CO CO

Ui.utKSiTY OF ^h ILLIKOIS LIBRARY

a. AI URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

co GEOLOGY

The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below.

Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

L161— O-1096

~/< ^J

~JjSuAjfr<pJL-^

I FIELDIANA Geology

Published by Field Museum of Natural History

New Series, No. 9

GEOLOGY AND GEOCHRONOLOGY OF THE MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY OF THE VALLE DE SANTA MARIA AND RIO CORRAL QUEMADO, CATAMARCA PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

LARRY G. MARSHALL BRYAN PATTERSON

T"L library OF TH£

AUG1 gm

July 27, 1981 Publication 1321

GEOLOGY AND GEOCHRONOLOGY

OF THE MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY

OF THE VALLE DE SANTA MARIA

AND RIO CORRAL QUEMADO,

CATAMARCA PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

FIELDIANA Geology

Published by Field Museum of Natural History

New Series, No. 9

GEOLOGY AND GEOCHRONOLOGY OF THE MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY OF THE VALLE DE SANTA MARIA AND RIO CORRAL QUEMADO, CATAMARCA PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

LARRY G. MARSHALL

Assistant Curator of Fossil Mammals

Department of Geology

Field Museum of Natural History

tBRYAN PATTERSON

Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology, Emeritus Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University

Research Associate

Field Museum of Natural History

Accepted for publication July 24, 1979 July 27, 1981 Publication 1321

Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 81-65226

ISSN 0096-2651

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTENTS

List of Illustrations vi

List of Tables vii

Introduction 1

Paleontology 3

Geology and Stratigraphy 8

Geochronology 15

Paleophysiographic Implications 15

Acknowledgments 19

Appendix I 20

Appendix II 35

Appendix III 62

Appendix IV 66

Appendix V 70

Appendix VI 75

Literature Cited 75

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Map of Catamarca Province, northwestern Argentina 2

2. Map of southern part of Valle de Santa Maria, showing distribution of Late Tertiary beds of the Santa Maria Group and vertebrate fossil localities 4

3. Map of northern part of Valle de Santa Maria, showing approximate distribution

of Late Tertiary beds of the Santa Maria Group and fossil vertebrate localities 6

4. Map of Puerta de Corral Quemado and vicinity, showing distribution of Late Tertiary "Araucano" and "Calchaqueno" beds 7

5. Historical development of time and rock nomenclature for the Late Tertiary mam- mal-bearing beds in the Valle de Santa Maria and in the vicinity of Puerta de Corral Quemado, Catamarca Province, Argentina 9

6. Stahlecker's stratigraphic sections of Chiquimil and Puerta de Corral Quemado 11

7. Lithostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and radioisotope dates 16

8. Late Cenozoic radioisotope time scale and chronostratigraphy, showing approx- imate correlations of North and South American Land Mammal ages 17

9. Expedition members in camp at Chiquimil 20

10. Megathere locality at Ojo del Agua in the province of Tucuman 21

11. Camp, in trees in center of picture, at Chiquimil 23

12. Looking almost due north from saddle on hill just east of Loma Rica 24

13. Looking almost due east from hill formed by Calchaqui just east of San Jose, with

the Sierra del Aconquija in the background 25

14. Close-up of unit XIX, a white tuff dated at 6.02 mybp 26

15. Robert C. Thorne and Felipe Mendez excavating the skull of the type of the giant predaceous ground bird Andalgalornis ferox from unit XVIIIb at Chiquimil 27

16. Type specimen of the giant predaceous ground bird Andalgalornis ferox collected from unit XVIIIb at Chiquimil compared with the skeleton of a golden eagle . . 28

17. Looking almost due north from camp across the rio Corral Quemado to the pueblo

of Puerta de Corral Quemado 29

18. Looking north across the rio Corral Quemado into the valley of El Jarillal 30

19. Looking west into large canyon just south and on opposite side of hill from camp

at Puerta de Corral Quemado 31

20. Escarpment, showing weathering pattern of beds near Puerta de Corral Quemado 32

21. Robert C. Thorne and Rudolph Stahlecker excavating the skeleton of a glyptodont 33

22. Robert C. Thorne at camp at Puerta de Corral Quemado with mule carrying empty boxes for packing fossils 34

23. Stratigraphic sections of Chiquimil and Puerta de Corral Quemado regions ... 36

24. Field map I, showing region of Chiquimil and Loma Rica, district of San Jose. 37

25. Field map II, showing region of Puerta de Corral Quemado 38

26. Detailed section of units XX, XIX, XVIIIa, and XVIIIb from Chiquimil 39

LIST OF TABLES

1. Summary of Appendix IV. Mammalian biostratigraphy of the Chiquimil section 40

2. Summary of Appendix V. Mammalian biostratigraphy of Puerta de Corral Que- mado section 42

INTRODUCTION

Mammal-bearing rocks of Late Tertiary age occur extensively in the precor- dilleran and piedmont zones of western Argentina, from Jujuy Province in the north to Mendoza Province in the south. Many studies have been made of the rocks throughout this region, but few include a description of characteristic mammalian faunas with their stratigraphic occurrences adequately recorded. Without these data neither the faunal history nor the stratigraphy of these beds can be properly unraveled (Simpson, 1940, p. 667). The important Tertiary mam- mal-bearing beds of this region all appear to be post-Friasian (post-medial Mio- cene) in age (Marshall et al., 1979).

Much the most interesting and important Late Tertiary stratigraphic sequence yet known is in the tri-province area of Catamarca, Tucum^n, and Salta in northwestern Argentina. The most significant of these areas is in the Valle de Santa Maria ( = Yocavil) and the adjacent Valle de Amaicha (figs. 1-3). A second area occurs about 100 km to the southwest in the region of San Fernando and Puerta de Corral Quemado along the Rio Belen and its tributaries (figs. 1, 4).

These regions have been the subject of numerous geological and paleonto- logical studies, among which may be mentioned those of C. Ameghino (1919a, b), F. Ameghino (1889, 1891a, b, 1906), Bordas (1935), Cabrera (1928, 1937, 1944), Caminos (1972), de Carles (1911), Castellanos (1927, 1932, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1946a, b, 1947, 1948a, b, 1954), Doering (1882), Frenguelli (1930a, b, 1937), Galvan & Huidobro (1965), Gonzalez Bonorino (1950), L. Kraglievich (1934), Lydekker (1893, 1894), Marshall (1976, 1978a, b, 1981), Marshall et al. (1979), Mercerat (1895), Moreno & Mercerat (1891a, b), O'Donnell (1938), Patterson (1937a, b), Patterson & Kraglievich (1960), Peirano (1943, 1945, 1946a, b, 1956), Reig (1952, 1958a), Riggs (1928, 1929, 1933, 1934, 1936), Riggs & Patterson (1939), Rovereto (1914), Schlagintweit (1937), Scillato Yane (1975a, b), Simpson (1940, 1970, 1974), Stahlecker (1935), Stelzner (1872), and Tapia (1941).

Superposition of extensive sequences of Late Tertiary sediments containing good mammalian faunas in South America are few. For this and other reasons, attention has long been directed to the sequence of mammal-bearing rocks in the Valle de Santa Maria and Puerta de Corral Quemado areas. In addition, these stratigraphic sequences contain numerous tuff beds that have recently been dated by radioisotope (potassium-argon) methods, and data on magnetostratig- raphy are available for part of the sequence (Marshall et al., 1979).

This study includes the original, never before published field notes, maps, and stratigraphic sections of Rudolf Stahlecker on which some earlier geochrono- logic studies were based (Appendix II). In addition, some revision is made of the fossil faunas from these localities, and an attempt is made to synthesize

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Fig. 1. Map of Catamarca Province, northwestern Argentina showing locations of maps in figures 2, 3, and 4.

these new data with previous findings. This study permits a unique opportunity to integrate paleontologic, radioisotopic, and magnetostratigraphic data and dictates reconsideration of the age, chronology, and correlation of these deposits and their contained faunas. Such an interdisciplinary approach further permits refinement of knowledge and standardization of South American Late Tertiary Land Mammal Ages.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 3

PALEONTOLOGY

The first published record of Late Tertiary fossils in the Valle de Santa Maria (fig. 2) was apparently by Stelzner (1872, p. 635) who collected fresh-water mollusks from a sandy level low in the exposed section. These shells were later studied and discussed by Doering (1882) as "Azara occidentalis" and "Corbicula" stelzneri.1

During December, 1876, Sr. Inocencio Liberani, professor of natural history in the Colegio Nacional, Tucuman, visited the Valle de Santa Maria. There, along the eastern side of the valley, he encountered the remains of fossil vertebrates. Early in 1877 he returned with a colleague, Professor Rafael Hernandez, and made a sizable collection of archaeological and paleontological material. Included among these were fragments of an extinct glyptodont that were presented to Dr. Francisco P. Moreno in 1882 and were said to have come from "una formaci6n prepampeana del valle de Santa Maria en Catamarca" (see F. Ameghino, 1891a; C. Ameghino, 1919a). Moreno (1882, p. 126) regarded these fragments as a new species of Hoplophorus and proposed the name Hoplophorus ameghinoi. A descrip- tion of this species was not given by Moreno, and the name must be regarded as a nomen nudum until formally described by F. Ameghino in 1889 (pp. 8, 25).

In January, 1885, Sr. don Manuel B. Zavaleta brought to Buenos Aires a com- plete glyptodont shell collected from the Valle de Tafi, Tucuman. This and other specimens collected by Zavaleta were later acquired by the Museo Nacional de Buenos Aires (now Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Riva- davia," Buenos Aires) and described by F. Ameghino (1891a). The taxa included Typotherium internum, Megamys formosus, Tetrastylus montanus, and Sphenotherus zavaletianus. F. Ameghino also assigned Hoplophorus ameghinoi Moreno 1882 to Plohophorus.

In 1889, Sr. Adolfo Methfessel made a collection of fossil vertebrates from a meseta in "el bajo de Andalhuala" and adjacent areas in the Valle de Santa Maria (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 223). This locality is apparently the same as Loma Rica2 (fig. 2), about 2 km to the southwest of Chiquimil ( = Xiquimil, Siquimil, Entre Rios), of later workers. The fossils collected by Methfessel were given to the Museo de La Plata and were described by Moreno & Mercerat (1891a) and Mercerat (1895). However, none of the 17 species of mammal described by Moreno & Mercerat from Catamarca was figured, and this work was soon crit-

'Under the name "Corbicula" stelzneri Doering have been referred bivalves by various geologists working in the Valle de Santa Maria, Catamarca. This "species," however, was neither described nor figured by early workers and was thus a nomen nudum. In 1966 Parodiz obtained a sample of this bivalve, and he later (1969) formally described stelzneri as a new species of Neocorbicula. "Since a nomen nudum has no status and does not preoc- cupy (and in addition, as it was given originally as 'Corbicula,' not Neocorbicula), that name is preserved, to avoid possible confusion in the geological literature" (Parodiz, 1969, p. 94).

Parodiz (1969, pp. 94-95) listed the type locality of Neocorbicula stelzneri as: "East of Santa Maria, in the Santa Maria Valley west of Sierra Aconquija (near the limit with Tucuman), province of Catamarca, Argentina; from 'Estratos Calchaquehos,' Calchaquian (Santa- marian Frenguelli), Middle Miocene. Collected by R. Herbst. Type and 150 paratypes at IML [Instituto Lillo, Tucuman]; 30 paratypes, including those measured, at CM [Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh] . . . ."

2This name, which means rich hill, was apparently given by previous collectors because of the abundance of fossils found there.

FM. ZANJA DEL MOLLE FM. LOS CORRALES FM. YASYAMAYO FM. ANDALHUALA

FM. LAS ARCAS

FM. LORO HUASI

FM. SAN JOSE

FM. SALADILLO

Fig. 2. Map of southern part of Valle de Santa Maria showing distribution of Late Tertiary beds of the Santa Maria Group and vertebrate fossil localities. Data from Hoja lie, Santa Maria, 1:200000 in Huidobro (1972).

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 5

ically reviewed by F. Ameghino (1891b). Some of the species described by Moreno & Mercerat were later redescribed and figured by Lydekker (1893, 1894).

In 1906, F. Ameghino reviewed knowledge of the "Araucanense"3 fauna from the Valle de Santa Maria and presented an updated list of the 32 genera recorded there.

In the years that followed, additional specimens were obtained by local col- lectors from the Valle de Santa Maria. Many of these were eventually acquired by the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales and were described by Rovereto (1914). He recorded 41 genera for this fauna, assigning three more provisionally.

Between May and December, 1926, an expedition from Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, under the direction of Elmer S. Riggs, made a large collection of fossil vertebrates from beds of Late Tertiary age in the Valle de Santa Maria (Appendix I). Another collection of similar age was made 100 km to the southwest of the Valle de Santa Maria in the vicinity of Puerta de Corral Quemado (fig. 4). A preliminary paper on the findings of this expedition, with two strati- graphic sections and a partial faunal list, was given by Riggs & Patterson (1939).

Between 1927 and 1930, the Museo de La Plata conducted three paleontological expeditions under the direction of Dr. Angel Cabrera to the province of Cata- marca. These were carried out during November-December, 1927; February-April, 1929; and January-March, 1930. The area prospected by Cabrera included the "Araucanense" beds from La Cienaga in the south, to six km to the north of Corral Quemado, encompassing a belt 15-20 km in breadth along the Rio Belen (fig. 4). Camps of the first expedition were made at Puerta de Corral Quemado; the second at La Cienaga, Las Juntas, and Puerta de Corral Quemado; and the third at Corral Quemado, and in the Loma Negra between Cerro Colorado de Hualfin and the Rio San Fernando. These collections were partially described by Cabrera (1928, 1937, 1944).

Joaquin Frenguelli made a collection of fossil vertebrates from Tiopunco in the northern part of the Valle de Santa Maria and donated this to the Museo de La Plata. These specimens were listed, in part, by him in a paper in 1937.

In 1943, Peirano made a paleontological-geological survey of four fossil-bearing localities in the Valle de Santa Maria (figs. 2, 3): (1) la cuenca de Caspichango, (2) las Salinas de Amaicha, (3) Tiopunco, and (4) El Molle Grande ( = Valle de El Caj6n). The locality at Las Salinas was poorly fossiliferous, although some "Corbicula" stelzneri, glyptodonts, and turtles were collected (Peirano, 1943, p. 45). El Molle Grande, first worked by Peirano, yielded some bivalves (cf. "Cor- bicula") and gastropods. Of the 250 specimens of fossil vertebrates collected from there, the best represented are small rodents and birds, along with a few turtles and macraucheniids.

Of all the fossiliferous localities in the northeast of Catamarca, that of Tiopunco is by far the richest in vertebrates and plants (Peirano, 1943; O'Donnell, 1938). Peirano (1943, p. 51) described the Tiopunco locality as follows:

Podemos considerar en Tiopunco dos partes con f6siles: la que queda al NE. del puesto de Nucapa, sobre la margen derecha del arroyo, y la que esta situada al SE. de dicho puesto, en la margen izquierda de la citada corriente; enrre ellas se encuentra una faja angosta, pues el arroyo de Nucapa es la continuaci6n de dos cauces que nacen al E. del Iugar, faja esa completamente est£ril.

3For clarification of the origin and previous usage of this name see p. 13.

YASYAMAYO

ANDALHUALA

LAS ARCAS

65°45'

LORO HUASI SAN JOSE SALADILLO

Fig. 3. Map of northern part of Valle de Santa Maria showing approximate distribution of Late Tertiary beds of the Santa Maria Group and fossil vertebrate localities. Base map Cafayate, Hoja lOe, 1:200000. Distribution of geological formations is based on data sup- plied by the Instituto Nacional de Geologia y Mineria, Departamento de Geografia, Ar- gentina.

67°45*

67°45'

ARAUCANO

CALCHAQUENO

Fig. 4. Map of Puerta de Corral Quemado and vicinity showing distribution of Late Tertiary "Araucano" and "Calchaqueno" beds. Data from Hoja 12d, Capillitas, 1:200000 in Gonzalez Bonorino (1950).

8 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Peirano (1945, 1946a, b, 1956) later made a collection of fossil vertebrates from the Quebrada de Amaicha, province of Tucuman, located on the eastern side of the north edge of the Sierra de Aconquija and on the west side of the southern end of the Cumbres Calchaquies. He reported that these beds and faunas were similar to those in the Valle de Santa Maria.

Thus, over the years, Peirano made an important collection of fossil vertebrates from the Valle de Santa Maria, from approximately the same beds and horizons as did the Field Museum expedition, as well as from surrounding areas. Peirano made a detailed study of the stratigraphy in these areas and recorded the levels from which the fossils were collected. He concluded (1956, p. 92), as did Riggs & Patterson (1939, p. 144), that tuffs and fossils were generally abundant in the upper parts of these beds, but rare in the lower. The Peirano Collection, now in the Instituto Lillo, Tucuman, has not yet been fully described.

In summary, fossil vertebrates have been collected from the following localities in the Valle de Santa Maria and vicinity: Ampajango ( = Ampahanco), El Arroyo, Andalhuala, El Vallecito, Colera, Rio (or Arroyo) de Yapes, Loma Rica, Chiquimil, Jujuy ( = Quebrada de Jujuy, Quebrada de los Cancino), La cuenca de Caspi- chango ( = East of Santa Maria), Peneplain Basin, Las Salinas de Amaicha, Amaicha del Valle, El Molle Grande ( = Valle de El Cajon), Tiopunco ( = Theo- punca, Teopunca, Nucapa), Quebrada de Las Areas, and Quebrada de Zanja Honda.

GEOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY

Stratigraphic terminology for the thick series of Late Tertiary beds in the Valle de Santa Maria has had a long and confused history (fig. 5). Doering (1882) applied the name "Araucano" to strata above what is now called the Famatina Group on the primary basis of Tertiary beds in Rio Negro Province, southern Argentina, but with extension to rocks of supposedly similar age elsewhere in Argentina. He placed his Araucano, which he considered Lower Miocene in age, between the "Patagoniano" and the "Pampiano."

In times when lithostratigraphic, chronostratigraphic, and geochronologic classifications were not distinguished, Doering's Araucano was applied to rocks and faunas, including those in Catamarca, believed to be synchronous. Such terms as Araucanense, Araucaneen, Araucanian, Estratos Araucanos, etc. (fig. 5) have been applied to varying parts of the rock sequence and faunas in the Valle de Santa Maria (F. Ameghino, 1906; Rovereto, 1914; L. Kraglievich, 1934). These Araucano beds appear in all the older works as if they were a unit, faunally and stratigraphically, with "Corbicula" stelzneri, a characteristic fossil. Thus, F. Ameghino (1889, p. 125) wrote:

En la parte Norte y Occidental de la Republica el piso Araucano esta bien desarrollado en el Valle de Santa Maria en la provincia de Catamarca, en donde esta representado por capas de areniscas oscuras o verdosas, poco coherentes en unos puntos, pero muy compactas en otras; afectuando una estructura esquistosa que muestra numerosas impresiones de conchas de moluscas, entre los que se pueden distinguir una especie extinguida del genero Azara llamada Azara occidentalis Doer, y la Corbicula stelzneri Doer, que pueden considerarse como los fosiles caracteristicos de esta formacion. Los vertebrados fosiles tampoco son raros, siendo el mas abundante el Plohophorus Ame- ghini Mor., especie de gliptodon peculiar a este horizon te.

c o

O

T3

_ m

2

5

1

"3

6 Ov

"S £ t 2

"<3

3 CO

cr

o 5

c

2

"<3

£C

uo

3

U

u

U

1

H hlq

(O

3 O 9 is

a

IA

-

3 -g 1 3 O

3

r? *v o

alvan & uidobro 965), uidobro 966, 1972

•a 3 1 -a c

< <

X o

B

5 n3

1 S|

■Q (0 (d

1

UECEC

bubj\ ejueg odrufj

Oi

qj

u

(fi

2

(A

C 0)

c fe

c

Oi O

a> S;

3

or

m

o

c -c

to ai

c o

2&

'55 2

2 *

u at (0 C

"<3

<

<

U

j=

23

u

o

IS

S3

"3 cr 9

-C _y "(3

01

T3

_ w

3

I

J 2<£

"g £

"<3

73

C

3

cr

2

^y;c

UO

<

u

U

01

C

s

c

8

3 (0 H

<

Riggs&

Patterson

(1939)

o

T3 (0

"a £

O 3

ua

1<

3 or

lc

U

rr U

3 a*

u "<3 U

o

>-i 1

c

° 1

i-

n

C o

o

•c ^

Frenguel (1930a, b 1937)

s. 15

3 ' p

to C

s

1

£ -c

m oi

1 a-

OUBIUBDnBJV

51

^

0)

u

si

£ oi

N O

.2! c

o g

3 3

ST <"

Gonz3 Bonori (1950)

11

1 J=

o

c

o

& * -

j=

c 5 5 £ (3 .2 o

C 3 C </) c

S 2 35 S

OI » OI v 01

|| 1 |f|

3 5 3 <5 3

^ On o ON £ Ov

i II i! <" ii

o

60

c

C CM

<0 i_

U 01 _

< 3 a. o

II

Ul

u

oj

n

■0

E

u

X

1

p

1)

a.

jr

<a

**

>,

c

c

n

5

-9

ii

1

(0

tc

in

G

T

C

r3

ra

-n

1

c

3

3

E

F

1

u

IB

5

£

t

s

1

c

o •5

H

g

ii

F

JS

o U

0)

£

n g

o

c

1-

<

2

r<3

0

01

E

'J

Oi

e

£•?

o

p

c

C

_z

8

u

u

d

~o

E

r.

d

ri

a

Oi

J

i

r.

o

"o

T3

3

E

r

oi

0)

9

EO

ri

b S >

0)

E

5

u

-a

Oi

"3

■n

o

a

B

r

0

^

s

c-

o

in

£■

U

u.

