Parana Basin Research Articles

Tectonics of the Northeastern border of the Parana Basin (Southeastern Brazil) revealed by lineament domain analysis

According to the classical paradigm of plate tectonics the cratonic area of the inner part of South America is considered tectonically stable. Nevertheless, the role of neotectonics on the shape of the Brazilian landforms has been demonstrated by several authors. In this work we perform a lineament domain analysis to explore the regional meaning of the sparse and local evidences of neotectonics within Southeast Brazil and frame them in a regional tectonic evolutionary model. Results from lineament analysis allowed finding out two main domains, NW-SE and NE-SW trending. These structural directions frame within an E-W strike-slip corridor characterized by a poly-phased tectonic history. A pre-Neogene left-lateral shear was followed by a right lateral movement whose activity is presently ruling the landform evolution of the region. The two identified structural trends from lineament analysis may represent the Cenozoic reactivation of ancient weakness zone and relate to the upper Cenozoic South Atlantic drifting and N to NW movement of the South America.

Tracking Silurian-Devonian events and paleobathymetric curves by ichnologic and taphonomic analyzes in the southwestern Gondwana

Abstract Trace fossils have been used worldwide to access paleoecologic data in sedimentary sections. In Parana Basin (southern Brazil), trace fossils are stratigraphically well distributed; however, they are understudied if compared to body macrofossils or microfossils. Only few studies applied ichnology to the Silurian-Devonian strata, and mostly focused in an ichnotaxon. This comprehensive study aims to analyze the ecospace colonization represented by trace fossils in a Silurian-Devonian section from Parana Basin, and to associate the paleoenvironmental data provided by trace fossils with the decline of the Malvinokaffric Realm. In this sense, trace fossils were analyzed in six sedimentary sections to encompass the whole outcropping supersequence. The vertical distribution of trace fossils (Glossifungites, Skolithos and Cruziana ichnofacies) was compared with the distribution of the Malvinokaffric macrofossils. Paleoecologic and ichnodisparity analyzes allowed to infer dominance of stable conditions throughout the Silurian-Devonian section; however, some levels express dysoxic to anoxic conditions, and in others the high energetic conditions biased the ichnologic record. The stratigraphic distribution of Zoophycos suggests a change in the basin configuration during Eifelian, which might be related to the decline in the diversity of the Malvinokaffric fauna.

Variabilidade da Composição Isotópica da Precipitação na Região Central do Estado de São Paulo

Isótopos estáveis vêm sendo utilizados como ferramenta em estudos hidrometeorológicos, gerando informações sobre a relação entre clima e recarga de águas subterrâneas e origem de fluxos de água superficial, contribuindo para o entendimento das consequências das mudanças climáticas sobre o ciclo hidrológico. O presente trabalho apresenta os principais controles climáticos responsáveis pela variabilidade na composição isotópica da precipitação mensal na região central do estado de São Paulo, onde situam-se áreas de recarga de importantes aquíferos da Bacia do Paraná. A equação da reta meteórica local (δ2H= 8,34*δ18O + 15,71) indica que a composição isotópica é influenciada por uma fonte de umidade oceânica e processos de recirculação de vapor ao longo do deslocamento de massas de ar até a região de estudo. A sazonalidade observada indica que chuvas empobrecidas (δ18O= <-6‰) ocorrem durante o período chuvoso, associadas a grande disponibilidade de umidade, transportada principalmente da Amazônia, a atuação da Zona de Convergência do Atlântico Sul (ZCAS) e sistemas frontais, enquanto chuvas enriquecidas (δ18O = >-3‰) ocorrem durante o período seco, com atuação das Frentes Frias (FF) e formação de chuvas convectivas. Os resultados apresentados e discutidos neste trabalho contribuem para o estabelecimento de padrões sazonais na composição isotópica da chuva, que podem auxiliar na compreensão da movimentação da água, o que inclui a recarga de aquíferos, no estado de São Paulo.

