Coordinates: 37°24′S 69°06′W / 37.4°S 69.1°W / -37.4; -69.1

Plottier Formation

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Plottier Formation
Stratigraphic range: late Coniacian-early Santonian
~86–85 Ma
↓
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofNeuquén Group
 Río Neuquén Subgroup
UnderliesRío Colorado Subgroup
 Bajo de la Carpa Formation
OverliesSierra Barrosa Formation
ThicknessUp to 25 m (82 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryClaystone
OtherSandstone
Location
CoordinatesLua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Approximate paleocoordinatesLua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.
RegionMendoza, Neuquén & Río Negro Provinces
CountryArgentina
ExtentNeuquén Basin
Type section
Named forPlottier
Named byFossa Mancini et al.
Year defined1938

The Plottier Formation is a geologic formation that outcrops in the Argentine Patagonian provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén. It is the younger of two formations belonging to the Río Neuquén Subgroup within the Neuquén Group of the Neuquén Basin, with the oldest rocks dating from the late Coniacian and its youngest maybe from the very start of the Santonian. Formerly, that subgroup was treated as a formation, and the Plottier Formation was known as the Plottier Member.[1]

Description

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A section near the Neuquén City airport, north of the town of Plottier, is the type locality of the Plottier Formation.[2] At its base, this formation grades into the Portezuelo Formation, and it is in turn overlain conformably by the Bajo de la Carpa Formation, a unit of the Río Colorado Subgroup.

The Plottier Formation is the thinnest formation within the Neuquén Group, with a maximum thickness of only 25 metres (82 ft). It is differentiated from the underlying Portezuelo Formation primarily by its higher content of argillites (mud deposits) and was deposited under fluvial conditions. In 2006, a detailed lithostratigraphic and paleoecological study of a section of the Plottier Formation was published. This section contained alluvial deposits laid down by what was essentially a low-gradient wandering river throughout the millions of years, but often was of a single-channel type with little meandering.[3][1]

Fossil content

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Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Few animal fossils are known from this formation, including:[4]

Crocodyliformes

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Crocodyliformes reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Crocodyliformes indet.[5] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro
  • Seven osteoderms (MPCA-AT 251–257)
  • Right dentary fragment (MPCA-AT 75)
 Resembles peirosaurids such as Peirosaurus and Uberabasuchus
Lomasuchus[6][7] L. palpebrosus Embalse Cerros Colorados Skull and partial mandibular ramus A peirosaurid, specimen originally claimed to originate from the Rio Colorado formation.
Mesoeucrocodylia indet.[8] Indeterminate Yacimiento Narambuena Partial skeleton (MAU-PV-N-280) Subadult specimen showing both derived and primitive traits
Peirosauridae indet.[9] Indeterminate Puesto Hernández Partial skeleton (MAU-Pv-PH-437) A peirosaurid

Dinosaurs

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Ornithischians

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A footprint track of an ornithopod is known from the Middle Loma de la Lata site.[10]

Ornithischians reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Ornithopoda indet.[5][11] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro A pedal ungual phalanx (MPCA-AT 261) An ornithopod roughly the size of Notohypsilophodon
Indeterminate Puesto Hernández quarry Partial dorsal neural arch (MAU-Pv-PH-458) An ornithopod similar to Macrogryphosaurus, estimated to be 6 meters long
File:Macrogryphosaurus life reconstruction.png

Sauropods

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12 footprint tracks of a sauropod are known from the site of Proyecto Dino.[10]

Sauropods reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Aeolosaurini indet.[12] Indeterminate Yacimiento Narambuena Four articulated caudal vertebrae (MAU-Pv-N-414) A titanosaur
Antarctosaurus[13] A. giganteus Aguada del Caño Partial skeleton (MLP 26-316) A titanosaur
Muyelensaurus[14][15] M. pecheni Loma del Lindero Partial skeleton & additional vertebrae A titanosaur, specimens originally thought to be from the Portezuelo Formation
Notocolossus[16][17] N. gonzalezparejasi Cerro Guillermo Two partial skeletons (UNCUYO-LD 301 & UNCUYO-LD 302) A titanosaur
File:Notocolossus NT small.jpg
Petrobrasaurus[18] P. puestohernandezi Rincón de los Sauces Partial skeleton A titanosaur
File:Petrobrasaurus puestohernandezi.jpg
Sauropoda indet.[15][17] Indeterminate 5 kilometers north of Plottier Partial right tibia (MCF-PVPH-899) A sauropod
Indeterminate Cerro Guillermo Incomplete skeleton (IANIGLA-PV.113) A sauropod
Titanosauria indet.[5][15] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro Incomplete dorsal vertebra (MPCA-AT 024) A large titanosaur
Indeterminate 5 kilometers north of Plottier
  • Left femur and partial ribs (MCF-PVPH-889)
  • Right fibula (MCF-PVPH-900)
 Remains of titanosaurs

