Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia

High-Latitude Paleocommunities of the Santa Cruz Formation

Sergio F. Vizcaíno, Richard F. Kay, M. Susana Bargo

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9780521194617
• eBook ISBN:
  9781139574655
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Geology & Earth Sciences

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

Table of contents

• Cover
• Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia: High-Latitude Paleocommunities of the Santa Cruz Formation
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Contributors
• Preface
• 1 Background for a paleoecological study of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) on the Atlantic Coast of Patagonia
• 2 Tephrochronology of the Miocene Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations, Argentina
• 3 Absolute and relative ages of fossil localities in the Santa Cruz and Pinturas Formations
• 4 Sedimentology and paleoenvironment of the Santa Cruz Formation
• 5 Oysters from the base of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene) of Patagonia
• 6 Ichnology of distal overbank deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene): paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic significance
• 7 Fossil plant studies from late Early Miocene of the Santa Cruz Formation: paleoecology and paleoclimatology at the passive margin of Patagonia, Argentina
• 8 Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene), Santa Cruz Province, Argentina: paleoenvironmental and paleobiological considerations
• 9 Diversity and paleobiology of the Santacrucian birds
• 10: Paleoecology of the Paucituberculata and Microbiotheria (Mammalia, Marsupialia) from the late Early Miocene of Patagonia
• 11 Paleoecology of the mammalian carnivores (Metatheria, Sparassodonta) of the Santa Cruz Formation (late Early Miocene)
• 12 Paleobiology of Santacrucian glyptodonts and armadillos (Xenarthra, Cingulata)
• 13 Paleobiology of the Santacrucian sloths and anteaters (Xenarthra, Pilosa)
• 14 Paleobiology of Santacrucian native ungulates (Meridiungulata: Astrapotheria, Litopterna and Notoungulata)
• 15 Paleobiology of Santacrucian caviomorph rodents: a morphofunctional approach
• 16 Paleobiology of Santacrucian primates
• 17 A review of the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of the Miocene Santa Cruz Formation
• Index