'o

10 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Rovereto (1914, p. 1) also regarded the Araucano faunas of Catamarca as a single unit and the fossil beds in the Valle de Santa Maria with "Corbicula" stelzneri as representing the "araucano tipico." However, the rocks and faunas so called in the Valle de Santa Maria are later in age than those encompassed by Doering's original "Araucano" (Simpson, 1974, p. 4).

The Araucanian faunas from the Valle de Santa Maria on which the basic studies of C. Ameghino, F. Ameghino, Rovereto, L. Kraglievich, and others were based are all without precise stratigraphic data and have no reliable data as to levels of collection of the vertebrate fossils. They possibly represent a mixture from all the stratigraphic units recognized by Riggs & Patterson (1939), but primarily from their Araucanense (see below).

A lower member, containing a guide horizon with Neocorbicula stelzneri and included by Doering (1882) in his Araucano, was distinguished by Bodenbender (1924) who called it lower Calchaqui, a name based on a stratigraphic sequence of continental red beds in the vicinity of Famatina in the province of La Rioja. Frenguelli (1937) later restricted the name Calchaqui to this unit in the Valle de Santa Maria, and this usage was followed by Riggs & Patterson (1939).

Frenguelli (1930a, p. 115) divided the Tertiary strata in the Valle de Santa Maria into two lithologic units supposedly separated by a major unconformity (fig. 5). The thicker lower unit he named Santa Maria and divided into two horizons: the lowermost being the lower and upper Famatina of Bodenbender, and the uppermost, containing "Corbicula" stelzneri, he called Calchaqui. Frenguelli named the upper unit Araucaniano, which corresponded to the Araucanense of the Ameghinos and Rovereto minus Calchaqui. Frenguelli further divided his Araucaniano into three horizons: inferior, medio, and superior (fig. 5).

Riggs & Patterson (1939) reproduced two stratigraphic sections made by Rudolf Stahlecker (Appendix II), who accompanied Riggs on his expedition to Cata- marca in 1926-1927 (fig. 6). One 1,525 m section was made in the vicinity of Chiquimil from the pueblo of San Jose to the pueblo of Chiquimil, Department of Santa Maria (fig. 6), and another 1,913 m section was made near Puerta de Corral Quemado, Department of Belen (fig. 4). On the basis of lithology, Stahl- ecker divided his stratigraphic sections into three major units of which the middle was divisible into three, making five units in all (figs. 5, 6). Upon study of the fauna, it became evident that the units distinguished by Stahlecker could, in part at least, be distinguished faunistically as well (Riggs & Patterson, 1939).

The basal horizon recognized by Stahlecker is mainly red in color and toward the top is composed predominantly of sandstones. Below these massive red sandstones in the Chiquimil section occurs a layer of hard, brownish calcareous sandstone containing abundant shells of Neocorbicula stelzneri. Near San Jose, Stahlecker noted a fairly even transition between this basal horizon and that following, whereas near Puerta de Corral Quemado the transition was abrupt and the upper red sandstone thinner than in the section near San Jose. These facts led him to suspect that a short period of erosion had intervened before deposition of sediments of the succeeding unit (Riggs & Patterson, 1939, p. 146). Riggs & Patterson used the name Calchaqui for this basal unit with Neocorbicula, which is Doering's Araucano in this area.

The only vertebrate yet found in the Calchaqui is a fragmentary glyptodont, tentatively identified by Riggs & Patterson (1939) as Parahoplophorus? sp. This

Corral Quemado

Didviphis inexpcctata. Thy laco- smilus atrox. Pyramiodonthcrium sp.. Pronothrotherium mirahitis. Promuhrolhcrium sp.. Orthomyc icra andina. Cardiotnys sp. nov Tetieomys sp. Cyonasu* ftrrv/ros Iris. Memihcgcthothcrium robus turn. Tremacytlus latifrons. Trcmacyllus diminutus, Xoiodon cf. X. foricunatus, Hrachythcrium more not, Brachythcrium sp.

>j*%»*tm.m

iWtVWt^

Tctrasxylus cf. T. diffhus /'..'.*>

Tremacyllus cf. T. diminutus i^w^rvii

v>---*-~--=-- g

? Parahttptophorus sp. .rjOV^Tjri"

Corbicula sielmcri

iiv"' .••■:

aiiwtmn.-

Araiuanense

Chiquimil A

lZ---_-_-"-_--- x\ Chiquimil B

Calchaqui J

V- tV-it-V"".

AWJVWt

Hide/phis ine\0ceimtm.

t.utreolina »p . Vtiiiii^nu^ hermn>i\u>. ThxIactmlhM atro\. Thy laKOtmilmt temiis. ■Megatherium" gmmlryl. P\ ramiudantherium <l. P. hergi. I'rimolhrolhtrium

>p . Pleurolestodon aiitus.

I teulheritdai l\ lu> lu< ummnus. I'ntdolu turn* prise a. I'.-tl.-no- eavia §p.. /)olujw'.i sp . Cardiomy s ameghinorum. Cardiomys »p.. Telrastylus intermedia*. Cy nnasua sp. nov.. Memihegetoiherium ruhustum. rremae\llu< lati- fmns. Tremaey litis diminutus. Xodolon •.rislalus. Hraehy t he ri u m laternarium. Promaerauehenia antiqua. Promaerauehenia ealeha> uuiorum.

Pmseelidodon cf, P. alma- groi. Cyonasua hrevirostris. Typotheriopsis internum. Xotodon cf. X. foricurvmus.

mzTz

"£»*£:£>«%»". Toxodontidac K«n. et. sp. indcl. .-'.-ivvsrc.Vcri

-- »:->r-:-Cf •' PseudhegettMherium >p

Chiquimil Area

Puerta l)e Corral Quemado Area

Fig. 6. Stahlecker's stratigraphic sections of Chiquimil and Puerta de Corral Quemado, as originally published by Riggs & Patterson (1939, fig. 1).

11

12 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

determination is highly questionable. Parahoplophorus, a "Mesopotamian"4 ge- nus, is presumably (Pascual et al., 1965; Pascual & Odreman Rivas, 1973) Mon- tehermosan in age.

There had been debate as to whether or not the Calchaqui sediments are separated by an unconformity from those above it. Frenguelli (1937) and Gonzalez Bonorino (1950) claimed that such an unconformity existed, although Stahlecker (as reported in Riggs & Patterson, 1939) and Peirano (1946b) were unable to detect any major break in sedimentation in the Tertiary beds in the Valle de Santa Maria. Most authors (e.g. , Frenguelli, 1937; Peirano, 1946b; Galvan & Huidobro, 1965) now agree that Calchaqui is Miocene in age, and Pascual & Odreman Rivas (1973, p. 310) have suggested that it may be of the same age as the Chasicoan.

The second unit recognized by Stahlecker (fig. 6, Appendix II) is considerably thicker near Puerta de Corral Quemado than in the Valle de Santa Maria. It is composed predominantly of soft, fine-grained sandstones, although some con- cretionary layers are present at Puerta de Corral Quemado. The third unit is characterized by hard layers, sometimes conglomeratic, or gypsum-rich, yellow- ish sandstone. The names Chiquimil B and Chiquimil A were applied by Riggs & Patterson to the second and third units, respectively.

Few fossils are known from the Chiquimil. One of the two specimens found in Chiquimil A, Tremacyllus cf. T. diminutus (fig. 6, Appendix IV), is a species found also in the Araucanense and Corral Quemado. The other, Tetrastylus cf. T. diffisus, compares closely with a Mesopotamian species. Neither of the fossil mammals from Chiquimil B has been found in higher levels at either locality. The undetermined hoplodontheriine toxodontid is of minimal value as an index fossil, because members of that subfamily survived into the Montehermosan. The hegetotheriid is different from the forms found in the Araucanense or Corral Quemado, but identification of it is very uncertain; the specimen is much smaller than the type of the Chasicoan Pseudohegetotherium torresi. Pascual & Odreman Rivas (1973) have tentatively assigned the Chiquimil A and B to the Chasicoan. G. Simpson (1974, pp. 4-5) justly argued that the extremely inadequate fossil evidence does not suffice to permit separation of Chiquimil A from the Arau- canense ( = Andalhuala) fauna and suggests, but is entirely inadequate to dem- onstrate, that Chiquimil B might belong to the Chasicoan. Until more fossils are found, these uncertainties will remain unresolved.

The two upper units, consisting predominantly of clays, sandstones, and frequent tuff beds, yielded fossils in abundance (fig. 6, Appendix IV, V, VI). These units are separated at the Corral Quemado locality by a thick homogeneous bed of whitish sandstone containing abundant worm-shaped concretions. This marker bed5 was noted by Stahlecker in the Chiquimil area above unit XX, but was not included in his section (Riggs & Patterson, 1939, p. 146). The fourth

4When the paper by Riggs & Patterson (1939) was written, it was generally believed that the "Mesopotamiense" was earlier than the "Araucanense," whereas the reverse is now believed to be the case (Pascual & Odreman Rivas, 1973). It is even possible that the "Araucanense" and "Mesopotamiense" of earlier workers are, at least in part, time equiv- alents.

5Peirano (1956, p. 75) doubts the usefulness of this as a marker bed ". . . es posible que se cOnvenciese luego que esa capa no era tan constante en esas mismas condiciones, experiencia que hemos tenido repedidas veces nosotros con rocas ora calcareas ora sin ese elemento."

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 13

unit is much thicker in the Chiquimil area, whereas the fifth was studied in the Puerta de Corral Quemado region only. Riggs & Patterson (1939, p. 146) restricted the name Araucanense to the fourth unit, which is well developed in the Valle de Santa Maria. The name Corral Quemado Fm was proposed for the uppermost unit, because it is extensively exposed at that locality. This formation was also reported to occur near Chiquimil, but collections were not made from it in that area (Riggs & Patterson, 1939, p. 147n).

The preliminary faunal lists presented by Riggs & Patterson (1939) were fairly extensive for the Corral Quemado and for their Araucanense. Based largely on these lists, and in accord with the conclusions of Riggs & Patterson (1939, p. 147), Pascual & Odreman Rivas (1973) assigned the mammalian fauna of the Corral Quemado an early Montehermosan age, and the fauna of the Araucanense a Huayquerian one. G. Simpson (1974, p. 5) did not feel that a significant difference in age had been demonstrated and elected to provisionally consider both faunas as Huayquerian in age.

Thus, on the basis of Stahlecker's work, combined with study of the mam- malian faunas, Riggs & Patterson (1939) divided the Araucaniano of earlier au- thors (e.g., Frenguelli, 1930a, b, 1937) into three formations and one into two members. These are, from oldest to youngest, Chiquimil B (new in Riggs & Patterson), Chiquimil A (new in Riggs & Patterson), Araucanense (a restriction of the classic but invalid name), and Corral Quemado (new in Riggs & Patterson) (fig. 6).

Doering's (1882) original "Araucano" is derived from the name of an Indian tribe from southern Argentina and Chile (i.e., araucanos were originally from the Arauco region of Chile) and is thus not acceptable as a time or rock unit name in modern geological nomenclature. In realization of this, G. Simpson (1940), using L. Kraglievich's (1934) term Huayqueriaense, proposed Huayque- rian as a time and time-rock (Age and Stage) designation for the Araucanense of Riggs & Patterson (1939), deriving the name from the Huayqueria Formation (a rock unit named by de Carles, 1911) from the Huayquerias region in the Department of San Carlos, province of Mendoza. That usage has since been generally adopted (e.g., Pascual et al., 1966). The rocks of Huayquerian age in the Valle de Santa Maria of Catamarca, however, are clearly distinct from the Huayqueria Formation of Mendoza (G. Simpson, 1974, p. 4).

Cabrera (1944, p. 7) noted that the results of his studies did not support the opinion of Riggs & Patterson (1939) that a significant difference exists in the faunas between their Araucanense and Corral Quemado. He recorded the same species of Glyptodontidae above and below the boundary between these for- mations, although he gave no stratigraphic data to support this claim. Cabrera also noted that the Araucanense and Corral Quemado of Riggs & Patterson are more or less equivalent to the Araucaniano medio and Araucaniano superior of Frenguelli (1937).

As early as 1919, Rassmus had proposed that the name Andalhuate be applied to all the so-called Araucanense of Catamarca, including rather less than Peirano's Araucanense, but distinctly more than that of Riggs & Patterson. J. L. Kraglievich (1952, plate opposite p. 30) used the name Andalhuala\ which he confined to the restricted Araucanense of Riggs & Patterson and correlated with the Huayqueria Formation of Mendoza. In a work published simultaneously in the same journal, Reig (1952, p. 123) evidently intended the same usage as J. L. Kraglievich, but specified a "Formaci6n de AndalgalaV' There is some added

14 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

confusion because there is both an Andalgala (also sometimes spelled Andagala), Department of Belen (fig. 1), and an Andalhuala, Department of Santa Maria near Chiquimil (fig. 2), both in Catamarca. Despite Simpson's (1974, p. 4) state- ment to the contrary, Andalhuala is the more likely type locality, and that name is here retained for the formation in question. There are no Araucano beds known in the area of Andalgala (see Gonzalez Bonorino, 1950, Hoja 13d, An- dalgala).

In a detailed stratigraphic study (fig. 5) of the Valle de Santa Maria, Peirano (1956) rejected the subdivisions and nomenclature of Riggs & Patterson (1939), and retrogressively called all the beds here in question Araucanense, which he believed to be a single, conformable unit in that valley. However, he did indicate an Araucanense superior, approximately the Corral Quemado of Riggs & Pat- terson, and an Araucanense inferior, approximately their Araucanense and Chi- quimil A, perhaps also including Chiquimil B (Simpson, 1974, p. 4).

Peirano (1956, p. 84) noted that subdivision of the Calchaquense and Arau- canense should be based on paleontological data; however, his subdivision into levels has only lithologic value. He abstained from placing names on these lithologic levels, because to do so could, in his opinion, lead to greater nomen- clatural confusion. For this reason he applied only numbers to the distinct levels. Peirano (1956, p. 78) also proposed a tentative correlation of beds between the Valle de Santa Maria and the Quebrada de Amaicha.

Galvan & Huidobro (1965) and Huidobro (1972) essentially rejected previous stratigraphic terminology altogether and proposed a number of new formational names in place of Calchaquense and Araucanense of earlier workers, which they placed in a Santa Maria Group (only in very small part equivalent to the San- tamariano of Frenguelli; see fig. 5). This included various continental formations of Late Tertiary age in the Valle de Santa Maria from Punta de Hualasto to Cerro Paranilla (fig. 2), separated by faults against the Precambrian basement of the Sierra de Aconquija and of the Cumbres Calchaquies (Galvan & Huidobro, 1965, p. 220). The total thickness of the Santa Maria Group is not possible to calculate due to these truncations, although the maximum known thickness is in excess of 3,000 meters (see below). Most of these Late Tertiary sediments are sandstones and clays, with much conglomerate above the Calchaqui and recurrent thin ash beds in the Andalhuala. Eight formations are recognized by Huidobro (1972) (from top to bottom):

Fm. Zanja del Molle6

600 m

Fm. Los Corrales6

120 m

Fm. Yasyamayo7

80 m

Fm. Andalhuala

1,200 m

6Dr. Gerardo E. Bossi (pers. comm.) regards these beds as fades of the Andalhuala Formation.

7The Yasyamayo conglomerates are roughly equivalent to the Puna Schotter of earlier authors. These beds are separated from the underlying Andalhuala by a large unconformity (G. E. Bossi, pers. comm.) and are not part of Huidobro's Santa Maria Group. Much of the area assigned by Huidobro (see fig. 2) to the Yasyamayo Fm. south of Amaicha del Valle (arroyo Las Salinas, Los Colorados, etc.) is actually San Jose Fm. with "Corbicula." This error is related to the Huidobro's mistaken claim that the Yasyamayo Fm. also has "Corbicula" (G. E. Bossi, pers. comm.).

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 15

Fm. Loro Huasi8 650 m

Fm. Las Areas8 200 m

Fm. San Jose 200-230 m

Fm. Saladillo 40 m

Galvan & Huidobro (1965, p. 225) divided the Andalhuala Formation into two members: (1) an upper (superior) member composed of sands and clays with conglomeratic levels and tuff beds near the top; and (2) a lower (inferior) member composed of fine-grained sands and clays with abundant intercalations of gyp- sum. An attempt is made in Figure 5 to correlate Huidobro' s stratigraphic no- menclature with those employed by previous workers.9

GEOCHRONOLOGY

Mineral concentrates of tuffs from two of the stratigraphic units recognized by Riggs & Patterson (1939, fig. 1) at the Puerta de Corral Quemado locality and one from the Chiquimil locality have yielded reliable radioisotope dates (fig. 7). These are 3.54 mybp for unit 29, and 6.68 mybp for unit 8 of the Puerta de Corral Quemado section; and 6.02 mybp for unit XIX of the Chiquimil section. Magnetostratigraphic data for parts of these sections are shown in Figure 7, along with reasoned correlations with the polarity time scale.

These radioisotope dates and magnetostratigraphic data support the relative ages and correlations of these beds proposed by Riggs & Patterson (1939). In addition, these data permit correlation of these Late Tertiary Land Mammal Ages with those in North America (fig. 8). A more detailed treatment of these data is presented by Marshall et al. (1979).

PALEOPHYSIOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

The majority of known South American Early and Middle Tertiary mammal- bearing beds occur in Patagonia, southern Argentina (Simpson, 1940). During the Late Miocene (post-Friasian ca. 12.0 mybp) see fig. 8), the Argentine sedi- mentation center shifted from Patagonia to the Pampas10 and northwestern re-

8According to G. E. Bossi (pers. comm.), the stratigraphic relationship of these beds was reversed by Huidobro.

*Dr. G. E. Bossi kindly read this paper in detail subsequent to its final completion. He feels that the exact equivalence between the named units in the Santa Maria Group and those units of Stahlecker from Chiquimil are as follows:

Unit XX to XV Araucanense Fm. Andalhuala

Unit XIV to XIII Chiquimil A Fm. Lorohuasi

Unit XII to XI Chiquimil B Fm. Lorohuasi

Unit X to VI Calchaquense Fm. Las Areas

Unit V to I Calchaquense Fm. San Jose

Bossi noted that Stahlecker's division of the Lorohuasi Fm. was probably influenced by the vertebrate remains.

X0Pampa is a Quechua Indian name, which to some authors has been interpreted to mean plain and others to mean sea. The Pampean region, an area of extensive flat grasslands, comprises the provinces of Buenos Aires and Santa Fe, part of La Parnpa, the eastern part of Cdrdoba, the western parts of Entre Rios and Corrientes, as well as parts of Chaco and Formosa. This is the area that first received the attention of early Argentine and foreign geologists and paleontologists, particularly because of the high frequency with which fossil mammals are encountered.

LITHO-

VGP

RADIOMETRIC

MAGNETIC

MAGNETIC POLARITY

STRATIGRAPHY

LATITUDE

DATES

(mybp)

POLARITY ZONATION

TIME SCALE (mybp)

Lithologic Symbols

B ^ S I

tuff concretions conglomerate sond clay

STRATIGRAPHIC THICKNESS

is5M«i,n (in meters)

3.55

CORRAL QUEMADO

SECTION I

+ 90°

CORRAL QUEMADO SECTION 2

6.68

CHIQUIMIL

6.02

-2.0

-3.0

-4.0

-5.0

5-6.0

7-7.0

-8.0

H^^ 6

-

.

r5.0

UJ

6

-6.0 -7.0

z

UJ

o

o

2

'

Fig. 7. Lithostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and radioisotope dates. Lithostrati- graphic columns are after Riggs & Patterson (1939, fig. 1) using their numberings for lithologic units. Corral Quemado sections are continuous, but the middle portion is not illustrated. Magnetozones in polarity zonation column are labeled + for normal polarity, - for reversed polarity. Magnetic polarity time scale follows LaBrecque et al. (1977) with the addition of the short normal polarity interval (arrow) found in Iceland by Watkins & Walker (1977). Numbers to the immediate right of the polarity time scale are epoch num- bers. Geologic time scale follows Berggren & Van Couvering (1974). (After Marshall et al., 1979.)

16

Cenozoic

Radio-

Radio-

North American

South American

isotope

i sotope

Dates on

Ti me

Epoch

Land Mammal

La nd Mammal

South

Scale

American

(mybp)

Ages

Ages

Faunas (mybp)

U ""

PLEIST- OCENE

RANCHOLABREAN

LUJANIAN

IRVINGTONIAN

ENSENADAN

UQUIAN

ID

Z

CH APAD M ALALAN

LU O

BLANCAN

3.55

-

0

_l

MONTEHERMOSAN

c

Q.

0

6.02

HEMPHILLIAN

HUAYQUERIAN

6.68

LU

10

z

ID

CHASICOAN

o

0

CLARENDONIAN

W////////////

//////////////A

5

BARSTOVIAN

FRIASIAN

14.5

15

1

Fig. 8. Late Cenozoic radioisotope time scale and chronostratigraphy showing approx- imate correlations of North and South American Land Mammal Ages. Geologic time scale follows Berggren & Van Couvering (1974). (After Marshall et al., 1979.)

17

18 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

gions (Pascual, 1961, p. 64; Yrigoyen, 1969, p. 319; Patterson & Pascual, 1972). The sediments changed from predominantly pyroclastic (i.e., tuffs and bentonitic clays) that characterize pre-Chasicoan units, to predominantly clastic (i.e., silts, sands, and loess) that predominate post-Friasian units of the Pampean and northwestern regions (Pascual, 1961, 1965; Pascual & Odreman Rivas, 1971). This change of sediment type coincided with a post-Friasian phase of Andean orogeny that resulted in elevation of the main Cordillera (Herrero-Ducloux, 1963; Farrar & Noble, 1976).

Peirano (1956, p. 90) emphasized that during the Late Tertiary a single primary sedimentary basin existed in the Santa Maria area of northwestern Argentina. It was in this basin that the Late Tertiary sediments were deposited, and there is no clear evidence of local tectonic movements in this region during their deposition.

The last major phase of Andean orogeny occurred after Montehermosan time, because all of the Late Tertiary beds in this area are now folded, faulted and, in places, removed by erosion. This orogenic phase resulted in faulting and uplift of the Sierras del Aconquija, Las Cumbres Calchaquies, and del Cajon (or Quilmes) and in formation of intermountain basins like the Valle de Santa Maria and Valle de Amaicha (Gonzalez Bonorino, 1950, p. 73). These movements were delimited by NNE-SSW oriented fracture zones, clinal structures, and block faulting, which in places brought Late Tertiary beds into thrust contact with Precambrian basement (Huidobro, 1972). The presence of this last major orogenic phase has conventionally served to mark the Plio-Pleistocene boundary in Ar- gentina (Pascual & Fidalgo, 1972). Uplift of the Andes continued and became accentuated during the Quaternary (Polanski, 1957; Peirano, 1956; Huidobro, 1965; Turner, 1970; Caminos, 1972), when they attained their present elevation.

Elevation of the Andean Cordillera in the Late Tertiary acted as a barrier to moisture-laden Pacific winds (Patterson & Pascual, 1972, p. 251). The rain shadow effect of the newly elevated Andes initiated the desertization of Patagonia. The southern South American habitat changed from primarily savanna-woodland (which predominated during the Early to Middle Tertiary-Paleocene through Miocene) to drier forests and pampas, ranging from forests in northern parts of the continent to grasslands in the south (Pascual & Odreman Rivas, 1971, p. 399). Pampas habitats similar to those prevailing today probably came into prom- inence at about this time. Many subtropical savanna- woodland forms retreated northward, and new opportunities arose for those mammals able to adapt to a plains environment (Patterson & Pascual, 1972, p. 251).

Gerth (1941), Just (1952), and Solbrig (1976) have shown that mesic forests that covered the southern part of the continent in the earlier Tertiary became progressively restricted as a result of these physiographic changes. Through the Miocene the fossil mammals of southern Patagonia suggest a climate sufficiently genial to permit such now mainly tropical animals as porcupines, echimyids, dasyproctids, anteaters, and primates to flourish there. The habitat suggested by these mammal faunas is a savanna-woodland that graded northward into rain forest, woodland, and savanna of the tropical zone, then no doubt more extensive than at present (Patterson & Pascual, 1972).

The character of Pliocene sediments and vertebrate faunas in the province of Buenos Aires (e.g., Monte Hermoso, Chapadmalalal, and Irene Formations) indicates that this region had a warm-temperate, humid climate, contrasting to

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 19

the cool-temperate Pampean climate of today (Pascual & Odreman Rivas, 1971, p. 407). The evidence as gleaned from the vertebrate fossils indicates that during the Pliocene the documented climatic change was gradual and was related to, and correlated with, the last major period of Andean uplift.

The frequent presence of fossil trees (see Frenguelli, 1937, p. 405; O'Donnell, 1938) and anteaters (e.g. Myrmecophaga and Palaeomyrmidion, Rovereto, 1914) in the Late Tertiary sediments in the Valle de Santa Maria indicates that the climate and environment in this region was then different than it is today. It has been inferred that these western valleys, such as Santa Maria, served as corridors that permitted displacement of subtropical elements to the southwest (Pascual & Odreman Rivas, 1971). This view is supported by knowledge of the fossil ver- tebrates in these areas, and it explains the presence today of relic invertebrates of Brazilian affinity in some mountain areas of northern Patagonia (Ringuelet, 1959, 1961).

The climate of northwestern Argentina during the Pliocene was presumably much like that of the present day Chaco. The region became xerophytic only after the Sierras Pampeanas, which border this area to the east, were uplifted beginning in the Pliocene (Orians & Solbrig, 1977, p. 19). During the Pliocene, the region was lower than it is today, and the Sierras Pampeanas did not then act as effective barriers to humid winds from the northeast (Solbrig, 1976, p. 23). As a consequence, the latest Pliocene provides the first unmistakable evi- dence for extensive areas of semidesert in northwestern Argentina (Simpson, 1971; van der Hammen, 1972; Orians & Solbrig, 1977, p. 63), and coincident with the rise of the Andean Cordillera we find the first indication of high moun- tain flora (Simpson, 1971; van der Hammen, 1966). In point of fact, the Pliocene uplift of the Cordillera Central of Chile and the Pleistocene uplift of the Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina produced the rain shadow effect that makes the valleys of east-central Catamarca the semideserts they are today (Solbrig, 1976, p. 24).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Funds for field work in Argentina were provided by grant 1698 from the National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C., to L.G.M. The ^-"Ar dating was supported by NSF Grant EAR 73-00235 A01, formerly GA-40805, to G. H. Curtis, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berke- ley, and its publication was made possible by NSF Grant 7909515 to L.G.M. Processing of the paleomagnetic samples was supported by NSF grant EAR 75- 13571 to R. F. Butler, Department of Geosciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson. Special thanks to Dr. G. E. Bossi, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Miguel Lillo, Tucumdn, Argentina, for helpful discussions on the geology of the Valle de Santa Maria, and to Dr. R. Pascual, Museo de La Plata, for critically reading a final draft of the manuscript. Appendices IV, V, and VI were compiled by J. G. Armstrong-Ziegler, Custodian of Fossil Vertebrates, Department of Geol- ogy, Field Museum.

Field work in Catamarca during May, 1977, by L.G.M. was done in collabo- ration with R. F. Butler, R. Pascual, and G. J. Scaglia, Director, Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales de Mar del Plata "Lorenzo Scaglia," Mar del Plata, Ar- gentina.

20

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

APPENDIX I

The Marshall Field Paleontological Expedition to Catamarca,

Argentina

The Marshall Field paleontological expedition of 1926 to Catamarca Province in northwestern Argentina included Elmer S. Riggs of Field Museum as leader, Robert C. Thorne of Vernal, Utah, as collector, and Rudolf Stahlecker, a former student of F. von Huene of the University of Tubingen, as geologist (fig. 9).

Riggs and Thorne sailed from New York on April 10, for Buenos Aires. While Riggs dealt with logistics problems there, Thorne proceeded to the railway ter- minus at Andalgala in the province of Catamarca (fig. 1). Riggs followed a week later.

In Andalgala, Riggs met Colonel Wieser, an acquaintance he had made several years earlier, who had agreed to assist the present expedition. Two local resi- dents, Juan and Felipe Mendez, both of San Jose (fig. 9), were employed as local collectors; both were to prove useful members of the expedition.

Two saddle horses and six pack mules were hired to convey the expedition's collecting and camping equipment from Andalgala over a mountain pass to the pueblo of San Jose, a distance of 120 miles, requiring some four days' travel. Thorne was sent ahead with the packtrain to establish camp.

Meanwhile Riggs, employing a separate guide, made a reconnaissance trip to the valley of Ojo del Agua in the province of Tucuman, where he located bones of glyptodonts and a sloth (fig. 10). Returning hurriedly to Andalgala on the third day, Riggs met Stahlecker upon his arrival from Buenos Aires. Three

Fig. 9. Expedition members in camp at Chiquimil. From left to right Rudolph Stah- lecker, Felipe Mendez, Elmer S. Riggs, Robert C. Thorne, an unidentified boy (standing), and Juan Mendez.

21

22 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

days later Juan Mendez returned from San Jose with the pack mules to pick up Riggs, Stahlecker, and additional provisions. The party then proceeded to join Thorne, who had since moved camp to the little Indian village of Chiquimil (fig. 11) a few miles to the southeast of San Jose (fig. 2). On May 19, the expedition was united at Chiquimil.

The rainy season at Catamarca extends from December to April, and the months immediately following are most favorable for collecting. It was therefore highly desirable for the expedition to begin work there in May.

The mammal-bearing beds in this area consist of a large series of massive sands and indurated clays (figs. 12-15). Remains of mammals were locally abun- dant, especially on the hill called Loma Rica. The Chiquimil area was worked from May 20 until June 25. By the end of that time the fossil beds in this area were all but exhausted, and further reconnaissance for new collecting grounds was required.

In an attempt to prospect as much of the surrounding areas as possible, the party divided into two groups. One, consisting of Thorne and Stahlecker, ex- plored northward along the east side of the valley to Las Areas in the south- ernmost part of the province of Salta (fig. 3). They had little success. Riggs, with Juan and Felipe Mendez, proceeded down the valley as far as Punta Belasto, investigating localities reported to lie in that direction. Specimens were collected from Andalhuala, Ampahanco, Vallecito, and Rio de Yapis (fig. 2).

After 10 days (June 29 through July 8), the two groups returned to Chiquimil and collected a few more specimens from Loma Rica before moving camp to San Jose. The expedition worked out of San Jose from July 12 to August 8 and made several short collecting trips north and south. The locality of Jujuy, about 4 km east of San Jose, was collected between July 12-14; Tio Punco (Theopunca, Teopunco, Nacimiento de Agua) was collected between July 27-29; and Am- pajango (Ampahanco) to the south was visited August 7-8. Specimens were also collected from an unspecified locality to the "East of Santa Maria" during July 21-22, and from "Peneplain Basin" on July 17.

By the end of July the expedition had prospected and collected for a distance of more than 50 miles along the east side of the Valle de Santa Maria. Having found no additional promising localities in this area they decided to move camp. The collections made up to that time were packed and temporarily stored in a warehouse in San Jose.

Colonel Wieser reported that he had seen bones similar to those excavated by Field Museum while excavating Indian graves near the small pueblo of Puerto de Corral Quemado some 100 miles to the southwest of San Jose. A former physician of Belen had volunteered similar information two months earlier. Fossil mammals had not previously been recorded from that area, and Riggs was eager to investigate. So, during the second week of August the pack mules were loaded, and the expedition moved to Puerta de Corral Quemado (figs. 17-22). There, residence was established in a new adobe building on the property of Sr. Don Carmen Aibar, a provincial senator and town resident (fig. 17). Considering that it was now mid-winter and that the party had just en- countered a sizable snow storm on their southward journey, the use of this new building was most appreciated.

Collecting in the Corral Quemado area was carried out from mid-August through mid-November. Most collections were made from along the Rio Corral

'J

23

24

25

c o

01

I

o o X K

U

W

a,

en

£

3 T3

(50

1

><

><

3 O

(X 3

i en o

0

26

u

u

it

27

28

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Fig. 16. Type specimen (FMNH P14357) of the giant predaceous ground bird Andalga- lornis ferox (left), which stood about five feet in height, collected from unit XVHIb at Chiquimil, compared with the skeleton of a golden eagle (right) (also see fig. 15).

Quemado and its immediate tributaries, although prospecting was done to the west of this area and some collections were made as far away as La Conte. More specimens were obtained from Corral Quemado than from the Valle de Santa Maria. These widely exposed beds had never before been prospected by pa- leontologists, whereas those near Chiquimil had been visited frequently. Sum- mer began in November, and with it came the rains. These periodical showers interfered with collecting activities and made it necessary to discontinue work. Difficulties were encountered in finding wood to make shipping crates for the collection. Some drift logs were rescued from the Rio Corral Quemado by Don Carmen's workers, and these were placed at the expedition's disposal. A slipsaw, improvised by breaking off alternate teeth of an ordinary crosscut saw, was used

29

30

31

32

Fig. 21. Robert C. Thorne (on rope ladder) and Rudolph Stahlecker (on ledge) excavating the skeleton of a glyptodont; beds dip to WNW.

33

Wm'r A

. v

J ft*

1

r>

im::

TVf!<'

^-- A '

1 ) . \ ? t If* » 23B

m

%k'

: "WU

■PB

$v;

fe

i1

60

c

I

*

JI i

.2

a.

m

BJfv

W ^

XsJ

5 \ ^

S«-m

^Bi^B

'**>*■

I ^"l

$

o

(0

B

1

■Jft a

*yam

1 o

^■#M

U

01

1

0)

3

^

J!

f ' -

6 5

I

( >

13

V

i

o U

BJj 1

••

S

o

1

34

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 35

to cut the logs into boards, which in turn were made into shipping crates. The collection was then packed and ready for transport to the railway depot at Andalgala. The smaller boxes were conveyed by pack mules (fig. 22), and a horse cart was used for the heavier ones. These were taken to the pueblo of Belen, some 40 miles south of Puerto de Corral Quemado. Striking camp at Puerto de Corral Quemado on November 19, Riggs and Stahlecker proceeded to Belen where they secured a truck and transported the collection to Andalgala.

The problem then arose of claiming the collection stored at San Jose and getting it to Andalgala. The rains had caused a landslide that entirely blocked the road from San Jos£ to Tucuman, making the route impassable. Further, because of a shortage of horse feed, wagon freighters refused to make the journey from San Jos6 to Belen. With no alternatives, resort to pack mules became necessary. The collections, however, had been packed in boxes too heavy for mules. Thorne, therefore, was sent back to San Jose with the Mendez brothers and instructed to unpack the collection, cut the boxes into smaller units, and repack these for transportation by mule. By this means the collection from San Jose was conveyed by mountain and desert trails to Andalgala and from there, along with the collection from Corral Quemado, was shipped by rail to Buenos Aires.

From Andalgala Riggs returned to Ojo del Agua to secure a megathere that he had located during his trip there in May. The regular members of the ex- pedition then proceeded to Buenos Aires, arriving in late December.

APPENDIX II

Stahlecker's Maps and Sections

Rudolf Stahlecker's detailed study of the stratigraphy of the Chiquimil and Puerta de Corral Quemado areas, "To appear in Geol. Ser. Field Mus. Nat. Hist." (Riggs & Patterson, 1939, p. 162) was never published. However, Stahlecker's manuscript entitled, "Geological Observations in the Tertiary of the Province of Catamarca, Argentina," with stratigraphic sections and geological maps, was available to Riggs & Patterson during preparation of their paper. Fortunately, copies of Stahlecker's manuscript, stratigraphic sections (figs. 23, 26), and the maps upon which these sections were based (figs. 24, 25) are still available and, except for the sections and maps being redrafted and minor editorial changes to the manuscript, are here reproduced in their original form. The available text was clearly written by Stahlecker as evidenced by the awkward syntax; he was German and did not write fluent English. We have reworded some of the more cumbersome phrases, but thought it best to leave most as they were originally written. The same geologic symbols are used in the sections and maps, and Stahlecker's interpretations of the geological features are readily obvious. The fossil taxa collected by Riggs in the Valle de no Santa Maria are listed in Appendix rv and those from Puerta de Corral Quemado in Appendix V; the number of specimens and their levels of collection in each area are listed in Tables 1 and 2, on pages 40 and 42, respectively. Specimens without data are listed in Ap- pendix VI. It must be stressed that the majority of identifications in Appendices W-VI are tentative.

I S I I

8 ° s X « 2

f ! 1 S 1 1 1

- i * 5 ! K I

$ « a 3 I ; |

» > s s 8 » »

..

o

I

I

xs .

W o 1/5 c

o ffi

IS «

00 C

1H O

a*?

z-s

■^ to

o *-> m oo

31

<u .

■e Z

en t<

3^

clfoo Si O,

£>Z

a u->

13

■a a;

ri ■*

IS

0 »

§ in

.2 <n

1 ob in <X3 u a)

Ifi $ •S en

(8 - Vh C 00 O

•■g "Eb

|o

£ £

o 2

u

UL,

36

m§g§m

GRAYISH -WHITE ' SANDSTONE WORM- SHAPED CONCRETIONS

| - WHITE TUFF-BANKS

iKfff"

LOMA RIKE

- CONGLOMERATE

+ - YELLOW SANDSTONE

2 km

R - RED SANDSTONE

Fig. 24. Field map I of R. Stahlecker; region of Chiquimil ( = Entre Rios) and Loma Rica ( = Loma Rike), district of San Jose. Stratigraphic sections I + II are shown in Figure 23 (top).

37

"^

3

3

c<

a.

38

Fig. 26. Detailed section of units XX (A), XIX (B), XVIIIa (C), XVIIIb (D) from Chiquimil. Geological sections I + II (A-D) designations of all divisions are same as in map I (fig. 24). Geological section III (E) designations of all divisions are same as in map II (fig. 25).

39

■-

CU

tu

co

Cfi

0

O

£

Ih

01

-C X>

1

6

3

TJ

C

ri

n

c

a. 01

01 en

IX

n

01

u

><

|

I

«J

6

o>

>

J=

5

D

c

1/5

c

o

K

(J

S

0)

3

C

1

01

3

H

cr

h_J

X

>

U

J^

OJ

in

X

.-^

,w

2

0

3

>>.

£

jC

o

&.,£

«

l-H

T3

Q

01

o>

o

o

-O

01

C

0)

a

£

nj

b

B

to •5

2

0)

>

<a

-a

.2 -a c

o>

01

>

a o

3-2

<

M-i

o-

0

o

re

6

CO tN

|

I

Uh

ri

C .

W

-1

<

£ J*

3> a.

"5

"5

.3

"3 be

<u

R .o "^3 -r

u

o

Oh

to <u

r _o

-r

o

^j

O

"a.

3 £ •S

s

O V. 0,

H

O

5 c _o "a

r

'5

o

3 a.

.a.

-5 2

o a. o

-SP o

TS

E

.a Kg

,3

">!

Oh

</l

3

e o

s

3 a.

X

o

V.

3 tn

S

o u ,3

">>

s

3

'a. £> S •3 s -r

s

Q

e

o

V. Oh

■5 c

«

o o

U

U5

c

R 'I

s

a.

w

3 t>

2

-R

a.

3

2

«s

"s a. «i

3^

5 2

o

Oh

3 3 ■S"

R 3 3

s

o o

£.

3

s

o.

3 •3 O

a. .<" S5 a.

i

_o

O

5

Oh

in

3

2

Vi

3

15.

i

o

R 3

a. 1

X X

-

<— i

-

i— i

r-l

CN

tN

l-H

l-H

T-H

X X

1—1

-

>—l >

X

-

CO

l-H

i—i

Xi

i— i

HH

X

i— i

i— i

l-H

■*

> X

-

r-l

-

l-H

•*

l-H

-

> X

>.

X

>

HH

X

l-H

NH NH

M

X

X

l-H

X

i—i

X

X

HH

>

>

40

3 ^

to •3

a

£

3 ©

•H -3

E

3 to >>

s

a

g

.3

■5

c

<3

2

G

u >>

s

5

j; 1^ O

d,

V)

•3

8

8

3

a

•2 a.

2

o

•3 .u

"o

c

a.

c

1 1 U

3 3 to

5

3

s

O

£ S

.3

s

>>

-3 u

2

CO

&

3 H

•5 S •5

-3 -3

2

d.

in

c o

1

5

3 to

3

s

5 •5

o "S

i?°

-

•3 1

to

3

to ,3

3 S

s

to

3

3 B

1

"3 tO

_3

I1

i

d.

