Paleobiota of the Cañadón Asfalto Formation

Demospongiae Crustacea Mollusca Insecta Insect eggs of unknown affinity were reported from several layers of the Estancia Fossati locality. ==Vertebrates==

Fish Amphibians Turtles Lepidosaurs Crocodylomorpha Pterosaurs Dinosaurs Theropods During a campaign conducted in early 2021, remains of a large theropod dinosaur were found near the town of Las Chacritas. In 2020 a new fossil locality was found, named Cañadón de las Huellas, due to the large number of sauropods, and probably theropods, footprints on one of the canyon walls. In the same locality in 2021, articulated remains were recovered and represent at least one sauropod and one large theropod. At least four theropod morphotypes, including one with ceratosaur and another with Piatnitzkysauridae affinities, are known from the Cañadón Bagual. Sauropodomorphs A sediment tubular shaped mass enriched in organic matter, closely associated within the ventral area of articulated remains of a sauropod, was recovered at Cerro Condor, composed of a high concentration of pollen grains & cuticular fragments, mainly leaves of two morphotypes (Araucariaceae and Cheirolepidiaceae), probably representing the gut contents of the sauropod, inferring a conifer-based diet. Ornithischians Mammals ==Fungi==

According to a palynological study the dominant pollen was produced by the conifer families Cheirolepidiaceae (Classopollis) and Araucariaceae (mainly Araucariacites and Callialasporites), suggesting that warm-temperate and relatively humid conditions under highly seasonal climate prevailed during the depositional times of the unit. The abundance of Botryococcus supports the presence of a shallow lake with probably saline conditions. Locally, the Cañadón Asfalto represents a more poor record of the floras seen in the undeliying Lonco Tapial Formation, with its closest floras found on the Antarctic Peninsula Ellsworth Land Volcanic Group at Potter Peak, sharing Brachyphyllum spp. and Elatocladus confertus. Phytoplankton Possible freshwater "calcareous algae", associated with conifer shoots and aquatic invertebrates, have been reported from Cerro Caracoles. Bryophyta Equisetales Pteridophyta Peltaspermales Cycadeoidopsida Czekanowskiales Gnetopsida Coniferophyta ==See also==