Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

The Combia Volcanic Province (~11-5 Ma), is a volcaniclastic sequence located in northwest Colombia between the Central and Western cordilleras at 5-6° N latitude. Its source is associated with the volcanic activity of the magmatic arc produced by the subduction of the Nazca plate under the South American plate in the northern Andes. The distribution, composition, and chronostratigraphy of the province’s deposits are well-known, with the volcanic sequences characterized as compositionally bimodal. The older rocks (ca. 11-9 Ma) display tholeiitic affinity, whereas the younger (ca. 9-5 Ma) are mostly calc-alkaline, with some adakite-like signature recognized. While the magmatic system for the calc-alkaline magmas has been previously extensively studied, the processes that occurred during the magma stagnation and ascent are unknown for the tholeiitic magmas. This work bridges this gap by the study of tholeiitic lava flows outcropping at the center of the province, through petrography, mineral chemistry, whole-rock analysis, and geothermobarometry calculations of the crystallization conditions. Texturally, the rocks are porphyritic with plagioclase (An50-90) and clinopyroxene (augite and pigeonite) phenocrysts and microphenocrysts, embedded in a glassy and microcrystalline groundmass. Compositionally, the rocks vary from basaltic andesite to andesite (52.8-57.8 wt% SiO2), with relative enrichments of LILE to HFSE and REE to chondrite. Crystallization conditions, based on several plagioclase-melt and pyroxene-melt geothermobarometers, were estimated at T=1,095-1,153 °C and P=0.22-0.60 GPa for the plagioclase, T=1,046-1,131 °C and P=0.09-0.21 GPa for the augite, and T=867-1,039 °C and P=0.40-0.60 GPa for the pigeonite. These results suggest a relatively rapid magma ascent for the tholeiitic products as well as an evolution mostly through fractional crystallization. The LILE elements enrichment, the negative trend in the FeOt, TiO2 and CaO versus SiO2 content, together with some disequilibrium textures, are also evidence of crustal contamination and magma recharge. Thus it is proposed that the Combia Volcanic Province started as a simple magmatic system, where the tholeiitic products were generated by a relatively rapid magma ascent. Then, a more complex magmatic system linked to long-term magma stagnation, allowed melt evolution to form calc-alkaline magmas as previously defined.

The Reflejos de Mar Li-pegmatite, located in northwestern Argentina, is part of the Villismán pegmatite group, Ancasti District, Pampean Pegmatite Province. Four garnet crystals from the outermost part of the pegmatite were analyzed by major and minor elements (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Cr2O3, MgO, CaO, MnO, FeO) using electron microprobe. The pegmatite belongs to the rare-element class, spodumene type, LCT (Li-Cs-Ta) petrogenetic family. Based on their Mn and Fe contents, the analyzed garnet can be assigned to the spessartine-almandine serie. The cores and rims of the analyzed garnets show significant differences for the divalent components in VIII-coordination, especially, Mn and Fe. The average MnO and FeO contents in the cores of the grains is 34.6 and 8.29 wt%, respectively, while in the rims is 29.31 and 12.95 wt%, respectively. The Fe/Mn ratio at the core of the grains is 0.24 while at the rims it is 0.44. Cr2O3 and TiO2 contents are very low (˂0.17 wt%) and the values of SiO2 and Al2O3 are ~36 and ~21 wt%, respectively. The mean chemical and molecular formulas of the core can be expressed: [(Mn2.40 Fe0.57 Ca0.02 Mg0.02)3.01 (Al1.99 Cr0.002)2.00 (Si2.99 Ti0.01)3.00 O12]; {Sps79.8 Alm18.9 Grs0.7 Prp0.5}; and the rim as: [(Mn2.04 Fe0.89 Ca0.05 Mg0.04)3.02 (Al2.00 Cr0.002)2.00 (Si2.98 Ti0.005)3.00 O12]; {Sps67.6 Alm29.5 Grs1.6 Prp1.3}. The chemical composition of garnet from the Reflejos de Mar pegmatite is similar to other worldwide examples in similar rocks, especially LCT pegmatites, which are highly evolved and associated with Li mineralization. Therefore, its composition could be used as an additional tool in the exploration of Li-bearing pegmatites in the Pampean Pegmatite Province. The differences in Fe-Mn contents between core and rim of the crystals would be controlled by variations in composition of the pegmatitic melt and, in addition, by the simultaneous precipitation of other mineral phases, for example, schorl and Mn-Fe-bearing phosphates.

