BIOTIC ASSEMBLAGES FROM LOWER CRETACEOUS LACUSTRINE SYSTEMS, SAN LUIS BASIN, CENTRAL-WESTERN ARGENTINA

ANDREA BEATRIZ ARCUCCI; MERCEDES B. PRÁMPARO; LAURA CODORNIU; GUILLERMINA GUIORDANO; GABRIELA CASTILLO ELÍAS; G. G. PUEBLA; N. MEGO; M. GOMEZ; EVELYN BUSTOS ESCALONA

BOLETIN GEOLOGICO Y MINERO

Boletín Geológico y Minero de España, Publicación Especial

Año: 2015

0366-0176

Significant  paleobiological  data  came  out  from  the  San  Luis  Basin  (Early  Cretaceous, AptianAlbian  from  Central  Argentina)  during  the  last  decades.  Two  units  in  this  basin  include  lake paleoenvironments  and  important fossil content in an  excellent  mode of preservation that could be considered as  Konservat Lagerstatten  deposits.  The association of fossil leaves and pollen grains from  La  Cantera Formation  is  one of the most ancient and complete record of  basal  angiosperms in South America. The bryophyte association of  the same unit  constitutes one the most complete record of its type  in Argentina.  Insects from five different orders were identified in this association, and  three  endemic  species  of  aquatic  insects  were  described  from  La  Cantera  Formation elonging  to  the  Families  Notonectidae  and  Corixidae,  including  the  oldest  member  of  the Anisopinae subfamily.  The Pterodaustro guinazui association from Lagarcito Formation is one of the  scarce  fossil associations recorded worldwide  from  which  it  is possible to make studies  on the life  history  parameters  of  pterosaurs  like  growth  patterns  and  ontogeny.  The  Pleuropholid  fishes from Lagarcito Formation, are the only record of this rare group in Argentina and the second from South America. Several new species of Ostracods and Conchostracea are also recorded in this same levels.  Despite the amount of paleontological information now available from this area,  much work remains to be done on  these  fossil  associations,  the correlation between  them and the interpretation of its depositional environments.