Vertebrate Paleontology Miocene Fauna of La Venta PDF

66.0946 22 5 [vo Fan Bu4sais Vertebrate Paleontology in the Neotropics The Miocene Fauna of La Venta, Colombia Edited by Richard F. Kay, Richard H. Madden, Richard L. Cifelli, and John J. Flynn SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS Washington and London(© 1997 bythe Smidhonian Istution ‘Allight reserved Production Editor: Deborah L.Sanders Libary of Congret Cataloging o-Publicason Dasa ‘Verebrate paleontology in the Neotopicr: the Miocene fauna of ‘enc, Colombia / Richard F Kay. ea, eto, hem Iaclades bibliographical ferences and inde ISBN 1-56058-418-X 1, Vertebrates, Fouil—Colombia, 2, Palsntalogy—Miocene 23, Psonalogy-Colombi ay Pichard QEREL.VAIS. 1995, 566 0986—de20 serie Brith Library Catsloguing-n-Pubbcanon Data ae avaible, Manufcured inthe United State of America 03 02 01 00 99 98 97.96 54321 @ The paper used inthis publication meee the minimum requirement ofthe American National Standard fo Information ‘clenew_—Permanence of Prper fr Pringed Library Materile ANSE 738.88-1984 For permition to reprodace sation appearing inthis bok, ple comespondazecty wath te owners of the Works, ied inthe indivdoalcapsons. The SmiiwonanInsttion Pres doesnot ean reproduction right for thee Datrsonsindvidaly or mainain a le of addemes or photo ours “The epigaph to chapter 1 found on p. 3 4 8 quoted by M. Bowsingace in Vie cif aos Andes exes 6 clin de emai on, gums Rta nail de le Nowe Coad, usr 1 Vere (Par: Libera Casella, 1849) ‘The unnumbered deings by Nicholas]. Czaplewaki intenpered throughout the ext ae if recomsrucionsofsome ofthe animals of La ‘ena: Thetedevonge tow mach moze han actualy known fom stelet par the ar included to convey collective opinion of what these animal looked ike in thee habiae—dhe let world ofthe Miocene Neotropics. Mark Tin once described how he had helped Henry Fried Osborn constrict an exhibit in sins sustion: "Profsor (Oshocn and ui the coll skeleton brotosur that stand fify-seven Seetlong and seen fet high in the Narral History Moteum, the awe tin linia fl he woe the atte skeleton that ei onthe Plane. We had nine bones, and webu the rest of him out of ptr of pai (Twain, I Shaker Dead? From My Aatblpphy, New Yok: Harper & Bros, 1909, 40—4t) The recontrucion deswings herein ‘contain fr more bones and mich es plate Bae age is Prdoppthrion fon (dot). Page wc Megalo rolerrmi proterotere) and Anahbii pails (abertoosbed ‘maropa), Page vi: Tp dhe H Cardon Red Beds, now Duke Loalisy $32, at the head of Quebrada el Carn in 1944—45; to, the Servicio (Geoligico/ University of Caforia amp in 1944-45, atthe Monkey Bede, now Duke Locality 22, looking eastward toward San Nicol. (Cerro Gordo vibe on the horizon. (Bodh photos by Jost Royo y ‘Gomer, courtesy of INGEOMINAS Geological Maseum, Bogs, (Colombia) Page 12: Two Mocs namopods iterates in ‘regrond) soda giant xian (in background parcllyconcrale) age 60: Dora armored cath), Pacem eden (cure), “Ania sp (ers), Mourn top (Sack ile erocoian) Hydayn sp (8, cf Myles, and Noa cE. aliens Page 92: Pocatarodn plata eoxodon, indent), See lenis (becid aocoin, sd abn cE} mca oe). Page 184 Prretcodon plage (xodon) Page 432: toi tacess (Gowle-bke moakey above lef), Newamandua boas (steer, below ef), Miura nents (moe opossum, above ight}, sad Laninio ‘eovlaat(armanes ike monkey, blow righ). Page 496: (Granaapthriam nor (sspothere) 0d ef. Hapa (oh.Editors’ Note v Acknowledgments vii List of Contributors ix List of Abbreviations xiii Part One. Introduction 1 1. A History of Vertebrate Paleontology in the Magdalena Valley 3 Richard H. Madden, Donald E. Savage, and Robert W. Fields Part Two. Geology and Geochronology 13 2. Stratigraphy, Sedimentary Environments, and the Miocene Uplift of the Colombian Andes 15 Javier Guerrero. 3. Geochronology of the Honda Group 44 John J. Flynn, Javier Guerrero, and Cal C, Swisher III Part Three. Invertebrates and Fishes 61 4. Trichodactylid Crabs 63 Gilberto Rodriguez 5. Frothwater Fishes and Their Paleobiotic Implications 67 John G. Lundberg Contents Part Four. Reptiles, Amphibians, and Birds 93 6. Limbless Tetrapods 95 Max K. Hecht and Thomes C. LaDuke 7. A Reassessment of the Fossil Tupinambinae 100 Robert M, Sullivan and Richard Fetes 8. Crocodilians, Gryposuchus, and the South American Gavials 113 ‘Wann Langston, Jr, and Zulma Gasparini 9. Turtles 155 Roger Conant Wood 10. Biede 171 D. Tab Rasmusen Part Five. Nonprimate Mammals 185 11, New Clues for Understanding Neogene Marsupial Radiations 187 Francisco J. Goin 12, New Caenolestoid Marsupials 207 Elizabeth R. Dumont and Thomas M. Bown13. M4. 15. 16, 17. 18, 19. 20. a. 2 23. CONTENTS Armored Xenarthrans: A Unique Taxonomic and Ecologic Assemblage 213 Alfredo A. Catlini, Sergio F Vizcaino, and Gustavo J. Seillato-Yané A.New Giant Pampatheriid Armadillo 227 Gordon Edmund and Jessica Theodor ‘Xenarthrans: Pilosans 233 H. Gregory McDonald Locomotor Adaptations in Miocene Xenarthrans 246 Jennifer L. White Paleobiology and Affinities of Megadolodus 265 [Richard L, Cifelli and Carlos Villaroel Litopterns 289 Richard L. Cifelli and Javier Guerrero A.New Leontiniid Notoungulate 303 Carlos Vilarroel and Jane Colwell Danis Enamel Microstructure in Notoungulates 319 ‘Mary C. Maas ANew Toxodontid Notoungulate 335 Richard H, Madden ‘Uruguaythertine Astrapotheres of Tropical South America 355 Steven C. Johnson and Richard H. Madden Sirenia 383 Daryl B. Domning 24, Rodents 392 Anne H. Walton 25, Chiroptera 410 Nichola J. Coaplewakd Part Six. Primates 433 26. A New Small Platyrrhine and the Phyletic Position of Callitrichinae 435 Richard F Kay and D. Jeffrey Meldrum 27. Postcranial Skeleton of Laventan, Platyrrhines 459 D. Jefitey Meldrum and Richard E Kay 28. Fossil New World Monkeys 473 Jobn G. Fleagle, Richard F Kay, and Mark R. L. ‘Anthony Part Seven. Summary 497 29, The Laventan Stage and Age 499 [Richard H, Madden, Javier Guerrero, Richard FE Kay John J Flynn, Cari C. Swisher Il, and ‘Anne H. Walton 30. Paleogeography and Paleoecology 520 [Richard F Kay and Richard H. Madden Literature Cited 551 ‘Taxonomic Index 585I hhas ong been recognized that the La Venta badlands in central Colombia hold special significance for understanding the evolution of vertebrate faunas in South Amer- ica, First although the continent has been considered a ‘model of completeness in terms of the evolutionary record ‘of mammalian evolution (eg., Patterson and Pascual 1972), a glance at that record reveals more gaps than