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A new fossiliferous level from the Las Chacritas Member (Bajocian-Callovian) of the Canadon Asfalto Formation, which crops out in the Canadon Asfalto Basin (Extraandean-Chubut) Argentina was analyzed. The study of this assemblage was made on the basis of paleoecological, sedimentological and taphonomic criteria. This polytypic assemblage is composed mainly of bivalves, spinicaudatans, gastropods, and ostracods, associated with plant remains (such as Brachyphyllum sp., Charophytes, conifers, seeds, and indeterminate remains). The tabular bed of oncolitic packstone facies corresponds to a shallow marginal lacustrine environment of intense organic productivity. Taphonomic and paleoecological features, such as closed articulated valves, random orientation, and size-frequency histograms indicate that the fauna is autochthonous. The short life cycle with a quick turnover of the population, suggests that the time averaging would only comprise a few years. In addition, the analysis of Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry supports early diagenesis affecting the remains and favoring the dissolution of aragonite/calcite, as well as the silicification of shells. Therefore, this fossil assemblage can be classified as a sedimentological concentration, which could have been originated by seasonal cyclicity in an environment subject to water level fluctuations.

The Cañadón Asfalto basin, central Chubut, Argentina, comprises a volcano-sedimentary sequence related to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean during Mesozoic times. The Lonco Trapial, Cañadón Asfalto and Cañadón Calcáreo formations are the main units related to the evolution of this basin. The Las Chacritas and Puesto Almada members are distinguished in the Cañadón Asfalto Formation. LA-HR-ICP-MS U-Pb and Lu-Hf data on zircon were obtained on these units. The Lonco Trapial Formation gave a weighted average age of 172.3±1.8 Ma. A pyroclastic level from the Las Chacritas Member gave a weighted average age of 168.2±2.2 Ma. Two U-Pb concordant ages of 160.3±1.7 Ma on a laminated tuffite and 158.3±1.3 Ma on a pyroclastic level were obtained for the Puesto Almada Member. Two maximum depositional ages constrain the sedimentary provenance areas for the basin: 1) A sample from the Sierra de la Manea range, where a controversial unit related either to the Cañadón Asfalto or to the Cañadón Calcáreo formation occurs, gave an age of 176.6±1.0 Ma. Two younger zircon crystals indicate that this unit may be related to the Cañadón Calcáreo Formation. 2) A sandstone with cross-stratification from the Puesto Almada Member gave a maximum depositional age of 173.6±6.4 Ma. In terms of U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopes, two magmatic events are identified in central Patagonia: the Mamil Choique magmatic event characterized by negative εHf values around -5.0 and representing recycling during Permian times of Mesoproterozoic crust (TDM of ~1.5 Ga), and the Cañadón Asfalto magmatic event with negative (-8.2) to positive (+4) εHf values and Meso- to Neoproterozoic TDM between 1.5 and 0.8 Ga. The younger event is characterized by three main cycles: C1 related to the Lonco Trapial magmatism, C2 to the Las Chacritas volcanism, and C3 to the Puesto Almada volcanism. These cycles are related with Marifil, Chon Aike and El Quemado formations volcanics events of Patagonia and the Neuquén Basin during the Mesozoic. Fil: Hauser, Natalia. Universidade Do Brasilia. Instituto de Geociencias; Brasil Fil: Cabaleri, Nora Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina Fil: Gallego, Oscar Florencio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentina Fil: Monferran, Mateo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentina Fil: Silva Nieto, Diego Gonzalo. Secretaria de Industria y Mineria. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales. Dirección de Geología Regional; Argentina Fil: Armella, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina Fil: Matteini, Massimo. Universidade Do Brasilia. Instituto de Geociencias; Brasil Fil: Aparicio Gonzalez, Pamela Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina Fil: Pimentel, Marcio. Universidade Do Brasilia. Instituto de Geociencias; Brasil Fil: Volkheimer, Wolfang. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Reimold, W. U.. Universität zu Berlin; Alemania

A detailed sedimentological analysis of the so called “Chachil Limestones” at its type locality around the Mirador del Chachil area, southwestern Neuquen province, Argentina, is presented in this paper for the first time. It is based on a macro/microfacial analysis and their environmental interpretation by means on texture, fabric, bioclasts, intrabasinal and extrabasinal grain amounts, sedimentary structures, bioturbations and hydro-dynamism. Because of the recognition of different facies associations, but no pure limestones, it is more suitable to refer these sediments as the Chachil Formation. The depositional environment of this unit is interpreted to correspond to an internal platform dominated by tides, with carbonate sedimentation disturbed by repeated explosive volcanic episodes, which reduced the sedimentation space, causing retrogradation of the sedimentary system and coastal onlap. In addition, a new recalibration of the U-Pb zircon dating used for the geochronological analysis reveals a small change with regard to previous information that has been used to recalculate the data, is presented in this paper. Fil: Armella, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina Fil: Leanza, Hector Armando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina Fil: Corfu, Fernando. University of Oslo; Noruega

