The Huincul Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Albian) age of the Neuquén Basin that outcrops in the Mendoza, Río Negro and Neuquén Provinces of northern Patagonia, Argentina.Huincul Formation at Fossilworks.org It is the second formation in the Río Limay Subgroup, the oldest subgroup within the Neuquén Group. Formerly, that subgroup was treated as a formation, and the Huincul Formation was known as the Huincul Member.Sánchez et al., 2006
Description The type locality of the Huincul Formation is near the town of Plaza Huincul in Neuquén Province after which the formation was named by Wichmann in 1929.Wichmann, 1929 This formation conformably overlies the Candeleros Formation, and it is in turn overlain by the Lisandro Formation.
The Huincul Formation is thought to represent an arid environment with ephemeral or seasonal streams.Coria & Currie, 2006 In some areas, it is up to thick. It is mainly composed of green and yellow sandstones and can easily be differentiated from the overlying Lisandro Formation, which is red in color. The Candeleros Formation, underlying the Huincul, is composed of darker sediments, making all three formations easily distinguishable.Leanza et al., 2004, p.68
Paleobiota
Dinosaur fossils are frequently found in the Huincul Formation. The titanosaurian sauropod Argentinosaurus huinculensis, one of the largest known land animals, is named after the formation. Another noteworthy Huincul dinosaur is the carcharodontosaurid theropod Mapusaurus roseae, which is regarded as one of the largest known terrestrial predators.
Dinosaurs Apart from sauropods and theropods, rare fossils of iguanodonts and other ornithopods have been recorded in the formation.Canudo, J. I., Salgado, L., Garrido, A., Carballido, J. L., Aragosaurus-IUCA, G., Lobo, I., Negro, R., & Olsacher, J. A. (2013). Primera evidencia de dinosaurios ornitópodos en la base de la Formación Huincul (Cenomaniense Superior-Turoniense, Cuenca Neuquina, Argentina) First evidence of ornithopod dinosaurs at the base of Huincul Formation (Cenomanian - Upper Turonian, Neuquén Basin, Argentina). Ichnofossils (footprints) of abelisaurid theropods and hadrosaurs are also known.Leonardi, 1994, p.30
Ornithischians
Ornithischians of the Huincul FormationTaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesChakisaurusC. nekulPueblo Blanco Natural ReserveLowerMultiple partial skeletons belonging to individuals of different agesAn elasmarian ornithopod; the first ornithischian named from the Huincul Formation
Sauropods
Sauropods of the Huincul FormationGenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImages ArgentinosaurusA. huinculensis Las Overas UpperSeven dorsal vertebrae, partial sacrum, partial dorsal rib, fibula, and potentially other hindlimb bonesOne of the largest titanosaurs sauropod known from relatively complete remainsAstigmasauraA. genuflexa El Orejano LowerA partial articulated skeleton including tail vertebrae, the pelvic girdle, and both hindlimbs A rebbachisaurid sauropod BustingorrytitanB. shiva Villa El ChocónLowerFour specimens are known, including dentary and postcranial skeleton parts.A titanosaurian sauropod CathartesauraC. anaerobica La Buitrera Lower A partial skeleton consisting of vertebrae and limb bones.A rebbachisaurid sauropodChoconsaurusC. baileywillisi Villa El Chocón Lower Partial skeleton without a skull, MMCh-PV 44/10. A titanosaurian sauropodChucarosaurusC. diripienda Violante farm. LowerA complete left humerus, partial left radius, complete left metacarpal II, left ischium, partial left femur and fibula, partial right tibia, and partial indeterminate metapodial. A titanosaurian sauropodCienciargentinaC. sancheziVilla El ChoconLowerMultiple partial skeletons, including several vertebrae and limb bonesA rebbachisaurid sauropodLimaysaurusL. tessonei Villa El ChocónLower A partial articulated skeleton composed of two sacra, the first six caudals, pubis and ischium.A rebbachisaurid sauropodSidersauraS. marae Barda Atravesada de Las Campanas LowerMultiple partial skeletons, including partial pelvic and pectoral girdles, limb bones, and vertebraeA rebbachisaurid sauropod
Theropods Theropods of the Huincul FormationTaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesAoniraptorA. liberataemViolante FarmLowerSacral vertebra, six proximal caudal vertebrae, four mid-caudal vertebrae.Possibly a megaraptoran Gualicho G. shinyaeViolante FarmLower A partial skeleton lacking the skull along with several veterbraes, ribs, the left shoulder girdle, the left forelimb, the right lower arm, the lower ends of both pubic bones, thighbones, shinbones, calf bones, metatarsi and three toes of the right foot (Holotype MPCN PV 0001). A theropod of uncertain affinitiesHuinculsaurusH. montesiAguada GrandeUpperSeveral vertebraeA noasaurid IlokelesiaI. aguadagrandensisAguada GrandeUpper Fragmented skull and the axial, appendicular skeleton. An abelisaurid MapusaurusCanale et al., 2012 M. roseae Cañadón del GatoUpper (middle section of formation) A partial skull consisting of an isolated right nasal, along with twelve paratypes based on additional isolated skeletal elements A carcharodontosaurid MeraxesM. gigasLas Campanas CreekLower A nearly complete skull, pectoral and pelvic