data. Even ‘where the record ir most complete—in Argentina—major biatuses exis, some of which may be up to 12 milion years in length (MacFadden 1990). Second, even the better- known faunas of Argentina are often poorly constrained ‘temporally —at present there are no dated horizons 0 constrain the ages of any of the Eocene land mammal ages, and dates avilable for Oligocene and early Miocene faunas are ‘in ux. Further, only a handful ofstudies exist thatasess the paleobiology of the known mammalian paleofaunas, although a few notable exceptions are now emerging (€-., Pascual and Ortiz Jaureguizar 1990) Inthisbook we fill one mporeant gap in the middle Miocene fos record of South ‘America by describing the vertebrate fauna ffom the La ‘Venta area (including many new species), interpreting their phylogeny and paleobiology, and placing them intoa secure temporal and geologic framework. For ewo reasons the La Venta area and is paleofaunas are ‘specially important for understanding South American Editors’ Note faunal evolution. The frst has to do with its geographic position. A major impediment to understanding the continent-wide evolution of vertebrate and mammalian faunas has been the paucity of good fossil sites within the tropical zone. Even though 70% of the land mass of South ‘America is situated within the tropics (that is, between approximately 23° north and south of the equator), La Venta is practically the only place where a Tertiary tropical lowland paleofauna can be studied in geochronologic context. The only other vertebrate fauna comparable in num= ber of species and geochronologic control is the late Oligocene/early Miocene fauna from Salla in Bolivia, a¢ approximately 17° south; there, however, the fish, reptile, bird, and small mammal faunas are comparatively poorly known. Tes generally thought that lowland humid tropical environments do not favor the preservation of animal remains, and consequently it is unusual to find such faunas preserved in such abundance and richness. The explanation for the exceptional diversity and excellent preservation of the fossil vertebrates at La Venta resides, we believe, in the extraordi- nary rates of sediment accumulation that occurred on the piedmont area atthe foot of the voleanic central Andes. Second, the La Venta fauna holds special significance because if its temporal positon. It is well known that thevi EDITORS’ NOTE paleofaunas of South America underwent a massive read- Jjustment called the “Great Fatnal Interchange” (Steli and ‘Webb 1985), beginning in the late Miocene, when che Isthmus of Panama was formed. The fosil record of this readjustment is best known from southern South America, and our knowledge about the consequences of this biotic interchange on tropical lowland faunas in particular is lim ited, La Venta is one of the few places in South America ‘where the paleoecology ofa lowland tropical forest fauna can be studied from a time prior to the Great Interamerican Faunal Interchange. Building upon an already extensive literature about the Honda Group and its faunas, the contributors to this book present detailed information and interpretation about the paleobiology of La Venta animals and the environment in which chey lived, thereby painting a picture of what vertebrate life was like in the South American tropics before the Great Faunal Interchange. An introductory chapter sum- rmarizes the long and curious history of the study of this important vertebrate fauna. The immediately following chapters present evidence for the geologic age and sedi- ‘mentary environmentsin which Miocene animals lived and ‘were preserved. In each succeeding chapter, the contributors have used geological, phylogenetic, or anatomical evidence to infer the paleobiology of all the animals known from La Venta. These animals include a fossil crab, sh, amphibians, reptiles, bids, and mammals. Two summary chapeers at the end of the book propose « new chronostratigraphic unit, the Laventan Land Mammal Stage, forthe interval of time represented by the La Venta fauna, and a paleoenvironmental reconstruction based upon the ches from prior chapters and comparisons with selected ‘mammal faunas from the South American tropics today. ‘The carefil reader will note an occasional lack of correspondence among chaptersin the way the taxonomic head- ings are presented. This was intentional and reflects the contributors’ differing stances on taxonomic matters. For ‘example, some of the contributors use taxonomic names only for monophyletic groups. whereas others accept pars- phyletic taxa, Likewise, some use names in the Linnaean hierarchy, whereas others eschew them. Despite the tax- ‘onomic arguments and borborygmi, wo of us (R.EK. and RLH.M) attempted to bring some order to the contributors’ diverse paleontological findings by compiling the in- terpretive summary given in appendix 30.1 References ‘MacFadden, B,J. 1990. Chronology of Cenozoic primate lo- calves in South America. Journal of Human Evolution 19: 7-21. Pascual, R, and E. Ortiz Jaueguizar. 1990, Evolving climates and mammal faunas in Cenozoic South America. Journal of Human Evolution 19: 23-60. Paterson, Band R. Pascual. 1972. The fosil mammal fauna of South America. In A. Keast, F C. Ek and B. Gls, eds, Evolution, mammals nd southern continents, AIbany: State Univenity of New York Press. Pp. 247-308.‘Our research program forthe collection of fossil vertebrates and study ofthe stratigraphy and geochronology ofthe La ‘Venta area was undertaken after a preliminary visit to Co- lombia in February 1984. Richard Kay and Richard Mad den, with Colombian gevlogist Catlos Ulloa of IN- GEOMINAS and Javier Guerrero Diaz, then a student at the Colombian National University, visited the La Venta area on February 23, 1984. The hospitality, as wel s logis- tic and technical asstance, of many researchers at IN- GEOMINAS stimulated us to begin the project on a larger seale in 1985. Since then the following individuals have participated in ‘Duke Universiy-INGEOMINAS vertebrate paleontology expeditions: Richard E Kay (1985-91), Richard H. Madden (1985-92), Richard L, Cifeli (1985-87), Javier Goerrern (1985-92), Jaime Alberto Fiquen (1985). José Franklin Lugo Buendia (1985, 1987, 1989, 1990), Rodrigo Marin (1985, 1990), César Agosto Carvajil (1985), Leonardo Sepilveda (1985), Carlos Ulloa (1985), D. Tab Rasussen (1986), Manuel Gonziler (1986), Anne H. Walton (1987-89), Larry G. Marshall (1987), John J. Flynn (1987), Jorge