Changes in diet of a neotropical cichlid in response to river damming

Changes in diet of Laetacara araguaiae Ottoni and Costa, 2009 were evaluated in the Sucuriu River (Upper Parana basin, Brazil) in an area with a small hydroelectric power plant, both before and after the formation of the reservoir, in order to answer: Did the construction of the reservoir affected the diet of this species? The results showed greater change of diet composition in the upstream section of the reservoir. It was observed that before the formation of the reservoir and the first year after, the individuals from upstream section formed a group characterized by an insectivorous diet. With the dam construction and habitat change we observed that aquatic plant material, sediment, and algae predominated in the diet. These results show the opportunistic feeding habit of L. araguaiae and contribute to the understanding of how the impoundment of rivers can influence the trophic dynamics of the ichthyofauna.

Molecular discrimination of Ancistrus lineages (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) using barcode DNA tool

Although several species of Ancistrus have been described from the Amazon and Paraguay river basins in the states of Amazonas and Mato Grosso, Brazil, the taxonomic status of most specimens from these regions remains doubtful. In the present work, cytogenetic and molecular data were used to discriminate and isolate unexpected Ancistrus lineages from the Amazon and Paraguay basins. For that, it was used DNA barcoding based on mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) gene and cytogenic data to perform such molecular discrimination. The analyzed sequences had 669 bp, of which 171 bp were conserved and 491 bp were variable. The Neighbor-joining and Bayesian analysis revealed 21 distinct groups in topology. The genetic distances within each group was 0.4%, 21 times smaller than the mean distance observed among groups, which was 8.4%. These values showed seven distinct lineages of Ancistrus from the studied points of the Amazon basin and eight lineages from the Paraguay basin points. Our results illustrate the efficiency of this technique for the discrimination of the Ancistrus lineages once it indicates the occurrence of cryptic species in these regions, which cannot yet be identified either with just chromosomal or morphological analyzes.

Hydrosedimentology of the Paraguay River in the Corumbá fluvial reach, Pantanal wetland

The Pantanal wetland is a complex landscape with distinct hydrogeomorphic compartments, with singular and hydrosedimentary processes. Examining these processes draws great interest in understanding Pantanal dynamics for both the management of the system and the geological record predicted by facies models. Hydrosedimentary data in the Pantanal remain scarce, in spite of government efforts to improve and increase data collection in the Upper Paraguay Basin. This study aims to enhance the understanding of active hydrosedimentary processes in the Pantanal Paraguay trunk-river system in the Corumbá reach. Hydrosedimentary surveys were accomplished in the main channel and tributaries of the Paraguay River. These surveys helped characterize the hydrosedimentary dynamics to consider the active sedimentary processes in this reach. The Paraguay River interacts complexly with its floodplain, which functions as a reservoir retaining flood water and disturbing river discharge. Bathymetric surveying showed that Paraguay River channel has longitudinal compound bar bedforms built by superimposition of ripples. The backwater effect, possibly related with both hydrological regime and geomorphological characteristics of the area, was detected by means of rating-curve analysis of the gauge stations. This effect is hydrologically produced by the out-of-phase flood pulse of the Pantanal and geomorphically driven by the hydraulic bottleneck of the Urucum and Bodoquena massifs. Both factors possibly occur simultaneously. The hydrogeomorphic characteristics (morphology, river competence, and stream power) of the Paraguay River denote that the elaboration of models more appropriate to the Pantanal context is needed.

