Papers on Geolooy, Vee ecules alike UP OiepoiEOCENE MAMMALS AND CONTINENTAL STRATA FROM PATAGONIA AND ANTARCTIC PENINSULA JAVIER N. GELFO!, MARCELO A. REGUERO', GUILLERMO M. LOPEZ', ALFREDO A. CARLINI', MARTIN R. CIANCIO', LAURA CHORNOGUBSKY", MARIANO BOND*, FRANCISCO J. GOIN', AND MARCELO TEJEDOR* 'Divisién Paleontologia Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900F WA La Plata, Argentina; jgelfo@/fenym.unlp.eduaar, regui@fenym.unlp.edu.ar, glopez@fenymunlp.edu.ar, acarlini@ fenym.unlp.edu.ar, meiancio@fenym.unlp.edu.ar, fgoin@)fenym.unlp.edu.ar *Seecion Paleontologia de Vertebrados, Musco Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Av. Angel Gallardo 470 (C1405DJR) Buenos Aires, Argentina; Ichormo@macn.gov.ar *Divisién Paleontologia Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina; constantinol453@yahoo.com.ar “Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Evolucién y Biodiversidad, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia “San Juan Bosco,” Provincia del Chubut, Argentina; mtejedor@unpata.edu.ar ABSTRACT—The mammalian faunal succession in South America is well documented throughout the Eocene from about 47 to 37 Ma. Most Eocene land mammal-bearing deposits occur in Patagonia and in basins of the Antarctic Peninsula, and these have been studied intensely over the last 20 years. The geology of the San Jorge (eastern Patagonia), “Volcanic-Pyroclastic Complex” (western Patagonia), and James Ross (Antarctic Peninsula) basins are here reviewed and their faunal content analyzed. The geochronology of Htaboraian and Riochican South American Land Mammals Ages (SALMAS), usually regarded as late Paleocene, is also discussed. In order to evaluate the similarity between Eocene faunas, a cluster analysis applying the Simpson coefficient was performed using a data matrix with 13 faunas and 228 taxa, The faunas represent both classic and new localities from Antarctica, Patagonia, Mendoza, and central Chile, and we analyzed three taxonomic categories (genus, family, and order) so that faunas Jacking common genera could be compared. The analysis supports at least three major clusters. The first, which consists of faunas from westem Patagonia plus Antarctica, seems to fall biochronologically between the Riochican and Casamayoran SALMAS. The second cluster is divided between faunas related to the Casamayoran and the younger Mustersan SALMA. The latest Eocene-earliest Oligocene faunas also group together and are represented by three Tinguirirican faunas plus a fourth younger fauna which seems to be pre-Deseadan, INTRODUCTION In the Tast two decades, the Paleogene deposits of Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula have been the focus of concentrated paleontological and geological fieldwork. Although South American Paleogene biochronology underwent few relevant changes from 1948 through the mid-1980s (Simpson, 1948; Marshall et al., 1983; Pascual et al, 1965, Patterson and Pascual, 1972), our knowledge of Paleogene mammatian faunas in these two regions since then has increased markedly. The overview presented here focuses primarily on the taxonomy, biostratigraphy, biogeography, and geochronology of Eocene continental mammals, all of which have been substantially improved in recent years (e.g., Kay et al, 1999, 2001; Gelfo et al, 2008). For many years, significant Eocene mammal faunas were known primarily from Argentina, a situation that largely prevails today. In the original proposal of a biochronological subdivision for the Cenozoic of South America (Pascual et al, 1965), three South American Land Mammal Ages were defined for the Eocene. These were based on Ameghino’s (1906) and Simpson's (1948) faunas, namely the Casamayoran, Mustersan, and Divisaderan, which were considered lower, middle, and upper Eocene, respectively (Pascual et al., 1965), Since then the original proposal has undergone many important changes, and subsequent taxonomic, geochtonological, and biostratigeaphic studies have greatly contributed to improved understanding of the evolution and succession of the South American Cenozoic ‘mammalian assemblages (Flynn and Swisher, 1995, and references therein; Pascual et al., 1996). 567MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA BULLETIN 68 Si cy Ill cote Pane Sete rome) s Femara = erase oo ae st 2% cg tan _-Poormio gue | we ob mae eS ceoebote Seymour Figure 1, Location map showing the Eocene terresirial mammal-bearing localities of A, Patagonia, Argentina, and B, Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. 1, Gran Barranca; 2, Las Flores; 3, Valle Hermoso; 4, Cafiadén Vaca, 8, El Pajarito or Cerro del Humo: 6, Tapera de Lépez; 7, Bajo Palangana; 8, Punta Peligro: 9, Cerro Redondo; 10, Cabeza Blanca: 11, Rio Chico East; 12, Paso de Indios (La Herreria); 13, Paso del Sapo: 14, Laguna Fria; 15, La Barta; 16, Catadén Blanco (after Gelfo, 2006), IAA, Instituto Antértico Argentino; DPV, Divisién Paleontologia de ‘Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, For example, the Casamayoran has been subdivided into two subages, the Vaean and Barranean (Cifelli, 1985), based on faunistic and stratigraphic evidence (Simpson, 1948, 19674; Pascual, 1965) and the discovery of new localities with Mustersan faunas, such as Gran Hondonada (Odreman Rivas, 1978), has greaily increased our knowledge of this SALMA, now considered late Eocene in age on the basis of radioisotopic data (Kay et al., 2001). The Divisaderan is particularly interesting: although this fauna was originally considered late Bocene by Simpson et al. (1962) and Pascual et al, (1965), much of the fauna seems to be considerably older (Bond, 1991; Cerdefto et al. 2008; Lopez and Manassero, 2008; Lépez, in 568,GPLFO PT AL EOCENE MAMMALS AND STRATA FROM PATAGONIA AND ANTARCTICA, press) In this study, the Divisaderan is tentatively referred to the early Eocene on the basis of a congruent association of primitive taxa. From the Late Cretaceous to the Eocene, Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula formed a single biogeographic unit related to the Weddellian Province (Zinsmeister, 1979, 1982; Case, 1988; Reguero et al., 2002). As a consequence of the eventual opening of the Drake Passage, the Antarctic Peninsula terrestrial fauna evolved in isolation from South America (Reguero et al., 1998, 2002). In this paper, we evaluate the mammalian biostratigraphy and biochronology across the Eocene Series in Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula (Fig. 1). We review the mammalian fossil record in these areas and analyze the relationships between several classic and new localities based on their common taxa, A cluster analysis is performed to test the correspondence of these localities to the postulated Eocene SALMAS. MATERIALS AND METHODS To evaluate Eocene faunal relationships a data matrix of 13 faunas with 216 taxa from different localities was compiled for quantitative analysis (see Appendix). The taxonomic list presented here ditfers from previous ones (e.g., Pascual ct al., 1996; Pascual and Ortiz Jaureguizar, 2007) and was updated on the basis of personal observations by the authors and from the literature to include all known Eocene fossil records (Bond et al., 1995; Carlini et al., 2002a, b, c; 2005; Gelfo, 2006). Three taxonomic categories were considered: genus, family, and order. The higher taxonomic levels were used in order to account for the absence of common genera between some faunas. Taxa in each fauna were scored as present (1) or absent (0) in the data matrix, without considering pseudo-extinctions, The list includes Eocene faunas from classic sites where several SALMAs were originally recognized, as well as from new localities currently under study. The vast majority are from Argentine Patagonia, including Paso del Sapo, Cafadén Blanco, Gran Hondonada, Cafiadin Vaca, “Mustersan” (see below), plus six sites from Gran Barranea: GBV-3, GBV-4, GBV-19, GBV-60, and Level Y of Simpson. Divisadero Largo is located outside of Patagonia, in western Mendoza province (Argentina), and is included here because the Divisaderan SALMA has been described only outside of Patagonia, and because the status of this unit is relevant in the context of Eocene biochronology. ‘The remaining localities include those from Tinguiririca in Chile, and from the La Meseta Formation, Antarctic Peninsula, The inclusion of the “Mustersan” in the analysis involves several localities. Most of the taxa included in the Mustersan were collected by G. G. Simpson at “El Pajarito” and by Carlos Ameghino at Colhue Huapi Norte, also known as Cerro del Humo (Simpson, 1948, 1967a). The faunas collected at these localities, as well as those taxa collected by Roth at a site be named “Cafiadén Colorado,” which has not been relocated, were the basis for the classic conception of the Mustersan (Simpson, 1948, 1967) The cluster analyses was performed using PAST 1.60 software (Hammer et al., 2007) applying the Simpson Coefficient to minimize the effects of unequal sizes of the units compared (Simpson et al., 1960) PALEOGENE BIOCHRONOLOGIC PROBLEMS ‘Faunas from the Rio Chico Group in Patagonia ‘The Cenozoic sequence of central Patagonia is characterized by an association of continental and ‘marine fossil-bearing levels, In southern-most South America (central and southern Santa Cruz province), marine sedimentation occurred from the Late Cretaceous up to the Oligocene; but in northern Patagonia (Chubut Province) a progressive retreat of the sea, which occurred since the end of the Danian, resulted in the formation of lakes and loess plains (Uliana and Biddle, 1988). The sequence there includes lacustrine sediments, fluvial facies, and pyroclastic beds intercalated with paleosols, with tif levels at the top (Andreis, 1972; Spalletti and Mazzoni, 1979). ‘The beginning of Cenozoic sedimentation is represented by the marine Salamanca Formation (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene). The post-Salamancan sediments of the Rio Chico Group contain a rich vertebrate fossil fauna, which was the basis for the recognition of the Riochican SALMA. Simpson (1935) recognized three faunal zones for these levels in the region of San Jorge Basin; from oldest to youngest these are the Carodnia, the Kibenikhoria, and the Eynesiokokenta faunal zones. Legarreta and 369MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA BULLETIN 65 ecmagraie 6,9) rtagoran Stereo 2 to goTsn SHIA» pripa lagen Fay fT sanee | comics | poof ee aie .c5110(¢Ls conan Oligocene >| sev Leconte) adn Bones Tgtican Gran ondonada, cav.3 (8 asa) scaven ie Eine) Sarmiento Formation de 8 18 |. catacin vn 43 : = ' 4 Trgamtrme [| | Pasco Sap 4 > aes 7 ‘Richizan | Rotat Kak Bae an Bann frome “meschari 4 Tas Firs re is Iborsian | es Pores + ise 13 [Peres Goin] 8 Fomaten 48 | 1é Salamanca Formation |} Put Paige a Figure 2. Distribution of mammalian assemblages and magnetostratigraphy of the Eocene in the basins of San Jorge and the “Voleanie-Pyroclastic Complex,” Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina, Eocene time scale of Berggren et al. (1995), Uliana (1994) presented a new lithostratigraphic interpretation for what Simpson (1933) termed the Rio Chico Formation, The oldest of Simpson's zones, the Carodnia faunal zone, is represented by the Pefias Coloradas Formation; the Kibenikhoria zone by the Las Flores Formation; and the Ernestokokemia zone by the Koluel Kaike Formation (Fig. 2). Of these, the Kibenikhoria and Ernestokokenia faunal zones are referable to the [taboraian and Riochican SALMAS, respectively (Bond et al., 1995). The poorly known Carodnia zone, based on the xenungulate Carodnia feruglioi, was originally correlated to the Tiupampan 370.GELFO ET AL.