Espita (1987), J. Michael Plavean (1988), Callum Ross (1988), Nick Czaplewski (1988), Francisco Ballén (1988), Hans Thewissen (1988), Jennifer L. White (1989), Mario Cozzuol (1989), Arley de Jestis Gomez Cruz Acknowledgments (1989, 1990), D.Jeffey Meldrum (1990), Carlos Vlaroel (1991), Elvira Cristina Ruiz (1990), Germén Marquinez (1991), Victor Ramirez (1991), and Marcelo Sanchez Vil agra (1992). “Many individuals have been helpful over the years. At INGEOMINAS we wish especially to thank Hermann Duque-Caro of Stratigraphy; former directors Alfonso Lopez Reina, Luis Jaramillo Cortes, and Alberto Lobo- Guerrero Uscategus; Francisco Zambrano Ortiz, Catlos ‘ito Vesga Ordoie, and Dario Mosquera Torres, former subdirectors of Geologic Mapping: Victor Laverde East ‘man and Luis Felipe Rinc6n of the Museum of Geology: and Alberto Nez, formerly director at the IN- GEOMINAS regional ofie in Ibague For special asisance in the Magualena valle, we wish to thank Darfo Valencia-Caro, formely head exploration at HOCOL S.A. (Tenneco), and Kim Butler and Wiliam Frank (Tenneco, Houston). We wish to thank Steven Schamel and Michael Waddell at che University of South ‘Cerolina Earth Sciences and Resource lastivte, and Take- Shi Setoguchi at Kyito University. In Bogots, we wish to thank Gustavo Guerrero Gomez (formesly of IN- GEOMINAS), Marta Espita Aviler of the Asociacign Colombiana para el Avance de la Ciencias, and Jonge Hernindez-Camacho ofINDERENA. Also in Bogoti, weVill AcKNowLEDGMENTS ‘owe thanks to our friends Tom Wel, David Wells, Ruth ‘Aschmann, Don Buter, and Ricardo de la Espriella for their generous hospitality and numerous courtesies. ta ‘Neiva, Aurelio Pastrana of INGEOMINAS, Arnol Toba, and Doli Andrade ofthe Instituto Fiilense de Culsura have ‘been helpfl throughout our project. In Chaparral, we thank Severo Herninder and “La Gorda” Ayala, Special ‘thanks are due to Don Savage and). Howard Hutchison of the Museum of Paleontology, University of California, ‘who have supported our work in Colombia from the beginning. ‘We thank Peter Cannel, science acquisitions editor at Smithsonian Institution Pres, for his help and understand ing. At Duke University, we especially with to thank Mrs. Rachel Hougom.Mark RL. Anthony Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC 27710 ‘Thomas M. Bown, US, Department of the Interior US. Geological Survey Box 25046 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Alfredo A. Carlini Departamento Cientifico de Paleontologia de Vertebrados ‘Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata asco del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata Argentina Richard L, Ciel ‘Oklahoma Museum of Natural History University of Oklahoma 1335 Asp Avenue Norman, OK 73019 Contributors ‘Nicholas J. Czapleweki (Oklahoma Museum of Natural History University of Oklahoma 1335 Asp Avenue ‘Norman, OK 73019 Jane Colwell Danis ‘Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology P.O, Box 7500 Drumheller, Alberta TO} OYO Canada Daryl P. Domning Department of Anatomy Howard University 520 W Seeet, NW “Washingvon, DC 20059 Elizabeth R. Dumont Department of Neurobiology, Anatomy, and Cell Science ‘School of Medicine Scaife Hall ‘University of Piesburgh isburgh, PA 15261xX conTaisuToRs Gordon Edmund Department of Vertebrate Paleontology Royal Ontario Museum 100 Queen's Park ‘Toronto, Ontario MSS 2C6 Canada Richard Estes (deceased) formerly, Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego, CA 92115 Robert W. Fields (deceased) formerly, Department of Geology University of Moneana Missoula, MT 59812 John G. Fleagle Department of Anatomical Sciences State University of New York Stony Brook, NY 11794 John J. Flynn Field Museum of Natural History Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605, Zalma Gasparini Departamento Cientifico de Paleontologia de Vertebrados ‘Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata Paseo del Bosque s/n 1900 La Plata Argentina Francisco. Goin Departamento Cientifico de Paleontologia de Vertebrados Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plan Paseo del Bosque s/n 1900 La Plata Asgentina Javier Guerrero INGEOMINAS ‘Apartado Aereo 4865 Bogots, DE Colombia Max Heche Department of Biology Queens College City University of New York Fling, NY 11367-0904 Steven C. Johnson Department of Anthropology Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Richard E Kay Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC 27710 ‘Thomas C, LaDuke Department of Biological Sciences East Stroudsburg University East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999 ‘Wann Langston, J. University of Texas at Austin Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory ‘Texas Memorial Museum ‘Austin, TX 78712 John G. Lundberg Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 ‘Mary C, Maas Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy Duke University Medical Center ‘Durham, NC 27710Richard H. Madden Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy Duke Universy Medical Center Durham, NC27710 H. Gregory McDonald ‘Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument Hagerman, ID 83332 D Jeffrey Meldrum Department of Biological Sciences Idaho State University ‘Campus Box 8007 Pocatello, ID 83209-8007 D. Tab Rasmussen * Department of Anthropology ‘Washington University St, Louis, MO 63130 Gilberto Rodriguez Centro de Ecologia Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientficas Apartado 21827 (Caracas 10208, Venezuela Donald E. Savage (Oklahoma Muscum of Narural History ‘University of Oklahoma 1335 Asp Avenue Norman, OK 73019 Gustavo J. Scillato-Yané Departamento Cientifico de Paleontologia de Vertebrados Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata Paseo del Bosque s/n. 1900 La Plata Argentina Robert M. Sullivan State Museum of Pennsylvania Third and North Streets Harrisburg, PA 17108-1026 contripuTors Carl C. Swisher IT Berkeley Geochronology Center Institute of Human Origins 2455 Ridge Road Berkeley, CA 94709 Jessica Theodor Department of Integrative Biology ‘University of California Berkeley, CA 94720 Carlos Villarroel Facultad de Geociencias ‘Universidad Nacional de Colombia Apartado Aereo 56833 Bogoti, DE. Colombia Sergio E Vizcaino Departamento Ciewificu de Puleontologia de Vertebrados Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata asco del Bosque s/n 1900 La Plata Argentina ‘Anne H. Walton University of Texas at Austin Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory ‘Texas Memorial Museum Auetin, TX 78712 Jennifer L. White Department of Biology and Environmental Science ‘Simpson College Indianola, IA 50125 Roger Conant Wood Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Stockton State College Pomona, NJ 08240Standard abbreviations for chemical elements, taxonomic terms, and common SI (Systéme International) units of ‘weight and measure are used without definiion, Other abbreviations are defined 2¢ first use in the text, and, for convenience, most are also listed here. Because the con- nibucors subscribed to various systems of dental nomencla- rure, such terms are not inchided here but instead are defined in the individual chapters. AF AMNH ASA BIOM biot BM BODYMASS cD a cNRS alternating field ‘American Museum of Natural History, New York average ameloblas secretory area software program for biostatistics biotite British Museum (Natural History), London software program California Academy of Sciences distance between adjacent prism cconters (of teeth) (1) consistency index; (2) confidence interval ‘Centre National de Recherche Scien- ‘ifique Abbreviations Congl. pop DU ED) EPNQ FHSS FMNH HM-GI nb IGM. ‘conglomerate beds ‘coefficient of variation Divisio de Geologia ¢ Mineralogia, ‘Departamento Nacional da Produgio Mineral, Rio de Janeiro Departamento de Geociencias, Uni- versidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotd Duke University, Durham, North Carolina enamel dentine junction Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador Fish Canyon Taff sanidine femoral head shape score formation Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago ‘Gxunal resemblance index geomagnetic polarity ime scale ‘Hamburger Mineralogische- Geologischen Institut hornblende see INGEOMINASxiv ADBREVIATIONS IGMM INGEOMINAS ING-KU IRF Issc JEOL KU LACM LCA MACN ‘br. MBUCV ‘MCZ MNHN MPLR, PTS MPV mT norN Instituto Geologfa y Mineralogia, Mexico City Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Geociencias, Mineria y Quimica, Museo Geoldgico, Bogotis also abbrevi- ated GM Kybto University expeditions in co- ‘operation with INGEOMINAS; specimens deposited in the Museo Geoligico, Bogoté Instcuto Roberto Franco International Subcommission on ‘Stratigraphic Classification trade name for a microscope apicocervical compression or disten~ tion of prisms (of teeth) Kalin index: Kybt0 University Los Angeles County Museum of Nat- ural History, Los Angeles, California last common ancestor land mammal age ‘megannum; millions of years before resent Mono Argentino de Ciencit Nate rales, “Bernardino Rivadavia,” Buenos ‘Aires member ‘Museo de Biologia, Universidad Cental de Venezuela Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata, La Plat, Argentina ‘Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris medial patella ip ratio ‘magnetic polarity time scale ‘Museo Paleontolégico de Villavieja, Instnuto Hiuilense de Cultura, Villaveja, Colombia militesla number of subjects in sample NACSN RM oTu porP PA PA/ASA PAUP PCHP pers. com, pers, obs. PGR PIMUZ. lag PSR ROM SALMA SDSNH SEM SGNC Ss. SYSTAT TATAC ™M UCLA ucMP North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclanare natural remanent magnetism ‘operational taxonomic unit probability of type I error: significance level prism area (of wooth) measure of the relative amounts of prismatic and interprismatic enamel Phylogenetic Analysis Using Par- simony [computer program] P.C.H. Pritchard [paleontological collection] personal communication personal observation patellar groove ratio Paliontologisches Instiat und Museum der Universitit Ziirich plagioclase proximal shaft ratio quebrada (ravine) Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto South American land mammal age standard deviation ‘San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, California standard error scanning electron microscope Servicio Geolégico Nacional de Colombia sandstone beds statscical software program specimens collected from the Tatacoa Desert and housed at the Departa- mento de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogots “Texas Memorial Museum, Austin tubercle for the M. scapulohumeralis caudalis University of California, Los Angeles University of California Museum of Paleontology, BerkeleyURAC UMMZ UPGMA Laboratorio de Pesquisas Paleon- USNM tolégicas, Universidade Federal do Acre, Brazil University of Michigan Museum of | VGP Zoology YPM-PU Facultdad de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogoti ‘unweighted pair-groups using mathe ZMUZ ‘matical averages ABBREVIATIONS .xY US. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. virtual geomagnetic pole collections of Princeton University hhoused atthe Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, Connecticut Zoologisches Museum der Universitit ZivichPart One Introduction1 A History of Vertebrate Paleontology in the Magdalena Valley Richard H. Madden, Donald E. Savage, and Robert W. Fields En efecto, la historia de a tierra sta escrta con esqueletos, los restos ‘mortals del organitacin son Tos tinicos indicios, que han sobrevivido & todas las catstrofes, de lo que fué la vida en cada 6poca, y eat vasto cementerio que lamamos cortsa mineral, encierra todos ios elementos para enumerar las vicisitades de nuestro globo, profunda materia de the Republic of Colombia is well known for its record ‘of Cretaceous plesiosaurs (Alzadaseurus colombiensis ‘elles 1962) and for its Tertiary and Pleistocene vertebrates Gtirton 19472, 19476, 1953a). Above all, however, Co- lombia is renowned for its Miocene fauna of land vertebrates, especially the collection that is known as the La ‘Venta paleofauna, obtained from the badland exposures in the Tatacoa Desert northeast of the village of Villavieja in the upper valley of the Magialena River. ‘The upper valley of the Magdalena was originally called Gran Tolima, from the Carib word for “land of snows,” referring to the high stratovolcanoes of the Colombian Central Cordillera. The slopes of Volcin Puracé (4,700 m) at the union of the Colombian Eastern and Central Cor- dilleas are the source of the Magdalena River. From these lofty beginnings the Magdalena flows 400 km through the ‘wide, semiarid Valle de la Tristeza. Frederic Edwin Church painted the valley landscape in Scene onthe Magdclena from drawings made during his tavels through Honda in 1853 Kelly 1989). By interrupting moisture-laden northeast trade winds, the Eastern Cordillera casts a rain shadow