<A

to

3

I1 3

E S

CL- IO

to 3 C

o

-3 §"

"S. ©

-3

2

to

3 C 3

a.

to

3

K .>>

.3

bi

o

UJ

d.

X

to 3 L.

O

"I

OS

a

-

-

CN

-C

3

-

2.

>

X

T— »

i— i

-

-

-

~

> X

-

«s

H

tN

■«*

**

> X

•<*

r-H

i— i

»-«

to

i— i

-

>

X

>

X

>

X

X

I-H

X

X

i— i

X

X

1

>

-

41

S o

Tl

i-

c

n

*

O.

b

10

es

o u

3 C -*^ C 01

(N

tn

ro

i

a

01

»1

C

->

(0

c

E

o

01

•xs JT,

<J

1)

c

0

0)

13

E

a;

B

-i

3

a

c

01

j;

u

H

n

u

lV

a;

I— 1

•a

X

M

C

c

3

rj

3

s

p

PL,

Mh

u

0

TJ

>,

01

-C

D-

a

5c

0 u

R]

01

01

0

*

X>

■J)

s2

> O

x-°

"5 ro

C fs|

&!H

U.n

< bo

v~ Uh

° c

II

3 (fi

*j

CD u

c

N-g,

3 01

5,

W <B

00 be

c

o

X

< ••c

BO

d,

en

UN

-3 a. o

s 0

UN

3

"tl

<u

S .un

s

•2

O

£

.32 "S.

a 5 ■S

S s

5

1

UN

>N -3 .£_

"S

g

d,

a 5 "3 1

a

On

s

5

1

X

2 «

UN

_3

s

UN

O

y

>N

g

E

3

S.

>>

5

•3 c

JS

>~

5

5

Bu,

u> 2

3 U <3

3

o

O UN

a

3

<u

Dh

.5 "o

3

5

.3

£? C

o ^S "53 tn

3 K

e ij

«

UN

3 tj

2 ^: a.

3

■5

^N

3

UN S

o

0

m 3 <u

3

g

2 a.

UN

3

2

-3

a.

3 53

2

3 ^S

"o

UN

UN

3

2

<NJ

3 -31

UN

UN 3

o

a. « S o c

en

"s a.

UN >N

s

g o

1

3 .3

G

o

3 g

.UN

3

3

s

3

"o

U UN

>N

s

o o

3 3

UN

3 53

■SP

"S k.

o

1 o

3n

S 2

en

rH

-

CN

rH

rH

-

rH

o

rH

9\

00

c-l

-

CM

in

-

-

rH

rH

rH

r-H

rH

-

rH

o

(N

CM

^—1

(N-

CM

rH

ON

rH

00

i— i

v-4

rH

rH

in

rH

r»-

rH

rH

en

rH

rH rH

O rH

ON

00

t^

vO

42

3

H

5 •E

3 «

2

5

E

3 §

5 3

5 o

H

cL

X.

■3

3

eg

<fi

3 3 v>

3

O

3

3

•S3 s

3

.3

■3 3

2

3 £

2

a.

6.

en

■3 3 «j

■3

3

2

u

3

O

>~ ft.

E ■5

3

3

c

5 •5

-

-3

y

2

3

1

O

X

Dl. S:

E

3

E!

-~

o c

1

s

3 3

c

•E

55

C

<u

-3

I

£

3

3

g

£ •5

j: o

- -3

£

a.

£

•2 c

G

o

?o <u

-3

£

d. £

.3

•3 a "55

£*>

«j -3 o

■3

3

1

3 |

</>

_3

2

r-i

3

i

3 *3

u

u

•3

3 _3 3

£

a

3

£

1

</>

3 t>

2

-3 a. .o "a.

5

3

<n &

2 a. £ 8

</>

3 E.

O

-3

a.

3

£ 2

■5

?o £

3

3 u

-

rH

rH

o

i— i

I— 1

i— i

ON

oo

CM

C\|

3 <*

<S

-

-

n s

rH

<

rH

\o

-

rH

-

rH

rH

r-l

<N

I— 1

rH

O

~

i— i

rH

rv|

OS

rH

ao

rH

rH

rH

-

r—

-

f^-

l-H

in

rH

rH

i— l

oo

rH

rH

rH rH

O

rH

ON

00

tv

<N

vC

"

43

44 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

"Geological Observations in the Tertiary of the Province of Catamarca, Argentina"

by Rudolf Stahlecker

Introduction

Our main task was the collecting of fossils, and geological observations were made as a supplement to this purpose. Excursions were not made outside the collecting areas. Nevertheless, our detailed observations of these areas will hope- fully give an accurate picture of the regional geology.

Chiquimil

Stratigraphic Section I. This section was taken south of Chiquimil, where we found most of the fossils. Letters A-E (fig. 26) indicate the portions of the beds that were divided into units for the purpose of recording fossils. Compare the map in Figure 24 with sections I and II (fig. 23, top). Units XVII-XX in Figure 26 correspond with those in section I (fig. 25, top).

Unit

Thickness and Lithology

Composite Thickness and Lithol- ogy

XX (A) ca. 200 m

light, mostly fine ss. with thin intercala- tions of loess, which follow hanging wall and form steep slope east of Chiquimil, above which were found light greyish white ss. with worm- shaped concretions

XIX (B)

6 m 1 m

fine, light grey ss. ca. 60 ss. and clay

m light grey, mostly fine ss. alter-

1 m

2 m

sandy, green clay ss. with boulders and

nating with brownish,

1 m

clay fragments ss., whitish tuff

clayey layers of loess; numer-

5 m

brown loess clay (sandy in lower parts)

ous intercala- tions of white

1.5 m 1.5 m

0.5 m

fine, light grey ss. coarse ss. with tuff frag- ments soft, brown clay

tuff and coarsely grained parts with boulders

1 m

ss., coarsely grained, much tuff

1.5 m

clay, dark brown to

1 m 6 m

green ss., coarse, dark green ss. alternating with

loess

6 m 7m

fine, light grey ss.

ss. with many boulders

0.5 m

tuffaceous ss.

5 m

fine, light grey ss. alter- nating with brownish loess-ss.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 45 Unit Thickness and Lithology Composite Thickness and Lithol-

ogy

XIX (B)

1.5 m

fine, light ss. with much tuff

0.5 m

white tuff

6 m

soft, fine, light grey ss.

4 m

fine ss., very light with much tuff

XVIIIa (C)

0.5-3 m

white tuff ca. 100

m fine, light grey

7m

fine, light grey ss.

ss. with inter-

3.5 m

fine ss. alternating with

calations of

loess

brown loess

2m

coarse ss., many boul-

and single lay-

ders

ers of tuff; in

8m

fine, light grey ss.

upper part oc-

2.5 m

light grey ss. alternating

cur two layers

with brownish loess

of coarser-

in thin layers

grained ss.

2m

grey ss., coarse-grained, many boulders

with boulders

13 m

fine, light grey ss. with thin layers of brown, soft loess

15 m

fine loess; brown, clayey, sandy layers alternating with light grey, fine ss.

8m

light grey, mostly soft, fine ss.

XVIIIb (D)

0.3-0.5 m

brilliant white tuff, lo- cally removed by ero- sion

25m

fine ss., light yellowish to grey

3 m

ss. and clay, green to brown

4.5 m

light greyish, clayey, soft ss. with thin, hard, calcareous lay- ers

XVII (E)

3-5 m

conglomerate, often ca. 100

m light greyish ss.

weakly cemented

(more in upper

END OF SECl

parts) and

OF CHIQUIMIL

brown, more

35 m

fine-grained, light grey

clayey, fine,

ss.; upper and lower

loess layers, es-

parts with boulders;

pecially in

soft, clayey layers in

lower parts

3 m

6 m

middle part; some thin layers of brown loess

fine, laminated, light grey ss. alternating with brown loess

light ss.; in junctures of stratification occur brown, sandy clay; lower parts greenish and coarsely grained

46 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Unit Thickness and Lithology Composite Thickness and Lithol-

ogy

XVII (E)

2m

brown, clayey ss. and loess

8m

light grey ss.

2m

soft, brown, clayey ss. and loess

3 m

fine ss. with thin layers of brown clay in junc- tures of stratification

11m

brown, fine loess clay and soft, brown, clayey ss. of fine grain and three layers of coarse, greenish ss., each 0.5 m thick

2m

ss.

3m

coarse, greenish ss. in thin layers alternating with brown, sandy, fine loess

5 m

hard, greenish white ss.

4 m

brown, sandy clay

2m

light, soft, clayey ss.

5 m

sandy, clayey, fine, brown loess

8m

light, greenish white, clayey ss.

Stratigraphic Section II, This section was taken from San Jose, across the red sandstone to the conglomerate in the basin north of Chiquimil. Compare map in Figure 24 with sections I and II (fig. 23, top).

Unit Thickness and Lithology Composite Thickness and Lithology

XVII 3-5 m conglomerate ca. 105 m light grey ss.; partly

fine, partly coarse, especially below and above in thick layers, alternating with red, sandy clay layers

3-5 m

conglomerate

3 m

coarse ss. with boulders

lm

tuffaceous ss.

1 m

red, clayey ss.

10 m

light, fine ss.

2m

sandy, clayey, dark green

3 m

coarse ss.

18 m

light, fine-grained ss. alter-

nating with red, sandy

clay

2m

conglomerate

4 m

light greyish ss.

10 m

red, sandy clay and light

ss. alternating in thin

layers

5 m

light ss.

7m

red, sandy clay and light

ss. alternating in thin

layers

4 m

coarse ss.

lm

red, sandy clay

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 47

Thickness and Lithology

Composite Thickness and Lithology

7m

light ss.

7m

red, sandy clay

15 m

white-greenish to light

greyish ss.

5 m

red-brown, sandy clay

30 m light, greenish white ss.

forming cliffs of 1-7 m; alternating with equally light, more clayey layers

10 m

reddish brown sandy clay

4 m

light, white ss.; coarse,

with small boulders

10 m

light, soft ss.

4 m

red and green clayey sand

3m

light, coarse ss.

6 m

red to green clayey sand

10 m

light, coarse ss.

5 m

reddish brown, clayey ss.

2m

fine ss.

10 m

light, white ss.; very

coarsely grained, with

many small boulders

1.5 m

brown, clayey ss.

7m

light, soft ss.

ca. 70 m light, white, coarse,

often conglomer- ate ss. alternating with red-brown, softer, clayey lay-

285 m yellow ss.; 10-30-m mas-

sive layers of coarse- grained, often conglom- eratic with many small layers of more clayey ss. and thinner ledges of sandy, yellow clay, some with much gypsum; coarser ss., especially above

55 m yellow, hard ss., some

coarse grained, with 1-3- m thick, softer, light greyish white clay layers

ca. 340 m

yellow ss.

30 m light greyish ss., not very

hard, alternating with red-brown clayey layers 1-2 m thick

95 m

15 m

light greyish to light yel- low-brownish, very clayey and soft ss. with many 1-3-m layers of fine ss. or red-green clay

light grey to greenish white, sandy clay

ca. 140 m light greyish, mostly

soft, clayey ss. al- ternating with red- brown or light clayey layers.

45 m red, sandy clay alternating

with clayey ss. and thin ss.; clayey layers become more massive and sand diminishes upward

ca. 215 m

red ss.

48

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Unit Thickness and Lithology

Composite Thickness and Lithology

IX 80 m

VIII 35 m

VII 30 m

VI 25 m

dark red-brown ss. in 10-20-m thick compact layers of different grain (biotite, muscovite) di- vided through 5-1 0-m massive layers of softer, more clayey ss.

dark red-brown ss., fine and coarse grains alter- nating with ripple marks, in 5-m thick layers sepa- rated through 1-m softer clayey ss.; much biotite and muscovite

grey-greenish or reddish ss. alternating with equally massive, more clayey, red ss.

ss., essentially dark red, fine-grained

V 50 m

harder layers of mostly grey-green ss. alternating with more massive, soft- er layers of red, more clayey ss. and this with layers of red, sandy clay; only rare boulders.

IV 1 m brownish, hard, calcareous

ss., with "Corbicula" 20 m hard, sandy clay aijd

clayey ss, mainly red, though alternating with green parts; ss. predomi- nate; sparse gypsum

III

25 m

5 m

15 m

0.5 m

green, yellow, brownish, clayey ss.; gypsum above with hard, thin layers of calcareous ss. and boul- ders

sandy clay, red alternating with green

ca. 115 m mostly sandy clay,

green, yellow, brown, red, pur- ple, part also pure clay, part ss. (es- pecially upper) and boulders (in upper part); many thin, hard layers of marl or lime or calcareous ss.; much gypsum

purple, san-clay with layers of boulders and thin lay- ers of white ss.

conglomeratic ss.

2m 0.5 m

green, sandy clay white tuffaceous ss.

2m

very sandy clay, light, tuff mixture

2m 7m 4 m

yellow or brown clay with

much gypsum green, sandy clay with thin

layers ss. brown clay with much gyp-

sum

ca. 50 m sandy clay, primarily

green, but with yellow, red and brown; layers of light ss. (especially above) and brown- ish hard layers with much gyp-

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 49

Unit Thickness and Lithology Composite Thickness and Lithology

I 3 m green, sandy clay

3 m hard marl with thin, red-

dish layers of calcareous matter 25 m green to yellow clay, partly

sandy, with many thin, hard layers of marl or lime; much gypsum 3 m reddish, sandy clay

The section published by Penk (1920) is not in every detail identical with ours. Penk apparently made his sections at a somewhat different place which, because of the rapid change of facies, would explain the differences.

On the whole, the sections described here and those of Penk can be compared. Penk's (p. 168) units 1-2, 3-9, 10-14, 15, 16 correspond with units I-IV, V, VI-LX, X, XI in section II (fig. 23, top); and his (p. 190) units 3, 4, 5-8, 9, 10 correspond with units XIII-XIV, XV, XVI-XVIII, XIX, XX in section I (fig. 23, top).

Puerta de Corral Quemado

Stratigraphic Section III. This section was taken near Puerta de Corral Que- mado; units 32-28 were taken in the hills north of Laconta, units 27-18 in the hills north of Puerta de Corral Quemado, units 17-14 in the hills south of Puerta de Corral Quemado, and units 13-1 east of Puerta de Corral Quemado. Compare map in Figure 25 with section HI (fig. 23, bottom).

Unit Thickness and Lithology Composite Thickness and Lithology

32 ca. 200 m little indurated, coarse,

brownish sandy, clayey layers with boulders al- ternating with massive, very coarse, loosely ce- mented conglomerates; some streaks of white tuff

31 3 m hard, whitish, tuffaceous

ss.

30 45 m little-indurated, fine, light

brownish ss. with loess- fine, clayey layers each 1-3 m thick; upper part more loosely cemented, coarse conglomerates

29 2 m light greyish white, fine ss. ca. 18 m hard, mostly

with worm-shaped con- white, tuffaceous

cretions ss.

2 m soft, fine, light brownish

ss. 10 m white, hard, tuffaceous ss.

3 m hard, greenish, conglomer-

atic ss.

50

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Unit Thickness and Lithology

Composite Thickness and Lithology

29

28

1 m

hard, white, tuffaceous ss.

85 m soft, light brownish, fine

ss. alternating with brown loess conglomer- ates (partly light brown, partly dark green, partly soft, partly harder, ce- mented by concretions); single tuffaceous layers 1-3 m thick 7 m dark greenish conglomerate

10 m loess-fine, light brownish,

clayey ss. 2 m conglomerate

ca. 105 m

soft, loess-fine, light brownish, clayey ss. alter- nating with brown loess and conglomerate (often dark green)

27 5 m white, cross-bedded, tuffa-

ceous ss.; dark greenish layers between

26 45 m soft, light brownish, fine ca. 260 m

ss. and thinner layers of loess in lower part alter- nating with some fine, coarse, or conglomeratic layers of dark greenish

25 24

2m

white, cross-bedded, tuffa- ceous ss.

80 m light brownish, fine ss. al-

ternating with dark greenish ss. (fine to con- glomeratic) with single layers of loess or fine, harder, light greyish ss.;- single streaks hardened by concretionary matter

23 55 m fine, brown, or light

brownish ss. in massive strata; thin, concretion- ary hard streaks; single layers of loess or light greyish ss.

22 15 m fine, soft, clayey, brown ss.

with streaks of loess al- ternating with light brown, harder ss.

21 65 m fine, light brown, in part

light greyish, ss. alternat- ing with coarse, brown or dark green conglomer- ate (in upper part); ss. in middle and lower part also more clayey, softer layers; single thin streaks of white tuff

predominately fine, light brownish ss. alternating with coarser to conglomerate (partly dark green) layers; single layers of loess or light greyish, fine ss.; single streaks, hardened by concretionary matter (in upper part), or whitish tuff (in upper- most and lower- most portions)

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 51 Unit Thickness and Lithology Composite Thickness and Lithology

20

30 m essentially brown loess al-

ternating with thinner 1-3-m thick layers of brownish loess-ss.; sin- gle, thin, white to green streaks, hardened by concretionary matter

19

60 m light brownish ss.; fine,

with many layers full of pea-shaped, dark brown concretions; single thin layers of loess or white tuff

18

80 m light, whitish, fine ss. with

many worm-shaped con- cretions; single thin lay- ers of brownish loess or white tuff

17

25 m

55 m

16

light grey to light greenish, ca. 175 m

coarse ss. alternating

with light brown, fine

loess-ss. or brown loess light brownish loess-ss.

and massive layers of

loess (up to 10 m thick)

with single layers of 1-2-

m thick light greenish to

greyish, coarse, conglom- eratic ss. or fine, light

greyish ss.

85 m mainly fine, light brown-

ish, often clayey, soft ss. with intercalations of brown, sandy loess and single layers of light greyish color, alternating in 10-30-m thick series of strata with four layers of greenish brownish, coarse, conglomeratic ss. in 3-7-m thick layers

light brownish loess-ss. and brown loess with intercalations of light greyish, fine ss. and brownish green, coarse, conglom- eratic ss.

15

3 m

2m 2-3 m

soft ss., white to greenish

white to green brown, sandy loess dark green, hard, coarse

1 m

coarse, white, tuffaceous

4 m lm

light brownish loess-ss. loess

2m 1 m

greenish yellow, hard,

coarse, conglomeratic ss. dark green, coarse ss.

ca. 15 m

brilliant white and dark green lay- ers; much tuff and coarse con- glomeratic ss.

52

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Unit Thickness and Lithology

Composite Thickness and Lithology

14 6 m light brownish loess-ss.

2 m greenish yellow, sandy clay

10 m light brownish loess-ss.

with loess 5 m soft, fine, light green to

yellow ss. 22 m red-brown, fine ss.; soft,

with single layers of loess

ca. 45 m light brownish and

red-brown, fine ss.; two layers of light greenish yellow color

13

3 m

coarse ss.; yellowish, hard with boulders

11 m

fine, light grey ss. alternat- ing with brown loess

3 m

coarse, yellowish, hard ss.

3 m 7m

greyish to yellowish or

brown clay light grey or light brown,

fine ss.

6 m

brown loess

4 m

coarse, yellowish, hard ss. with boulders

10 m

light grey, fine ss. alternat- ing with loess

3 m 11 m

coarse, yellowish, hard ss. light grey, fine ss. alternat- ing with brown loess

1 m 11 m

coarse, yellowish, hard ss. fine, light ss. with loess

30 m

brown loess alternating with fine, light grey ss. and with layers of light greenish yellow clay (with white concretion- ary streaks) each layer 1^4 m thick

ca. 105 m

yellowish, hard, coarse ss. (in up- per part) alter- nating with fine, light grey ss. or brown loess (es- pecially in lower part); also light greenish yellow- ish clay (with white, concre- tionary streaks)

12 35 m fine, yellowish ss. with

thinner, brown streaks; hard with concretionary matter

11 65 m mostly fine, light grey- ca. 125 m

brown ss. in 1-8-m thick layers alternating with 1-3-m thick layers of mostly brownish, sandy clay; rare intercalations of thin, yellow, coarse- conglomeratic layers

10 50 m light brownish, fine ss.

with thin layers of loess and rare layers of light greyish ss. (in lower part); single, thin streaks of coarse grain with boulders

1 m light greyish ss.

