conditions in the Paraná Basin during the Upper Triassic. The record of Early Triassic stereospondyls in South America suggests that they first colonized Brazil and/or Uruguay, spreading from South Africa during the Early Triassic, subsequently reaching Argentina. Up till now, there is no record of Middle Triassic stereospondyls in either Argentina and Brazil, probably due to either taphonomic bias or insufficient prospecting. Despite the lack of direct evidence, one should not dismiss an earlier stereospondyl colonization of Argentina still during the Early or Middle Triassic.     

Impact cratering: The South American record—Part 2

In the first part of this review of the impact record of South America, we have presented an up-to-date introduction to impact processes and to the criteria to identify/confirm an impact structure and related deposits, as well as a comprehensive examination of Brazilian impact structures. The current paper complements the previous one, by reviewing the impact record of other countries of South America and providing current information on a number of proposed impact structures. Here, we also review those structures that have already been discarded as not being formed by meteorite impact. In addition, current information on impact-related deposits is presented, focusing on impact glasses and tektites known from this continent, as well as on the rare K–Pg boundary occurrences revealed to date and on reports of possible large airbursts. We expect that this article will not only provide systematic and up-to-date information on the subject, but also encourage members of the South American geoscientific community to be aware of the importance of impact cratering and make use of the criteria and tools to identify impact structures and impact deposits, thus potentially contributing to expansion and improvement of the South American impact record.     

Discs and discord: The paleontological record of Ediacaran discoidal structures in the south American continent

Discoidal sedimentary structures are commonly described in Proterozoic strata, and even more common in Ediacaran to lower Cambrian sedimentary successions. Many abiotic processes are able to produce such circular or discoidal structures in bedding planes, however, their abundance in Ediacaran strata suggests a possible correlation with the evolution and preservation of epibenthic metazoans that emerged at the end of this period. In the South American paleontological record, studies regarding the Ediacaran soft-bodied organisms are meager and restricted to few reports in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. In many cases, such “fossils” were only tentatively characterized in terms of their general morphology and putative taxonomic affinity. Thus, considering the almost absence of work on these enigmatic structures in South America, this paper aims to make a critical analysis on the main occurrences of Ediacaran-Cambrian discoidal structures described in this continent. Based on a detailed review and unpublished data, it was possible to provide a general picture concerning the main paleoenvironmental and sedimentary significance of this structures, as well as on the most promising prospects in terms of the paleontological record of Ediacaran soft-bodied metazoans in South American. In this sense, it was settled that occurrences such as those in the Jaibaras and Itajaí basins should be reassessed in order to establish reliable criteria of biogenicity. In the case of the material from the Sete Lagoas and Tagatiya Guazu formations, it is considered more parsimonious to interpret the discoidal features as resulting from microbial processes. Similarly, the discoidal structures of the Cerro Negro Formation presents a series of internal laminations and textures that resembles those developed by processes of microbial grain binding and trapping suggesting that, at least part of this material, can be related to microbially induced sedimentary structures. Finally, for the ichnologically diversified Puncoviscana and Camaquã basins, two different scenarios were identified. The first presents an ichnological assemblage strongly indicative of lower Paleozoic, and possibly Cambrian affinity. Thus, the discs in association with these traces, should be viewed with caution and interpretations made in light of a Paleozoic context. The second possesses an ichnological association typical of that expected for the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition, and the diversity of discoidal forms can potentially represent imprints of macroorganisms on a microbially bounded substrate, thus deserving a more detailed approach.     

First Research on Marine and Nonmarine Sedimentary Sequences and Micropaleontologic Significance across Permian／Triassic Boundary in Iran （Isfahan and Abadeh）

Abundant ichthyoid remains, conodonts and holothurians sclerites were recovered near the Permian/Triassic boundary from a section south of Isfahan. Recovered ichthyoid remains include shark micro teeth and scales. The ichthyolith material is similar to a Fasanian ichthyolith from the Zakazane area in the Slovak karst of the Western Carpathians, which represents a subspecies of Acodina triassia. Conodont species are mostly neogondolellids. This fauna indicates that the sedimentary environment was marine, while to the north of localities near Isfahan and Zagross, terrestrial deposition was dominant at that time. Aluminasilicate and kaolin are present in a continental unit in Dopolan refractory main (Shahid Nilchian mine) and a section south of Chahriseh Village, north of Isfahan. Pisolitie, ironstone facies and bauxite clay are common near the Permian/Triassic boundary in the Chahriseh region.     