O Estado da Arte das Pesquisas Sobre Chonetoidea (Brachiopoda) do Devoniano da Bacia do Paraná, Brasil

Atualmente no Devoniano da Bacia do Parana apenas duas especies da superfamilia Chonetoidea sao reconhecidas formalmente: Australostrophia mesembria (Clarke, 1913) e Pleurochonetes falklandicus (Morris & Sharpe,1846). Contudo, em outras localidades abrangidas igualmente pela Provincia Malvinocafrica, a diversidade desta superfamilia e significativamente maior. No presente artigo fez-se um estado da arte do estudo de Chonetoidea na Bacia do Parana, com o intuito de compreender os motivos desta aparente baixa diversidade na referida bacia. Percebeu-se que embora ja faca mais de um seculo desde os primeiros relatos, poucos estudos formais, tratando do tema, foram publicados ate o presente momento. Este fato parece refletir na baixa diversidade registrada, tendo em vista que resultados obtidos em trabalhos nao considerados publicacoes formais, tais como dissertacoes e teses, sugerem uma maior variedade de taxons. Portanto, concluiu-se que mais estudos formais, abordando este tema, sao necessarios a fim de caracterizar a real diversidade de Chonetoidea na Bacia do Parana, contribuindo para um melhor entendimento da Provincia Malvinocafrica como um todo.

Provenance of Heavy Minerals for the Quaternary Coastal Plain of Southernmost Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul State)

Carassai, J.J.; Lavina, E.L.C; Chemale, F., Jr., and Girelli, T.J., 2019. Provenance of heavy minerals for the Quaternary coastal plain of southernmost Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul State). Journal of Coastal Research, 35(2), 295–304. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.During the Quaternary, an extensive barrier system was developed in southern Brazil and northern Uruguay. The patterns of variation in the distribution and behavior of heavy minerals present in the aeolian and marine (upper shoreface-foreshore) facies of the four barriers formed in the Rio Grande do Sul costal plain were identified. Minerals were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, including epidote, tourmaline, zircon, magnetite/ilmenite, polymorphs of aluminum silicates (andalusite, kyanite, and sillimanite), staurolite, rutile, amphibole, pyroxene, corundum, perovskite, chromite, garnet, apatite, monazite, xenotime, spinel, and titanite. In all of the barriers, zircon, magnetite, and ilmenite are the most important, followed by chromite, garnet, rutile, tourmaline, staurolite, and epidote. In total, heavy minerals indicate two primary sources in the coastal plain: (a) direct feeding from the rocks of Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul Shield and Parana Basin, drained by Rio Camaqua and Rio Jacui; and (b) indirect feeding from rocks of the Andean province, drained by Rio Parana and Rio La Plata estuary in northern Argentina. During low sea level, rivers flowed directly into the continental shelf, and their deposits were reworked during subsequent transgressive stages. Throughout this region, the atmospheric circulation pattern forms a NW oceanic swell, generating a longshore current with dominant northward direction. Thus, several transgressive-recessive pulses associated with Pleistocene glacial events pushed large volumes of sediments northward, giving rise to the present southern Brazil coastal plain.

U-Pb Zircon Dating of Ash Fall Deposits from the Paleozoic Paraná Basin of Brazil and Uruguay: A Reevaluation of the Stratigraphic Correlations

AbstractAsh fall layers and vitroclastic-carrying sediments distributed throughout the entire Permian stratigraphic range of the Parana Basin (Brazil and Uruguay) occur in the Tubarao Supergroup (R...

Description of a new species of the Neotropical cichlid genus Gymnogeophagus Miranda Ribeiro, 1918 (Teleostei: Cichliformes) from the Middle Paraná basin, Misiones, Argentina.