1 m brown clay

mostly fine, light brownish (part light greyish) ss. with intercala- tions of brown clay; rare, thin layers of coarse, conglomerate ss. with partly yel- low color

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 53

Thickness and Lithology

Composite Thickness and Lithology

10

1 m 2m 1 m

3 m

yellow ss.

brown clay

brownish, conglomeratic

ss. brown clay

9

20 m

7m 5 m 1 m 3 m

yellowish, hard, very coarse ss. with conglom- erates and single layers of greenish clay

loess and loess-ss.

green, yellow, whitish clay

conglomerate

brownish and greenish yel- low clay

ca. 35 m

yellow, hard, coarse ss. in up- per part; brown or greenish yel- low, clayey lay- ers below

8

5 m

5 m 2m 3 m 3 m

very coarse, brownish con- glomerate fine, light grey ss. conglomerate brown-red clay coarse conglomerate

ca. 18 m

coarse, brownish conglomerates

7m 20 m

2m 10 m

1 m

5 m

20 m

15 m

light brownish, fine ss.

mostly brownish red, sandy clay with 1-2-m thick intercalations of fine, light ss.

conglomerate

light brown, fine ss. and brown loess

conglomerate

light brownish, fine ss.

mostly brownish red, sandy clay with 1-2-m thick intercalations of fine ss. or conglomerate

light grey to greenish ss. of coarse grain, partly con- glomeratic, alternating with fine ss. and rare layers of brownish red clay

ca. 80 m several layers of

brown-red, sandy clay alter- nating with fine, light brown or grey ss., coarse ss., or conglom- erate

15 m

75 m

3 m

fine, light greyish or light brownish ss. with 1-2-m thick layers of brown loess

very fine, light brownish compact ss.; "Woolsack" weathering (roundish globular decomposition) in 5-25-m layers with 3-10-m intercalations of brown loess; in middle part 5 m with many, darker brown streaks, hardened by concretion- ary matter

brown loess with thin lay- ers of ss.

ca. 110 m

very fine, very light brown, compact ss.; "Woolsack" weathering; in- tercalations of 3-10-m layers of brown loess

54

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Unit Thickness and Lithology

Composite Thickness and Lithology

6

17 m

very fine, light brownish ss.

5

12 m

light grey to light greenish, ca. 125

m mostly light

coarser ss. with thin,

brownish, partly

brownish, hard, concre-

grey, fine ss.

tionary streaks and sin-

with rare, thin

gle layers of clay

layers of loess;

8m

light brownish, fine ss.

upper part

with concretionary

coarser, light

streaks

grey ss.; concre-

10 m

light grey, soft ss. with

tionary, brown,

concretionary streaks

hard streaks and

lm

soft, clayey ss., whitish tuff

layers whitened

2m

brown, concretionary ss.

by tuff; 1 m dark

6 m

greyish ss. alternating with

red ss. in lower

loess

part

8m

light brownish, fine ss.

lm

white, soft, tuffaceous ss.

lm

greenish, hard, sandy clay

75 m

brown, fine ss. with rare streaks of loess; in mid- dle part 1 m dark red ss.; in lower part layers of light grey ss.

4

35 m

light grey ss.; mostly

coarse, partly conglomer- atic; single layers with concretionary matter

3

20 m

light brownish or red ss. and light red clay

2

ca. 100 m

dark red ss. with single layers of bright clay

ca. 100 + m exposed mostly bright- colored layers of sandy clay with intercalations of soft, clayey ss. (espe- cially in lower part); red, yellow, green, brown, purple; all sharply dip- ping

Remarks on Regional Tectonics

The "red ss." and the colored, clayey layers below it are poorly exposed. They appear only where the Sierras have pressed up the inside of the Bolson like an eccema by lateral pressure. Both profiles (fig. 23), show that the red sandstone is overthrust over the more clayey beds below. This suggests a great deal of lateral pressure in these areas. Both valleys show the up warping of these tertiary beds into an anticline. In the valley of Santa Maria, the red sandstone occurs only near San Jose and north of it for a distance of 10-15 km. The inclination of the strata increases toward the top of the anticline, and reaches a sharp degree north and south of San Jose. This does not occur elsewhere in the territory we

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 55

examined. It is remarkable that the exposure of the red sandstone is found in that part of the valley where the Sierra del Cajon and the Cerros de las Animas nearest approach each other that was the place where the pressure was stron- gest and the anticline steepest; the red sandstone was elevated and was affected by the erosion that rent the top of the anticline, the top-point of which is only just exposed.

Cerro Gualfin tore up this arch in rising through the strata in the vicinity of Puerto de Corral Quemado (fig. 25); the red sandstone there lies on both sides of Co. Gualfin. A transverse fault accompanied by considerably smaller faults explains the disappearance of the Co. Gualfin and with it the red sandstone toward the south under the sediments in the valley of San Fernando. In the elongation of the red sandstone toward the south beyond the transverse fault, there appear strata that might begin with about units 17-18 of section III (fig. 23, bottom). It is remarkable that they are not inclined toward the Sierra in the west, but toward the south. The strata visibly increase in steepness toward the top in the short anticline south of Puerta as well as in the valley of Santa Maria. The pressure from the west reveals itself in the more vertical position of the beds on the east flank of the Sierra. East of Eje and Gualfin, the light beds above the red sandstone reappear as they do on the west side near Puerta.

Description and Comparison of Stratigraphic Sections

The clayey beds at the base of the red sandstone could be mapped only near San Jos£. The sand portion and red color increase toward the top; the transition into the red sandstone takes place gradually and without a proper parting; marls, calcareous beds, and the proportion of gypsum, significant in the lower parts, disappear toward the top of the section. The "Corbicula" horizon is one of the uppermost calcareous streaks and lies in the lower part of the transition zone.

In a fine reddish sandstone 40 m above the "Corbicula" horizon was found the transverse section of a carapace of a medium-sized glyptodont. This specimen was not collected. The very slight overthrust, lying higher up, has not stifled any sediments. The lowest strata are well exposed about 5 km north, with numerous thin marl, gypsum, and calcareous bands of a clayey-slatey charac- ter— yellowish and greenish colors predominate.

Between Puerta and Gualfin, we could catch but a glimpse of these strata. There too, the lower parts contain more yellow and greenish beds, whereas intense red-clayey layers dominate the upper part. The lower part will likely be the one with more sand. Very calcareous and marly, thin layers are frequently intercalated here as well (especially below). These beds are folded, and the relationship to the red sandstone that is pushed on top of them is not certain. Particularly, there is no transition zone recognizable. Still, I do not suppose that the tectonics destroyed any important parts; the lower, more normally deposited strata correspond to those at San Jose. Besides, the overthrust seems to disappear toward the north; nor do transition beds to the red sandstone seem to be de- veloped there as they were at San Jose\

The dark red sandstone is strikingly visible at a distance, and it stands out morphologically owing to its hardness it is the hardest part of the whole series. Near Puerta we could not examine it, because it precipitates vertically. Near San Jose it proved to be poorly fossiliferous. By reason of the condition on the whole and the situation in the section (and particularly of its hanging wall) I equate

56 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

the red sandstone in both localities. Its thickness near Puerta is less than at Chiquimil.

The Parting Beds in the Hanging Wall of the Red Sandstone. Something of a transition zone is developed near San Jose, in which the red sandstone becomes more clayey and soft, the color fading somewhat, and light greyish intercalations begin; near Puerta de Corral Quemado the parting is rather distinct. The hard, massive, dark red sandstone in the Valley of Santa Maria is overlain by 10 m of rather pure, light red clay with thin red sandstone which in turn is followed by brown and light grey, fine sandstone. A 1-m band of dark red sandstone occurs 70 m above this.

This distinct break in lithology, together with the lesser thickness of the red sandstone in Puerta, suggests that a short period of erosion occurred after dep- osition of this sandstone.

The Strata Between Red and Yellow Sandstone. While 350 m thick near Puerta, this portion occupies only 140 m near San Jose. In the valley of Santa Maria, it consists of rather soft layers that are eroded, forming V-shaped depressions between the two sandstones that offer resistance. Red-brown, loess-fine, sandy clay alternates with fine, light grey, very clayey and soft sandstone. Near Jujuy, occur some poorly fossiliferous layers hardened by calcareous concretions. The only fossils, a glyptodont and a large tortoise, were found near Ampahango in an especially thick loess-intercalation.

At Puerta these beds are thicker and are partly of different composition. Several intercalations of coarse to conglomeratic sandstone found here are lacking near Santa Maria. Here are numerous streaks hardened by concretionary processes, whereas in the valley of Santa Maria they are rare or lacking. Apparently water played a greater part in deposition of these beds near Puerta than it did near Santa Maria. But in the whole series, those layers deposited by water are in- tercalations only. At Puerta, too, the loess-like, brown, clayey layers and the fine-grained sandstones that are supposed to be mostly wind deposits are pre- dominant. The very fine and compact sandstones with "Woolsack" weathering (unit 6 of section III) may also be loess. As near Santa Maria, these beds are rather soft and easily eroded. They are here likewise poorly fossiliferous, but some fossils, including a toxodont, were found here (especially in unit 7).

The similar lithology of the two sandstones (i.e., they are fine grained and soft) and the similarity of the fossils found in them cause me to equate the two.

The yellow sandstone, with 320 m at Puerta and 340 m at Santa Maria, is of similar thickness at the two localities. It is marked by considerable hardness, mainly caused by numerous coarse-grained to conglomeratic intercalations. These hard layers are yellowish in color and, as they are always morphologically well marked, the whole series is characterized by this color as seen from a distance. In the valley of Santa Maria, these strata are well developed loess plays a minor part in it.

Often the richness of gypsum is striking. Water that runs through the yellow sandstone contains distinctly more salt than that above it and is often undrink- able. On the whole, it may be concluded that here water had a greater part in deposition as evidenced by the coarse grain, the stratification, and the presence of boulder beds.

Fossils are very rare, mostly crushed, and occur only as isolated bones, from which fact conclusions may be drawn as to the genetic conditions of the sedi- ment.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 57

Near Puerta, a little more fine-grained sandstone and loess are intercalated. In stratigraphic sections 5 km and more apart, the coarse, yellow layers go through uniformly, whereas the fine sandstones and loesses vary greatly in thickness and quality.

Near Puerta, this series begins with the striking conglomerate that indicates a considerable transport of detritus, caused either by tectonic or by increasing precipitations. The fine-grained intercalations in the middle part of the yellow sandstone near Puerta show by these concretionary streaks that water partici- pated in its deposition. Fossils occur in the same manner as at Santa Maria.

The Beds Between the Yellow Sandstone and Whitish Sandstone with Worm-Shaped Concretions. Their thickness near Puerta amounts to 235 m; at Santa Maria, it may exceed 400 m. The section there ceases without reaching the upper limit of the series, but the sandstone could be observed on an excursion and was later recognized at Puerta.

The appearance of numerous tuff intercalations is characteristic of this series. Such tuffs may occur over a large area, and their appearance at about the same stratigraphic horizon in the two areas studied suggest that they may be contem- poraneous.

Further, these beds at both localities show frequent intercalations of loess-fine clays and sandstone that offer comparatively little resistance to erosion and therefore form mostly long depressions along strike. Coarse to conglomeratic intercalations occur repeatedly, though they are not as frequent or of the im- portance as in the yellow sandstone. They are softer and not yellow in color.

Particularly, the upper part of these beds at Santa Maria is rather sandy and forms a wall-like step of light grey, mostly fine sandstone upon which lies the whitish sandstone with the worm-shaped concretions. Near Puerta, the latter forms a step, of which only the foot consists of the above characterized strata. The greater thickness at Santa Maria is mainly due to these upper fine sand- stones, which at Puerta are not as well developed.

The following refers to the conditions near Puerta:

The Whitish Sandstone with Worm-Shaped Concretions. This is distinctly harder and contains abundant tuffaceous material. Loess plays quite a minor part, whereas brown, thin streaks, hardened by concretionary matter are more fre- quent. I have not seen any fossils in this part.

The strata in the hanging wall begin with plainly brown sandstone with char- acteristic dark-brown, pea-shaped concretions. I saw these concretions near Santa Maria in a corresponding level. This sandstone contains fossils. The upper following loess-horizon of 30 m (unit 20) was particularly fossiliferous. Fragments of fossil tortoise were found in both units.

Faunistically, the whitish sandstone seems to form an important boundary. Above it we found the first remains of large glyptodonts in considerable num- bers. There was no sign of them in the lower parts in spite of numerous other fossils. In the same way, the first remnants of megatheriids and Promacrauchenia appear in this level. Northeast of Santa Maria, I found fragments of a large glyptodont in a horizon that corresponds to the sediments near Puerta.

Above this loess horizon, which usually forms a depression or terrace, there follow 380 m of mainly light brown, fine-grained sandstone with intercalations of coarse-grained layers and conglomerates. Tuff streaks appear repeatedly, par- ticularly the two horizons with the cross-bedded, white tuffaceous sandstone (units 25, 27) are fairly good guide horizons in the vicinity of Puerta. (Tuff

58 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

material and coarse grain and pebbles occur frequently in close association in all the examined strata.) The hardening of the sandstone and conglomerates in the uppermost part of this section visibly begins to decrease. Fossils are found throughout.

A hard, white, tuffaceous sandstone, 10-15 m thick, is morphologically and stratigraphically quite remarkable. Immediately above it, there begin about 50 m of strikingly soft, only little hardened sediments.

Higher up follow brown, scarcely consolidated beds, with remarkably coarse and thick conglomerates, that illustrate the beginning of a tectonic phase. Coarse sand, clay, and pebbles are deposited without any sorting of size. On the other hand, a clear bedding is seen, and white tuffaceous streaks are intercalated. These youngest beds of our section (unit 32) are, in the same manner as the lying wall, dipping. I could not find any fossils in it. They are exposed in a thickness of about 200 m, and toward the top become even more loose and soft. They dip under a horizontally lying, younger cover of detritus of a plain that extends in a breadth of a few kilometers in front of the Sierra in the west.

Near Condorguasi at Ojo del Agua, province of Tucuman (about 100 km east of Puerta), we collected the remains of a megathere. Mr. Riggs wrote me: "The Megatherium from Ojo del Agua is much larger and apparently later than any specimen collected by our party in Catamarca." (All these specimens were found at Puerta between 70 m and about 200 m above the whitish sandstone unit 18.) "The two glyptodont carapaces which I saw there were also larger and apparently more like Glyptodon and Panochthus of the Pleistocene in Tarija. The Megatherium [specimens] collected near Puerta are all quite small. However, we found a small species of Megatherium relatively common in the Pleistocene at Tarija." Besides, the Megatherium from Ojo del Agua is much smaller than the species from the Pampa Formation. The matrix was only little indurated. Coarse, light grey sand was abundantly represented along with thick conglomerates and clayey layers; all were dipping. I should equate these strata with the uppermost part of the section at Puerta, but everything was here better sorted and bedded.

These beds here too were dipping and eroded; they are cut discordantly by the present plain. They are superposed by coarse-grained detritus and on the top by young loess in such a manner that there are but few exposures existing of the lower strata.

Better exposures occur northwest in the Campo de Pucara where obliquely standing, light grey, fine sandstone occurs in each valley [Rassmus (1918) de- scribed them also from here]. They seem to form the lying wall of this whole plateau that shows a concave surface, covered with young loess.

The altitude of this plateau is 1,800 m. It is not overtopped and accompanied on the side by high sierras, but cuts off rather abruptly in a steep slope, con- siderably cut by erosion, 800 m to the Bolson of Andalgala. In the eastern part, there are similar conditions. The abrasion of these strata to the discordantly cutting plain must have taken place at a time when they already stood obliquely but did not have this relative altitude. The spreading out of the body of detritus on this plain may have largely taken place before elevation.

We accordingly recognize the consequences of great tectonic transactions that occurred after deposition of these beds as the section at Puerta shows: the occurrence of large conglomerates in the uppermost part, oblique situation, erosion to the discordantly cutting plateau that was afterwards covered by coarse gravel.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 59

The loess of the plateau of Condorguasi is probably quite young. It is still being formed today under similar conditions as described by Penk (1920, pp. 237-238). The whole territory is barren of trees, but has a fairly dense growth of grass.

Comparison with Other Regions

The "Corbicula" horizon has often been discussed in the literature, although the red sandstone that lies above it has not always been fully taken into con- sideration. The sandstone is about half as thick at Puerta (100 m) as at Santa Maria (215 m). The next region examined is the Sierra del Atajo-Capillitas, north of Andalgala, studied by Bodenbender (1924). It is situated about 40 km east of Puerta and about 80 km south of Santa Maria.

Bodenbender says about the Cuesta Colorado (NW of the Cerro Atajo): On top of not more than 50 m of red sandstone there are brown sandstones alter- nating with more coarse-grained, grey sandstones; calcareous concretions and thin layers of limestone and dolomite are characteristic. The color becomes lighter (light grey) toward the upper part. All the sandstones, including the red, are more or less calcareous. Bodenbender then concludes that these calcareous- dolomitic strata correspond to the "Corbicula" beds near Santa Maria and that the red sandstone occurs below them. This I want to contradict.

Comparing the section of Puerta with the preceding one, we find again that such small layers, consolidated by limestone or dolomite (units 5-6 of section III) occur above the red sandstone, as on the whole the part played by water in the depositing is more distinct. According to Bodenbender, these influences seem to be greater in his district. Groeber (1929) is probably correct in regarding the "Corbicula" horizon of Santa Maria as a most western branch of the marine invasion in the "Entrerriano." These invasions come from the east, and it seems easily conceivable that a little later the part played by water is greater farther east. We may thus explain the occurrence of these calcareous-dolomiric layers above the red sandstone.

I should like to equate all three occurrences of red sandstone. The inconsid- erable thickness of 50 m in the Cerro Colorado fits into the image harmoniously; likewise the description of the higher strata. The red sandstone, according to Bodenbender, lies in the Co. Colorado in places directly on the granite, while farther east there is an intercalation of grey-yellow grit with conglomerates, increasing toward the east. Farther south, there occur coarse conglomerates under the grey sandstone. At Capillitas, the red sandstone, according to Bo- denbender, partly superposes the old underground, in part they lie on grey sandstone. South of Atajo, again, the red sandstone lies directly on the granite and is here and there overlain by very fine, clayey, brown sandstone, with intercalations of grey layers and calcareous concretions.

The conditions in the hanging wall of the red sandstone can be correlated with those of Puerta, though they are different in the lying wall. The whole manner of deposition shows that differences in the facies and deficiency of strata are rather to be expected in the lying wall than in the hanging wall. The clayey and marly strata at Puerta and Santa Maria indicate a situation much nearer to the center of the basin of sedimentation than in the district of Atajo, where the red sandstone lies directly on the granite or on grit and coarse conglomerates.

60 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Besides, the exposures at Puerta and Santa Maria show only the upper part of these strata; we may suppose considerable parts below them.

Bodenbender mentions the occurrence at Menchaca (west of Andalgala) of clayey, little-hardened beds of different color. He supposes them to be higher in the section and that he cannot determine their connection with the above- described beds. Possibly these layers are a fades of the lying wall of the red sandstone, corresponding to the one at Puerta.

From Ampujacu (southwest of Atajo), Bodenbender mentions the red sand- stone lying on older beds and says the transgression of the red sandstone over the Sierra de Belen is almost certain. Penk (1920) mentions brilliant red sandstone under grey layers, as erosion remnants on a granite-peneplain in the depression between Belen and San Fernando. In the southern part of the depression of Lampacillo (that takes us to the district of Puerta), Penk mentions red sandstone, again on granite; possibly his observations concern places lying farther northwest than ours near Puerta-Gualfm. Between Gualfin and Nacimiento, the red sand- stone seems to lie directly on the sides of the rising Co. Gualfin. The colored, clayey beds that we found on their southern border are probably oppressed farther north by tectonics. Moreover, the red sandstone near Puerta, as men- tioned above, makes the supposition of acting erosive forces possible, such as Penk states from the region of Belen-San Fernando.

We see from this survey how the red sandstone of the district of Atajo can be followed to the region of Puerta. According to our observations, we equate the red sandstone of Puerta to that of Santa Maria, where it occurs in the hanging wall of the "Corbicula" horizon.

Rassmus (1918) states that southeast of Atajo in the Campo de Pucara (near Condorguasi) there occurs a lying wall of the light-grey sandstone, etc., a red conglomerate, lying on an old plain of crystalline rock. This might be the rep- resentative of the red sandstone that thins out in that direction.

Going southwest from Puerta, we come to the depressions of Lajas and Pailas. From there, Penk records very thick sandstone and conglomerates (particularly in the upper part) of red or brown color, conformably overlain by grey layers on the granite body. A far-going parallelism with our region is impossible. We must leave these two depressions out of consideration, as particulars are lacking; there must have occurred special conditions (thickness of more than 3,000 m between the granite and the hanging grey beds).

Near Los Angulos, Bodenbender states that above an older erosion plain (here formed by Paganzo II), there are yellow-reddish conglomerates (400-600 m), above it follow grey-greenish sandstones (300 m). Toward the south, these sand- stones become partly coarser, partly clayey, brown-yellow, and red colors occur. Above there are brown calcareous sandstones. They are more clayey, well bed- ded, thickly banked, and hard: Marl-limestone banks are intercalated; one of them, near the lower boundary of the division, contains "Corbicula," etc. Grey beds (andesite and dacite tuffs) follow the brown sandstones.