Theropods

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Theropods reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Abelisauridae indet.[5][19][20] Indeterminate Cañadon Amarillo Tooth An abelisaur tooth formerly thought to be part of the holotype specimen of Aerosteon
Indeterminate El Anfiteatro Tooth (Endemas-PV 16) An abelisaur, tooth originally reported as that of a carcharodontosaurid in 2009 but reclassified in 2021
Alvarezsauria indet.[21] Indeterminate Rincón de los Sauces Right femur (MAU-Pv-PH-453) An alvarezsaur
Brachyrostra indet.[22] Indeterminate Loma del Lindero Vertebrae, teeth and possible sacrum (MAU-Pv-LL-75) An abelisaur
cf. Carcharodontosauridae[5] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro Tooth (Endemas-PV 16) Reclassified as an abelisaur tooth in 2021[20]
Coelurosauria indet.[5] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro Two teeth (MPCA-AT 263 & 269) A coelurosaur
Maniraptoriformes indet. cf. Unenlagiinae[5] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro Tooth (Endemas-PV 15) Possible unenlagiine tooth, though more material is needed to confirm this
Theropoda indet.[5] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro Incomplete caudal vertebra (MPCA-AT 082) A "moderately sized" theropod

Pterosaurs

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Pterosaurs reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Thanatosdrakon[23] T. amaru Agua del Padrillo
  • Partial skeleton (UNCUYO-LD 307)
  • Left humerus (UNCUYO-LD 350)
 An azhdarchid
File:Thanatosdrakon.png

Turtles

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Turtles reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Chelidae? indet.[5] Indeterminate El Anfiteatro Plastron plate (MPCA-AT 089) A chelid
Linderochelys[24] L. rinconensis Loma de Lindero Partial skeleton (MAU-PV-LL-69) A chelid, locality originally assigned to the Rio Neuquén Subgroup with no specific formation.
Rionegrochelys[5][25] R. caldieroi El Anfiteatro Shell elements A chelid, type specimen first reported as an indeterminate chelid in 2009
File:Rionegrochelys caldieroi.jpg

Ichnofossils

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There are also ichnofossils left on the river's mudflats, as well as fossil freshwater bivalves.[1]

Ostracods

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Ostracods reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Cypridoidea indet.[26] Indeterminate Zampal A few specimens A cypridoid
Ilyocypris[26] I. aff. bauruensis Zampal A few molts An ilyocypridid
I. cf. riograndensis Zampal An ilyocypridid
I. wichmanni Zampal An ilyocypridid
Neocyprideis[26][27] N.? sp. Zampal An ilyocypridid
N. zampalensis Babilonia 4 valves An ilyocypridid
Neuquenocypris[26][27] N. calfucurensis Babilonia 3 valve fragments An ilyocypridid
N. cf. minor Zampal An ilyocypridid
N. nahuelniyuensis Babilonia 6 valves An ilyocypridid
N. tenuipunctata Babilonia 5 adult and 3 juvenile valves An ilyocypridid
Paralimnocythere[26] P.? sp. Zampal Several carapaces and valves A limnocytherid
Talicyprideinae sp.[26] Indeterminate Zampal Very scarce number of carapaces An ilyocypridid
Vecticypris[27] V. sp. Babilonia 2 valves A limnocytherid
Wolburgiopsis[26] W. cf. neocretacea Zampal A limnocytherid

Plants

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Plants reported from the Plottier Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Angiospermae? indet.[26] Indeterminate Zampal A few seeds A possible angiosperm
Henrisporites[26] H. sp. Zampal Abundant megaspores A lycopod
Lychnothamnus[26] L. barbosai Zampal Over 400 microfossils A stonewort
Nitella[26] N. sp. Zampal 21 microfossils A stonewort
Spermatites[26] S. sp. 1 Zampal Seeds An angiosperm
S. sp. 2 Zampal Seeds An angiosperm


See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Sánchez et al., 2006
  2. ^ Fossa Mancini et al., 1938
  3. ^ Leanza et al., 2004
  4. ^ Plottier Formation at Fossilworks.org
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Bibliography

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  • Chiappe, Luis M. (1993): Enantiornithine (Aves) Tarsometatarsi from the Cretaceous Lecho Formation of Northwestern Argentina. American Museum Novitates 3083: 1-27. [English with Spanish abstract] PDF fulltext
  • Coria, Rodolfo A.; Currie, Philip J.; Eberth, David & Garrido, Alberto (2002): Bird footprints from the Anacleto Formation (Late Cretaceous), Neuquén, Argentina. Ameghiniana 39(4): 453-463. [English with Spanish abstract] PDF fulltext
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  • Lockley, Martin; Matsukawa, Masaki; Ohira, Hiroto; Li, Jianjun; Wright, Joanna; White, Diane & Chen, Peiji (2006): Bird tracks from Liaoning Province, China: New insights into avian evolution during the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition. Cretaceous Research 27(1): 33-43. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (HTML abstract). Erratum: Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Salgado, L.; Coria, R.A. & Chiappe, Luis M. (2005): Osteology of the sauropod embryos from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 50(1): 79–92. PDF fulltext
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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