The Guichón Formation is a Late Cretaceous geologic formation of the Paysandú Group in Uruguay. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[1]

Guichón Formation
Stratigraphic range: Aptian-Santonian
~125–85 Ma
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofPaysandú Group
UnderliesMercedes Formation
OverliesArapey Formation
ThicknessUp to >100 m (330 ft) (in wells)
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
OtherConglomerate
Location
Coordinates32°00′S 57°42′W / 32.0°S 57.7°W / -32.0; -57.7
Approximate paleocoordinates38°24′S 30°00′W / 38.4°S 30.0°W / -38.4; -30.0
RegionPaysandú Department
CountryUruguay
ExtentNorte Basin
Type section
Named forGuichón
Guichón Formation is located in Uruguay
Guichón Formation
Guichón Formation (Uruguay)

Description

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The Guichón Formation comprises mainly pink-greyish to reddish sandstones, which contain moderate to well-sorted, subrounded, fine to medium-sized grains in a pelitic matrix. These sandstones (which compositionally are feldspathic wackes) are either massive or may instead exhibit parallel lamination, cross-lamination and graded bedding. These lithologies were deposited in southwest-trending alluvialfluvial systems comprising low-sinuosity channels traversing through sandy plains. Subordinate to the already mentioned sandstones are conglomeratic and pelitic lithologies, interpreted as channel-fill and overbank deposits, respectively. It is inferred that the Guichón Formation was deposited in warm, semi-arid climatic conditions.[2] The formation has been correlated to the Puerto Yeruá Formation of northwestern Argentina.[3]

The formation reaches a thickness of more than 100 metres (330 ft) in wells perforating the formation.[4] It is overlain by the Mercedes Formation and overlies the Arapey Formation.[5]

Fossil content

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The following fossils have been reported from the formation:[2][6]

Fossil eggs

See also

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References

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  1. Weishampel et al., 2004, pp.517-607
  2. 1 2 Guichón at Fossilworks.org
  3. Soto et al., 2009, p.13
  4. Tofalo et al., 2011, p.616
  5. Tofalo et al., 2011, p.617
  6. Soto et al., 2009, p.19
  7. Soto, Matías; Carballido, José L.; Langer, Max C.; Silva Junior, Julian C. G.; Montenegro, Felipe; Perea, Daniel (2024). "Phylogenetic relationships of a new titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Uruguay". Cretaceous Research. 160 105894. Bibcode:2024CrRes.16005894S. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105894. hdl:11336/237411.
  8. Mones, 1972
  9. 1 2 Soto et al., 2011
  10. Soto et al., 2012

Bibliography

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