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Reu. Mus. Argentino C~enc.Nat., n.s. 6(2): 257-305,2004 Buenos A~rca,ISSN 1514-5158 Late Cretaceous vertebrates from Bajo de Santa Rosa (Alien Formation), Rio Negro province, Argentina, with the description of a new sauropod dinosaur ('ll'itanosauridae) Agustin G. MARTINELLI' & Analfa M. FORASIEPI' " 'Museu Argentino de Ciencias Naturales -Bernirrdino Rivadavia., Av A. Gallardo 470, C1405D.m Bilenos Aires, Argentina. [email protected]. zl)epartment of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobioloa, University of Louisville. I,ouisvillo, Kentucky (40292), IJSA, [email protected] ,4bstraet: A large and diverse collection of vertebrate remains from the Campanian-Maastrichtian Allen For- mation (Malargiie Group) at the Bajo de Santa Rosa locality (Rio Negro Province, Argentina) is described hore. The vertebrates arc represented hv: chondrichthvans: di~iomvstidsiluriform. le~isosteid,cf oercichthvid and titanosaurid dinosaurs. A now small salt,asaurinetit&saurid, I3onatitan reigigen. el sp. no"., is described. It is diagnosed by the following association of characters: 1) longitudinal groovo located an the suture between pari- otals that continues posteriorly over the supraoccipital to the foramen magnum; 2) basisphcnoid tubera long and narrow; 3) dorsalto middle caudal vertebrae with deep oval to circular pits present on both sides of the prespinal lamina; 4) anterior caudal vertebra with spino-postzygapophysiat and spino-prezygapophysiai lami- nae; 5) neural arch of anterior caudals with deep interzygapophysial fossae with numerous pits; 6) anterior caudal vertebra with an accessom sub-horizontal lamina extendine" from the antero-ventral oortion of the postzygapophysis to the mid-portion of tho spino-prezygapophysial lamina; and finally, 7) anterior caudal verto- bra with a prominent axial crest on the ventral surftaee of tho cerntrum. The first rocord of sphenodonts and cf carcharodontosaurid theropods is recognized for the upper Late Cretaceous ofpatagonia, as well as the earliest record of perichthylds (Pereiformes). The vertebrate record is mainly composed of terrestrial and freshwater tawa, but a few marine elements are found (olasmosaurids) indicating a marine influence during the deposition of the Allen hrmation in the arca of Baio de Santa Rosa. The vertebrate remains su~~orta Cam~anian- and extra Patagonlan South Amencan records Key words: Late Cretdecous, osteichthyans, chondnchtllyans, anurans, turtles, sphenodonts, plesiosaur^, oph~d- ians, dmosaurs, Patagonla ., " particular those of Argentina, is opening new ince, Argentina; e.g., Bonaparte et a;., 1984; windows, not only for the infornlation based on Bonaparte, 1986a,1987, 1990, 1992, 1994,2002; new taxa, but also for the evolutionary, paleobio- Baez, 1987; Broin, 1987; Albino, 1986, 1994; geographic, biochronoiogical, and compositional Cione, 1987; Salgado et al., 1997b), Loncoche aspects of the Late Cretaceous continental as- (Mendoza Province, Argentina; e.g., Wichmann, semblages which populated this continent. The 1927; Gonaaez Riga, 1999),Allen (Rio Negro and fossil remains recovered fkom the Campanian- La Pampa, Provinces, Argentina; e.g., Powell, Maastrichtian South American formations such 1987b, Gasparini & Salgado, 2000; Salgado & as Los Blanquitos iSalta Province, Argentina; Aspilicueta, 2000; Coria, 2001.), La Colonia e.g., Powell, 1979,20031, Lecho (Salta Province, (Chubut Province, Argentina; e.g., Ardolino & Argentina; e.g., Bonaparte & Powell, 1980; Franchi, 1996; Albino, 2000; Gasparini & de la Chiappe, 19931, Yacoraite (Salta Province, Argen- Fuente, 2000; Pascual el al., 20001, El Molino tina; e.g., Powell, 1979; Cione et al., 1984; Cionc (Central and South Bolivia; e.g., Gayet et al., & Pereira, 1985; Benedetto & Sbnchez, 1971; 1991,2001,2003; Gayot, 1991; Schultae, 1991a & 258 Revista del Museo Argentina de Ciencias Notu~.ales,n. s. 6 12i, 2004 h; Gayet & Meunier, 1998):AdamantinaandNdriiia age is presumed to be Coniacian-Santoniari (Mints Gerais and Sio Paulo States, Brazil; e.g., (Legarreta & Gulisai~o,1989; Bonaparte, 1991). Gayet & Brito, 1989; Bertini el al., 19931, aild fi- The Allen and Jagiiel Sormations that correspond nally Asencio and Mercedes (Paysandi~,Rio Negro, to the Malarae Group overlie discordantly the Durazno and Soriano localities, Uruguay; e.g., Bajo de la Carpa Forrnation. According to recent Mones, 1997) show a great taxonomic diversity of studies (Hugo & Leanza, 2001) both the Bajo de vcrtehrates in Gondwana. Pa Carpa and Jaguel formations are poorly rep- In addition, Campanian-Masstrichtian noii- resented at the Uajo de Santa Rosa locality; con- South American Goridwanan vertebrates have trary, the Allen Formation shows widely exposed been found in India (e.g., Lydckker, 1877, 1879, outcrops (Fig. IB). 