over the upper ‘Magdalena valley. The shadow explains the occurrence of semiarid desert scrubland at low elevation (440 m) near the terrestrial equator (3°20 N latcude). ‘The Eastern Cor- cestudio para el fi6sofo. ‘CORONEL JONQUIN: ACOSTA dillera was upifed, beginning in the midale Miocene, 9 clevations greater than 1,500 min the Pliocene (chap 2; also Hammen etal. 1973; Hammen 1979). Early Collecting Efforts Vertebrate paleontology in Miocene strata of the Mag- elena valley began with the collecting efforts of Maurice Antoine Rollot, better known as Brother Ariste Joseph, of the Christian Schools of La Salle. In 1923 Brothers Ariste Joseph and Nicéforo Maria undertook a scientific expedi tion into the Magdalena valley, collecting zoological speci ‘mens and fossil invertebrates, plants, and vertebrates. Ac- cording to their mapped itinerary, they ascended the valley southward as faras Girardot where the Christian Schools of| aSille maintained a colegio. Fossil vertebrates collected by local residents ftom various localities in the Honda Group inthe upper valley were brought to the colegio by students. Brother Arist Joseph transported this material back to the museum of the Institto de La Salle in Bogoté (Ariste Joseph and Nicéforo Maria 1923). ‘By means of diplomatic correspondence with J.B. Ree- side, Jt, ofthe United States Geological Survey in Wath- ington, Brother Ariste Joseph shipped fossil vertebrate, ‘mammal, and plant specimens from the upper Magslalena.4 VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY IN THE MAGDALENA VALLEY valley to the United States National Museum in exchange for scientific literature relating to mineral and petroleum ‘geology. Among these fossils received in Washington between September 1922 and October 1924 were USNM 10889, the type of Caiman neivens (Mook), collected somewhere between Neiva and the Rio Bache (Mook 1941; Langston 1965) and USNM 10870, the type of ‘Metaxytherium ortegense, collected in August 1920 from the municipality of Ortega in Tolima Department. Other spec mens in this collection include vertebrate and mammal smuterial from Coyaima, Aipe, Neiva, La Union (possibly beeween Neiva and Vilavigia), and near the village of Villavicja The fossil and living verebrates and plants from the Magilalena valley that were gathered during this expedition comprised a very smull part ofthe extensive natural history collections at the Museo de Ciencias Naturales ofthe In- stituto de La Salle in Bogoté (Lépez 1989). By the late 1940s the Museo de Ciencias Naturales housed one of the largest natural history collections anywhere in South ‘America. Of a total 73,000 natural history specimens collected by the clerics of La Salle before 1929, more than 8,000 were fosis invertebrates and vertebrates), 350 fos ‘wood, and 9,480 mineral and rocks (L6pez 1988). Regret- ‘ably, these extensive collections, the museum archives, fur= nishings, and library were utterly destroyed by fie on April 10, 1948, during the Bogotazo, by an angry mob seeking revenge forthe assassination of Jorge Eliecer Gaitin, Inthe Bogorazo, the central commercial district of Bogots was ransacked or destroyed and burned, The Instinuto de La Salle filed 2 claim against the Colombian government for damages arising from the Bogotazo. Estimated property losses, including the collections, library, and archives, were 2 million pesos, roughly 1.14 milion in 1948 U.S, dollars (Braun 1985). Fossil vertebrate collecting efforts in the Magdalena vale ley were renewed in the 1930s as the Colombian government and private petroleum companies began an asess- ment of the mineral and oil reserves of the valley. Enrique Hubach discovered fossil mammals in che heights southeast of the village of Coyaima while studying the geology ofthe lowland plains of Tolima for the Colombian Geological Service (Hubach 1930), Gerardo Botero (1937) published an early map indicating the occurrence of fos vertebrates farther south, east ofthe river, near Villavieja, More inten- sive exploration for petroleum reserves in the upper valley before the Second World War led to further fossil dscov- cries, inclading the type of Sderomys schurmanni Steblin 1940, collected from the Miocene Honda “Formation” on the Finca Llano Redondo near Carmen de Apical Tolima Department, by H. M. E. Schiirmann of the Shell Oil Company (Stehlin 1940) George R. Hole of the Richmond Petroleum Company mapped much of the surface geology of the upper valley. During his ficldwork in 1938, Hyle discovered fossil verte— brates at several localities. Hyles unpublished studies include several maps ofthe surface geology, including (1) the ‘West Neiva anticline (1:25,000) showing ewo vertebrate fosil localities and one plant macrofossil site; (2) the Villavieja-Baraya area (1:50,000) in July 1940; (3) the Ape sea (1:25,000) in August 1940; and (4) the Gigante ‘Yaguard area (1:50,000), the vicinity 5 km west of Hobo, where vertebrate fossils were found in the Honda Group. José Royo y Gomez José Royo y Gémer, professor of mineralogy and geology at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales and director of the Museo de Anthropologia, Ethnografa, y Prehistoria in Madrid, fed Spain at the end of the Spanish civil wat and came to reside in Colombia where he worked forthe Ser- vicio Geolégico Nacional de Colombia (SGNC) between 1939 and 1951. While with the service, Royo y Gomez filed some ninety-six scientific reports and published twenty papers on the economic geology, stratigraphy, and historical geology of Colombia. His most enduring con- tribution to vertebrate paleontology in Colombia was the creation and organization of the Museo Geologico Nacio- nal at INGEOMINAS (Instituto de Investigaciones en Geociencias, Mineria y Quimica). In 1951 Royo y Gomez. emigrated ffom Colombia to Venezuela where he served as profesor in the Departamento de Geologia at the Univer- sidad Central and the Instituto Pedagégico Nacional in Caracas (Alvarado 1959; Linares 1988). While in Vene- zuela, Royo y Gémez made the first importan collections offossil vertebrates from the Urumaco Formation ofFalcén. Sate Royo y Gomer 1960).RICHARD H. MADDEN, (On March 7, 1940, during afield expedition to survey the mineral resources of Huila Department, Royo y Gémez discovered fosil turtles, crocodilians, notoungulates, and. rodents weathering from the Honda beds at several points along the tail between San Alfonso and Villaviefa (AI- varado 1940, 1941; Royo y Gémer 1941, 19422, 