Paleontology and stratigraphy of the Aisol Formation (Neogene), San Rafael, Mendoza.

A preliminary analysis of the geology and paleontology of the Aisol Formation is presented upon new fieldwork that started in 2007. Three different sections are recognized within the Aisol Formation, with fossil vertebrates in the lower (LS) and middle (MS) sections. The faunal association of the LS includes: Anura indet., two indeterminate species of Chelonoidis (Testudininae), Phorusrhacidae indet., Mylodontidae indet., Planopinae indet., Glyptodontidae indet., Propalaeohoplophorinae indet., Nesodontinae indet., Palyeidodon cf. P. obtusum (Haplodontheriinae), Hegetotherium sp. (Hegetotheriidae), Protypotherium sp. (Interatheriidae), cf. Theosodon (Macraucheniidae), and Prolagostomus or Pliolagostomus (Chinchillidae), suggesting a middle Miocene age (probably Friasian s.s. or Colloncuran SALMAs (South American Land Mammal Age) following the scheme from Patagonia). The vertebrate association of the MS includes: Hesperocynus dolgopolae (Sparassocynidae), Tremacyllus sp., Dolichotinae indet., Abrocomidae indet., and Ctenomyidae indet., suggesting at least a late Miocene age (Huayquerian SALMA). The new discoveries increase considerably the vertebrate fossil record of the Aisol Formation and argue in favour of at least two different levels of dissimilar age; this view is also supported by geological data.

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