Title
Distribution and paleoenvironmental framework of middle Miocene marine vertebrates along the western side of the lower Ica Valley (East Pisco Basin, Peru)
Date Issued
01 January 2021
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Collareta A.
Di Celma C.
Bosio G.
Pierantoni P.P.
Malinverno E.
Lambert O.
Marx F.G.
Landini W.
Bianucci G.
Publisher(s)
Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Abstract
We report 130 vertebrate fossils preserved as bony elements and the co-occurring assemblage of fish teeth and spines from the lower strata of the Pisco Formation exposed along the western side of the lower Ica Valley (East Pisco Basin, Peru). Geological mapping at 1:10,000 scale reveals that all these fossils originate from the Langhian–Serravallian P0 allomember. In the study area, P0 is up to ∼40 m thick and features a sandy lower portion, reflecting shoreface deposition, that fines upwards into a package of offshore silts. Marine vertebrates only occur in the lower sandy layers and include whales, dolphins, reptiles, birds, and bony and cartilaginous fishes. The reconstructed paleoenvironment is consistent with a warm-water, marginal-marine setting with a strong connection to the open ocean. This work helps to elucidate the rich yet still poorly understood middle Miocene portions of the Pisco Formation, and highlights the need to conserve this outstanding Fossil-Lagerstätte.
Start page
7
End page
17
Volume
17
Issue
2
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Paleontología
Geología
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85096854588
Source
Journal of Maps
ISSN of the container
17445647
Sponsor(s)
Fieldwork was supported by grants from the Italian Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR) to Bianucci (PRIN Project, 2012YJSBMK EAR- 9317031), Malinverno (PRIN Project, 2012YJSBMK_002), Di Celma (PRIN Project, 2012YJSBMK 003; FFABR 2017 grant; FAR 2019, STI000102); National Geographic Society Committee for Research Exploration to Bianucci [grant number 9410-13] and Lambert [grant number GEFN177-16]; the University of Pisa to Bianucci (PRA_2017_0032); European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Postdoctoral fellowship to Marx (656010/MYSTICETI). Our gratitude to Anna Gioncada, Gabriella Bagnoli, Giancarlo Molli, Giovanni Sarti, Christian de Muizon, Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, Rafael M. Varas-Malca, Thomas J. DeVries, Walter Aguirre, Piero Giuffra, and Francesco Talini for their support, either in the field or in the lab (sometimes both), as well as for much fruitful discussions on the geology and paleontology of the P0 strata. Not least, the journal reviewers Ricardo N. Melchor, Chris Orton, Ronald Steel, and the Associate Editor Arthur Merschat are warmly acknowledged for their thoughtful and constructive criticism that strongly contributed to sharpen the focus of the present study.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus