Abstract
The presence of stromatolites from Cretaceous outcrops at the headwaters of the río Chico locality in the Golfo San Jorge Basin is reported for the first time. They are present in the uppermost part of the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation (Coniacian-Maastrichtian) of the Chubut Group. The presence of, up to now, four structures interpreted as stromatolites in this locality are not only important because it is the first record in the basin, but because it contributes to the knowledge of these bioconstructions in continental environments. The stromatolite called E1, which is characterized and discussed in detail, is associated with an abundant and diverse fossil record represented by palynomorphs, fragments of silicified trunks, dinosaur remains and eggshells. The study, integrated mainly with the recorded pollen and spores, is important for paleoenvironmental interpretations of the site and contributes to the paleoecological and paleoclimatic understanding of the most modern stratigraphic interval of the Chubut Group.
Highlights
La Cuenca del Golfo San Jorge está ubicada entre las latitudes 44° S y 47° S y los meridianos 65° O y 71° O, abarcando el sector sur de la provincia de Chubut y el sector norte de la provincia de Santa Cruz, en la Patagonia central, Argentina (Fig. 1A, B)
The presence of stromatolites from Cretaceous outcrops at the headwaters of the río Chico locality in the Golfo San Jorge Basin is reported for the first time
They are present in the uppermost part of the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation (Coniacian-Maastrichtian) of the Chubut Group
Summary
La Cuenca del Golfo San Jorge está ubicada entre las latitudes 44° S y 47° S y los meridianos 65° O y 71° O, abarcando el sector sur de la provincia de Chubut y el sector norte de la provincia de Santa Cruz, en la Patagonia central, Argentina (Fig. 1A, B). Los ambientes no marinos y hasta dulceacuícolas pueden ser propicios para su formación, como lo demuestran diversos ejemplos actuales (Carozzi, 1962; Eggleston y Dean, 1976; Breitbar et al, 2009; Mata et al, 2012; Farías et al, 2013; Pacton et al, 2015), y del registro fósil (Mas y Alonso, 1992; Suárez y Bell, 1994; Cabaleri y Armella, 1999; Camoin et al, 1997; Beraldi-Campesi et al, 2004, 2006; Arcuri y Zavala, 2006; Yamamoto et al, 2009, entre otros). En esta contribución se da a conocer el primer registro de estructuras estromatolíticas en la Cuenca del Golfo San Jorge, provenientes de la parte cuspidal de la Formación Lago Colhué Huapi (Fig. 3A-B), en la localidad nacientes del río Chico. En un contexto más amplio, el presente estudio contribuye al conocimiento del paleoambiente sedimentario y de la biodiversidad en este intervalo estratigráfico, representando una herramienta de interés para la interpretación de este tipo de ambientes no marinos en otras cuencas sudamericanas
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