Paleontology and stratigraphy of the Aisol Formation (Neogene), San Rafael, Mendoza

FORASIEPI, A.M., MARTINELLI, A.G., DE LA FUENTE,M.S, DIEGUEZ, S., AND M. BOND

Cenozoic Geology of the Central Andes of Argentina

SCS Publisher

Lugar: Salta; Año: 2011; p. 135 - 154

ABSTRACTA preliminary analysis of the geology and paleontology of the Aisol Formation is presented upon new fieldwork that startedin 2007. Three different sections are recognized within the Aisol Formation, with fossil vertebrates in the lower (LS) and middle(MS) sections. The faunal association of the LS includes: Anura indet., two indeterminate species of Chelonoidis (Testudininae),Phorusrhacidae indet., Mylodontidae indet., Planopinae indet., Glyptodontidae indet., Propalaeohoplophorinae indet.,Nesodontinae indet., Palyeidodon cf. P. obtusum (Haplodontheriinae), Hegetotherium sp. (Hegetotheriidae), Protypotherium sp.(Interatheriidae), cf. Theosodon (Macraucheniidae), and Prolagostomus or Pliolagostomus (Chinchillidae), suggesting a middleMiocene age (probably Friasian s.s. or Colloncuran SALMAs (South American Land Mammal Age) following the scheme fromPatagonia). The vertebrate association of the MS includes: Hesperocynus dolgopolae (Sparassocynidae), Tremacyllus sp., Dolichotinaeindet., Abrocomidae indet., and Ctenomyidae indet., suggesting at least a late Miocene age (Huayquerian SALMA). The newdiscoveries increase considerably the vertebrate fossil record of the Aisol Formation and argue in favour of at least two differentlevels of dissimilar age; this view is also supported by geological data.