Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia: High-Latitude Paleocommunities of the Santa Cruz Formation

Portada
Sergio F. Vizcaíno, Richard F. Kay, M. Susana Bargo
Cambridge University Press, 2012 M10 11 - 370 páginas
Coastal exposures of the Santa Cruz Formation in southern Patagonia have been a fertile ground for recovery of Early Miocene vertebrates for more than 100 years. This volume presents a comprehensive compilation of important mammalian groups which continue to thrive today. It includes the most recent fossil finds as well as important new interpretations based on 10 years of fieldwork by the authors. A key focus is placed on the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment during the time of deposition in the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO) between 20 and 15 million years ago. The authors present the first reconstruction of what climatic conditions were like and present important new evidence of the geochronological age, habits and community structures of fossil bird and mammal species. Academic researchers and graduate students in paleontology, paleobiology, paleoecology, stratigraphy, climatology and geochronology will find this a valuable source of information about this fascinating geological formation.
 

Contenido

Background for a paleoecological study of the Santa Cruz Formation late Early Miocene on the Atlantic Coast of Patagonia
1
Tephrochronology of the Miocene Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations Argentina
23
Absolute and relative ages of fossil localities in the Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations
41
Sedimentology and paleoenvironment of the Santa Cruz Formation
59
Oysters from the base of the Santa Cruz Formation late Early Miocene of Patagonia
83
Ichnology of distal overbank deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation late Early Miocene paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic significance
91
Fossil plant studies from late Early Miocene of the Santa Cruz Formation paleoecology and paleoclimatology at the passive margin of Patagonia Arge...
104
Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the Santa Cruz Formation late Early Miocene Santa Cruz Province Argentina paleoenvironmental and paleob...
129
Specimens of Sparassodonta studied
188
Paleobiology of Santacrucian glyptodonts and armadillos Xenarthra Cingulata
194
Acronyms of the institutions abbreviations and list of the material studied
210
Paleobiology of the Santacrucian sloths and anteaters Xenarthra Pilosa
216
Institutional abbreviationsand list of the materialstudied
235
Paleobiology of Santacrucian native ungulates Meridiungulata Astrapotheria Litopterna and Notoungulata
243
List of the material studied
278
Paleobiology of Santacrucian caviomorph rodents a morphofunctional approach
287

Diversity and paleobiology of the Santacrucian birds
138
List of the material studied
151
Paleoecology of the Paucituberculata and Microbiotheria Mammalia Marsupialia from the late Early Miocene of Patagonia
156
Paucituberculata and Microbiotheria of the Santa Cruz Formation
168
Material studied
169
Paleoecology of the mammalian carnivores Metatheria Sparassodonta of the Santa Cruz Formation late Early Miocene
173
List of examined specimens of extinct caviomorphs
302
Paleobiology of Santacrucian primates
306
Specimens
326
A review of the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of the Miocene Santa Cruz Formation
331
Index
366
Derechos de autor

Otras ediciones - Ver todas

Términos y frases comunes

Acerca del autor (2012)

Sergio F. Vizcaíno is Professor of Vertebrate Zoology at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina and a researcher of the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas working at the Museo de La Plata, Argentina. His research focuses on the paleobiology of South American fossil vertebrates, mostly mammals, and he has authored approximately 100 research papers and book chapters and edited one book and several special volumes. Professor Vizcaíno has participated in numerous fieldwork seasons in Argentina and Antarctica. He was the President of the Asociación Paleontológica Argentina (APA) and in 1996 and 2008 he won awards for his publications in Ameghiniana, the journal of the APA. Richard F. Kay is Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Earth and Ocean Sciences at Duke University, North Carolina, where he has worked since 1973. He has edited six books and authored more than 200 research papers on primate paleontology, functional anatomy, adaptations and phylogenetics. Professor Kay has conducted paleontological field research in seven South American countries since 1982 and is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. M. Susana Bargo is a vertebrate paleontologist at the Division Paleontologia Vertebrados of the Museo de La Plata, Argentina and a researcher for the Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Her research focuses on the paleobiology of South American fossil mammals. Dr Bargo has authored about fifty scientific papers and book chapters, and was the editor in charge of vertebrates for Ameghiniana, winning an award in 2008 for a publication in that journal. She has participated in numerous field seasons in Patagonia, Argentina.

Información bibliográfica