The La Veteada Formation, in the Sierra de Famatina (west of Argentina), is one of the few records of Early Triassic age in South America verified by isotopic age and palynological assemblages. This unit is composed of sandstones, mudstones, shales, limestones, and marls, with some levels of gypsum, chert, and tuff levels. In its stratotype, the La Veteada Formation rests on Late Permian red beds of the Talampaya Formation and is covered by Neogene breccias and conglomerates belonging to the Del Crestón Formation. The unit is divided into three associations of sedimentary facies. Facies association A (80 m thick) is a red bed succession composed of mudstone and fine-grained sandstone, together with some levels of chert and gypsum. Facies association B (58 m thick) is greenish-gray to yellowish-gray and comprises limestones, marls, shales, and fine- to coarse-grained sandstones. This facies includes stromatolites and several levels of shales and marls where rich palynological assemblages were recovered. Finally, facies association C (24 m thick) is made up of yellowish-gray marls, mudstones, and sandstones. In this section, stromatolites are missing, thin levels of gypsum appear, and evidence of subaerial exposition as mud cracks and raindrop imprints are frequent at the top of the facies. The lithology, sedimentary structures, and vertical stacking of facies suggest that the La Veteada Formation was deposited in a lacustrine environment, which evolved from a shallow ephemeral playa lake system (facies association A) to a perennial lake, in which carbonate production increased compared to clastic sedimentation (facies association B). Regarding the facies association C, the increase in clastic supply, the missing stromatolites, and the presence of gypsum levels suggest a progressive shallowing of the lake and the likely transition to a palustrine environment. The Early Triassic age of the La Veteada Formation is indicated from two different lines of research. Firstly, a zircon U-Pb age of 249.66±0.11 Ma obtained from a tuff level at the middle part of the facies association A. Secondly, the presence of palynological species identified in other Early Triassic units worldwide. The La Veteada Formation records the filling of the embryonic extensional basins formed at the earliest Triassic. Moreover, this unit shows the evolution of depositional environments after the late Permian massive extinction event.

The calcareous microfossils present in the Ordovician and Silurian carbonate successions around the world are limited to few studies and their biological affinities and environmental preferences remain indefinite. In the carbonate Ordovician San Juan Formation from the Cerro La Chilca section, a group of calcareous microfossils was recognized and, based on their size, they are included in the calcitarch classification. Two types of calcitarchs have been recognized, Type-III calcitarch: large spheres with a thin to medium wall (diameter ~250 μm), and Type-0 calcitarch: small spheres with a thin wall (diameter ~80 μm). The carbonate microfacies analysis of the lower part of the San Juan Formation allowed defining five successive microfacies: burrowed bioclastic wackestone (M1), peloidal intraclastic packstone-grainstone (M2), intraclastic floatstone (M3), intraclastic wackestone-packstone (M4) and bioclastic boundstone (M5). These microfacies are interpreted to range from shallow subtidal facies below wave action to shoal and reef facies. It is possible to infer that the recovered calcitarchs show variations in size in relation to the facies that contain them. The calcitarchs recognized in wackestone-type facies are the Type-0 calcitarch and those recovered from the packstone-grainstone facies are the Type-III calcitarch. The calcitarch sizes variation probably is related to a gradual increase of energy within a shallow subtidal environment. Occurrences of calcitarchs within the Floian Oepikodus evae-O. intermedius conodont zone extends their fossil record into the Early Ordovician.

Late Paleocene elasmobranch findings are reported, along with reinterpretations of some previous taxonomic identifications in two main outcrops around Talcahuano area (Biobío region, Chile), and also delimiting the exposed lithostratigraphic units. Reviewed fossils are among 15 genera, comprising the species Paraorthacodus clarkii, Squalus minor, Squalus orpiensis, Centrophorus sp., Squatina prima, Anomotodon novus, Striatolamia striata, Carcharias spp., Sylvestrilamia teretidens, Odontaspis winkleri, Palaeohypotodus speyeri, Palaeohypotodus rutoti, Isurolamna inflata, Premontreia gilberti, Physogaleus secundus, Palaeogaleus vincenti and Hypolophodon sylvestris. The main elasmobranch assemblage, collected from the San Martín outcrop, indicates deposition in a shallow lower shoreface-uppermost offshore marine environment and warm-temperate water. Moreover, this elasmobranch assemblage constrains the age of Pilpilco Formation into the middle-late Thanetian, which implies a latest Thanetian-early Ypresian age for the overlying Curanilahue Formation and a Danian-early Thanetian hiatus with the underlying Quiriquina Formation.