1942b). ‘Through that part of che Tatacoa Desert, the til follows the crest of thick channel sandstones through an area of sparsely vegetated ranchland. As documented in his feld notes archived at the Museo Geoligico in Bogotd, Royo y Gémez discovered fossil vertebrate at four localities along the San Alforso-Villavigja tail: (1) north of Quebrada (Qda. = ravine) Torume, (2) south of Qda. Totumo and ‘west of Cerro Gordo, (3) at “an oasis in the desert” just north of Qda. Pechoyo, and (4) just north of the San Nic- olis house. These fossil occurrences were described and some of the fossil mammals and other vertebrate remains ‘wore illustrated in publications (Poyo y Gémex 19422, 1942b, 1946) University of California Museum of Paleontology Fosl verecbrates collected by George Hyle were brought to the attention of the Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) at the University of California, Berkeley, through a ship- ment received on November 9, 1939, from William finger of the Richmond Oil Company. These fosil mammals led to the fist collaborative American/ ‘Colombian vertebrate paleontology expedition in 1944— 45, led by Rueben Arthur Seicton of che UCMP and José Royo y Gmer ofthe SGNC. R. A. Stirton' interest in fos vertebrates from South ‘America may fave originated during his undergraduste training atthe University of Kansas. At that time Handel . “Marcin was curator of fos vertebrates at Kansas and Elmer 5. Riggs and George Sternberg were both collecting in Patagonia. In addition, Strton had had previous experience ‘with fieldwork in El Salvador between 1925 and 1927 and again in 194142 (Burt and Strton 1961). Stireon recognized an opportunity in the Colombian foxils collected by Hyle. Reasoning that the history of funal migration berween North and South America could DONALD E. SAVAGE, AND ROBERT W. FIELDS best be studied in Colombia, Stirton applied for and received a fellowship fom the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation for this work. Stirton reached Colombia later than expected in 1944 Scrton 1951, 1953b, and field notes in the archives of the UCMP) because the ship that he and. his family were taking to Colombia caught fire and sank in ‘Acapuleo. Asall their clothing and equipment was ost with the ship, Sirton’s wife and son were forced to return £0 California. Stiton’s perseverance paid off, however, and some Bnancial assistance was obtained in Bogots, primary from the Tropical Oil Company through the efforts of J. Wyate Durham. Additional support was also obtained from the Gulf Oil Company, Richmond Petroleum Com- pany, Socony Vacuum Oil Company, and Texas Petroleum ‘Company. Information about foil localities was obtained fiom the geologists and paleontologists of these and other companies. ‘Vertebrate paleontology in Colombia uns wrongly Finpoemeen spr | lomazvecone | 2 Ghd ConerRedBeds_ |S | Member” | > Serro Colorado a ° [eerie | EC > | Boraya volcanic > EE van a > [Perera a oO seme [2 . ‘and Clays| > ° qt 2 : a Ba « ,_ __|= w «(|g a «| 2 |= ° Zz |e z “oF fe | ehanctal Sa Bade —} ciuvne |<] 9 |e © | terrors cio J 8 z tom < = |e 20 e| oo |S Figure 23. Sintgnpic nomencaeue nd | ° > ° ee tae ea Goep te or 3 « ere Mapes Rovere, The s ‘ower boundary of the Honda Group as < ‘ropoid in this work eons 4 Carey Albena doe og condone sion must be based on major changes. Some features ae, however, easy to recognize and can be followed basinwide an the Magdalena valley. The must clear division of the Honda Group is marked by aclst-supported coarse-pebble conglomerate, the top of which constitutes the boundary between its wo component formations. The top of the ‘upper formation is composed predominantly of red and reddish-brown mudstone, making possible a division ofthat formation into two members. Divisions of the Honda Group sediments for biostrati- ‘graphic purposes were made by Royo y Gémer (19462) and Fields (1959). Most of their names are retained here. Units with good lateral continuity in the upper part are cxwier to recognize inthe field rhan units inthe lower part of the Honda Group. In fact, the approximately 570 m of the lower part of the Honda Group outcropping in La Venta ‘were undivided by Wellman (1970) and were recognized as to informal units by Fields (1959) Herein, the Honda Group that crops out in the vicinity of Polonia, Villavija, and La Victoria is subdivided into nineteen units contained in ewo formations (6g. 2.3). A modification of the stratigraphic nomenclature presentedJAVIER GUERRERO 19 ‘oer a narra pm Sr coven | smnae | | smnae [2] sme we | cane | AR = ‘nde ~ Po Saw Punt Saige Figo 24 Consiaton ube of Honda a ep et ince La ra soe | cme | yon ao Aibeeinions Fn, oman: Mes member by Royo y Gémer (1946), Fields (1959), and Wellman (1970) is formally proposed here (Bigs. 2.3, 2.4), following the recommendations of the International Subcommisson ‘on Stratigraphic Classification (Hedberg 1976) and the ‘North American Stratigraphic Code (NACSN 1983). LA VICTORIA FORMATION Name and Definition ‘The new name, La Victoria Formation, is formally proposed for the lower unit of the Honda Group in the upper ‘Magdalena valley. The La Victoria Formation is composed of alternations in fining-upward sequences of gray “salt and pepper” pebbly volcanic litharenite and variegated mudstone. The base isa regional angular unconformity of middle Miocene age, and the top includes a clast-supported coarse-pebble conglomerate. The La Victoria Formation is conformably covered by the fine-grained deposits of the Villaveja Formation (Wellman 1970). The new name es- tublishes more cleatly the lower boundary of the Honda Group and thereby clarifies some stratigraphic confusion {introduced in the past. ‘The La Victoria Formation may be subdivided by several ‘marker beds usefil for correlation and reference inthe La ‘Venta area: from bottom to top these are (new names) the ‘Cerro Gordo Sandstone Beds, the Chunchullo Sandstone Beds, and the Tatacoa Sandstone Beds. These thick (up to 31.5 m) associations of multstory sandstones (Bigs. 2.5, 2.6A) occur in belts 2-4 km wide and tens ofkilometers in length and are used to separate finer units of alternating smudstone and sandstone. The later are organized similarly to the simple fning-upward sequences ofthe Baraya Memn- ber of the Villvieja Formation (Sigs. 2.6B, 2.7D) that do ‘not have overlapping sandstones. ‘The sheetike,clast-supported Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds (new name) constitite