Spinicaudatans are a diverse and geographically widespread group of small branchiopod crustaceans with an excellent fossil record. They inhabit ephemeral freshwater habitats with warm conditions and pH levels from neutral to alkaline. Many studies have been performed on the systematics of this group, also known as ´conchostracans´, although the paleoecology of these clam shrimp has not been widely analyzed. This paper examines some aspects of the relationship between spinicaudatans and their environments from the Upper Jurassic (Canadon Asfalto Formation) of Argentina. We used sedimentological analysis to infer paleoenvironmental factors. Spinicaudatan features were also measured, including carapace size, growth band width, and growth lines. The results of this study reveal that the observed spinicaudatan species (Congestheriella rauhuti, Wolfestheria smekali, and Wolfestheria sp.) would have lived in carbonate lacustrine systems characterized by benthic microbial communities dominated by cyanobacteria. However, environmental factors such as oxygenation, pyroclastic deposits, and associated fauna (fish, ostracods, bivalves, and charophytes) were different at each locality. The spinicaudatan carapaces also show varying morphological features such as small or large carapace size, narrow or wide growth bands and low or high density of growth lines. These differences are related to abiotic (volcanic-oxygen) and biotic (fish and microbial) factors regarded as important agents for the development of the spinicaudatan populations. Fil: Monferran, Mateo Daniel. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentina Fil: Cabaleri, Nora Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina Fil: Gallego, Oscar Florencio. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentina Fil: Armella, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina Fil: Cagnoni, Mariana Celina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina

Large carbonate microbialite build-ups are relatively uncommon in ancient fresh-water lacustrine basins as compared with those marine and saline environments. This paper discusses the formation of a large continental lacustrine deposit, the Oligocene-Miocene Carinao Formation in Argentina, which contains large bioherms. The lacustrine formation occurs in N-S corridor and is mostly composed by meter scale pinnacles and sheet-like carbonate beds that grade to detrital deposits towards the more subsident southern areas. The main facies are autochthonous and allochthonous limestones and detrital deposits. The autochthonous limestones include the carbonate pinnacles, which are about 4 m high and 0.5 m in diameter and coalesce laterally to form very continuous beds (several kms). The pinnacles are formed by plate-like, dome, vertically elongated and irregular horizontal bioherms, most of them with radial structure. The bioherms are boundstones of fibrous (fans and spherulites) and feather calcite crystals, micrite and inequigranular calcite mosaics. Both biogenic and abiogenic processes interfered in carbonate precipitation. Allochthonous limestones include peloidal, ostracod and intraclastic limestones, some containing coated grains. Polymictic conglomerates and cross-bedded hybrid arenites deposited in a fluvial-deltaic system located at the southwest of the basin. δ13C values vary between −0.4 and −3.2‰ VPDB and δ18O are comprised between −5.7 and −8.6‰ VPDB. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios range between 0.7061 and 0.7056. The Carinao Formation deposited in a fresh-water lake, sourced by meteoric and deep-groundwater. Tectonics was a main control determining the configuration of the lake system, the water supply and the alignment of some bioherms. The vertical succession or the different bioherms morphologies reflects well the lake level changes controlled by both tectonic and climate.

During the Middle Oxfordian, the epicontinental shelf of the Neuquén Basin was a site of major coralline evolution and reef building. This work expounds the studies performed on the La Manga patch reefs at Portada Covunco locality, near Zapala city, Neuquén province. Based on the results of 12 facies/microfacies types and the vertical succession of coral morphotypes a shallowing-upward trend ranging from a shallow subtidal-lagoon- to intertidal settings is inferred. The microfacies model suggests an ooidal shoal area in the highest energy zone and various patch reefs on the shallow carbonate platform. Autochthonous reefal facies comprise a low diversity of platy coral and mixed coral-siliceous sponge framestone, ramose coral bafflestone, and microbial bindstone. Non-reefal facies are composed of ooidal packstone, bedded bioclastic wackestone-packstone, and marl levels. Several shallowing-upward episodes are evidenced by local erosional surfaces (main exposure surface-MES). The succession of platy corals (exclusively Australoseris) followed by ramose corals (Etallonasteria, Stelidioseris, and Stephanastrea rollieri) probably reflects local environmental changes. The upward change in reefal composition is best interpreted in response to extrinsic physical parameters (local relatively minor sea-level fluctuations). Siliceous sponges occur in low percentages. The La Manga reefal succession could be correlated with the “global carbonate reef event”. This event occurred in most basins associated with the Tethyan oceanic belt and the North Atlantic Ocean, in low paleolatitude. The Portada Covunco reefs grew at higher paleolatitudes (nearly 39° south), within an embayment of the Neuquén Basin, with open circulation to the paleo-Pacific Ocean on the southwestern margin of the Gondwana realm. Fil: Beresi, Matilde Sylvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Cabaleri, Nora Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina Fil: Loser, Hannes. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México Fil: Armella, Claudia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotopica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geocronología y Geología Isotópica; Argentina