Gymnogeophagus jaryi, new species, is described from Southern tributaries of the Middle Paraná basin in Misiones. It can be distinguished from all other members of the genus, except from G. australis and G. caaguazuensis, by the presence of a hyaline to grey anterior portion of the dorsal fin. Gymnogeophagus jaryi differs from G. caaguazuensis by a longer caudal peduncle, caudal fin not lyrate, central portion of scales on dorsal portion of trunk light iridescent blue and by white spots in soft portion of dorsal fin in adult males, and from G. australis by the light iridescent blue coloration of central portion of scales on the dorsal portion of trunk and tail, and by the lack of scales on the soft portion of the dorsal fin. Additionally, it can be diagnosed by the following unique combination of characters: 10–11 dorsal-fin branched rays, 27–30 E1 scales, absence of lips thickening, and, in males, by the possession of a hump in adults, caudal fin not lyrate, presence of large white spots forming transversal stripes distally and in anterior area of the dorsal fin’s soft portion, central area of scales on the dorsal portion of the trunk light iridescent blue, lack of scales on the base of the dorsal fin’s soft portion, absence of a conspicuous and oblique dark band from the eye to the anterior border of the head, anterior portion of dorsal fin hyaline to grey, scales of the midlateral spot each bearing a semicircular light blue blotch, head hump starting at the horizontal through the eyes, concave anterior profile in lateral view, base of unpaired fins yellow, and whitish hyaline spots on caudal fin. The new species, based on mtDNA phylogeny, is the sister species of G. caaguazuensis from the Paraguay basin and is closely related to G. australis.

Sequence stratigraphy of fluvial to shallow-marine deposits: The case of the early Permian Rio Bonito Formation, Paraná Basin, southernmost Brazil

Abstract This study presents new sedimentology data and attempts to understand coastal processes, sedimentary dynamics and stratigraphic patterns of the Rio Bonito Formation (early Permian) in Parana Basin, southern Brazil. The study was performed based on the description of five cores, located in a small-scale area - Sao Gabriel City - in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. Eighteen facies were described and grouped into nine facies associations. Later, these facies associations were then grouped into three depositional systems: fluvial, tide-dominated estuary and wave-dominated shallow-marine depositional systems. A paleoenvironmental evolution is proposed using three block diagrams showing the paleoenvironmental stage (S1, S2, and S3). S1 contains the oldest part of the sedimentary record with predominance of fluvial system deposits, S2 comprises dominantly estuarine system deposits, and S3 is mostly composed of shallow-marine deposits. ­Stratigraphic framework showed a general retrogradacional tendency, with thickness variations along the systems tracts that allowed for the construction of a curve of accommodation changes to the Rio Bonito Formation in the region of Sao Gabriel during the early Permian. This study contributes to a better understanding of the fluvial discharges, tidal and oscillatory (wave) currents and their interactions and dominances along stratigraphic records of coastal deposits.

Epidermal morphology of the cordaitalean leaf Noeggerathiopsis brasiliensis nom. nov. from the southern Paraná Basin (Lower Permian, Rio Bonito Formation) and paleoenvironmental considerations

A Brazilian cordaitalean leaf is reassigned and redescribed based on cuticular analysis. The new name Noeggerathiopsis brasiliensis is erected as a replacement for Rufloria gondwanensis Guerra-Sommer. The leaf adpressions come from a tonstein layer within a Sakmarian coal seam of the Faxinal Coalfield, southern Parana Basin, Brazil (U–Pb SHRIMP mean age 291 ± 1.3 Ma, Rio Bonito Formation). The leaf micromorphological pattern, observed under optical transmitted light and field emission gun — scanning electron microscopy, is distinct from the Euramerian Cordaites Unger and very similar to the Angaran Rufloria Meyen. The lower epidermis has conspicuous longitudinal stomatiferous furrows typical of Noeggerathiopsis (Feistmantel) McLoughlin & Drinnan covered by tightly interwoven trichomes, epidermal and probably also hypodermal highly cutinized sheaths at the borders of furrows, and haplocheilic stomatal apparati surrounded by long conical trichomes. The xeromorphic cuticle structures are similar to those of Glossopteris pubescens (Guerra-Sommer) Degani-Schmidt & Guerra-Sommer, the dominant leaf species preserved in the tonstein layer, indicating convergent ecological adaptations to abiotic stress factors in distinct plant groups in the peat-forming paleoenvironment.