The present paper aims at the description of two new species of Euthyneura (Heterobranchia: Gastropoda) in the Early Jurassic (early Pliensbachian) marine deposits of the Chubut Basin at southern Patagonia, Argentina. The new species Cossmannina australis nov. sp. and Cylindrobullina caquelensis nov. sp. were found at the Cerro Caquel locality located in the western slope of Sierra de Tecka and río Tecka valley. The new locality yielded the ammonite Eoamaltheus sp. (E. meridianus Hillebrandt Zone, upper part of Ibex Zone to Davoei Zone) which allowed to assign an early Pliensbachian age for the marine deposits at the studied area, providing also new evidence of the oldest record within the Early Jurassic in the Sierra de Tecka region. The new report of Euthyneura in the Chubut Basin extends the palaeobiogeographical distribution of this clade into the southern hemisphere during the earliest Pliensbachian.

Arenas Blancas is a poorly known fossiliferous site located in the lower reach of the Chasicó creek (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina), with great relevance from a biostratigraphic viewpoint. The Macrochorobates scalabrinii Biozone was defined in this site, proposed as the biostratigraphic basis of the early Huayquerian Stage/Age (Late Miocene); however, the geological context and faunal record of this site have never been studied in detail. In this work, we perform a multi-proxy analysis of the Arenas Blancas site, as well as a nearby site here called Curva de la Vaca, and provide new interpretations on their origin, age, and biostratigraphy. Sedimentological, stratigraphic, and geomorphological characteristics of both sites suggest that the sequences include fluvial/alluvial deposits that represent Quaternary terraces. The taxonomic analysis of the Arenas Blancas faunal assemblage evidences the presence of 14 mammal taxa, together with some fishes, reptiles, and birds; the assemblage is correlated with the assemblage from the Cerro Azul Formation assigned to the Chasicoan Stage/Age (Late Miocene), also recovered from the lower reach of the Chasicó creek. The use of the taxa proposed in previous works to characterize the Macrochorobates scalabrinii Biozone (including this species) is not supported due to their taxonomic status and/or temporal distribution. Taphonomic evaluation indicates that the assemblage is constituted by reworked specimens; in this frame, it is proposed that fluvio/alluvial events, occurred during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene, eroded the Upper Miocene substrate and reworked fossil remains. Based on the present evidence, the Macrochorobates scalabrinii Biozone is here rejected as a valid biostratigraphic unit.

The lithostratigraphic units that conform the Sorocayense Group and fill the Sorocayense-Hilario sub-basin represent an alluvial-fluvial-lacustrine succession with significant volcanic supply during its deposition. They are namely the Cerro Colorado del Cementerio, Agua de los Pajaritos, Monina, Hilario and El Alcázar formations and present several carbonate levels. The genesis, diagenesis, and main controlling factors on continental carbonates present a means to understand basin evolution through the study of their petrography and chemical elemental composition through cathodoluminescence techniques. We have identified six microfacies: a) homogeneous micrite, b) bioclastic micrite, c) dolomicrite, d) laminated micrite, e) oncolitic packstone, and f) sparitic carbonate. Among these microfacies, six cementation and alteration phases have been identified: a) micritization, b) mechanical compaction, c) calcitic cementation, d) sparitic cementation, e) microsparitic cementation, and f) chemical compaction. This analysis allowed establishing a chronology of the diagenetic modifications undergone by the carbonates. Results support diagenesis was controlled mainly by tectonics showing major impact in carbonate facies identified at the flexural margin of the rift. The effect would have been linked to exertion of a paleohydrological effect favoring lateral meteoric water migration through faulting. The presence of dolomite in some of the microfacies is linked to the presence of montmorillonite as the dominant Mg-rich-phyllosilicate in clay assemblages most likely acting as the potential source. In turn, Mg is more likely to be replaced by Mn leading to luminescent carbonate microfacies.