Impact cratering: The South American record – Part 1

The Earth’s impact record is known to be rather limited in both time and space. There are ca. 190 impact structures currently known on Earth, representing a minor fraction of all the impact events that contributed to the initial formation of our protoplanet, and then to formation and modification of the surface of the planet. Moreover, the distribution of impact structures on Earth is manifestly uneven. One continent that stands out for its relatively small number of confirmed impact structures and impact ejecta occurrences is South America. The limited impact record for this large continent makes a robust case that there is a significant potential for further discoveries. Significant information on the impact record of South America is dispersed in different types of publications (journal articles, books, conferences abstracts, etc.), and in several languages, making it difficult to access and disseminate it among the geoscientific community. We aim to present a summary of the current knowledge of the impact record of this continent, encompassing the existing literature on the subject. It is published in two parts, with the first one covering an up-to-date introduction to impact cratering processes and to the criteria to identify/confirm an impact structure and related deposits. This is followed by a comprehensive analysis of the Brazilian impact structures. The Brazilian impact record accounts for the totality of the large structures of this kind currently confirmed in South America. The second part will examine the impact record of other countries in South America, provide information about a number of proposed impact structures, and review those that already have been discarded as not being formed by impact.     

Non-classical types of loess

The purpose of this contribution is to describe the sequence of physical and chemical processes resulting in the sediment-type named loess, a fine-grained sediment deposit of universal occurrence. Owing to historical causes, loess has been (and still is) implicitly linked to glacial/periglacial environments among most naturalists. However it is known today that most eolian dust is deflated from tropical deserts. Hence, that sequence of processes is more comprehensive than the former narrow cold scenario. Six examples of different “non-classical” cases (from South America and Europe) that fit well to the loess definition are developed: 1) volcanic loess in Ecuador: pyroclastic eruptions/valley wind/mountain praire/silica structuring; 2) tropical loess in northeastern Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay: deflation of river and fan splays/savanna/iron sesquioxide structuring; 3) gypsum loess in northern Spain: destruction of anhydrite/gypsiferous layers in a dry climate/valley wind/Saharian shrub peridesert/gypsum structuring; 4) trade-wind deposits in Venezuela and Brazil: deflation in tidal flats/trade wind into the continent/savanna/iron hydroxide structuring; 5) anticyclonic gray loess in Argentina: continental anticyclone on plains/anti-clockwise winds and whirls/steppe/carbonate structuring. All these non-classical types conform to the accepted loess definitions and they also share the most important field characteristics of loess such as grain size, friability, vertical or sub-vertical slopes in outcrops, subfusion and others. Other cases can probably be recognized when systematically scrutinized.     

Permian plate margin volcanism and tuffs in adjacent basins of west Gondwana: Age constraints and common characteristics

Increasing evidence of Permian volcanic activity along the South American portion of the Gondwana proto-Pacific margin has directed attention to its potential presence in the stratigraphic record of adjacent basins. In recent years, tuffaceous horizons have been identified in late Early Permian–through Middle Permian (280–260 Ma) sections of the Paraná Basin (Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay). Farther south and closer to the magmatic tract developed along the continental margin, in the San Rafael and Sauce Grande basins of Argentina, tuffs are present in the Early to Middle Permian section. This tuff-rich interval can be correlated with the appearance of widespread tuffs in the Karoo Basin. Although magmatic activity along the proto-Pacific plate margin was continuous during the Late Paleozoic, Choiyoi silicic volcanism along the Andean Cordillera and its equivalent in Patagonia peaked between the late Early Permian and Middle Permian, when extensive rhyolitic ignimbrites and consanguineous airborne tuffaceous material erupted in the northern Patagonian region. The San Rafael orogenic phase (SROP) interrupted sedimentation along the southwestern segment of the Gondwana margin (i.e., Frontal Cordillera, San Rafael Basin), induced cratonward thrusting (i.e., Ventana and Cape foldbelts), and triggered accelerated subsidence in the adjacent basins (Sauce Grande and Karoo) located inboard of the deformation front. This accelerated subsidence favored the preservation of tuffaceous horizons in the syntectonic successions. The age constraints and similarities in composition between the volcanics along the continental margin and the tuffaceous horizons in the San Rafael, Sauce Grande, Paraná, and Karoo basins strongly suggest a genetic linkage between the two episodes. Radiometric ages from tuffs in the San Rafael, Paraná, and Karoo basins indicate an intensely tuffaceous interval between 280 and 260 Ma.     

