Book contents
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Frontispiece
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Background for a paleoecological study of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) on the Atlantic Coast of Patagonia
- 2 Tephrochronology of the Miocene Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations, Argentina
- 3 Absolute and relative ages of fossil localities in the Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations
- 4 Sedimentology and paleoenvironment of the Santa Cruz Formation
- 5 Oysters from the base of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) of Patagonia
- 6 Ichnology of distal overbank deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene): paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic significance
- 7 Fossil plant studies from late Early Miocene of the Santa Cruz Formation: paleoecology and paleoclimatology at the passive margin of Patagonia, Argentina
- 8 Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene), Santa Cruz Province, Argentina: paleoenvironmental and paleobiological considerations
- 9 Diversity and paleobiology of the Santacrucian birds
- 10 Paleoecology of the Paucituberculata and Microbiotheria (Mammalia, Marsupialia) from the late Early Miocene of Patagonia
- 11 Paleoecology of the mammalian carnivores (Metatheria, Sparassodonta) of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene)
- 12 Paleobiology of Santacrucian glyptodonts and armadillos (Xenarthra, Cingulata)
- 13 Paleobiology of the Santacrucian sloths and anteaters (Xenarthra, Pilosa)
- 14 Paleobiology of Santacrucian native ungulates (Meridiungulata: Astrapotheria, Litopterna and Notoungulata)
- 15 Paleobiology of Santacrucian caviomorph rodents: a morphofunctional approach
- 16 Paleobiology of Santacrucian primates
- 17 A review of the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of the Miocene Santa Cruz Formation
- Index
6 - Ichnology of distal overbank deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene): paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic significance
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2013
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Frontispiece
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Background for a paleoecological study of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) on the Atlantic Coast of Patagonia
- 2 Tephrochronology of the Miocene Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations, Argentina
- 3 Absolute and relative ages of fossil localities in the Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations
- 4 Sedimentology and paleoenvironment of the Santa Cruz Formation
- 5 Oysters from the base of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) of Patagonia
- 6 Ichnology of distal overbank deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene): paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic significance
- 7 Fossil plant studies from late Early Miocene of the Santa Cruz Formation: paleoecology and paleoclimatology at the passive margin of Patagonia, Argentina
- 8 Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene), Santa Cruz Province, Argentina: paleoenvironmental and paleobiological considerations
- 9 Diversity and paleobiology of the Santacrucian birds
- 10 Paleoecology of the Paucituberculata and Microbiotheria (Mammalia, Marsupialia) from the late Early Miocene of Patagonia
- 11 Paleoecology of the mammalian carnivores (Metatheria, Sparassodonta) of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene)
- 12 Paleobiology of Santacrucian glyptodonts and armadillos (Xenarthra, Cingulata)
- 13 Paleobiology of the Santacrucian sloths and anteaters (Xenarthra, Pilosa)
- 14 Paleobiology of Santacrucian native ungulates (Meridiungulata: Astrapotheria, Litopterna and Notoungulata)
- 15 Paleobiology of Santacrucian caviomorph rodents: a morphofunctional approach
- 16 Paleobiology of Santacrucian primates
- 17 A review of the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of the Miocene Santa Cruz Formation
- Index
Summary
This chapter deals with the trace fossils, also called ichnofossils, preserved in the lower Estancia La Costa Member of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) along the Atlantic coast, between the Río Gallegos and Río Coyle, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. The succession is mostly composed of fluvial deposits. Extensive overbank areas record trace fossils in a variety of deposits such as floodplain water bodies and paleosols that developed under variable climatic conditions. From bottom to top, it records a general trend of paleosol development from humid to drier climatic conditions, with waterlogged areas developed in the middle portion of the succession. Floodplain water bodies record Taenidium barretti and Palaeophycus tubularis which correspond to a “pre-desiccation suite” of the Scoyenia ichnofacies that developed in soft substrates. Also, root traces are preserved when the time between depositional events is long enough to allow colonization by plants but not so much as to obliterate animal traces. Integrated ichnology and sedimentology suggests that paleosols that record abundant cf. Capayanichnus vinchinensis, fine and haloed root traces, and the less common occurrence of Taenidium barretti and Planolites beverleyensis were episodically waterlogged and are considered moderately drained. Other paleosols that record abundant ferric root traces suggest that they were moderately well-drained and developed under more humid climatic conditions. Similar moderately well-drained paleosols record abundant calcareous rhizoconcretions and a dwelling burrow attributed to a mammal. A third type of paleosol contains cells of solitary digging bees (Celliforma isp.) and ferric root traces, and is interpreted as being moderately well-drained and developed under drier climatic conditions.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Early Miocene Paleobiology in PatagoniaHigh-Latitude Paleocommunities of the Santa Cruz Formation, pp. 91 - 103Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2012
- 7
- Cited by