Tectonic framework of the Paraná basin unveiled from gravity and magnetic data

The Paraná Basin, one of the most important Brazilian sedimentary basins, was created during the formation of Western Gondwana. Until recently, its tectonic framework has been studied mainly through indirect studies using geophysical data such as gravity, magnetic, as well as seismic reflection, and bore hole data. However, the last years, new geophysical data with better resolution became available, enabling new studies on the Brazilian sedimentary basins. To this end, the objective of this work is to contribute with new information on regarding the central and northern areas of the Parana basin and to investigate the major tectonic structures of its basement, as to understand the role of the Precambrian basement structures on its reactivation and geodynamics. For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative analysis of gravity and magnetic data were conducted using the Matched-Filter technique associated with enhancement filters, such as Total Horizontal Gradient and Tilt Derivative of the Total Horizontal Gradient. These geophysical products allowed interpreting the main geophysical lineaments and their depth. We identified structural patterns related to basement reactivation associated with the evolution of Western Gondwana. The NNE-SSW trending structures are related to reactivations of the Transbrasiliano and Paraíba do Sul Strike-slip Systems in the Late Ordovician. The NW-SE trending lineaments were generated with the tectonic growth of the Western Gondwana in the Triassic to the Late Jurassic, which started in the region of the Ponta Grossa Arch. This event was followed by the intracontinental magmatism in the Early Cretaceous. The E-W trending structures are related to the drifting of the South American Plate in the Late Cretaceous-Neogene and the faults originated from it, forming dextral binaries inside the plate pertaining to the Neotectonic Strike-slip System. The NNE-SSW, NE-SW, and NW-SE trending lineaments close to the border between the Paranapanema Block, the Goiano Domain, and the Araguaia, Paraguay, Brasília and Ribeira Belts are associated with suture zones. Thus, this work provides additional information related to the continuity of fault systems and crustal domain limits, as well as the extent of the crustal blocks in the basement of the Paraná Basin. It highlights the reactivation influence of the structures inherited from the Precambrian basement based on the results from both, gravity and magnetic data.

Paleoenvironments of a regressive Devonian section from Paraná Basin (Mato Grosso do Sul state) by integration of ichnologic, taphonomic and sedimentologic analyses

Studies that integrate ichnologic, taphonomic and sedimentologic data result in more accurate paleoenvironmental inferences than isolated approaches. Most of paleontological studies regarding Devonian from Parana Basin were conducted in the southern part of the basin (Parana state), precluding taphonomic or ichnologic studies to the northern part, and even its macrofossils content is understudied. This study analyzes paleoecologic and depositional conditions represented by trace fossils, macrofossils and sedimentary facies in a regressive Devonian section from Parana Basin, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. Seven ichnofabrics (Macaronichnus, Psammichnites, Arenicolites-Skolithos, Cylindrichnus-Skolithos, Zoophycos, Rhizocorallium- Palaeophycus, and Chondrites ichnofabrics) and three taphofacies (T1: parautochthonous to allochthonous preservation; T2: Autochthonous preservation; and T3: time-averaged autochthonous to allochthonous association) were diagnosed. The studied sections are positioned in a highstand systems tract (HST) exhibiting dominance of sandy facies, and four sub-environments were defined: foreshore; shoreface; storm-dominated shoreface to transitional offshore; and offshore. The dominance of foreshore to shoreface settings in a HST corroborates a shallower context in relation to the southern part. However, similarities in the facies and ichnofacies stacking, as well in the macrofossil content suggest that the hypothetical division between two sub-basins (Apucarana and Alto Garcas Sub-basins) was not complete until early Emsian.