An anilioid snake from the Upper Cretaceous of northern Patagonia

We report the first record of anilioids from southern South America, a region where they do not live today. The fossils come from the Allen Formation (Late Campanian–Early Maastrichtian) at Bajo Trapalcó and Bajo de Santa Rosa localities, Río Negro province, Argentina. The remains consist of several vertebrae, most of which belong to the mid–posterior precloacal region of the column. Comparisons to other extant and extinct anilioid taxa indicate that these remains represent a new taxon, Australophis anilioides gen. et sp. nov. Australophis is morphologically closer to Palaeocene Hoffstetterella from Brazil and extant South American Anilius than to any other snake. These taxa might be closely related, in which case they would represent a lineage distinct from that including Cylindrophis and uropeltids. The two lineages must have diverged by the Late Cretaceous.     

Permian plate margin volcanism and tuffs in adjacent basins of west Gondwana: Age constraints and common characteristics

Increasing evidence of Permian volcanic activity along the South American portion of the Gondwana proto-Pacific margin has directed attention to its potential presence in the stratigraphic record of adjacent basins. In recent years, tuffaceous horizons have been identified in late Early Permian–through Middle Permian (280–260 Ma) sections of the Paraná Basin (Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay). Farther south and closer to the magmatic tract developed along the continental margin, in the San Rafael and Sauce Grande basins of Argentina, tuffs are present in the Early to Middle Permian section. This tuff-rich interval can be correlated with the appearance of widespread tuffs in the Karoo Basin. Although magmatic activity along the proto-Pacific plate margin was continuous during the Late Paleozoic, Choiyoi silicic volcanism along the Andean Cordillera and its equivalent in Patagonia peaked between the late Early Permian and Middle Permian, when extensive rhyolitic ignimbrites and consanguineous airborne tuffaceous material erupted in the northern Patagonian region. The San Rafael orogenic phase (SROP) interrupted sedimentation along the southwestern segment of the Gondwana margin (i.e., Frontal Cordillera, San Rafael Basin), induced cratonward thrusting (i.e., Ventana and Cape foldbelts), and triggered accelerated subsidence in the adjacent basins (Sauce Grande and Karoo) located inboard of the deformation front. This accelerated subsidence favored the preservation of tuffaceous horizons in the syntectonic successions. The age constraints and similarities in composition between the volcanics along the continental margin and the tuffaceous horizons in the San Rafael, Sauce Grande, Paraná, and Karoo basins strongly suggest a genetic linkage between the two episodes. Radiometric ages from tuffs in the San Rafael, Paraná, and Karoo basins indicate an intensely tuffaceous interval between 280 and 260 Ma.     

Age, distribution, tectonics, and eustatic controls of the Paranense and Caribbean marine transgressions in southern Bolivia and Argentina

Marine transgression onto the South American continent took place at least twice in the Miocene along distinct paleogeographic corridors. The first event occurred between 15 and 13 Ma and the second between 10 and 5? Ma. Each event has particular dominant variables (tectonism, eustacy, sediment accumulation rate) that permitted the preservation of the record and development of the sea on the continent. The 15–13 Ma transgression was tectonically and eustatically controlled, flooding older sedimentary accommodation zones on the South American plate during a global high sea level, whereas the 105? Ma event was predominantly tectonically controlled, generated by tectonic loading created in the Cordillera Oriental fold-and-thrust belt. A new 7.72±0.31 Ma ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar date from the Río Parapetí in Bolivia suggests that the 15–13 Ma transgression registered in Argentina produced no continental connection to the Caribbean transgression, registered in Bolivia, because of temporal constraints.