—EOCENE MAMMALS AND STRATA FROM PATAGONIA AND ANTARCTICA SALMA (Marshall et al., 1997), However, because there are no species, genera, or even families shared between the Tiupampan SALMA and the Carodnia zone, it seems more likely that the fauna from the Pefias Coloradas Formation represents another undescribed pre-Itaboraian SALMA (Bond et al., 1995; Gelfo et al., 2008, 2009). Until now, the Itaboraian and the Riochican SALMAs have been usually referred to the earliest late Paleocene and late Palcocene, respectively (e.g., Flynn and Swisher, 1995: Pascual and Oniiz Jaureguizar, 2007). However, due to the absence of absolute dates or magnetostratigraphic data, the age Of these units can only be inferred indirectly. Kay et al. (1999) dated tuffs in the Sarmiento Formation at Gran Barranca and concluded that the Barrancan subage of the Casamayoran SALMA was of late Eocene (Bartonian) age. This raises the possibility that the ltaboraian and Riochican SALMAS may be of early Eocene age rather than Paleocene. The Las Flores and Koluel Kaike formations previously have been considered Eocene in age (Bellosi and Madden, 2005). Faunas from Divisadero Largo in Mendoza Province ‘The fauna from the Divisadero Largo Formation type locality (Mendoza province, Argentina) was characterized by the coexistence of what was originally interpreted as primitive and derived taxa. The former are comparable to those of Casamayoran and Mustersan age, whereas the latter compare with youngest Deseadan and post-Deseadan taxa. This interpretation provided support for a Divisaderan SALMA that could partially fill the gap between the Mustersan and Deseadan (Pascual et al., 1963), which was originally referred to the late Eocene. Two species supposedly recovered from the Divisadero Largo Formation with derived characters comparable to those present in Deseadan and post-Deseadan faunas included the notoungulates Ethegotherium carettei and Trachytherus? mendocensis, However, @ petrographic study of the sediments bearing the type of £. carettei (Lépez and Manasscro, 2008), together with the recent discovery of fossil mammals in the overlying Mario Formation, some of which are closely related to Trachytherus? mendocensis (Cerdeio ct al., 2006), suggest that these species came from a different lithostratigraphic unit than the rest of the Divisaderan fauna, Furthermore, the other taxa comprising the Divisaderan fauna suggest a much older age than previously considered. Thus, the Divisaderan ‘fauna’ is not a mixture of contemporaneously occurring archaic and advanced taxa, but is more likely a congruent association of primitive taxa more closely related to Casamayoran than to Mustersan associations (Lopez, 2008). This older component of the Divisaderan ‘fauna’ is therefore tentatively correlated to the early Eocene (Cerdefio et al., 2008; Lépez, in press). EOCENE OF PATAGONIA Central-Western Patagonia Paso del Sapo—The geology and stratigraphy of the Middle Chubut River Voleanie-Pyroclastic Complex was reviewed by Arayén and Mazzoni (1997), who recognized 12 units as Paleocene-Eocene in age. Two fossiliferous localities have been recently studied by Tejedor et al. (2009) near Paso del Sapo village, Chubut province. These include a fauna from the Tufolitas Laguna del Hunco Formation at Laguna Fria (42° 43° 31.5" S, 69° SI” 36.1” W) and another from the interbedded «uffs of the Andesitas Huancache Formation at the La Barda locality (42° 46° 48,5” 8, 69° 51° 43.3”) (Fig. 1). The age of these faunas is constrained by radioisotopic dates from nearby volcanic deposits which underlie and overlie the mammal-bearing levels. The Laguna Fria fauna unconformably overlies @ basal ignimbrite dated by the “K-“"Ar method at 49.51 + 0.32 Ma, and it underlies the Andesitas Huancache alkaline basalt dated at 47.89 + 1.21 Ma (Tejedor et al., 2009). At the second locality, the La Barda Tufis are interbedded with the Andesitas Huancache lava flows, and they occur above a basalt dated by the “K-"Ar method to 47,89 + 1.21 Ma (Tejedor ef al., 2009). This indicates that the Paso del Sapo faunas are late early Eocene in age (Ypresian-Lutetian boundary), A great diversity of mammals occurs at both Paso del Sapo localities. Marsupials are represented by Peradectia, Sparassodonta, Polydolopimorphia, Microbiotheria, Didelphimorphia, and Paucituberculata (Goin et. al., 2001; Tejedor et al, 2009), The placentals include the oldest South American Chiroptera (Tejedor et al., 2005), xenarthrans (Tejedor et al., 2009), and a great diversity of Lungulates represented by “Condylarthra,” Didolodontidae, Litopterna, Notoungulata, and Astrapotheria STMUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA BULLETIN 6S (Bond ct. al., 2002; Gelfo and Tejedor, 2007). These diverse assemblages seem to be transitional between the Riochican SALMA and the Vacan subage of the Casamayoran (Tejedot ct al., 2009) (Fig 2, Eastern-Central Patagonia San Jorge Basin—The most complete sequence of Eocene continental sediments in South America is located in the San Jorge Basin, East-Central Patagonia. This sequence crops out in several localities, and they have provided large samples of mammalian specimens with good stratigrephic contol Throughout the Paleogene, the San Jorge Basin remained active as a foreland ramp and passive ‘margin. In this context, @ 1200 m thick mogasequence developed in a coastal plain setting, comprising ‘marine and continental sediments from the latest Lave Cretaceous to the middle Miocene, This sequence is divided, from base 10 top, into (1} marine deposits of the Salamanca Formation overlying the Cretaceous Chubut Group, and (2) the Hansen Member of the Salamanca Formation, which represents the Progressive retreat of the sea and includes the “Banco Negro Inferior” continental bed (Andreis et al. 1975). ‘The latter includes mammals from several different lineages, including Gondwanatheria, Dryolestidae, Omnithorhynchidae, Metatheria, and Futheria, which characterize the Peligran SALMA (Selandian) (Gelfo et a., 2007, 2609). Above these beds are (3) the Rio Chico Group, formed by the Las Violetas, Pefias Coloradas, Las Flores, and Koluel Kaike formations (Raigemborn, 2008), and (4) the Sarmiento Formation (Legarreta and Uliana, 1994; Bellosi and Madden, 2005). The latter unit is the only one of undoubted Eocene age (Fig. 2) Sarmiento Formation--The pyroclastic Sarmiento Formation is a 319 m thick succession of tuffaceous mudstones, bentonites, paleosols, intraformational conglomerates, and sandstones. Interpreted Paleoenvironments range from loessic (colian) to fluvial, and subordinately shallow lacustrine, The source Of these sediments was Plinian volcanism along the western margin of Patagonia. The so called Gran Barranca, located atthe southern cliff of Colhue-Huapi Lake in central Chubut Province (Figs. 1A and 3), exposes the Sarmiento Formation, which is the most completely known sequence for the middie Cenozoic and the only continuous middle Eocene to early Miocene continental fossil record to be found anywhere in the Souther Hemisphere (Madden et al, 2005). In fact, ever since the fieldwork of Carlos Ameghino between 1895 and 1903, the study and description of its fossils by Florentino Ameghino from 1897 to 1906, the integrated fieldwork and publications of George G. Simpson between 1930 and 1967, and additional work by many others (see Cifelli, 1985, and literature therein), the Gran Barranca has been recognized as the most important and best-known mammal-bearing locality in South America (see Madden et al., 2004, 2005; Re et al., 2005, Carlini et al., 2005), ‘The Sarmiento Formation at Gran Barranca has also been called the “Tobas mamfferas del Edgeno” (Windhausen, 1924), “Tobas de Sarmiento” (Feruglio, 1938, 1949), and the Casamayor Formation (Legareta and Uliana, 1994). The earliest descriptions were made by Ameghino (1906) and Feruglio (1949), but perhaps the most comprehensive are those of Simpson, including his profiles A ‘through N (unpublished field notes). The recent and very detailed analyses of Spalletti and Figure 