We think these brown sandstones to be the equivalent of our red sandstones. At their bases occur the mollusks near Santa Maria. Bodenbender described another occurrence of mollusks from Los Angulos, the lying wall of which is formed by sandstones, conglomerates, clays, and marls of different color and consistency. Clays and marls of different colors we found also in the lying wall of the "Corbicula" horizon from Santa Maria. In the Atajo district, there are, at places, grey sandstones and conglomerates below the red sandstones.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 61

According to Bodenbender, "Calchaqueno superior" follows above the brown sandstones near Los Angulos. A tuff conglomerate in compact banks, above it more or less fine, mostly tuffaceous, grey sandstone, above it tuff and ashes between sandstone, conglomerates, and sand, above it conglomerates (conform- ably or discordantly) with rare layers of tuff. A detailed parallelism of these upper divisions with our observations is impossible. On the whole, the tuff seems to play a part earlier and more abundant in the region of Los Angulos than farther north.

Between Tinogasta and Fiambala, Bodenbender reports a reddish yellow, partly oolitic sandstone, which in the east (i.e., in the lying wall; the beds dip west) is accompanied by greenish sandstone with sandy concretions and by brown sandstone with calcareous concretions. He followed these layers in the lying wall toward the south (i.e., toward Los Angulos) as a complex of only a few hundred meters of thickness (reddish yellow conglomerates in the east, i.e., the lying wall, and grey or greyish yellow sandstones in the west, i.e., the hanging wall). The reddish yellow, oolitic sandstone mentioned by Bodenbender above the latter near Tinogasta-Fiambala would accordingly be the equivalent of our red sandstone. It seems remarkable that the whole lower part (conglom- erate, mostly brown or red sandstone) apparently diminishes in thickness toward the north (i.e., toward Fiambala-Belen).

Summary

The examined beds may be divided into three main complexes: (1) below the red sandstone, (2) respectively its equivalents, and (3) its lying wall, above it mainly light beds, that can be divided into a middle and an upper part of the whole series by the occurrence of Promacrauchenia, megatheres, and big glyp- todons only above the whitish sandstone with worm-shaped concretions. The termination of this section is given by coarse conglomerates with tectonic dis- location and rare-unconformity.

The lower part makes special consideration worthwhile. Everywhere it lies discordantly on an older erosion plain. Thereby it becomes evident that the deposition of these strata took place in two basins. They are, at least in the observed territory, divided by a swell or at least restricted in their connection. This swell stretched from Atajo to the region of San Fernando-Belen. Only the red sandstone could superimpose it (it lies here directly on the old erosion plain). North and south of the swell there were thicker layers deposited between this plain and the red sandstone, particularly so the "Corbicula" horizon on its lower boundary. In the northern basin (Santa Maria-Puerta), colored, more clayey layers are deposited; in the southern basin (Tinogasta-Los Angulos), more sandy, mostly grey-green sediments, below them reddish yellow conglomerates, lying on the old peneplain. Toward the north (i.e., toward the swell) these beds seem to diminish in thickness. In the northern basin, the exposures are not deep enough to show the lack or existence of these conglomerates.

After the depositing of the red sandstone, there followed a period of erosion, which apparently shows hardly any effect in the north (near Santa Maria). There we find the maximum thickness of the red sandstone, its transition-zone to the hanging wall shows no signs of erosion. Although such signs are reported from Puerta, the thickness too is considerably lessened. It is still less in the region of Atajo. In the Campo del Pucara, there is only a red conglomerate. Between Bel£n

62 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

and San Fernando, Penk mentions only the remnants of erosion. In the southern basin, the red sandstone is not formed in the same formation. Possibly it was there deposited and afterward eroded away. It is possible that there the marine transgression lasted longer. Bodenbender tells of calcareous marl banks in the brown sandstone in the hanging wall of the "Corbicula" horizon. The red-yellow sandstone from Fiambala is oolitic. It is natural that under these conditions the colors significant for the north do not recur. Bodenbender reports near Los Angulos conglomerates in the hanging wall of the brown sandstone; possibly they are the signs of the erosion that become much clearer in the part of the swell.

After this erosion period, it is striking that no more red deposits occur; evi- dently the conditions in the corresponding erosion districts had meanwhile thoroughly changed.

In the middle and upper part of the examined region, the essential facts have been stated in the description of the sections. A more exact comparison with neighboring districts is impossible, because details are lacking there.

Our observations are entirely in accord with the divisions by Groeber (1929) and Windhausen (1931). In the lying wall of the lower part a decided erosional discordance corresponding to the second tectonic phase, above follow as "Piso Entrerriano" the lower part of our section including the red sandstone. The prephase of the third tectonic phase is marked in the erosional effect in the swell region. A discordance did not occur, but the conditions in the erosion districts are different ones, so that no more red sediments occur. There follow the mainly grey beds of the "Piso Araucano." The influences of the determining third tectonic phase can also be mentioned.

[Throughout the text Stahlecker refers to and cites statements from Bodenbender, although except for one instance he does not give the year or page number. In his bibliography Stahlecker lists three works of Bodenbender (1911, 1916, 1924), and presumably these represent the sources of his data. Stahlecker also included Stap- penbeck (1921) and Stelzner (1885) in the bibliography, although he makes no specific references to these works in the text.]

APPENDIX III

List of Fossil Vertebrates Recorded from the Late Tertiary of Catamarca

Class Amphibia Order Anura

Fam. Leptodactylidae Ceratophrys sp.

Class Reptilia Order Chelonia

Fam. Testudinidae

Geochelone gallardoi (Rovereto, 1914, p. 115)

Class Aves

Order Rheiformes Fam. Rheidae Heterorhea sp. Order Gruiformes

Superfam. Phororhacoidea

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 63

Fam. Psilopteridae

Hermosiornis incertus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 114) see Patterson & Kra-

glievich, 1960, p. 19 Procariama simplex Rovereto, 1914, p. 110 Fam. Phororhacidae

Andalgalornis ferox Patterson & Kraglievich, 1960, p. 34 Order Strigiformes

gen. et sp. indet.

Class Mammalia Order Marsupialia Superfam. Didelphoidea Fam. Didelphidae Subfam. Didelphinae Paradidelphys pattersoni Reig, 1952, p. 123 (also see Simpson, 1974, p.

5) Lutreolina cf. L. crassicaudata see Simpson, 1974, p. 10 Thylatheridium dolgopolae Reig, 1958a, p. 93 Subfam. Sparassocyninae

Sparassocynus sp. (referred see Simpson, 1974, p. 11) Superfam. Borhyaenoidea Fam. Borhyaenidae Subfam. Borhyaeninae Eutemnodus? acutidens (Rovereto, 1914, p. 83) see Marshall, 1978a, p. 65 Subfam. Hathlyacyninae

Borhyaenidium riggsi Marshall, 1981, p. 37 (Notocynus sp. of Riggs & Patterson, 1939) Fam. Thylacosmilidae

Thylacosmilus atrox Riggs, 1933, p. 62 (including T. lentis Riggs, 1933, p. 62— see Marshall, 1976, p. 18) Superfam. Argyrolagoidea Fam. Argyrolagidae

Microtragulus catamarcensis (L. Kraglievich, 1931b, p. 254) see Simp- son, 1970, p. 8. Order Edentata

Fam. Megatheriidae Subfam. Megatheriinae Pyramiodontherium bergi (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 231) (including Megatherium burmeisteri Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 229; and Pyramiodontherium dubium Rovereto, 1914, p. 89 see Cabrera, 1928, p. 344) Subfam. Nothrotheriinae Pronothrotherium parvulum (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 229) see

L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 48 Pronothrotherium typicum F. Ameghino, 1907, p. 118 Fam. Mylodontidae

Elassotherium almagroi (Rovereto, 1914, p. 91) see Ortega, 1967, p.

117n Pleurolestodon acutidens Rovereto, 1914, p. 92

64 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Pleurolestodon avitus Rovereto, 1914, p. 95

Pleurolestodon macrodon Rovereto, 1914, p. 96

" Scelidotherium" laevidens Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 228 (see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 48; Bordas, 1935, p. 484; Ortega, 1967, p. 117n).

"Scelidotherium" pendolai (referred specimens type species named by Rovereto, 1914, p. 152 on specimen from Monte Hermoso)

Sphenotherus zavaletianus F. Ameghino, 1891a, p. 95 Fam. Myrmecophagidae

Myrmecophaga conspicua (Rovereto, 1914, p. 98)

Nuhezia magna (C. Ameghino, 1919b, p. 152) see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 48

Palaeomyrmidon incomtus Rovereto, 1914, p. 100 Fam. Dasypodidae

Chorobates scalabrinii (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 226) see Reig, 1958b, p. 250n

Chorobates villosissimus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 107) see Reig, 1958b, p. 250n

Macroeuphractus morenoi Lydekker, 1894, p. 58

Paleuphractus argentinus (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 227) see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 57

Paraeuphractus prominens (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 226) see Scillato Yane, 1975a, p. 451

Proeuphractus spicata (Rovereto, 1914, p. 108) see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 60

Vassallia maxima Castellanos, 1946a, p. 8

Vassallia minuta (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 228) see Castellanos, 1937, p. 13

Plaina sp. Fam. Glyptodontidae

Eleutherocercus solidus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 104) (including Eleuthero- cercus tucumanus Castellanos, 1927, p. 282; see Cabrera, 1944, p. 62)

Eosclerocalyptus planus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 103) (including Eoscleroca- lyptus lilloi C. Ameghino, 1919b, p. 150; see Cabrera, 1944, p. 9)

Glyptodontidium tuberifer Cabrera, 1944, p. 71

Hoplophractus proximus (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 224) see Ca- brera, 1944, p. 21

Lomaphorus corallinus Rovereto, 1914, p. 103 (see Castellanos, 1948a)

Peiranoa bullifera Castellanos, 1946b, p. 5

Phlyctaenopyga ameghini (Moreno, 1882, p. 120 nomen nudum; F. Ame- ghino, 1889, p. 825— see Cabrera, 1944, p. 42)

Stromaphorus compressidens (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 224) (in- cluding Plohophorus philippii Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 225 see Cabrera, 1944, p. 30)

Stromaphorus cuneiformis (referred specimens species erected by F. Ameghino, 1904, p. 138, on specimens from Chapadmalal Fm.)

Urotherium simile Castellanos, 1948b, p. 6 Order Rodentia

Fam. Octodontidae

Phtoramys pulcher Rovereto, 1914, p. 61

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 65

Pithanotomys columnaris mendocinus (referred specimens species erected by Rovereto, 1914, p. 221 on specimens from Huayquerias Fm., Mendoza)

Pseudoplataeomys brevis (Rovereto, 1914, p. 64) see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 79

Pseudoplataeomys elongatus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 62) see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 79

Pseudoplataeomys innominatus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 65) see L. Kra- glievich, 1934, p. 79

Neophanomys biplicatus Rovereto, 1914, p. 60 Fam. Echimyidae

Trichomys intermedius (Rovereto, 1914, p. 67) see Bond, 1977, p. 312

Carterodon? parvulus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 68)— see Bond, 1977, p. 312

Proechimys ponderosus (Rovereto, 1914, p. 67) see J. Kraglievich, 1957, p. 38; Bond, 1977, p. 312

Paramyocastor ( = Isomyopotamus) diligens (Ameghino, 1888) see Wood & Patterson, 1959, p. 325n Fam. Abrocomidae

Protabrocoma antiqua (Rovereto, 1914, p. 66) see L. Kraglievich, 1927, p. 591 Fam. Chinchillidae

Lagostomopsis pretrichodactyla (Rovereto, 1914, p. 73) see L. Kra- glievich, 1926, 1934 ( = Viscaccia angulata Rovereto, 1914, p. 74; Vis- caccia insolita Rovereto, 1914, p. 74) Fam. Dinomyidae

Carlesia sp.

Tetrastylus? atrophiatus Rovereto, 1914, p. 72

Tetrastylus intermedius Rovereto, 1914, p. 69

Tetrastylus montanus F. Ameghino, 1891a, p. 94 Fam. Caviidae

Cardiomys ameghinorum latidens (Rovereto, 1914, p. 56)

Orthomyctera andina (Rovereto, 1914, p. 58) see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 81

Orthomyctera rigens (Ameghino 1889, p. 218 referred specimens, type from Monte Hermoso)

Palaeocavia sp.

Prodolichotis prisca (Rovereto, 1914, p. 60) see L. Kraglievich, 1934, p. 81 Fam. Erethizontidae

Neosteiromys bombifrons Rovereto, 1914, p. 75 Order Carnivora

Fam. Procyonidae

Cyonasua cf. C. argentina (referred material see J. L. Kraglievich & Olazabal, 1959, pp. 10, 52; Marshall et al., 1979, p. 276)

Cyonasua brevirostris (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 235) (including Amphinasua longirostris Rovereto, 1914, p. 81; and Pachynasua? ro- busta Rovereto, 1914, p. 82 see J. L. Kraglievich & Reig, 1954, p. 213; Marshall et al., 1979, p. 275)

Chapalmalania cf. C. altaefrontis (referred material see J. L. Kraglievich & Olazabal, 1959, pp. 9, 28; Marshall et al., 1979, p. 276)

66 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Order Litopterna

Fam. Macraucheniidae

"Macrauchenia" calceolata Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 234 "Macrauchenia" lydekkeri Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 233 Promacrauchenia antiqua (referred specimens species erected by F.

Ameghino, 1889, p. 530 on specimens from Monte Hermoso) Promacrauchenia calchaquiorum Rovereto, 1914, p. 53 Fam. Proterotheriidae

"Licaphrium" intermedium (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 234) nomen

vanum see Riggs & Patterson, 1939, p. 155) Brachytherium morenoi Rovereto, 1914, p. 51 ( = ?Proterotherium simpli-

cidens Rovereto, 1914, p. 50; see Riggs & Patterson, 1939, p. 155) Brachytherium laternarium F. Ameghino, 1904, p. 485 (see Riggs & Patterson, 1939, p. 156) Order Notoungulata Fam. Toxodontidae

Toxodontherium andinum L. Kraglievich, 1931a, p. 93 Xotodon catamarcensis Lydekker, 1893, p. 22 Xotodon cristatus Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 232 Fam. Interatheriidae gen. et sp. indet. Fam. Mesotheriidae

Typotheriopsis internum (F. Ameghino, 1891a, p. 92) see Cabrera, 1937,

p. 26 Typotheriopsis studeri (Moreno & Mercerat, 1891a, p. 232) see L. Kra- glievich, 1934, p. 34 Fam. Hegetotheriidae

Hemihegetotherium achathaleptum Rovereto, 1914, p. 41

Hemihegetotherium affine Rovereto, 1914, p. 44

Hemihegetotherium gracile Rovereto, 1914, p. 43

Hemihegetotherium robustum Rovereto, 1914, p. 42

Pseudohegetotherium? sp.

Tremacyllus diminutus (referred specimens species erected by F.

Ameghino, 1889, p. 117 on specimens from Monte Hermoso) Tremacyllus incipiens Rovereto, 1914, p. 46 Tremacyllus latifrons Rovereto, 1914, p. 47

APPENDIX IV Valle de Rio Santa Maria Key: *Specimen missing; n.h. = no horizon. FMNH No. Taxa Description Unit

Locality 1: Entre Rios ( = Chiquimil)

P 14381

Geochelone gallardoi

plastron

XX

P 14375

Procariama simplex

partial upper break and one verte-

bra

XVIIIb

P 14357

Andalgalornis ferox

skull, mandibles, pelvis, and ver-

tebrae (type)

XVIIIb

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 67

FMNH No.

Taxa

Description

Unit

P 14469

Thylatheridium dolgopolae

fragment of right mandibular ra-

mus with P2-M3 (type)

XX

P 15225

Sparassocynus sp.

cranium lacking face

XX

P 14344

Thylacosmilus atrox

associated cranium, mandibular

ramus, hind legs, and tarsals

XIX

•P 14453

marsupial

skull minus teeth

XVIIIb

•P 14454

marsupial

skull

XVIIIb

•P 14348

Megatheriinae indet.

cheek tooth

XVIIIb

P 14350

Pronothrotherium typicum

mandible

XVIIIb

P 14467

Pronothrotherium typicum

skull, pelvis, ribs, and vertebrae

XVII

P 14382

Pronothrotherium typicum

ulna and radius

XIX

P 14468

gravigrade indet.

femur, tibia, fibula, and astragalus

XVII

P 14471

gravigrade indet.

partial pelvis

X

P 15435

Chorobates scalabrinii

posterior two-thirds of skull

XX

P 14360

Chorobates scalabrinii

skull

XVII

PM880

Chorobates scalabrinii

carapace

XX

P 14358

Paraeuphractus prominens

posterior two-thirds of skull, cara-

pace, and pelvis

XVII

P 14351

Paraeuphractus prominens

skull

XX

•P 14347

Dasypodidae indet.

mandible

XVIIIa

•P 15226

Dasypodidae indet.

cranium and long bones

XX

P 14364

Dasypodidae indet.

rib

XVII

P 14376

Dasypodidae indet.

caudal vertebrae

XVII

P 14472

Dasypodidae indet.

fragmentary skull, mandible, hu-

merus, and partial carapace

n.h.

PM 1089

Dasypodidae indet.

mandible fragment

XVIIIa

P 14345

Glyptodontidae indet.

caudal vertebrae

XVII

*P 14346

Glyptodontidae indet.

mandible

XVIIIa

P 14363

Glyptodontidae indet.

caudal ring

XVII

P 14461

Glyptodontidae indet.

right mandible

XVII

•P 14470

Glyptodontidae indet.

mandible, leg bones, part of cara-

pace, and vertebrae

VII

P 14349

Phtoramys pulcher

anterior part of skull

XVIIIb

P 15313

Phtoramys pulcher

right ramus with P4-M3, broken

incisor

XVII

P 15316

Phtoramys pulcher

right ramus with P,j-M2

XVII

P 15314

Phtoramys pulcher

right ramus with P4-M3, broken

incisor

XVII

P 15315

Phtoramys pulcher

left ramus with P4-M3, incisor,

right maxilla with P2-M2

XVII

P 14373

Phtoramys pulcher

anterior part of skull, mandibles, femur, fragment of pelvis, tibia,

and fibula

XVIIIb

PM 1091

Phtoramys pulcher

left mandible

XVIIIa

PM1092

Phtoramys pulcher

left mandible

XVIIIa

PM 1093

Phtoramys pulcher

right mandible

XVIIIa

P 14339

Protabrocoma antiqua

fragment of palate with P*-M3

XVII

•P 14366

Tetrastylus sp.

right mandible with one cheek

tooth

XVII

P 14466

Tetrastylus sp.

three molars and partial incisor

XIV

P 14347

Neophanomys biplicatus

right mandible with broken I-M3

XVIIIa

P 14372

Cardiomys ameghinorum

lower right dentition with P<-M3

and broken incisor

XVIIIb

P 14343

Orthomyctera andina

right ramus with incisor, and

P«-M3

XVII

P 14534

Orthomyctera andina

skull

XVIIIb

P 14370

Orthomyctera andina

skull

XVIIIb

P 14463

Orthomyctera andina

skull

XVII

68

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

FMNH No.

Taxa

Description

Unit

P 14337

Orthomyctera andina

fragment of palate and cheek re-

gion

XVII

PM 1094

Orthomyctera andina

left mandible

XVIIIa

P 14336

Palaeocavia sp.

right mandible fragment with inci-

sor and P4-M2

XVII

P 14335

Prodolichotis prisca

mandible fragment with one tooth

XVII

PM 1095

Prodolichotis prisca

left mandible with four teeth

XVIIIa

*P 14371

rodent

part of left mandible with molars

XVIIIb

P 14385

rodent

humerus, femur, tibia, ribs, and

foot bones

XIX

P 15317

rodent

five miscellaneous leg bones

XVII

P 14340

rodent

skull and mandibular rami

XVII

P 14338

rodent

palatal fragment

XVII

P 14342

Cyonasua cf. C. brevirostris

vertebrae, leg, and foot bones

XVIIIa

P 14341

Brachytherium morenoi

skull minus premaxillaries and

condyles, and lower jaws

XVIIIb

P 14361

Brachytherium intermedium

skull

XVIIIa

P 15138

Xotodon sp.

maxillaries with right and left r^-M3; pre-sacral series com- plete except for atlas; sixth cos- tal complete; first, third, and fourth complete; the rest, with exception of second and eight, represented by proximal part;

pelvis and sacrum

XVIIIb

P 14369

Xotodon sp.

parts of skull and mandible

XVIIIb

P 152312

Tremacyllus latifrons

right mandible with P4-M!