1887; Huene & Matley, 1933; Berrnan & Jain, The formations that comprise the Malargue 1982; Jain & Bandyopadhyay, 1997). Madagas- Group (late Camparlian-Early Paleocene sensu car (e.g.,DepC.ret, 1896; Krauseetal., 1997,1999; Legarreta & Gulisano, 1989) vary according to Curry Rogers & Forstel; 2001; Gottfried and their position in the Neuquen basin. In the south- Krause, 1998; Sampson et al., 19981, and, though east of the hasin the sedimentary sequence com- lcss abundant, in Australia (e.g.,Rich et ul.,2002), prises (from Llie base to the top respectively) tile New Zeland (e.g., Moliliir, 1989), and Antarctica Allen, Jagiiel, Roca, and El Carrizo formations. (Gasparini & Goiii, 1985; Olivero et al., 1991; In the northwest of the basin the Malargze Group Novas el al., 2003ai which also contribute to the is formed by the following units: I,oncoche, knowledge of the diversity of Gondwansn biota. Jagiiel, Roca, and Pircaia Sormations (c.g., Bar- During ttie summer of 1990, 1.991, and 1994 rio, 1990). fieldworks direct.cd by Dr. Jos6 I? Bonaparlo arid The Jagiiel Formation overlies the Allcri For- carried out by staff from the Museo Argentino mation in t,he area oS Bajo de Santa Rosa. The de Ciencias Naturales *Bernardino Rivadaviam age inferred for the Jaguel Formation is Late were conducted at the Bajo de Santa Rosa local- Maastriclitian-Early Danian (e.g., Casadio, 1994); ity. Rio NegroProvince, Argentina (Fig. 1).Arich the Crctaceous-Pilleocene transition (I<-Ti was and diverse collection of vertebrate remains was recognized in the upper part of the sequence recovered from outcrops of the Allen Formation (Coiichcyro et al., 2002). (Table 1). These fossil reinairis identified are: The Allen Formation is the first iitostra- chondrichthyans; diploinystid siluriforrns, tigraphic unit of the Malargiie Group, Malal- Iepisosteid, proi~abiypercichthyid, and dipnoid hueyano cycie (Riogridico supercycle) corre- osteichthyans; pipid and leptodactylid anurans; sponding to the first Atlantic transgression (.Mar chelid turtles; sphenodonts; elasmosaurid plesio- dc KBwasn; Casarniquela, 1978) into the Neuqu6n saurs; madtsoiid snakes; and hadrosaurid, Basin (c.g.,Wichmann, 1927; Casamiquela, 1978; titanosaurid, and probably carcharodontosaurid Bertels, 1979; Uliana & Dellape, 1981). The At- dinosaurs (Table 2). lantic ingression extended over northern Ttie aim of'this contribution is to describe the Patagonia (roughly correspondiiig to the limits vertebrate fossils collected from the Allen For- of the IZio Negro and Neuqu6n Provinces) reach- mation at the Bajo de Santa Rosa locality (Fig. ing the south of Mendoza and La Pampa Prov- I), and to report a new saltasaurine dinosaur, inces (e.g., Casamiquela, 1978; LTliana & Dellape, Honatitan wig2 gen, et sp. no". Comments and 1.981; GonzBlez Riga, 1999; GonaAlez Riga & I I.,... :I. ,. ' Ii- \,.:ill ti:< l i..I. I..I I- Casadio, 2000). !,1.29i. t.. ! ( .:,<I .!I ll-ll.. ,>[!I 11: .I1 ...:.- I! !,. The The Allen Formation named initially Soutll Americii are discussed <<FaciesLacustre Senonianas, by Wichmann (1927), forms part of an extensive sedimentary LOCATION AND GEOLOGICAL SETTING event influenced by the sea, in a regirrien ofshal- low water and probably of restricted water cir- The Bajo de Santa Rosa locality is 1ocal.ed culation, hearing freshwater and brackish fauna approximately 150 km south west from ttie city (e.g., Casadio, 1994). Tlie inferred age for the of lamarque, approximately in the so~itherncen- Allen Formation is disputed and has been con- ter of the Rio Negro Province (Fig, 1). In this sidered Early hlaastrichtian (Bertels, 1964, 1969; area, the exposed Mesozoic sedimentary rocks Legarreta & Gulisano, 1989; Ballent, 1.980), correspond to three Late Cretaceous formations: Campanian-Maastrichtian (Uiiana & IIrliap6, Bajo de la Carpa, Allen, and Jagiiel (Hugo & 13811, Middle Campanian (Eleredia & Salgado, Lcanza, 2001).The Bajo de la Carpa Forrnation 1999), arid Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian belongs to the Rio Colorado Subgroup from the (Barrio; 1990; Hugo & Leaiiza, ZOO:), aiiiongotll- Neuqu4n Group (Hugo & Leanza, 2001) and its ers. Mdrtinelli & Forasiepi: Late Cretaceous vertebrates from Rio Negro, Argentina 259 ~ahie1. List of tho specimens studied. An asterisk (9indicates holotypo sprcinien. SPECIMEN 1I)ENTIFICATION MATERIALS - MACN-PV KN 107'2 Diploniystidae indet. 4 incomplete pectoral spines MACN-PV RN 1.074. Siluriforiiies indet. 4 incomplete pectoral spines MACN-PV RN 1084 Siluriformes indet. iircomplete pectoral spine MACN-PV RN 1071 Lepisosteidae indet. 6 vertehral cenrra NIACN-PV RN 1077 Teleostoi irrdet. 10isolated teeth MACN-PV IZN 1081 e/ Perciehthyidae indet. 19 fragmentary vertebrae h4ACN-PV RN 1079 Ceratodontiformes indet. tooth plate