the uppermott unit of the La Victoria Formation. The unit can be recognized through- ‘out the upper Magdalena valley ands equivalene to the unit that Wellman (1970) called the Rio Seco conglomerate east, ‘of Honda. Ie so conforms to the uppermost conglomeratic part of the unit that INGEOMINAS (1959) mapped as Téa south of Neiva, ‘The type locality and sections of the La Victoria Forma- tion ands constituent beds, here formally proposed, ae in the La Venta area (secs. A~F in fg. 2.8). The formation is named after the village of La Victoria where it is bes exposed,20 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP: Figure 2.5. Sedimentary sxucrue and gain ste socnons in the meandeng channel and dood-pkn deposits ofthe Honda Group. Historical Background ‘The name Honda was frst used by Hettner (1892) to refer to greenish-gray cuffaceous sandstones outcropping in proximity to the city of Honda (ig. 2.1). Later, in response to some stratigraphic confusion, the type locality was re- defined (Butler 1942) as the east-dipping voleanic-sandstone ridges of the Cor of the Magdalena River north of Honda, Butler included at the base of the Honda some red beds that were notin the ‘original concept of the unit and divided it into a nonandesitic “Lower Honda” and an andesitic "Upper Honda” (fig. 24). ‘The lower boundary and the stratigraphic nomenclature of the red beds a the base of the Honda Group (nonande~ sitic “Lower Honda") has been very confusing because ‘Butler (1942) applied the name “La Cira Formation” tothe lower part of the red bed sequence and considered the Honda Group as conformably overlying the “La Cira For- mation.” He based his correlation on the occurrence of an llera San Antonia on the eastside invertebrate foul horizon that contained rome ofthe forms present in the La Cira fosil horizon of the Colorado For- mation (Wheeler 1935) 230 km north-northeast of Honda. Since then several authors (INGEOMINAS 1957a, 19576, 1959; Porta 1966; Van Houten and Travis 1968; Wellman 1970) have included some red beds in the lower part ofthe Honda Group and some in the “La Cira Formation” in several localities along the Magdalena River valley Porta (1966) divided the Honda Group in the Honda area into three formations. He included the nonandesitic “Lower Honda” of Butler (1942) in the “Cambris Forma- sion” and the andesitic “Upper Honda" inthe San Antonio and Los Limones formations. Unaware of the work of Porta (1966), Wellman (1970) divided the Honda Group into the "La Dorada” and Villavieja formations and further subdivided the “La Dorada Formation” into the “Puerto Salgae” and “Perico” Members. The “Puerto Salgar Mem ber” included the nonandesitic red beds of the “Lower Honda," and the “Perico Member” included the lowes pat of the andestic “Upper Honda.” Neither Porta (1966) nor‘igure 2.6. Sedimentary model for dhe Honda Group inthe La Vena see. A. La Vitoria Formation (excep the Cesstna Conglomerate ‘Best, with lange meander bla forming mukiory snr bodes (eg, Taacoa Sandstone Bed and volsted meandering chanel that Jeee single-story sandstones ernating wath mudsone. B.Baraya ‘Member and lower part of the Cero Colorado Member with simple Sning-oprard sequences deposed by small meandering river with sandstone bods one chanel hick. ©The upper pet ofthe Cero Colorado Member with simple Gring-upward sequences deported by smearing river and very marow musty sandsones deported by satomoted rive. ‘Wellman (1970) provided a stratigraphic section of the approximately 1,100-m-thick “Cambris Formation” or “Pu- ‘erto Salgar Member” init type locality Because the proposed type locality of the “La Doreda Formation” of Wellman (1970) is near the town of Honda, where the earlier nomenclature proposed by Porta (1966) has priority the name is considered invalid. The nomenclature proposed by Porta should, however, be applied only to the Honda area and should be used with caution because ‘most, if not all, ofthe red beds included in the “Cambris Formation” are related to the Gualanday Group sequence. ‘Wellman (1970) extended the name “La Dorada Forma- tion” from its proposed type locality north of Honda tothe entire Magdalena valley and applied the names “La Cira Formation” and “Puerto Salgar Member” without estab- 24 JAVIER GUERRERO lishing leat the ithologic boundary beeween them orto the reddish-brown and red mudstone that it on top of the uppermost clast-supported pebble conglomerate of the Gualanday Group. The correlation with the “La Cita For- mation” should be avoided, however, because in the type locality of the Colorado Formation, the upper 115 m that contain the La Cina fosil horizon are made up of car- bonaceous gray and black claystone with minor lyers of pale green medium-grained sandstone. According to Mo- rales etal, (1958), Porta (1966), and Porta etal. (1974), the same La Cina should be wed only at “La Cirs fos hori zon" in the type locality ofthe Colorado Formation The thick horizons of red beds that Wellman (1970) included inthe “Puerto Salgar Member” ofthe “La Dorada Formation” were not recognized by him as outcropping in the La Venta area, He indicated, however, thatthe "Puerto Salgar Member” and “La Cra Formation" were apparently conformable in the subsurface of the Dina oil feld 15 km southwest ofthe La Venta area. The “Puerto Salgar Mem- ber" was only included in a seatigraphic section of the South Neiva area (Quebrada [Qda,] Guandinosita, north- ‘west of Gigante) on top ofan interval of10 m of red-brown, mudstone named “La Cira Formation” (Wellman 1970, 2363) In the localities where the Honda Group ovedies older rocks with a clear angular unconformity (e.g. at La Venta, Coyaima, and Chaparral), the red mudstone beds of the “Puerto Salgar Member” are absent; these red beds were ‘dentfed only in areas where the Honda Group paraconformably overlies the Gualand:y Group. ln the localities where the Gualanday Group is incompletely exposed, or not exposed at all, the Honda Group begins with voleanic Tiharenitesntelayerd with variegated mudstone, indicat ing thatthe nonvolcanc red beds included inthe “Puerto Salgar Member” are part of the Gualanday Group sequence. To avoid further stratigraphic confusion, I have applied ‘the new name, La Victoria Formation, o the lower par of the Honda Group exposed in the upper Magdalena valley south of the Honda area. The middle Miocene angular ‘unconformity atthe base of the La Victoria Formation coincides with a change in composition and grain size where