3. Photograph showing outcrops of Gran Barranca (south of Colhue Iuapi lake) where mest ofthe sections ‘were measured and fossils collected 372(GELFO BT AL—BOCENE MAMMALS AND STRATA FROM PATAGONIA AND ANTARCTICA, Mazzoni (1977, 1979) and Mazzoni (1985) led to the recognition of three members, the Gran Barranca, Puesto Almendra, and Cothue Huapi, in the westem exposures (Spalletti and Mazzoni, 1975). The Sarmiento Formation is the most widespread and characteristic unit of Paleogene sedimentary rocks in central Patagonia, But additional detailed stratigraphic studies along the 7 km extent of the escarpment, aided by unconformities and lithologic changes, resulted in a new stratigraphic framework, which divided the Sarmiento Formation into the (from lowest to highest and spanaing middle Bocene to early Miovene) Gran Barranca, Rosado, Puesto Aimendra Inferior, Vera, Puesto Almendra Superior, and Colhne Huapi members (Bellosi and Madden, 2005, and literature therein). The distribution of the Sarmiento Formation and its possible association with volcanogenic deposits from different Patagonian localities has been discussed elsewhere (see Mazzoni, 1985), Four of the aforementioned members of the Sarmiento Formation have yielded Eocene faunas, which represent at least three SALMAs (Barrancan, Mustersan, and Tinguirirican). The Gran Barranca Member (Spalleti and Mazzoni, 1979) is the most widespread, and it includes 76 m of white massive tuffs, bentonite, and paleasols that conformably overlie the Koluel Kaike Formation (Bellosi and Madden, 2005), Simpson’ level Y oceurs within this member (Bellosi and Madden, 2005), and the abundant fossil mammals from this level are referred to the Barrancan subage of the Casamayoran SALMA (Simpson, 1948, 1967a; Cifell, 1985). A new fauna, known as “El Nuevo" or “GBV-60" (Fig, 3), was recently recovered in the Gran Barranca Member above level Y (Carlini et al, 2005: Lépez et al, 2005). “Ar "Ar analyses indicate an age between 42.1 and 38.3 Ma (Kay et al. 1999; Bellosi and Madden, 2005), thus placing the Gran Barranca Member in the middle Eocene. A few sections in the central-castem part of Gran Barranca crop out above the Gran Barranca Member, including the carbonate rich Rosado Member. whieh is bound by unconformities at its base and top (Bellosi and Madden, 2005), Fossil mammals from this unit have been assigned to the Mustersan SALMA (Catlin et al., 2005, Lopez et al., 2005), and “'Ar-"Ar radioisotopic dates indicate an age of 37.8 Ma, or middle late Eocene (Bellosi and Madden, 2005). The transition between middle and earliest late Eocene is represented at the type section of the Sarmiento Formation (MMZ section) at Gran Barranca by the Puesto Almendra Member (Spalleti and Mazzoni, 1979). This unit belongs to what Simpson (unpublished field notes) described as the “Lower ‘Channel Series,” “Intermediate Tuffs,” and “Upper Channel Series." A prominent unconformity in the iiddle of the section resulted in division into upper and lower Puesto Almendra members (Bellosi and Madden, 2005), and Mustersan fossil mammals are known from the lower (Simpson, 1948; 1967a), The Lower Puesto Almendra Member was inferred to be latest middle to earliest late Eocene in age. In contrast, the Upper Puesto Almendra Member was considered early late Oligocene (Bellosi and Madden, 2005). An interesting fiuna named “La Cantera” or “GBV-19” was recently recovered from the lowermost patt of the Upper Puesto Almendra Member (Fig. 3), and it includes a combination of taxa that could be related to the Tinguiririean or Deseadan SALMAS (Carlini et al., 2005; Lépez et al., 2005; Vueetich et al., 2005; Goin et al, 2006b; Goin et al., in press) The Vera Member is the youngest Eocene unit of the Sarmiento Formation and it erops out in the central and eastern regions of Gran Barranca, Chronologically it represents the latest Eocene to earliest Oligocene (Betlosi and Madden, 2005), thus placing it stratigraphically