Preserved cytoplasm in charred Agathoxylon-type wood from the Permian of Brazilian Paraná Basin

The present study documents cytoplasm preserved by charring in parenchymatous cells of the wood rays of secondary xylem tissue in Agathoxylon-type wood from the Permian of the Brazilian Parana Basin. Charred logs and bark fragments were collected from the upper coal seam of Sakmarian age (U–Pb dating 291±1.3 Ma) in the Faxinal Coalfield, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Rio Bonito Formation, southern Parana Basin). The material was examined under field emission gun – scanning electron microscopy. Results of energy dispersive spectroscopy are compatible with organic matter. Three types of cell contents preserved in parenchymatous tissue were observed in the charred samples: solidified, hydrolyzed and agglutinated. Lightning strikes are hypothesized as the likely fossilizing agent for plant cytoplasm, acting as killer and fixer and thus preventing the natural decay that ensues from plant death in the natural environment. The persistence of charcoalified plant tissues has been frequently documented since Paleozoic times, whereas preservation of cytoplasm is less common in wildfire settings since it likely involves a particular interaction of paleobotanic, cytological, physiological, taphonomic and paleoenvironmental factors. Nevertheless, preserved cytoplasm is probably ubiquitous in the fossil record and underreported.

O Folhelho Lontras (Permiano, Bacia do Paraná) e seus Fósseis: Descoberta, Identificação e Conhecimento Atual

The Shaler Memorial Fund created in 1907 by students and admirers of the geologist Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, professor from Harvard University, allowed in its first contribution to fostering research, the organization of an expedition to the South and Southeast of Brazil. The expedition had the purpose to confirm Nathaniel`s ideas about the existence of glacial layers older then the Pleistocene. Led by the North American geologist Jay Backus Woodworthy and counting with participation of the Brazilian geologist Euzebio de Oliveira, the expedition not only proved the presence of glacial evidence but also discovered an intercalated fossiliferous marine shale, later known as Lontras Shale, Itarare Group. The fossils, initially studied by the American paleontologist Rudolf Ruedemann and by Euzebio de Oliveira, had its studies intensified from the 1980s with the identification of new outcrops and due the new data of the geological evolution of the carboniferous and permian sedimentary sucessions of the Parana Basin. Economic disputes and discussion about the preservation of Lontras Shale outcrops, besides the discovered of new site namely as CAMPALEO, have reactivated the scientific interest about this unit and its paleontological content, increasing its studies. Poorly known by the Brazilian academic community, the historical context of the Lontras Shale is here reported, highlighting the importance of the Shale Memorial Fund as responsible for the geological and paleontological discoveries that have followed, for more than a century.

Phylogenomics of pike cichlids (Cichlidae: Crenicichla) of the C. mandelburgeri species complex: rapid ecological speciation in the Iguazú River and high endemism in the Middle Paraná basin

The Crenicichla mandelburgeri species complex from the Middle Parana basin is a diverse group of cichlid species and contains all known ecomorphs found within the entire genus Crenicichla. Here, we study the phylogenetic relationships within the C. mandelburgeri species complex using ddRAD sequencing with focus on its two candidate species flocks endemic to the Iguazu and Urugua-i Rivers, and on two putative sympatric species in the Piray Guazu River. These species flocks include four and three syntopic species, respectively, which are strongly adapted to different trophic niches and include derived ecomorphs of Crenicichla (molluscivores, a periphyton grazer, and a crevice-feeding thick-lipped invertivore). Our phylogenomic analyses strongly support monophyly and rapid diversification of the Iguazu species flock, but reveal more complex evolutionary histories in the Urugua-i and Piray Guazu tributaries. Most species in the Middle Parana, including one species in the Urugua-i and both species in the Piray Guazu show cytonuclear discordance, and in both of these tributaries, we also found hybridization in one of the resident species. Population-level analyses reveal complete isolation of the Iguazu species and coupled with their dramatic ecological diversity, this radiation exemplifies characteristics of a species flock that arose via ecological speciation.

