Pisco Formation

The Pisco Formation is a geologic formation located in Peru, on the southern coastal desert of Ica and Arequipa. The approximately 640 metres (2,100 ft) thick formation was deposited in the Pisco Basin, spanning an age from the Middle Miocene up to the Early Pleistocene, roughly from 15 to 2 Ma. The tuffaceous sandstones, diatomaceous siltstones, conglomerates and dolomites were deposited in a lagoonal to near-shore environment, in bays similar to other Pacific South American formations as the Bahía Inglesa and Coquimbo Formations of Chile.

Pisco Formation
Stratigraphic range: Mid Miocene-Early Pleistocene
(Colloncuran-Uquian)
~15–2 Ma
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofPisco Basin
OverliesChilcatay & Caballas Formations
Thickness640 m (2,100 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryTuffaceous sandstone, diatomaceous siltstone
OtherConglomerate, dolomite
Location
Coordinates15.7°S 74.5°W / -15.7; -74.5
Approximate paleocoordinates15.8°S 73.8°W / -15.8; -73.8
RegionArequipa & Ica Regions
Country Peru
ExtentFrom Pisco to Yauca
Type section
Named forPisco
Outcrops of the formation in Peru

Several specialists consider the Pisco Formation one of the most important Lagerstätten,[1][2] based on the large amount of exceptionally preserved marine fossils, including sharks (most notably megalodon), penguins, whales, dolphins, birds, marine crocodiles and aquatic giant sloths.

Famous fossils found in these layers include the giant raptorial sperm whale Livyatan,[3] the aquatic sloth Thalassocnus,[4] the sperm whale Acrophyseter, and the walrus-like dolphin Odobenocetops.[5]

Description

The Pisco Formation of the Pisco Basin consists of tuffaceous sandstones, diatomaceous yellow to gray siltstones and a basal conglomerate.[6] The formation is deposited from Pisco in the north to Yauca in the south. The northern portion is known as the Ocucaje Area and the southern part as the Sacaco Area.[7] The total thickness of the formation is estimated at 640 metres (2,100 ft).[8] The formation unconformably overlies the Chilcatay and Caballas Formations.

Fauna

The Pisco Formation has provided a rich resource of marine fauna, including marine mammals like cetaceans and seals, large fishes, reptiles, and penguins.[9] It is also one of the richest sites in the world for fossil cetaceans, with close to 500 examples being found in the formation.[10]

The oldest fossils of the aquatic sloth Thalassocnus (T. antiquus) come from the Aguada de Lomas horizon of the Pisco Formation and were dated at roughly 7 Ma. The youngest specimen (T. carolomartini) was found in the Sacaco horizon and dated to approximately 3 Ma.[11] Thalassocnus was preyed upon by the probable apex predators of the environment, Livyatan and megalodon.[12][13] The youngest strata belonging to the formation have been dated at 2 Ma, corresponding to the Early Pleistocene (Uquian). Fossils of the Humboldt penguin were found in these deposits at the Yauca locality.[14]

Vertebrates
Mammals
Taxa Description Images Notes

Genus:

  1. A. longirostirus
 A large pinniped thought to be the ancestor of the leopard seal
[15]

Genus:

  1. A. deinodon
  2. A. robustus
 A small raptorial physeteroid
[16][17]

Genus:

  1. A. iquensis
 A small toothed whale
[18][19]

Genus:

  • Australithax
  1. A. intermedia
 A long-snouted porpoise
[20]

Genus:

  • Australophoca
  1. A. changorum
 TBA
[21]

Genus:

  1. B. siberi
 A baleen cetacean
[21][22]

Genus:

  • Belonodelphis
  1. B. peruanus
 An long delphinid
[21][18][23]

Genus:

  1. B. jahuayensis
  2. B. mazeasi
 An early delphinid
[21][18][24][25]
Genus
  1. B. ankylorostris
 A river delphinid
[26]

Genus:

  1. H. martini
 A species of true seal
[15][27]

Genus:

  1. H. oligodon
 An early form of orca
[15]

Genus:

  • Hydrarctos
  1. H. lomasiensis
 TBA
[15]

Genus:

  1. I. anillodefuego
 A small baleen cetacean
[21][28]

Genus:

  • Koristocetus
  1. K. pescei
 A small sperm whale
[29]

Genus:

  1. L. melvillei
 An 18-meter long raptorial physeteroid with 36 centimetres (1.18 ft) teeth
[3]

Genus:

  • Lomacetus
  1. L. ginsburgi
 A cetacean
[21][30]

Genus:

  1. M. pulchra
 A cetothere whale
[31]

Genus:

  • Ninoziphius
  1. N. platyrostris
 A giant beaked whale
[15]

Genus:

  1. O. leptodon
  2. O. peruvianus
 A cetacean with dual tusks
[5]

Genus:

  1. P. nana
 A small baleen whale
[15][32]

Genus:

  • Piscocetus
  1. P. sacaco
 An extinct cetacean
[33]

Genus:

  • Piscolithax
  1. P. aenigmaticus
 A porpoise
[15][21]
Genus:
  1. P. pacifica
 A seal
[32]

Genus:

  • Pliopontos
  1. P. littoralis
 An early delphinid
[15]

Genus:

  1. S. cochlearis
 An extinct pygmy sperm whale
[21][34]

Genus:

  1. T. antiquus
  2. T. carolomartini
  3. T. littoralis
  4. T. natans
 a semi-aquatic marine sloth
[4][15]
[16][33]
Cartilaginous fishes
Taxa Description Images Notes

Genus:

  1. Megalodon
  2. C. chubutensis
 The largest of the megatoothed sharks (and of all fishes)
[9]

Genus:

  1. C. taurus
 The sand tiger shark
[15]

Genus:

  1. C. sp. indent
 A requiem shark
[9]

Genus:

  1. C. carcharias
  2. C. hubbelli
 The great white shark
[33][15]

Genus:

  1. C. hastalis
 The broad-toothed mako
[9]

Genus:

  1. H. gigas
 A cow shark
[33]

Genus:

  1. I. oxyrhincus
 The shortfin mako
[21]

Genus:

  1. M. sp
 A species of eagle ray
[9]
Bony fishes
Taxa Description Images Notes

Genus:

  1. A. indent
 A type of herring
[9]

Genus:

  1. C. aff. Psamoperca
 A snook fish
[9]

Genus:

  1. T. indent
 A type of sea robin
[9]

Genus:

  1. X. ident
 A sword fish
[9]

Genus:

  1. X. sp
 A ray-finned fish
[9]
Genus:
  1. S. sp.
 A sardine
[32]
Birds
Taxa Description Images Notes
Spheniscus humboldtiHumboldt penguin
[14]
S. megarhampusBanded penguin[14]
S. muizoniThe oldest banded penguin
[35][36]
S. urbinaiA larger banded penguin than S. muizoni[14]
Genus:
  • Ramphastosula
  1. R. aguierrei
  2. R. ramirezi
[15][37]
Genus:
  1. S. brandi
  2. S. magna
  3. S. sulita
[16][38]
Morus peruvianus
[16]
Perugyps diazi
[16]
Fulmarus sp.
[15]
Pelagornis sp.
[21][39]
Pelecanus sp.
[40]
Genus:
  1. P. aff. bougainvillii
  2. cf. Phalacrocorax sp.
[15][41]
Reptiles
Taxa Description Images Notes

Genus:

  1. P. jugaliperforatus
 A gryposuchine gavialid crocodylian
[16][32]
Genus:
  1. P. urbinai
 A sea turtle
[12][42]
Chelonia sp., Cheloniidae indet.
[9]
Eusuchia sp.
[15]

Invertebrates
Invertebrates
FossilsNotes
Acanthina obesa, A. triangularis, Concholepas kieneri, Anadara sp., Dosinia sp., Herminespina sp.
[15]

Correlations

Laventan
Laventan correlations in South America
FormationHondaHondaAisolCura-MallínPiscoIpururoPebasCapadareUrumacoInésParanáMap
BasinVSMHondaSan RafaelCalderaPiscoUcayaliAmazonFalcónVenezuelaParaná
Pisco Formation (South America)
Country Colombia Bolivia Argentina Chile Peru Venezuela Argentina
Boreostemma
Hapalops
Miocochilius
Theosodon
Xenastrapotherium
Mylodontidae
Sparassodonta
Primates
Rodents
Birds
Terror birds
Reptiles
megalodon
Flora
Insects
EnvironmentsFluvialFluvio-deltaicFluvio-lacustrineFluvio-deltaicFluvial
Laventan volcanoclastics

Laventan fauna

Laventan flora
VolcanicYes

See also

References
  1. Brand et al., 2004
  2. Brand et al., 2011
  3. Lambert et al., 2010
  4. De Muizon et al., 2003
  5. De Muizon & Domning, 2002
  6. Báez Gómez, 2006, p.65
  7. Stucchi, 2007, p.368
  8. Altamirano Sierra, 2013, p.3
  9. Báez Gómez, 2006, p.66
  10. Poma Porras et al., 2009, p.86
  11. De Muizon et al., 2004, p.287
  12. Parham & Pyenson, 2010, p.231
  13. Bianucci et al., 2015, p.543
  14. Stucchi, 2007, p.370
  15. Sud Sacaco West at Fossilworks.org
  16. Sud Sacaco at Fossilworks.org
  17. Lambert et al., 2008
  18. Cerro la Bruja at Fossilworks.org
  19. De Muizon, 1988, p.131
  20. De Muizon, 1988, p.88
  21. Aguada de Loma at Fossilworks.org
  22. Demeré et al., 2005, p.115
  23. De Muizon, 1988, p.192
  24. De Muizon, 1988, p.82
  25. De Muizon, 1988, p.108
  26. Lambert et al., 2017
  27. Amson & De Muizon, 2014, p.524
  28. Marx & Kohno, 2016, p.5
  29. Collareta et al., 2017, p.261
  30. De Muizon, 1988, p.27
  31. Miocaperea pulchra at Fossilworks.org
  32. Hueso Blanco at Fossilworks.org
  33. Sacaco at Fossilworks.org
  34. De Muizon, 1988, p.66
  35. Göhlich, 2007, p.287
  36. Stucchi, 2007, p.369
  37. Stucchi et al., 2016, p.423
  38. Stucchi et al., 2016, p.419
  39. Chávez et al., 2007
  40. Altamirano Sierra, 2013, p.6
  41. Yauca at Fossilworks.org
  42. Cerro Colorado Pisco at Fossilworks.org