between the lower and upper parts of Puesto Almendra Member. Lithologically it is a homogeneous succession of massive and poorly- bedded pyroclastic mudstones with some very thin bentonite beds, ‘The fossil-bearing beds in the central part of the Vera Member are referred to “La Cancha” or “GBV-4" and they yield an intere assemblage of Tinguirirican-like mammals (Carlini et al., 2005; Lopez et al., 2005), Elsewhere in Patagonia, outside the Gran Barranca cliff region, the Sarmiento Formation crops out in several other localities. One locality known as “Gran Hondonada” (also called “El Pozbn”) in Chubust Province (S 44° 20° 49” W 69° 46° 57”) yields an extraordinary assemblage of Mustersan fossil mammals, which were found in sediments representing fluvial channels (Cladera et al., 2004, and literature therein). Of particular interest are exposures of the Sarmiento Formation with Casamayoran faunas Simpson (1948, 19672, 1967, and references therein) revised the mammals from the Casamayoran SALMA in Patagonia and published locality data (when available) for Ameghino’s type specimens. 53[MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA BULLETIN 65 Cifelli (1985) subdivided the Casamayoran into two subages, the younger of which, the Barrancan, crops out in the Gran Barranea Member at the base of the Gran Barranca cliff. Radioisotopic reevaluation of the Barrancan found it younger than previously considered (38.1 + 3.0 Ma; Kay et al., 1999). ‘The older part of the Casamayoran, i.e., the Vacan subage, is not represented at the Gran Barranea cliff. This part of the Sarmiento Formation is only represented at the Caadén Vaca locality west of the Rio Chico and approximately 60 km northeast of Colhue Huapi lake (45° 12°S, 68° 05°W, Fig. 1A), Vacan mammals were originally recovered from this locality by the first Searritt Patagonian Expedition, The mammal-bearing horizons consist of variously colored aitemating tuffs and bentonitic claystones exposed on the north side of Cafiadén Vaca. The base of the sequence consists of ‘conglomeratic sandstone and an impure tuff, which lie in sharp contaet with the overlying gray shales and characteristic red sandstones of the Koluel Kaike Formation. Mammals from Cafadin Vaca were recovered from two measured sections, the lower of which is most productive (see Cifelli, 1985). ‘As long known (Pascual, 1965), the Vacan fata of CaBadén Vaca inelades archaic notoungulate families (Henricosborniidae, Isotemnidae), the relative primitiveness of which readily distinguishes it from the subsequent Barrancan subage (Cifelli, 1985). Shared species between these subages include Polvdotops thomasi, Isotemnus primitivus, Henricosbornia lophodonta, and Anisolambda fissidens. Recently, two of us (AAC and MRC) revisited the area and recovered numerous Vacan mammals from a locality near Caftadén de las Vacas and the homonymous farm. ‘This place matches Simpson's (1967) description of Cafadin Vaca. Ar-”Ar isotopic dates from the Vacan subage yield an approximate age of 45 Ma (AAC, pers. comm.) ANTARCTIC PENINSULA, James Ross Basin La Meseta Formation—The James Ross Basin is situated in the Weddell Sea, on the south side of the northeastern boundary of the Antarctic Peninsula, The Paleogene beds of the James Ross Basin are exclusively marine and erop out on Seymour and nearby Cockburn islands (Fig. 1B). The early to latest Eocene La Meseta Formation at Seymour Island comprises mostly poorly consolidated siliciclastie fine- grained sediments deposited in deltaic, estuarine, and shallow marine environments as a part of a fectonically-controtled incised valley system (Marenssi, 1995; Marenss et al., 1998a, b), Spanning nearly the entire Focene, and perhaps the Eocene-Oligocene boundary (Ivany et al, 2006), the formation is 0 0 é 0 0 0 ° 0 ° 0 0 ° 1 0 1 0 ° ° ° o Cie ° ° ° 1 Clune amet) @ o U ° 0 1 t ° o 0 1 9 1 o sepxdoyopedaig 2 ° ° ° ° 1 6 ° . 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