Where: Antarctica (64.2° S, 56.7° W: paleocoordinates 63.7° S, 61.5° W)

• coordinate estimated from map

When: La Meseta Formation, Lutetian (47.8 - 41.3 Ma)

• The age model for the La Meseta Formation (and recently-defined Submeseta Formation) is controversial. Strontium isotopes (Ivany et al., 2008) suggest earlier ages, with the La Meseta (Telm1-Telm5) almost entirely Ypresian and the Submeseta (Telm6-Telm7) Middle-Late Eocene. Montes et al. (2013) also created an age model incorporating magnetostratigraphy to support the largely-Ypresian age for the La Meseta and Middle-Late Eocene for the Submeseta. Some mammals are similar to the radiometrically-constrained late early Eocene Paso del Sapo assemblage of Patagonia (Gelfo et al., 2009, Tejedor et al., 2009), but the mammals are not exactly similar (Bond et al., 2011). However, Douglas et al. (2014) re-evaluated the strontium data and used dinoflagellate biostratigraphy to argue for a Lutetian (Telm2-4) and younger (Bartonian to mid-Priabonian for Telm5-6) age range. Amenábar et al. (2019) also found younger ages from dinoflagellates: Lutetian (Telm1-mid Telm 3), Bartonian (mid Telm 3-mid Telm 5), and Priabonian (upper Telm 5), SPDZ10-SPDZ13. This age range is more consistent with the presence of basilosaurid whales in Telm4 and Telm7, as basilosaurids are globally-distributed first in the middle Eocene (Buono et al., 2016). Although the ages are still debated, the dinoflagellate age model of Amenábar et al. (2019) is used here.

• group of beds-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: prodelta; unlithified sandstone

Size class: macrofossils

Collected by Gazdzicki

• Repository: Institute of Paleobiology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Primary reference: J. Dzik and A. Gazdzicki. 2001. The Eocene expansion of nautilids to high latitudes. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 172:297-312 [M. Clapham/K. Okamoto/M. Clapham]more details

Purpose of describing collection: general faunal/floral analysis

PaleoDB collection 173111: authorized by Matthew Clapham, entered by Kristina Okamoto on 09.09.2015, edited by Mark Uhen

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)