XVII

P 15311

Tremacyllus latifrons

right fragmentary mandible with

P4-M,

XVII

P 14456

Tremacyllus latifrons

skull with articulating mandible with complete dentition and

complete post-cranial skeleton

XVIIIb

P 14536

Tremacyllus latifrons

skull

XX

P 14362

Tremacyllus diminutus

right mandibular ramus with

P3-M3

XVIIIb

P 14374

Tremacyllus diminutus

skull with nine maxillary teeth

XVIIIb

P 14368

Tremacyllus sp.

right mandible with 1^, P2_4, M2_3

XVII

PM 1090

Tremacyllus sp.

left and right mandibular frag-

ments

XVIIIa

Locality 2: Loma Rica

P 14353 Procariama simplex

P 14455 Paradidelphys pattersoni

P 14367 Eosclaerocalyptus planus

P 14355 Phtoramys pulcher

P 15271 Phtoramys pulcher

P 14352 Lagostomopsis pretrichodactyla

P 14464 Orthomyctera andina

P 14462 Hemihegetotherium robustum

P 14354 Tremacyllus latifrons

P 15269 Tremacyllus latifrons

P 14359 Tremacyllus latifrons

skull, endocast, and vertebrae

partial right dentary with C-M4 all incomplete and fragments of left dentary with part of crown of M2 and roots of M3-M4 (type)

carapace

right mandible with Mw

right mandible fragment with M,_2

skull minus premaxillaries

skull

skull fragments and left mandibu- lar ramus

left mandible with five teeth and fragment of symphysis; maxilla with M2"3

partial left ramus with P3-M3

left mandibular ramus with P3-M3

XVIIIa

XVII

XVII

XVIIIb

XVIIIb

XVIIIa

XVII

XVII

XVIIIb XVIIIb XVIIIa

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 69

•MNH No.

Taxa

Description

Unit

P 14377

Tremaa/llus latifrons

paired maxillae, palate, and part of frontals

XVIIIb

P 15270 P 14465

Tremaq/llus diminutus Tremaa/llus cf. T. diminutus

left mandibular ramus with P4-M! skull, distal end of tibia, and mis- cellaneous bone fragments

XVIIIb XIII

Locality 3:

Peneplane Basin

P 14392

Protabrocoma antiqua

skull and crushed articulating right mandible

XX

P 14393 P 14394

Tetrastylus sp. Tremaq/llus latifrons

mandibles

right ramus with P3-M3; left ramus with P4-M3

XX

XX

P 14458

P 14386

P 14387 P 15268

P 14388 P 14457 P 14389 P 14380 P 14390

P 14538 P 15266

Locality 4: Arroyo ( = Rio) de Yapes

Paradidelphys pattersoni

Pronothrotherium typicum

Paraeuphractus prominens Lagostomopsis pretrichodactyla

Carlesia sp.

Cardiomys ameghinorum Brachytherium intermedium Brachytherium intermedium Tremaa/llus latifrons

Tremaa/llus latifrons Tremacyllus latifrons

P 15267 Tremacyllus latifrons

partial right dentary with P,_3, Mu and M3-l, all worn and broken

one half pelvis, vertebra, scapulae and ribs

fragment of skull with head plate

palate with teeth; right and left

r*-M2

mandibular fragments with teeth

skull, atlas-axis, three cervicals

tibia and foot bones

left mandibular ramus

right and left mandibular rami and

isolated fragmentary teeth skull right mandibular ramus with

P2-M2 and symphysis right ramus with P4 and M3

Locality 5: Andalhuala

P 14378 Tremaa/llus diminutus dorsally crushed skull with 10 up-

per teeth

Locality 6: Vallecito

P 14379 Tremaa/llus latifrons

badly broken skull and articulated mandibles

Locality 7: Ampajango

T 14473 Geochelone sp. carapace and plastron

P 14396 Stromaphorus? sp. skull with four maxillary and four

premaxillary teeth

Locality 8: Unnamed

*P 14356 Hegetotheriidae? indet. paired mandibles

Locality 9: Jujuy

P 14383 Megatheriinae indet.

P 14384 gravigrade indet.

P 14537 Cyonasua cf. C. brevirostris

Locality 10: East of Santa Maria

*P 14460 Paradidelphys sp. mandibles

P 14395 Xotodon sp. skull, paired mandibles, atlas, and

foot bones

XX

XX XX

XX XX XX XX XX

XX XX

XX

XX

XVIIIb

XVII

XI

XI

XX

large atlas

XIX

caudal vertebra

XIX

skull and mandibles

XIX

n.h.

n.h.

70

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

FMNH No.

Taxa

Description

Unit

Locality

11: Tiopunco

P 14505

Megatheriinae indet.

pelvis

n.h

P 15222

gravigrade indet.

patella and toe bone

n.h

P 15223

gravigrade indet.

foot bones

n.h

P 14507

Eleutherocercus solidus

caudal sheath

n.h

P 15771

Glyptodontidae indet.

scutes

n.h

P 14509

rodent

posterior two-thirds of skull

n.h

P 14504

Promacrauchenia sp.

radius and ulna

n.h

P 14508

Promacrauchenia sp.

calcaneum and ectocuneiform

n.h

P 15431

Toxodontidae indet.

distal end of ulna

n.h

P 14506

Xotodon sp.

skull with articulating mandibles

n.h

APPENDIX V Puerta de Corral Quemado Key: *Specimen missing; n.h. = no horizon.

FMNH No.

Taxa

P 14402 P 14422

Ceratophrys sp. Hermosiornis incertus

P 14525

Procariama simplex

P 14535

Procariama simplex

P 15303 P 14403 P 14519

Procariama simplex strigiformid? Paradidelphys pattersoni

P 14487

Lutreolina sp.

P 14409

Borhyaenidium riggsi

P 14407

Eutemnodus? acutidens

Description

partial skull

proximal part of right tibio-tar-

sus, right tarso-metatarsus;

metarsal I and digits I and II

complete cranium, wing, legs, and foot

bones cast of femur (type ceded to

Museo Argentino de Ciencas

Naturales "Bernardino Riva-

davia", Buenos Aires) ungual phalanx cranium partial left dentary with C, Px_2,

dP4, and Mj_3 mandibles; fragment of palate

with right P*-M4 and left C-P2 mandibles; with left P3-M3; frag- ment of left maxillary with

P3-M2 and isolated C 32 mandible fragment with roots of

M3 and M4 complete

Unit

21

17

20

20

n.h.

21

20 or 21

30

32

15-32 (probably 30)

P 14474

Thylacosmilus atrox (type of

partial skull with dentition

( = MLP

T. lentis)

(ceded to Museo de La Plata)

20

35-X-41-1)

P 14531

Thylacosmilus atrox (holo-

nearly complete skull and asso-

type)

ciated skeleton

20

P 14398

marsupial carnivore

two femora, phalanges, and

mandible fragments

23

P 14404

Megatheriinae indet.

molar

21

P 14438

Megatheriinae indet.

paired mandibular rami with six

molars

32

P 14499

Megatheriinae indet.

six caudals, one chevron, ribs, pelvis, tibia, femur, fibula,

and foot bones

23

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 71

FMNH No. Taxa

P 14528 Megatheriinae indet.

P 14530 Megatheriinae indet.

P 14511 Megatheriinae indet.

P 14503 Pronothrotherium typicum

P 14445 Pronothrotherium typicum

Description Unit

left mandibular ramus with four molars, five isolated teeth, and foot bones 23

tibia and foot bones 19

two humeri, five unguals, six cervicals, vertebra, teeth, ribs, and mandible fragment 21

articulated skeleton with skull, mandibles, and fragmentary caudals (on exhibition) n.h.

badly crushed posterior two- thirds of skull and fragmen-

tary left mandibular ramus

32

P 14515

Pronothrotherium typicum

femora, part of pelvis, fibula,

humerus, and foot bones

21

P 14495

Pleurolestodon acutidens

skull, paired mandibles, atlas,

axis, and vertebrae

23

P 14521

IPleurolestodon sp.

right mandible

20

P 14450

"Scelidotherium" pendolai

skull, humeri, fragments of pel-

vis, and vertebrae

14

P 15262

sloth

navicular and miscellaneous

bones

n.h.

P 14419

Myrmecophagiidae indet.

leg bones, vertebrae, carpals,

15-23

ulna, radius, and skull

(probably

15) 15-23

P 14424

Plaina sp.

skull, paired mandibles, cast

and mold of brain, leg scutes,

(probably

and foot bones

15)

P 15302

Plaina sp.

three scutes

n.h.

P 14411

Paleuphractus argentinus

carapace

32

P 14412

Paleuphractus argentinus

skull and right mandible

32

P 14442

Paleuphractus argentinus

skull, mandible, and head

shield

18

P 14510

Chorobates scalabrinii

carapace

24

P 14493

IMacroeuphractus sp.

paired fragmentary mandibular

rami

23

P 15330

Paraeuphractus prominens

carapace fragments

n.h.

P 14526

Paraeuphractus prominens

skull, right mandible, pelvis,

parts of carapace

23

P 15260

Dasypodidae indet.

ungual

n.h.

P 14449

Dasypodidae indet.

fragment of skull and ulna

32

P 14446

Eleutherocercus solidus

section of carapace, mandible, skull, tail sheath, vertebra, femora, tibiae, fibulae,

scapulae, foot bones

32

P 14437

Eleutherocercus solidus

skull, mandibles, almost com- plete post-cranial skeleton,

and fragment of carapace

23-28

P 14417

Eleutherocercus solidus

mandibles and carapace frag-

15-23

ment

(probably 15)

P 14475 Eleutherocercus solidus

P 14501 Hoplophractus proximus

skull, rib, fragment of humerus, vertebrae, foot bones, scutes

skull, pelvis, sheath, caudals, tube, part of tail rings and carapace, humerus, femur, tibia, fibula, and foot bones

20

24

72

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

FMNH No.

Taxa

P 14522 P 14405

Hoplophractus proxitnus Hoplophractus proximus

P 14414

Stromaphorus sp.

P 14405 Glyptodontidae indet.

P 14406 P 14410

P 14494

P 14520

P 14439

*P 14532

P 14447

P 14502

P 15258 P 15259 P 15299

P 15292 P 14444

P 15248

P 14431

P 15296

P 15290

P 15291

P 14484

P 14533

P 15249

P 14418

P 14432

P 15253

Glyptodontidae indet. Glyptodontidae indet.

Stromaphorus sp.

Stromaphorus compressidens

Phlyctaenopyga ameghini Phlyctaenopyga ameghini Glyptodontidae indet. Glyptodontidae indet.

Glyptodontidae indet. Glyptodontidae indet. Phtoramys pulcher

Phtoramys pulcher Phtoramys pulcher

Phtoramys pulcher

Pithanotomys columnaris

mendocinus Pithanotomys columnaris

mendocinus Pithanotomys columnaris

mendocinus Pithanotomys columnaris

mendocinus Pithanotomys columnaris

mendocinus Pithanotomys columnaris

mendocinus Pithanotomys columnaris

mendocinus Paramyocastor ( = Isomyopota-

mus) diligens Paramyocastor ( = Isomyopota-

mus) sp. "but different" Lagostomopsis pretrichodactyla

Description Unit

caudal sheath 23

partial carapace, three caudal rings, caudal sheath, one fe- mur, and incomplete pelvis 17

one half carapace, two caudal rings, one half tail sheath, fe- mur, skull: facial region with right cheek teeth 17

carapace (ceded to Museo de La Plata) 17

three caudal rings 20

caudal sheath with vertebrae [This specimen is very similar to the caudal tube doubtfully referred by Cabrera to Hoplo- phractus proximus. Specimen P 14501 shows that Cabrera's referred tube does not belong to this species.] 32

lumbar tube, sacrum, fragment of pelvis, tail 23

four caudal rings, caudal

sheath, fragments of carapace 23

carapace 26

proximal portion of caudal tube 15-32

carapace, lacking part of dome 32

right mandible and carapace scutes 26

tooth and palate n.h.

palate n.h.

right mandible fragment with

P4-M2 n.h.

right mandible with M! n.h.

skull: anterior part with incisors femur, tibia, and foot bones 32

right mandible with I, Mx_2, and

part of P4 n.h.

anterior portion of skull 21

right mandible fragment with

P4-M3 n.h.

left mandible fragment with I,

Mj_3 n.h.

right mandible fragment with

MU3 n.h.

skull and mandibles 28

anterior two-thirds of skull 15-32

facial region of skull with right

and left I-M3 n.h.

anterior portion of skull and

right fnandible 32

anterior portion of skull 21

mandibular fragments with

teeth n.h.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 73

Taxa

Lagostomopsis pretrichodactyla

Lagostomopsis pretrichodactyla Tetrastylus intermedius

Tetrastylus intermedius

Cardiomys ameghinorum

Cardiomys ameghinorum Cardiomys ameghinorum

Cardiomys ameghinorum

Cardiomys ameghinorum Cardiomys ameghinorum

Orthomyctera rigens Orthomyctera rigens

Orthomyctera rigens

Prodolichotis prisca

Description Unit

maxillary and mandibular frag- ments with teeth n.h.

incomplete left and right mandi- bles n.h.

right mandible, scapula, frag- mentary leg bones (ceded to Museo de La Plata) 21

skull (missing), seven cervical vertebrae, one trunk vertebra 21

right mandible fragment with P4-M2 15-32

left mandible fragment with P4 n.h.

left mandible fragment with symphysis n.h.

right mandible with P4-M3, left mandible with M^, femur, at- las, axis, and rib fragments 23

partial skull with molars 20

left mandibular fragment with P4-M2 n.h.

palate with right M1"3, left P*-M2 n.h.

right mandible fragment with M,_3 n.h.

facial region of skull with right M1"3, left P*-M3 n.h.

right mandible fragment with

M,_3

n.h.

Palaeocavia sp.

skull

15-32

Palaeocavia sp.

skull

21

rodent

anterior portion of skull

21

rodent

skull, atlas, axis, and one cervi-

cal vertebra

15-32

rodent

skull

15-32

rodent

skull

21

rodent

left mandible fragment with

M,_2

n.h-

rodent

palate with right P\ left P'-M2

n.h.

rodent

facial region of skull with right

and left I, P4-M1

n.h.

rodent

right mandible fragment with I

n.h.

rodent

cranium

n.h.

Cyonasua sp.

mandible and partial femur

16 or 17

Cyonasua sp.

right mandible of a juvenile

14

Chapalmalania sp.

left mandible

15-32

(probably

21)

Promacrauchenia

antigua

skull, left mandible, and verte-

bra

32

Promacrauchenia

antigua

skull, mandible, scapulae, and fragments of ulna and meta-

tarsus

30

Promacrauchenia

sp.

carpals and metacarpals

15-32

Promacrauchenia

sp.

pisiform

n.h.

Promacrauchenia

sp.

pelvis, sacrum, and vertebrae

26

Promacrauchenia

sp.

phalanges

20

Promacrauchenia

sp.

atlas

28

Promacrauchenia

sp.

proximal end of femur and hu-

28

74

FMNH No.

P 14488 P 14489 P 14496 P 14497 P 14517 P 14518

P 14529

P 15256

P 15257 P 14483

P 14500

P 15301 P 14492 P 14512 P 14516

FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Taxa

Promacrauchenia sp. Promacrauchenia sp. Promacrauchenia sp. Promacrauchenia sp. Promacrauchenia sp. Promacrauchenia sp.

Promacrauchenia sp.

Promacrauchenia sp.

Promacrauchenia sp. Brachytherium laternarium

Brachytherium laternarium

Xotodon sp. Xotodon sp. Xotodon sp. Xotodon sp.

P 14480 Toxodontotherium sp.

P 14481 Toxodontotherium sp.

P 14477 Typotheriopsis internum

P 14452 Typotheriopsis internum

P 14420 Typotheriopsis internum

P 15244 Typotheriopsis internum

P 14408 Typotheriopsis internum

P 14415 Typotheriopsis internum

P 14423 Typotheriopsis internum

P 14482 Typotheriopsis internum

P 15246 Typotheriopsis internum

P 14416 Hemihegetotherium robustum

P 14523 Hemihegetotherium robustum

P 14527 Hemihegetotherium robustum

P 14413 Hemihegetotherium sp.

P 14478 Pseudohegetotherium? sp.

P 14498 Tremacyllus latifrons

P 14399 Tremacyllus latifrons

P 14400 Tremacyllus latifrons

P 15255 Tremacyllus diminutus

P 15254 Tremacyllus diminutus

P 15263 hegetothere

Description Unit

two metapodials 23

metatarsus and foot bones 23

calcaneum 23

fragmentary mandibles 23

skull with cranium 26 humerus, two ulnae, radii, four metatarsals, phalanges, and

scapula 23

scapulae, femur, tibia, and

fibula 23

astragalus and incomplete navi- cular n.h.

navicular n.h.

mandibular fragments, miscella- neous long and foot bones 30

skull, mandibles, pelvis, and

foot bones 23

five teeth n.h.

skull 30

paired maxillaries 17

weathered skull and paired

mandibles 20

tibia, fibula, scapula, vertebra ribs, isolated teeth, and foot

bones 7

femur, tibia, and foot bones 7 skull and calcaneum 14 skull, articulating paired mandi- bles, and postcranial skeleton 14 cranium and posterior two- thirds of skull 14 right maxilla fragment with M2"3 14 fragmentary mandibular rami 14 skull, paired mandibles, and

complete forelegs 14 incisors 16 or 17 ulna, radius, foot bones, verte- bra, and ribs 14

lunar 14

right mandibular ramus 32

skull 20

skull 20 skull, scapula, sacrum, pha- langes, humerus, vertebra,

ribs, tibia, and fibula 32 skull with eight maxillary and

two premaxillary teeth 6

facial region of skull 26

skull and paired mandibles 22

mandibles 23 right mandible fragment with

P3-M3 n.h. fragment of a right maxilla with

P2-M3 n.h. left mandibular ramus with

P4-M3 n.h.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 75

APPENDIX VI

Specimens Without Locality Data

FMNH No. Taxa Description

P 14784 Proeuphractus scalabrinii mandibular fragment with three teeth

P 15230 Borhyaenidium? sp. facial region lacking teeth

P 15231 Procariama simplex distal end of tibio-tarsus and tarsometatar-

sals P 15229 Cyonasua sp. right maxillary fragment with M1"2

LITERATURE CITED

Ameghino, C. 1919a. Los yacimientos fosiliferos del Valle de Santa Maria en Catamarca y Tucum£n. Prim. Reun. Nac. Soc. Arg. Cienc. Nat. (Physis), Tucuman, 1916, 145-149.

1919b. Sobre mamiferos f6siles del Piso Araucanense de Catamarca y Tucuman.

Prim. Reun. Nac. Soc. Arg. Cienc. Nat. (Physis), Tucuman, 1916, 150-153.

Ameghino, R 1888. Rapidas diagnosis de algunos mamiferos fdsiles nuevos de la Repiiblica Argentina. Buenos Aires, 1-17.

1889. Contribucibn al conocimiento de los mamiferos f6siles de la Republica Ar- gentina. Actas Acad. Nac. Cienc, C6rdoba, 6, 1-1027; atlas, 98 pis.

1891a. Sobre algunos restos de mamiferos f6siles, recogidos por el Senor Manuel

B. Zavaleta en la formacibn miocena de Tucuman y Catamarca. Rev. Arg. Hist. Nat., 1, 88-101.

.. 1891b. Exploraci6n arquel6gica de la provincia de Catamarca. Rev. Arg. Hist. Nat.,

1, 199-207.

.. 1904. Recherches de Morphologie phylogenetique sur les molaires superieures des

ongules. An. Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires, 3(3), 1-541.

.. 1906. Les formations s£dimentaires de Cretace superieur et du tertiaire de Pata-

gonie avec un parallele entre leurs faunes mammalogiques et celles de l'ancien continent. Buenos Aires, Imprenta Alsina, 1-568.

.. 1907. Notas sobre una pequeha colecci6n de huesos de mamiferos procedentes

de las grutas calcareas de Yporanga en el estado de Sao Paulo-Brazil. Rev. Mus. Paulista,

7, 59-124. Berggren, W. A. and J. A. Van Couvering. 1974. The Late Neogene. Paleogeography,

Paleoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 16(1 + 2), 1-216. Bodenbender, G. 1911. Constituci6n geol6gica de la parte meridional de la provincia de

La Rioja y regiones Iimitrofes. Bol. Acad. Nac. Cienc. C6rdoba, 19(1), 5-220.