elements, partial forelimbs, complete hindlimbs, fragmentary ribs, and cervical and dorsal vertebrae, a sacrum, and several complete caudal vertebrae.A carcharodontosaurid Overoraptor O. chimentoiViolante Farm LowerSkeletal specimen consists of two phalanges and a metacarpal of the right hand, two hemal arches, the right scapula, the right ulna, a partial ilium, a partial pubis, two metatarsals from each foot, and several phalanges and unguals from the left foot.A paravianSkorpiovenatorS. bustingorryiBustingorry's FarmLower A partial skeleton An abelisaurid TaurovenatorT. violanteiViolante FarmLower An isolated right postorbital and a referred partial skeleton.A carcharodontosauridTralkasaurusT. cuyiViolante FarmLower An incomplete skeleton ( MPCA-Pv 815), which comprises a maxilla; dorsal, sacral, and caudal vertebrae; cervical ribs; and a badly-preserved pubis. An abelisaurid
Other reptiles Apart from the taxa named here, fossils of unnamed squamates and neosuchian crocodyliforms have been discovered in the formation. Non-dinosaur reptiles of the Huincul FormationGenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesKaikaifilusaurusK. sp.Violante's FarmLowerIncomplete right dentaryAn eilenodontine rhynchocephalianPatagosphenosP. watukuViolante's FarmLowerDisarticulated skull with shoulder and limb fragmentsAn eilenodontine rhynchocephalianProchelidella Maniel, Ignacio J.; de la Fuente, Marcelo S.; Apesteguía, Sebastián; Pérez Mayoral, Joaquin; Sanchez, Maria L.; Veiga, Gonzalo D.; Smales, Ian (2020-02-24). "Cranial and postcranial remains of a new species of Prochelidella (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from 'La Buitrera' (Cenomanian of Patagonia, Argentina), with comments on the monophyly of this extinct chelid genus from southern Gondwana". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 18 (12): 1033–1055. Bibcode:2020JSPal..18.1033M. doi:10.1080/14772019.2020.1721579. S2CID 214500365. Retrieved 2020-07-11.P. buitreraensis La Buitrera Upper A partial skeleton with a skull, two cervical vertebrae, a partial left humerus, a partial left ulna, a partial left radius, a right pelvic girdle, a nuchal, and a right first costal. A chelid turtle
Paleoflora
At least forty species of pollen specimens are derived from the taxons of angiosperms (monosulcate, tricolpate, tricolporoidate, and tricolporate), ferns, mosses and gymnosperms discovered within the El Zampa Section of Huincul Formation.Vallati, P. (2001). Middle Cretaceous Microflora from the Huincul Formation (“Dinosaurian Beds”) in the Neuquén Basin, Patagonia, Argentina. Palynology, 25, 179–197. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3687705
Angiosperms Angiosperms of the Huincul FormationTaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesClavatipollenitesC. rotundus El Zampal Section Upper A pollen A chloranthaceaeCretacaeiporitesC. scabratus Upper A pollen A trimeniaceaeDryadopollisD. argus UpperA pollen A magnoliophyteFraxinoipollenitesF. fragilisUpper A pollen A magnoliophyteNyssapollenitesN. lanosusUpperA pollen A magnoliophyteRetimonocolpitesR. peroreticulatus Upper A pollen An angiosperm pollen morphotaxon of uncertain affinities
Bryophytes (Moss) Mosses of the Huincul FormationTaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesForaminisporisF. asymmetricus El Zampa SectionUpper A pollen A mossF. wonthaggieInterulobitesI. intrabverrucatusUpper A pollen A mossTricolpites T. variabilisUpper A pollen A bryopside moss T. sagaxUpper A pollenTaurocusporites T. segmentaUpperA pollen A moss
Gymnosperms Gymnosperms of the Huincul FormationTaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesAraucariacitesA. australisEl Zampa Section UpperA pollen An araucariaceae CallialasporitesC. dampieri Upper A pollen A callialasporites C. trilobatusClassopollisC. martinotti Upper A pollen A cheirolepidiaceae CyclusphaeraC. psilataUpperA pollen An araucariaceaeCycadopitesC. nitidus Upper A pollen A cycadophyteEquisetosporites E. evidensUpper A pollen A cycadophyteE. irregularis A pollenE. ovatus A pollenMicrocachryiditesM. antarcticusUpper A pollen A podocarpaceaeSinghia S. multicostataUpperA pollen A gymnospermopsida
Ferns Ferns of the Huincul FormationTaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesBiretisporitesB. poton El Zampa Section Upper A pollen A schizaeaceae Cicatricosisporites C. dorogensis Upper A pollen A schizaeaceae ConcavissimisporitesC. punctatus Upper A pollen A pteridopsidaCyathiditesC. australis Upper A pollen A pteridopsidaEchinatisporisE. longech UpperA pollen A pteridopsidaE. sp A pollenMicroreticulatisporites M. lacunosusUpper A pollen A pteridophyte"M. sp"PolycingulatisporitesP. circulusUpperA pollen A pteridophyte P. cf. reduncusTriporoletesT. singularisUpper A pollen A pteridophyte T. reticula
Other Plants Other plants of the Huincul FormationTaxaSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic unitMaterialNotesImagesBalmeiopsisB. limbatusEl Zampa Section UpperA pollen A pollen morphotaxon of uncertain affinitiesElateroplicites E. africaensis UpperA pollenA pollen morphotaxon of uncertain affinitiesLeptolepidites L. proxigranulatusUpper A pollen A lycopsid
See also List of fossil sites List of dinosaur bearing rock formations
References
Bibliography