Species diversity in Gymnogeophagus (Teleostei: Cichlidae) and comparative biogeography of cichlids in the Middle Paraná basin, an emerging hotspot of fish endemism

We address the diversity of two species groups of the cichlid genus Gymnogeophagus in the Middle Parana basin using molecular phylogeography and traditional morphological characters and conclude that they are composed of a higher diversity of endemic species than previously thought. The nominal Gymnogeophagus setequedas is found non-monophyletic with each phylogeographic lineage endemic to a single tributary of the Middle Parana (Rio Acaray, Rio Monday, the Itaipu area). Prime candidates for the origin of the species in the G. setequedas group are waterfalls that separate most of the tributaries from the Middle Parana River. The postulated waterfall- and rapids-driven fragmentation of Gymnogeophagus in the studied area falls into a narrow time window coinciding with the Pleistocene epoch. We further demonstrate that the endemism in Gymnogeophagus shows a high degree of biogeographical congruence with other sympatric cichlid genera. The Middle Parana basin has up to 27 globaly endemic species of cichlid fishes in three genera and 21 of these species are endemics of single tributaries of the Middle Parana. As a final consideration we address threats to the long term survival of the still poorly known but clearly highly endemic and endangered fish fauna of the Middle Parana basin.

Description of a new species of Moenkhausia (Characiformes: Characidae) from the upper Paraguay basin, Central Brazil, with comments on its phylogenetic relationships

ABSTRACT A new species of Moenkhausia is described from tributaries of the upper rio Sepotuba, Paraguay basin, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characters, including an inconspicuous oval-shaped vertically elongated humeral blotch, extending horizontally from third through five lateral-line scales, and vertically from third row above lateral line to first row below it, followed by a diffuse field of dark chromatophores in the flank, combined with a well-defined dark line at the base of the anal fin. Furthermore, the phylogenetic position of the new species is presented based on molecular data, showing a close relationship among species of Moenkhausia and Hemigrammus that have a well-defined dark line at the base of the anal fin. Until this moment, this species is only known from in the upper rio Sepotuba basin.

Reativation of Taxaquara Fault and its morphotectonic influence on the evolution of Jordão River catchment, Paraná, Brasil

The Parana basin is one of the major morphotectures of the South American continent. Although its tectono-sedimentary evolution has been widely studied and fairly well understood, this paper aims to fill a gap in knowledge comprising the tectonic evolution after the end of its last sedimentary cycle, in the Upper Cretaceous. In this context, the Jordan River watershed, situated in the surroundings of Guarapuava municipality, south central region of Parana State, was selected for structural and morphometric analysis where the Cretaceous volcanic rocks of Serra Geral Formation are exposed. The Jordan River watershed was studied for the influence exerted by Taxaquara Fault Zone on its morphologic evolution, since Taxaquara Fault Zone is associated to the Brazilian cycle and extends eastwards to the Ribeira belt in the state of Sao Paulo. The morphometric analysis consisted in the interpretation of the Jordan River watershed drainage network and relief elements, considering the distribution of existing knickpoints in the water courses. Structural analysis was based on the calculation of the stress fields responsible for the activation of local fault zones, which were determined by their spatial arrangement and the statistical and mechanical treatments of structural data. During the Oligocene and Miocene, erosional processes developed a planing surface which marks the relief in the central region of the Jordan River watershed and serves as a stratigraphic marker for the associated deformational events. Three events that contributed to the morphological framework of the Jordan River watershed were defined: an oldest one, probably active before the development of the Jordan pediplane in the Paleogene, by a NE-SW maximum horizontal stress (SHmax); and two more recent ones, being one of Plio-Pleistocene age, with a N05W SHmax, and a still active event of transtensive nature showing a N75W SHmax. The paleostress analysis points to a similarity between the Cenozoic evolution of Parana Basin and the tafrogenic basins of southeast Brazil, revealing the amplitude of the deformation events associated to the studied period and ensuring the importance of further studies on the morphotectonic evolutions of intracratonic regions of the South American plate and their correlation to the Andean tectonic cycle.