The palynology of the Cañadon Asfalto Formation (Jurassic), Cerro Condor depocentre, Ca~nadon Asfalto Basin, Patagonia, Argentina: palaeoecology and palaeoclimate based on ecogroup analysis

OLIVERA, DANIELA E.; ZAVATTIERI, ANA; QUATTROCCHIO MIRTA ELENA

PALYNOLOGY

AMER ASSOC STRATIGRAPHIC PALYNOLOGISTS FOUNDATION

Lugar: London; Año: 2015 vol. 39 p. 362 - 386

0191-6122

The Ca~nadon Asfalto Formation, Cañadon Asfalto Basin, Patagonia, Argentina, is interpreted as fluvial-lacustrine deposits. A palynological study of the lower and middle parts of the unit, at the Ca~nadon Lahuinco and Cañadon Caracoles sections, Cerro Condor Depocentre Chubut province, northwestern Patagonia, Argentina is presented.The quantitative composition of the palynofloras is characterised by the dominance of pollen produced by the conifer families Cheirolepidiaceae (Classopollis) and Araucariaceae (mainly Araucariacites and Callialasporites), suggesting that warm-temperate and relatively humid conditions under highly seasonal climate prevailed during the depositional times of the unit. The abundance of Botryococcus supports the presence of a shallow lake with probably saline conditions. Five palynomorph ecogroups (PEGs) were recognised: upland, lowland, riverside, coastal lake and aquatic. The ecological requirements of the different plant families forming the PEGs enable the inference of a sub-tropical palaeoclimate for the Cañadon Asfalto region during late Early Jurassic to mid Middle Jurassic, which is consistent with the seasonally dry (winterwet)? biome.