Primer registro de Pterosauria en la Fm. Bajo Barreal, Patagonia central, Argentina
Publicado por Leonardo Filippi en 8:25
The fossil record of
pterosaurs is relatively abundant in South America. Remains of this group have
been primarily found in Early Cretaceous rocks exposed in two different areas, i.e.,
in Northeastern Brazil (Kellner and Tomida, 2000) and in San Luis Province,
Central Argentina (Bonaparte, 1970). Excepting the records in Neuquén Province,
the fossil record of pterosaurs in Patagonia (i.e., Golfo San Jorge and Austral
basins) is poor and incomplete (Codorniú and Gasparini, 2007). Continental
deposits of the Bajo Barreal Formation (Cenomanian–Turonian) exposed in Central
Patagonia, Argentina (Golfo San Jorge Basin), preserve an important record of
South American Late Cretaceous vertebrates, particularly dinosaurs (Martínez
et al., 2004; Martínez and Novas, 2006; Casal et al., 2007; Ibiricu et al.,
2010). This record has been significantly increased over the past decade. The
best known assemblages from Bajo Barreal come from the localities known as
Estancia Ocho Hermanos and Estancia Laguna Palacios. Herein we report recently
identified pterosaur material from rocks of the Bajo Barreal Formation exposed
at Estancia Ocho Hermanos and discuss the implications of this material for the
Patagonian fossil record of Pterosauria. The fossil is significant because it
adds to the generally sparse global record of Cretaceous (especially Late
Cretaceous) pterosaurs and constitutes the second most southern occurrence of Pterosauria
worldwide. This material confirms the presence of pterosaurs in the Bajo
Barreal Formation, increasing the number of taxa in the known fossil fauna from
this unit and thus our knowledge of the early Late Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages
of Central Patagonia.
Ibicuru,L. M., Martínez, R. D. y Casal, G. A. 2012. The first record of
Pterosauria in the Bajo Barreal Formation (Upper Cretaceous), central
Patagonia, Argentina. Ameghiniana 49(4): 657-661
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