Bibliography

Further reading
  • A. Alván, J. Apolín, and C. Chacaltana. 2004. Los dientes de Seláceos (Condrichthyies) y su aplicación estratigráfica en Las Lomas de Ullujaya (Ica, Perú). XIII Congreso Peruano de Geología. Resúmenes Extendidos 595-598
  • A. Collareta, O. Lambert, W. Landini, C. Di Celma, E. Malinverno, R. Varas-Malca, M. Urbina and G. Bianucci. 2017. Did the giant extinct shark Carcharocles megalodon target small prey? Bite marks on marine mammal remains from the late Miocene of Peru. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 469:84-91
  • R. Esperante, L. Brand, K. E. Nick, O. Poma, and M. Urbina. 2008. Exceptional occurrence of fossil baleen in shallow marine sediments of the Neogene Pisco Formation, Southern Peru. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 257:344-360
  • A. Gioncada, A. Collareta, K. Gariboldi, O. Lambert, C. Di Clema, E. Bonaccorsi, M. Urbina and G. Bianucci. 2016. Inside baleen: Exceptional microstructure preservation in a late Miocene whale skeleton from Peru. Geology
  • C. S. Gutstein, M. A. Cozzuol, A. O. Vargas, M. E. Suarez, C. L. Schultz and D. Rubilar-Rogers. 2009. Patterns of skull variation of Brachydelphis (Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the Neogene of the Southeastern Pacific. Journal of Mammalogy 90(2):504-519
  • O. Lambert, A. Collareta, W. Landini, K. Post, B. Ramanssamy, C. Di Celma, M. Urbina and G. Bianucci. 2015. No deep diving: evidence of predation on epipelagic fish for a stem beaked whale from the Late Miocene of Peru. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 282:20151530
  • J. Machare, T. DeVries, and E. Fourtanier. 1988. Oligo-Miocene transgression along the Pacific margin of South America: new paleontological and geological evidence from the Pisco basin (Peru). Géodyynamique 3(1-2):25-37
  • R. Marocco and C. de Muizon. 1988. Los vertebrados del Neogeno de La Costa Sur del Perú: Ambiente sedimentario y condiciones de fosilización. Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Études Andines 17(2):105-117
  • C. de Muizon and D. P. Domning. 1985. The first records of fossil sirenians in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Bulletin du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Section C: Sciences de la Terre: Paléontologie, Géologie, Minéralogie, Paris: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle 7(3):189-213
  • C. de Muizon. 1983. Pliopontos littoralis un nouveau Platanistidae Cetacea du Pliocene de la cote peruvienne. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences Paris Série II (296)1101-1104
  • C. de Muizon. 1978. Arctocephalus (Hydrarctos) lomasiensis, subgen. nov. et nov sp., un nouvel Otariidae du Mio-Pliocene de Sacaco. Bulletin de l'Institute Français d'Études Andines 7(3-4):169-189
  • M. Urbina and M. Stucchi. 2005. Los cormoranes (Aves: Phalacrocoracidae) del Mio-Plioceno de la Formacion Pisco, Peru. Boletin de la Sociedad Geologica del Peru 99:41-49
  • R. M. Varas Malca and A. Valenzuela Toro. 2011. A basal monachine seal from the middle Miocene of the Pisco Formation, Peru. Ameghiniana 48(4):R216-R217
  • T. J. DeVries. 2008. Pliocene and Pleistocene Fissurella Bruguiére, 1789 (Gastropoda: Fissurellidae) from Southern Peru. The Veliger 50(2):129-148
  • T. J. DeVries. 2007. Cenozoic Turritellidae (Gastropoda) from southern Peru. Journal of Paleontology 81(2):331-351
  • T. J. DeVries, L. T. Groves, and M. Urbina. 2006. A new early Miocene Muracypraea Woodring, 1957 (Gastropoda: Cypraeidae) from the Pisco Basin of southern Peru. The Nautilus 120(3):101-105
  • T. J. DeVries. 2003. Acanthina Fischer von Waldheim, 1807 (Gastropoda: Muricidae), an ocenebrine genus endemic to South America. The Veliger 46(4):332-350
  • T. J. DeVries. 1997. Neogene Ficus (Mesogastropoda: Ficidae) from the Pisco Basin (Peru). Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica de Perú 86:11-18
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