Cemitério dos Pterossauros Quarry (Cretaceous to of Brazil)

Also known as Cruzeiro do Oeste

Where: Paraná, Brazil (26.8° S, 53.1° W: paleocoordinates 34.2° S, 27.0° W)

• coordinate estimated from map

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Goio-Erê Formation (Caiuá Group), Aptian to Aptian (125.0 - 72.1 Ma)

• The age of the fossil-bearing layer is uncertain, ranging from Aptian-Albian to Turonian-Campanian (see Kellner et al. 2019). 3 fossiliferous levels separated by 25 m, with bones apparently in each.

• group of beds-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: interdune; massive, brown, red sandstone and sandstone

• sand sea formed in an interior paleodesert
• • Three lithofacies could be identified: (1) the basalmost is composed of large cross-stratified sandstones, dipping SW (10° at the base, 25° at the top) and formed in the frontal face (lee side) of aeolian dunes, with an abrupt transition (cuneiform at the top) to the second lithofacies; (2) the second lithofacies is composed of massive reddish brown sandstones, with poorly defined plane-parallel bedding and faint centimetric ripple marks, deposited in wet interdunes, with the rich fossiliferous levels that yielded the specimen described herein, abruptly contacting the uppermost lihofacies; (3) the third lithofacies includes tangential cross stratification, dipping 15° NW, also corresponding to the frontal face of the dune. Although the depositional conditions of the Rio Paraná Formation can be described as primarily aeolian, representing a desert environment, the fossils and facies of the locality indicate the presence of enduring water bodies, most likely formed in interdune settings.

•• In the studied area, outcrops occur at hill tops and are composed of texturally and compositionally supermature, fine and very fine sandstones. These are reddish brown, with purple lamination (Langer et al. 2019)

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils

Collection methods: surface (in situ),

Primary reference: P. C. Manzig, A. W. A. Kellner, L. C. Weinschütz, C. E. Fragoso, C. S. Vega, G. B. Guimarães, L. C. Godoy, A. Liccardo, J. H. Z. Ricetti and C. M. Moura. 2014. Discovery of a rare pterosaur bone bed in a Cretaceous desert with Insights on ontogeny and behavior of flying reptiles. PLoS ONE 9(8):e100005 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion/M. Carrano]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 160057: authorized by Philip Mannion, entered by Philip Mannion on 14.08.2014, edited by Matthew Carrano, Graeme Lloyd and Emma Dunne

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Reptilia
 Theropoda - Noasauridae
Berthasaura leopoldinae n. gen. n. sp.1, Vespersaurus paranaensis n. gen. n. sp.3
Berthasaura leopoldinae n. gen. n. sp.1 de Souza et al. 2021 ceratosaur
MN 7821-V, nearly complete disarticulated skeleton, incl. partial skull & lower jaw
Vespersaurus paranaensis n. gen. n. sp.3 Langer et al. 2019 ceratosaur
MPCO.V 0065d, postcranial remains, possibly belonging to one individual, incl. 3 trunk (MPCO.V 0065d10a-c), 3 sacral (MPCO.V 0065d6-8), & 3 tail (MPCO.V 0065d4-5,9) vertebrae, partial L ilium (MPCO.V 0065d11) & ischium (MPCO.V 0065d2), partial articulated R pes (MPCO.V 0065d1); 5 femora (CP.V 4136, 4142, 4206, 4264, 2277; 6 tibiae (CP.V 4312a, 4203, 4140, 4000, 4130, 2385)
 Pterosauria -
Keresdrakon vilsoni n. gen. n. sp.2
Keresdrakon vilsoni n. gen. n. sp.2 Kellner et al. 2019 pterosaur
CP.V 2069; rostral end of skull, incl. anterior part of nasoantorbital fenestra (CP.V 2068) & rostral end of lower jaw (CP.V 2070); incomplete mid-cervical vertebra (CP.V 2445); mid-cervical vertebra, tibia (shaft) & rib (CP.V 2317); scapulae (CP.V 2004 - R, 2075 - L, 2339 - R); L coracoid (CP.V 2083); R humerus (CP.V 1011); ulnae (CP.V 2073 R, 2074 L, 2077 R), radii (CP.V 2251, 2247); first phalanges of 4th wing finger (CP.V 2242 - R, 2248 - L, 2373 - R); frag. of two jaws (CP.V 2254; CP.V 2343); 2 incomplete mandibular rami (CP.V 2071); mid-cervical vertebra (CP.V 2398), incomplete dorsal vertebrae (CP.V 4181, CP.V 2234, 2316); parts of large wing (CP.V 5797); femora (CP.V 2081, 2245); tibia (CP.V 2246); large incomplete long bone (? first wing phalanx, CP.V. 2374)
 Pterosauria - Tapejaridae
Caiuajara dobruskii n. gen. n. sp.
Caiuajara dobruskii n. gen. n. sp. Manzig et al. 2014 pterosaur
CP.V 1449 - holotype (partial skeleton incl. skull & lower jaw, cervical vertebrae, wing elements); CP.V 865, anterior portion of skull, posterior portion of lower jaw, R jugal, vertebrae, ribs, metatarsals; CP.V 867, rostral end of skull & long bones; CP.V 868, rostral end of skull, wing elements, other postcrania; CP.V 869, incomplete skeleton w/partial vertebral column (posterior cervicals, dorsals to first five caudals), R humerus, radius & ulna, carpal elements, coracoid, sternum, some wing phalanges, gastralia, pelvic elements, R femur; CP.V 870, incomplete postcrania, w/humeri & pectoral girdle; CP.V 871, fused R scapulocoracoid, incomplete long bones; CP.V 872, partial skeleton incl. fragmentary skull, lower jaw, R humerus, radius, ulna, carpals, cervical vertebrae, other long bones; CP.V 873, rostral end of skull, manual phalanges; CP.V 999, partial skull; CP.V 1001, incomplete skull w/elongated premaxillary crest & lower jaw, postcranial elements of at least 3 individuals, wing bones (w/humeri), cervical vertebrae, pelvic elements; CP.V 1003, incomplete skull & the rostral tip of lower jaw; CP.V 1004, rostral end of skull; CP.V 1005, incomplete skull w/elongated premaxillary crest & complete lower jaw; CP.V 1006, partial skull w/anterior rostral end missing, w/large premaxillary crest & several postcranial bones; CP.V 1023, anterior portion of skull, several postcranial elements; CP.V 1024, skull and several postcranial bones of at least three small individuals; CP.V 1025, femur; CP.V 1026, femur; CP.V 1450, at least 14 small individuals; CP.V 2003, skull & lower jaw assoc. w/wing bones; UEPG/ DEGEO/MP-4151, 2 skulls on one slab & postcranial elements; UEPG/DEGEO/MP-4152, rostrum and several postcranial elements
 Squamata -
Gueragama sulamericana n. gen. n. sp.4
Gueragama sulamericana n. gen. n. sp.4 Simões et al. 2015 squamates
CP.V 2187 - holotype (partial lower jaw); CP.V 2188 (frags. of ?maxilla and teeth)