Cerro Lotena: Early Tithonian, Argentina
collected by J. Bonaparte 1989

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Reptilia - Metriorhynchidae
Geosaurus araucaniensis
Gasparini and Fernández 2005
Several specimens (skulls)
Cricosaurus sp. Wagner 1858
Herrera et al. 2013 1 specimen
MLP 86-XI-10-8, posterior region of the vertebral column, the second sacral vertebra and 20 caudal vertebrae
Cricosaurus araucanensis n. sp. (Gasparini and Dellape 1976)
Herrera et al. 2013 1 individual
Holotype (MLP 72-IV-7-1) comprises: five postaxial cervical vertebrae, 16 dorsal vertebrae, two sacral and four caudal vertebrae, ribs, gastralia, haemal arches, incomplete pectoral girdle and forelimbs, and incomplete pelvic girdle and hind limbs
Metriorhynchus sp. von Meyer 1830
Gasparini and Fernandez 1997
Reptilia - Plesiosauria - Pliosauridae
Liopleurodon sp. Sauvage 1873
Gasparini and Fernández 2005 1 individual
    = Liopleurodon cf. macromerus Phillips 1871
Gasparini and Fernandez 1997
    = Pliosaurus patagonicus n. sp. Gasparini and O'Gorman 2014
Gasparini and O'Gorman 2014
MLP 80-V-29-1. Anterior of the left maxilla; part of the skull roof and palate incompletely preserved and affected by post-mortem displacement; partially preserved mandible
Reptilia - Ophthalmosauridae
Caypullisaurus bonapartei n. gen., n. sp. Fernández 1997
Fernández 1997
MACN-N-32 (holotype) and MLP 83-X1-16-1: Ophthalmosaurus sp. of Gasparini and Goñi (1990)
    = Ophthalmosaurus sp. Seeley 1874
Gasparini and Fernandez 1997
Reptilia - Testudines
Notoemys laticentralis Cattoi and Freiberg 1961
1 individual
MOZP 2487
Reptilia
Neusticemys neuquina (Fernandez and de la Fuente 1988)
Gasparini and Fernández 2005
? Eurysternum neuquinum Fernandez and de la Fuente 1988
de Broin and de la Fuente 1993
see common names

Geography
Country:Argentina State/province:Neuquén County:Zapala
Coordinates: 39.2° South, 69.7° West (view map)
Paleocoordinates:37.3° South, 31.8° West
Basis of coordinate:stated in text
Geographic resolution:small collection
Time
Period: Jurassic Epoch: Late Jurassic
Stage: Tithonian 10 m.y. bin: Jurassic 6
Key time interval: Early Tithonian Ammonoid zone:  Virgatosphinctes mendozanus
Age range of interval: 149.2 - 146.3 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Formation:Vaca Muerta
Stratigraphic resolution:bed
Stratigraphy comments: lower levels of formation, upper part of lower Tithonian ammonite zone given by Fernández (1997)
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: lithified not reported
Lithology description: clearly lithified based on preservation of specimens
Environment:marine indet.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body,adpression
Size of fossils:macrofossils
Associated major elements:all
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods:field collection
Reason for describing collection:taxonomic analysis
Museum repositories:MACN
Collectors:J. Bonaparte Collection dates:1989
Taxonomic list comments:several nomina dubia mentioned briefly by Fernández (1997) may come from this site: Ichthyosaurus bodenbenderi Dames 1893, I. immanis Philippi 1895, and Myobradypterygius mollensis Rusconi 1938
Metadata
Database number:79651
Authorizer:M. Carrano, P. Mannion, J. Alroy, R. Benson Enterer:M. Carrano, J. Alroy, R. Benson, J. Tennant
Modifier:F. Aspromonte Research group:vertebrate
Created:2008-03-17 09:06:55 Last modified:2023-11-10 14:55:47
Access level:the public Released:2008-03-17 09:06:55
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:
26761. F. de Lapparent de Broin, M. S. de la Fuente, and M. S. Fernández. 2007. Notoemys laticentralis (Chelonii, Pleurodira), Late Jurassic of Argentina: new examination of the anatomical structures and comparisons. Revue de Paléobiologie 26(1):99-136 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]

Secondary references:

42415 F. de Broin and M. de la Fuente. 1993. Les tortues fossiles d'Argentine: synthese [The fossil turtles of Argentina: synthesis]. Annales de Paléontologie (Invertebrés-Vertebrés) 79(3):169-232 [R. Benson/R. Benson/M. Carrano]
30344 M. S. Fernández. 1997. A new Ichthyosaur from the Tithonian (Late Jurassic) of the Neuquen Basin, Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Paleontology 71(3):479-484 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Alroy]
45358 M. S. Fernandez. 2000. Late Jurassic ichthyosaurs from the Neuquen Basin, Argentina. Historical Biology 14(1-2):133-136 [P. Mannion/J. Tennant]
46429 Z. Gasparini and N. Fernandez. 1997. Tithonian marine reptiles of the Eastern Pacific. Ancient Marine Reptiles 435-450 [P. Mannion/J. Tennant]
45364 Z. Gasparini and M. Fernández. 2005. Jurassic marine reptiles of the Neuquen Basin: records, faunas, and their palaeobiogeographic significance. In G. D. Viega, L. A. Spalletti, J. A. Howell, E. Schwarz (eds.), The Neuquen Basin, Argentina: A Case Study in Sequence Stratigraphy and Basin Dynamics; Geological Society, London, Special Publications 252:279-294 [P. Mannion/J. Tennant/F. Aspromonte]
51040 Z. Gasparini and J. P. O'Gorman. 2014. A new species of Pliosaurus (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Upper Jurassic of northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Ameghiniana 51(4):269-283 [P. Mannion/J. Tennant/F. Aspromonte]
46882 Y. Herrera, M. S. Fernandez, and Z. Gasparini. 2013. Postcranial skeleton of Cricosaurus araucanensis (Crocodyliformes: Thalattosuchia): morphology and palaeobiological insights. Alcheringa 37:1-14 [P. Mannion/J. Tennant/P. Mannion]
86420 J. P. O'Gorman. 2016. Argentinean plesiosaurs: a commented account of main records, systematic and biogeographical patterns and comments on future perspectives. In F. L. Agnolín, G. L. Lio, F. Brissón Egli, N. R. Chimento, F. E. Novas (eds.), Historia Evolutiva y paleobiogeográfica de los vertebrados de América del Sur (6)37-45 [E. Vlachos/F. Aspromonte]