1916. El Nevado de Famatina. Bol. Acad. Nac. Cienc. C6rdoba, 21(1), 100-182.

1924. El Calchaqueho y los estratos de la Puna de Penck. Bol. Acad. Nac. Cienc,

C6rdoba, 27, 405-468. Bond, M. 1977. Revisi6n de los Echimyidae (Rodentia, Caviomorpha) de Edad Huayque-

riense (Plioceno Medio) de las Provincias de Catamarca y Mendoza (abstract). Ame-

ghiniana, 14(1-4), 312. Bordas, A. 1935. Observaciones sobre los generos "Scelidodon" Amegh. y "Proscelidodon"

n. gen. Physis, 11(40), 484-491. Cabrera, A. 1928. Sobre algunos megaterios pliocenos. Rev. Mus. La Plata, 31, 339-352. 1937. Notas sobre el Suborden Typotheria. Notas Mus. La Plata, Paleont., 2(8),

17-43. 1944. Los gliptodontoideos del Arailcaniano de Catamarca. Rev. Mus. La Plata,

Secc Paleont. (n.s.), 3, 5-76. Caminos, R. 1972. Sierras Pampeanas de Tucum&n, Catamarca, La Rioja y San Juan. In

Leanza, A. F., ed., Geologia Regional Argentina. Acad. Nac Cienc, C6rdoba, 41-79. Carles, E. De. 1911. Ensayo geol6gico descriptivo de las guayquerias del sur de Mendoza

(Departamento de San Carlos). Anal. Mus. Hist. Nat., Buenos Aires, 22, 77-95.

76 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Castellanos, A. 1927. Description de un fragmento de tubo caudal de un nuevo Dedi-

curino en relaci6n con sus generos afines. Anal. Mus. Hist. Nat. de Montevideo, ser.

2, 2, 265-300. 1932. Nuevos generos de Gliptodontes en relation con su filogenia. Physis, 11,

92-100. 1937. Anotaciones sobre la linea filogenetica de los clamiterios. Publ. Inst. Fis.

Geol. Fac. Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 1, 1-35.

1939. A proposito de los generos Plohophorus, Nopachthus y Panochthus. Publ. Inst.

Fis. Geol. Fac. Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 6, 1-277.

.. 1940. A proposito de los generos Plohophorus, Nopachthus y Panochthus (2a. parte).

Publ. Inst. Fis. Geol. Fac. Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 8, 277-418.

.. 1946a. Una nueva especie de clamiterio: Vassallia maxima n.sp. Publ. Inst. Fis. Geol.

Fac. Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 26, 1^7.

1946b. Un nuevo gliptodontoideo del Araucanense del Valle de Yocavil (Santa

Maria) de la Provincia de Tucuman: Peiranoa bullifera n.gen. y n.sp. Publ. Inst. Fis. Geol. Fac. Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 27, 1-19.

1947. Nuevos restos de coraza de los generos "Proeuphr actus" y "Macroeuphractus"

Ameghino descubiertos en el "Araucanense" del Valle de Yocavil (Provincias de Cata- marca y Tucuman). Publ. Inst. Fis. Geol. Fac. Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 32, 1^4.

1948a. Nuevos restos de Lomaphorops corallinus (Rov). Publ. Inst. Fis. Geol. Fac.

Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 34, 1—42.

.. 1948b. La presencia del genero Urotherium en el Araucanense del Valle de Yocavil

(Santa Maria), Provincia de Catamarca y Tucuman. Publ. Inst. Fis. Geol. Fac. Cienc. Mat. Univ. Nac. Litoral, Rosario, 35, 1-16.

.. 1954. Nota prelimiar sobre el Valle de Yocavil (Santa Maria) de las provincias de

Catamarca, Tucuman y Salta (Argentina). Com. Ren. XIX. Session Cong. Geol. Inst.

Argen., 1952, secc. 13, 13, 12. Doering, A. 1882. Informe oficial de la comision cientifica agregada al estado mayor

general de la expedition al Rio Negro (Patagonia). Tercera parte: Geologia, Buenos Aires,

299-530. Farrar, E. and D. C. Noble. 1976. Timing of Late Tertiary deformation in the Andes of

Peru. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 87, 1247-1250. Frenguelli, J. 1930a. Conclusiones geologicas referentes a la region pre-andina de Salta.

Anal. Soc. Cient. Santa Fe, 2, 110-137. 1930b. Las guayquerias de San Carlos en la provincia de Mendoza. Univ. Nac.

Litoral, Dep. Ext. Univ. Publ., 9, 1-54.

.. 1937. Investigaciones geologicas en la zona salteha del valle de Santa Maria. Obra

del Cincuentenario. Inst. Mus. Univ. Nac. La Plata, 2, 215-572. GalvAn, A. F and O. J. Ruiz Huidobro. 1965. Geologia del Valle de Santa Maria. Estra-

tigrafia de las formaciones mesozoico-terciarias. Acta Segundas J. Geol. Arg., Tucuman,

3, 217-230. Gerth, H. 1941. Die Tertiarfloren des siidlichen Sudamerika und die angebliche. Verla-

gerung des Siidpols wahrend dieser Periode. Geol. Rund, 32, 321-336. GonzAlez Bonorino, F. 1950. Geologia y petrografia de las Hojas 12d (Capillitas) y 13d

(Andalgala). Bol. Dir. Nac. Geol. y Min., 70, 1-100. Groeber, P. 1929. Lineas fundamentales de la geologia del Neuquen, sur de Mendoza y

regiones adjacentes. Dir. Gen. Minas, Geol., Hidrol., Buenos Aires, 58, 1-109. Herrero-Ducloux, A. 1963. The Andes of western Argentina. Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol.,

Mem., 2, 16-28. Huidobro, O. J. Ruiz. 1965. Hidrogeologia del Valle de Santa Maria (Prov. de Catamarca,

Argentina). Rev. Assoc. Geol. Arg., 20, 29-66. 1966. Contribution a la Geologia de Las Cumbres Calchaquies y Sierra del Acon-

quija (Tucuman-Catamarca). Acta Geologia Lilloana, 8, 215-247.

1972. Description geologica dela Hoja lie, Santa Maria, Provincias de Catamarca

y Tucuman. Bol. Dir. Nac. Geol. y Min., 134, 1-65.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 77

Just, T. 1952. Fossil floras of the southern hemisphere and their phytogeographical sig- nificance. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 99, 189-203.

Kraglievich, J. L. 1952. El perfil geologico de Chapadmalal y Miramar, Provincia de

Buenos Aires. Rev. Mus. Mun. Cien. Nat. Trad., Mar del Plata, 1, 8-37. 1957. Revision de los roedores extinguidos del genero "Eumysops" Amegh. 1888

(Nota preliminar). Ameghiniana, 1(3), 37-39. Kraglievich, J. L. and A. G. De OlazAbal. 1959. Los procionidos extinguidos del genero

Chapalmalania Amegh. Rev. Mus. Arg. Cienc. Nat., 6, 1-59. Kraglievich, J. L. and O. A. Reig. 1954. Un nuevo procionido del Plioceno de Las Playas

(Prov. de C6rdoba). Rev. Assoc. Geol. Arg., 9(4), 210-231. Kraglievich, L. 1926. Sobre el conducto humeral en las vizcachas y paquirucos Chapad-

malenses con description del "Paedotherium imperforatum". Anal. Mus. Nac. Hist. Nat.,

34,45-88. 1927. Nota preliminar sobre nuevos generos y especies de roedores de la Fauna

Argentina. Physis, 8(31), 591-598.

.. 1931a. Sobre la presencia de toxodontes "haplodonteridos" en el piso Araucanense

de Catamarca (Toxodontherium andinum n.sp). Anal. Soc. Cien. Arg., 3, 93-96.

.. 1931b. Cuatro notas paleontologicas sobre Octomylodon aversus Amegh., Argyrolagus

palmeri Amegh., Tetrastylus montanus Amegh., 7 Munizia paranensis. Rev. Soc. Argen. Cien. Nat., 10, 242-266.

1934. La antigiiedad pliocena de las faunas de Monte Hermoso y Chapadmalal,

deducidas de su comparacion con las que le procedieron y sucedieron. Montevideo Imprenta El Siglo Ilustrado, 1-136.

Labrecque, J. L., D. V. Kent, and S. C. Cande. 1977. Revised magnetic polarity time scale

for Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic time. Geology, 5, 330-335. Lydekker, R. 1893. Contributions to a knowledge of the fossil vertebrates of Argentina.

A study of extinct Argentine Ungulates. Anal. Mus. La Plata, 2(7), 1-91. 1894. Contributions to a knowledge of the fossil vertebrates of Argentina. 2. The

extinct edentates of Argentina. Anal. Mus. La Plata, 3, 1-118.

Marshall, L. G. 1976. Evolution of the Thylacosmilidae, extinct saber-tooth marsupials of South America. Paleobios, 23, 1-30.

1978a. Evolution of the Borhyaenidae, extinct South American predaceous mar- supials. Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. Sri., 117, 1-89.

1978b. The terror bird. Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull., 49(9), 6-15.

1981. Review of the Hathlyacyninae, an extinct subfamily of South American "dog-

like" marsupials. Fieldiana: Geology, n.s., no. 7, 1-120. Marshall, L. G., R. Pascual, G. H. Curtis, and R. E. Drake. 1977. South American

geochronology: radiometric time scale for Middle to Late Tertiary mammal-bearing ho- rizons in Patagonia. Science, 195, 1325-1328. Marshall, L. G., R. F. Bulter, R. E. Drake, G. H. Curtis, and R. H. Tedford. 1979.

Calibration of the Great American Interchange. Science, 204, 272-279. Mercerat, A. 1895. Amphinasua brevirostris Mor. y Mer. Rev. Mus. La Plata, 6, 253-264. Moreno, F. P. 1882. Patagonia, resto de un continente hoy sumergido. Anal. Soc. Cien.

Argen., 14, 97-131. Moreno, F. P. and A. Mercerat. 1891a. Esplorarion arqueologica de la Provincia de

Catamarca: Paleontologia, Rev. Mus. La Plata, 1, 222-236. 1891b. Catalogo de los pajaros fosiles de la Repiiblica Argentina conservados en

el Museo de La Plata. Anal. Mus. La Plata, 1, 1-71.

O'Donnell, C. 1938. Troncos y ramas f6siles de dicotiled6neas en el Araucaniano de

Tiopunco (Dept. Tafi, Prov. de Tucuman). Cuad. Min. y Geol., Univ. Nac. Tucuman,

1, 26-29. Orians, G. H. and O. T. Solbrig (eds.). 1977. Convergent evolution in warm deserts.

US/IBP Synthesis Series No. 3. Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Inc., East Stroudsburg,

Pennsylvania, 1-333.

78 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Ortega, E. J. 1967. Description de los restos de un Scelidotheriinae (Edentata, Mylodon-

tidae) de edad Huayqueriense. Algunas consideraciones en torno a la filogenia de los

Scelidotheriinae. Ameghiniana, 5(3), 109-120. Parodiz, J. J. 1969. The Tertiary non-marine Mollusca of South America. Ann. Carnegie

Mus., 40, 1-242. Pascual, R. 1961. Un nuevo Cardiomyinae (Rodentia, Caviidae) de la formation Arroyo

Chasico (Plioceno inferior) de la Provinria de Buenos Aires. Ameghiniana, 2, 61-71. 1965. Los Toxodontidae (Notoungulata, Toxodonta) de la Formation Arroyo Cha- sico (Plioceno inferior) de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Caracteristicas geologicas.

Ameghiniana, 4(4), 101-132. Pascual, R. and O. E. Odreman Rivas. 1971. Evolution de las comunidades de los

vertebrados del Terciario Argentino. Los aspectos paleozoogeograficos y paleoclimaticos

relacionados. Ameghiniana, 8(3 + 4), 372-412. 1973. Las unidades estratigraficas del Terciario portadoras de mamiferos. Su dis- tribution y sus relaciones con los acontecimientos diastroficos. Actas del Quinto Con-

greso Geologico Argentino, 3, 293-338. Pascual, R., E. J. Ortega Hinojosa, D. Gondar, and E. Tonni. 1965. Las Edades del

Cenozoico mamalifero de la Argentina, con especial atenrion a aquellas del territorio

bonaerense. Anal. Com. Inv. Cien. Prov. Buenos Aires, 6, 165-193. 1966. Paleontografia Bonaerense. Fasciculo IV: Vertebrata. Com. Inv. Cien. Prov.

Buenos Aires, 1-202. Pascual, R. and F. Fidalgo. 1972. The problem of the Plio-Pleistocene Boundary in

Argentina (South America). International colloquium on the problem "The boundary

between Neogene and Quaternary." Moscow, 205-262. Patterson, B. 1937a. Didelphines from the Pliocene of Argentina (abstract). Proc. Geol.

Soc. Am. for 1936, 379. 1937b. Some notoungulate braincasts. Geol. Ser. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 6(19),

273-301. Patterson, B. and J. L. Kraglievich. 1960. Sistematica y nomenclatura de las aves

Fororracoideas del Plioceno argentino. Publ. Mus. Mun. Cienc. Nat. y Trad. Mar del

Plata, 1(1), 1-51. Patterson, B. and R. Pascual. 1972. The fossil mammal fauna of South America. In

Keast, A., F. C. Erk, and B. Glass, eds., Evolution, Mammals, and Southern Continents.

Albany, State Univ. of New York Press, 247-309. Peirano, A. 1943. Algunos yacimientos de fosiles de la parte central del valle de Santa

Maria y del valle del Cajon (Prov. de Tucuman y Catamarca). Cuad. de Min. y Geol.,

III-C.1(9), 40-54. 1945. Estudio geologico de la quebrada de Amaicha, Depto. de Tafi, Provincia de

Tucuman. Con referencias preliminares al valle de Santa Maria (parte tucumana). Cuad.

de Min. y Geol. (Publ. no. 384), IV-C.2(14), 32-60.

1946a. Estudio geologico de la quebrada de Amaicha, Depto. de Tafi, Provincia

de Tucuman. Con referencias preliminares al valle de Santa Maria (parte tucumana) (continuation). Cuad. de Min. y Geol. (Publ. no 400), IV-C.3(15), 19-63.

1946b. Estudio geologico de la quebrada de Amaicha, Depto. de Tafi, Provincia

de Tucuman. Con referencias preliminares al valle de Santa Maria (parte tucumana) (conclusion). Cuad. de Min. y Geol. (Publ. no. 416), IV-C.4(16), 6-37.

1956. Observaciones generales sobre la tectonica y los depositos terciarios del

cuadrangulo 26°S-64°30' 0-28° 30'S-67°0 en el noroeste argentina. Acta Geol. Lilloana,

1, 61-144. Penk, W. 1920. Der Sudrand der Puna de Atacama. Abhandl. Sachs. Akademie d. Wiss.

math. phys. Kl., 37, Leipzig. Polanski, J. 1957. Sobre algunos metodos paleograficos de la investigation del cuartario

pedemontano de Mendoza. Asoc. Geol. Arg. Rev., 12, 211-232. Rassmus, J. 1918. La Sierra de Aconquija. Prim. Reun. Nac. Soc. Arg. Cienc. Nat. Tucuman

(1916), 47-69. 1919. Discusion. Acta Primera Reunion Nac, Soc. Argentina Cien. Nat., 2,183-184.

MARSHALL & PATTERSON: MAMMAL-BEARING TERTIARY, CATAMARCA 79

Reig, O. A. 1952. Descripci6n previa de nuevos ungulados y marsupiales f6siles del Plioceno y del eocuartario argentinos. Rev. Mus. Munic. Cien. Nat. Trad., Mar del Plata, 1, 119-129.

1958a. Comunicaci6n preliminar sobre nuevas especies del g£nero Thylatheridium

Reig. Neotropica, 4, 89-95.

.. 1958b. Notas para una actualizari6n del conocimiento de la fauna de la formaci6n

Chapadmalal. I. Lista faunistica preliminar. Acta Geol. Lilloana, 2, 241-253. Riggs, E. S. 1928. Work accomplished by the Field Museum Paleontological Expeditions

to South America. Science, 67(no. 1745), 585-587. 1929. New family of South American Pliocene mammals (abstract). Bull. Geol.

Soc. Am., 40, 117.

1933. Preliminary description of a new marsupial sabertooth from the Pliocene of

Argentina. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Geol. Ser., 6, 61^66.

.. 1934. A new marsupial saber-tooth from the Pliocene of Argentina and its rela-

tionship to other South American predaceous marsupials. Trans. Am. Philos. Soc. n.s., 24, 1^32.

1936. Stratigraphy of the Araucanian Formation (Pliocene) (abstract). Proc. Geol.

Soc. Am., for 1935, 402-403. Riggs, E. S. and B. Patterson. 1939. Stratigraphy of Late-Miocene and Pliocene deposits

of the Province of Catamarca (Argentina) with notes on the faunae. Physis, 14, 143-162. Ringuelet, R. 1959. Los aracnidos argentinos del Orden Opiliones. Rev. Mus. Argen.

Cienc. Nat. "B. Rivadavia," Cs. Zool., 5(2), 127-439.

.. 1961. Rasgos fundamentals de la Zoogeografia de la Argentina. Physis, 22(63),

151-170. Rovereto, C. 1914. Los estratos araucanos y sus f6siles. Anal. Mus. Nac. Hist. Nat., 25,

1-247. Schlagintweit, 0. 1937. Observaciones estratigraTicas en el Norte Argentino. Bol. Inform.

Petrol., Y.P.F. no 152, 1-52. Scillato Yan£, G. J. 1975a. Nuevo genero de Dasypodidae (Edentata, Xenarthra) del

Plioceno de Catamarca (Argentina). Algunas consideraciones filogeneticas y zoogeo-

graficas sobre los Euphractini. Actas del 1 pr. Congr. Argen. de Paleont. y Bioestrat.

(Tucuman, Argentina, 1974), 2, 449-461. 1975b. Presencia de Macroeuphractus retusus (Xenarthra, Dasypodidae) en el Plio- ceno del Area Mesopotamia (Argentina). Su importancia bioestratigraTica y paleobio-

geografica. Ameghiniana, 12(4), 322-328. Simpson, B. V. 1971. Pleistocene change in the fauna and flora of South America. Science,

173, 771-780. Simpson, G. G. 1940. Review of the mammal-bearing Tertiary of South America. Proc.

Am. Philos. Soc., 83(5), 649-709.

1970. The Argyrolagidae, extinct South American marsupials. Bull. Mus. Comp.

Zool., 139, 1-86.

.. 1974. Notes on Didelphidae (Mammalia, Marsupialia) from the Huayquerian (Plio-

cene) of Argentina. Am. Mus. Novit., no. 2559, 1-15. Solbrig, O. T. 1976. The origin and floristic affinities of the South American temperate desert and semidesert regions. In Goodall, D. W. (ed.), Evolution of Desert Biota. Austin, Univ. of Texas Press, 7-49.

Stahlecker, R. Von. 1935. Als Palaontologe in der argentinischen Cordillere: was man dort sieht, treibt und findet. Natur. Monat. Stuttgart, 48(9), 261-270.

Stappenbeck, R. 1921. Estudios geol6gicos e hidrogeol6gicos en la zona subandina de las provincias de Salta y Tucuman. An. Min. Agr., Secc. Geol., Mineral, y Min., 14(5), 1-137.

Stelzner, A. 1872. Mittheilungen an Professor H. B. Geinitz. Neu. Jahrb. fur Min., 1872, 630-636.

.. 1885. Beitrage zur Geologie und Palaontologie der Argentinischen Republik und

des angrenzenden, zwisehen dem 32 und 33°S. Br. gelegenen Teiles der Chilenischen

80 FIELDIANA: GEOLOGY

Cordillera. Cassel un Berlin, I. Geologischer Theil., 1-329 (Spanish translation 1924,

Actas Acad. Nac. Cienc. Cordoba, 8). Tapia, A. 1941. Description geologica de la Provincia de Catamarca, en Aguas minerales

de la Republica Argentina. Comis. Nac. de Climat. y Aguas Min., 3, 19-75. Turner, C. 1970. The Andes of northwestern Argentina. Geol. Rund, 59, 1028-1063 Van Der Hammen, T. 1966. Historia de la vegetation y el medio ambiente del Norte Sud

Americano. In, Memorias de Symposia, Primer Congresso Latino Americano y Mexicano

de Botanica, December 3-9, 119-134. 1972. Changes in vegetation and climate in the Amazon basin and surrounding

areas during the Pleistocene. Geol. Mijnbouw, 51(6), 641-643. Watkins, N. D. and G. P. L. Walker. 1977. Magnetostratigraphy of eastern Iceland. Am.

J. Sri., 277, 513-584. Windhausen, A. 1931. Geologia Argentina. Segunda parte. El cuaternario. Ed. J. Peuser,

Buenos Aires, 1-645. Wood, A. E. and B. Patterson. 1959. The rodents of the Deseadan Oligocene of Patagonia

and the beginning of South American rodent evolution. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Har- vard Univ., 120, no. 3, pp. 281^28. Yrigoyen, M. R. 1969. Problemas estratigraficos del Terciario de Argentina (Relato).

Ameghiniana, 6(4), 315-329.

Field Museum of Natural History Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois 60605 Telephone: (312) 922-9410

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA

550.5FIN.S. C001

FIELDIANA, GEOLOGY NEW SERIES CHGO 7-14 1981-83

0112 026616331

-

-

.

(

i