gray “salt and pepper” pebbly volcanic litharenites, fret appear and alwrnate with variegated mudstone. TheFigure 2.7.4. Channel sandstone for the lower pat ofthe La Victoria Formation aorhwet of Duke Locity 2, with well-expored epson ‘race and scoured contact the base B,Scllped border fs channel sndtone body fom the La Victoria Formation at Duke Locality 49 ‘Channel dow is toward the viewer. The exarpment ia the background (wes) che Gulandey Group. C Rhizlths and cliche nodules ona ‘alecrlncepizl Eom the fufrous Monkey Beds (Duke Locaty 2 sceenwash sit, where many small mammals an bas have been ‘covered tthe base ofthe Vivi Formation, The ecapment in the background (wen) isthe Gralanday Group. D.Fning-opward sequences ‘of poi bars fiom the Baaya Member north of Duke Lociiry 32. The channel sindone a he top 2 m thick. E Lower part ofthe Polonia Red Bets clos to Duke Loca 140. Most ofthe deposits food-pain muditone; channel andes constute 4 minor part. F Cros-beding toward the wes a mulitory channel sandcone body sbove Duke Locality 131, ia the uppe pr ofthe Polonia Red Bedsconcept of voleaniclastic unit follows the original concept of the “Honda” of Hetmner (1892). The Honda Group is unconformable or paraconformable over different portions of the Gualanday Group or other older units. The names “La Cita Formation,” “La Dorada Formation,” “Puerto Salgar Member,” and “Perico Member” should be abandoned. ‘The rocks ofthe upper Magdalena valley (Gigante, Cam- poalegre, Dina oil feld near La Venta, Chaparral, Carmen de Apical, and Girardot) previously included in the “La ira Formation” orin the “Puerto Salgar Membes” of the “La Dorada Formation” should be referred to the Tuné Formation (gs. 2.1, 2.4), which conformably overlies the ‘uppermost conglomerate of the Gualanday Group and is ‘unconformably overlain by the La Victoria Formation of the Honda Group. The Tuné Formation (Strton 1953) is «predominantly red bed sequence that contains vertebrate and invertebrate remains of late Oligocene to early ‘Miocene age; ithas been mapped as TS by INGEOMINAS (19576) in the Chaparral area and 20 km west of the La Venta area. The type locality of the Tuné Formation is located in the Qa. Tuné, 3 km northeast of Chaparral Distribution and Thickness ‘The La Victoria Formation is exposed in several Locations (Gigante, Campoalegre, La Venta, Coyaima, Chaparral, Carmen de Apical, and Girardot) along the upper Mag- dalena valley (Gg, 2.1) between the Central and Eastern Condilleras of the Andes. Its northern boundary is the Honda area, middle Magdaleia valley, where the stratigraphic nomenclature of the Honda Group proposed by Porta (1965, 1966) is used. Some of the formally proposed component units (Cerro Gordo, Chunchullo, and Tatacoa sandstone beds) ofthe La Victoria Formation canbe recognized only in the La Venta area, where they are useful for biostratigraphic purposes. The Cerbatana Conglomerate ‘Beds in che uppermost part ofthe formation can be recognized in the upper Magdalena valley in all che localities where the Honda Group outcrops. Because the Honda Group begins with an angulat un ‘conformity and progresively covers an irregular topogra- phy, the thickness of the La Victoria Formation varies fom +462 to 570 m in its type area (Bg. 2.1). To the south in the 23 JAVIER GUERRERO Gigante ares, is thickness ic approximately 1,000 m (afer taking out the lower 270 m ofthe “Puerto Salgar Member" of Wellman (1970] or “Sequence A" of Wiel [1991] that should be referred to the Tuné Formation). In the Honda area, ican be inferred from the sections presented by Porta (1966) thatthe thickness ofthe deposits equivalent tothe La Victoria Formation (the lower part of the San Antonio Formation) is approximately 960 m. Lithology ‘The lithology and internal geometry of the La Vietoria Formation ae described next. The most important characteristic is the appearance of gray “salt and pepper,” coarse- to fine-grained pebbly lithic arenites with important amounts of voleanic fragments and plagiochse alternating, vertically and laterally with reddish-brown and greenish- ‘gray mudstone, The mudstones are very rch in fossil verte brates, The sandstones have erosive bottoms and include pebble class and pockets of conglomerate, The only clast- supported coarse-pebble conglomerate with lateral extent isa thin interval of9 m that is included in the uppermost part ofthe formation. Rounded, calcite-cemented concretions produced during incipient diagenesis ae present. [UNIT BELOW THE CERRO GORDO SANDSTONE BEDS The unit below the Cerro Gordo Sandstone Beds isthe lower- ‘most unit ofthe La Victoria Formation and of the Honda Group, outcropping on top ofthe Jurasic andesies of the Saldaia Formation on the Cerro Chacarin and Cero Gordo hill. tis exposed on the north side of Cerro Gordo in the axis ofan anticline that dips to the south-southwestso that progrestvely older beds are in contact withthe Jurassic rocks to the north-uoticat. The wut eumpuned mainly Of reddish-brown mudstone with interbedded “le and pepper” volcanic litharenites that occasionally are con- slomeratic with fine- to medium-sized pebbles of mixed inmaformational and extraformational nature. The best ‘outcrops ofthis nit are south of Cerro Chacarén where the measured deposits are approximately 100 m thick. Al- though the unit is composed predominantly of reddish- ‘brown mudwnne, multsiory atone hodies at thick 36 16 malso occur. ‘The sandstones have erosive bottoms, fine upward, and24° STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP, HONDA GROUP sALDARE PAYANDE GR HONDA GROUP. Figure 2.8. Seaigraphic section of the Honda Group in the La Venta area. JG-R number ae dated roc samples, Fil oly moe fe to Dake doe LV mur ae paleomegnesic sapling horione. Lae bic caplet fet locations on the map (8g. 29). Ths ae: Tip (es. AC). Setigrapic sections of the La Victoria Formation south and west of Cerro Garda, Bro es. DF). Sttigapi ecors of {he lower part of he La Victoria Formation north af Ceo Gordo, Continued ing page include trough and planar cross-bedding, Some display evidence of lateral deposition including epsilon stratification (epsilon-cross-stratification of Allen 1963, 1970) perpendicular to the direction of flow indicated by the cross- bedding. ‘ri GORDO sanuoiune itis The new name, Cero Gordo Sandstone Beds, is formally proposed to designate a 15-m-thick sandstone that forms the fat broad surface on ‘which the Cerro Gordo house is builton the northwest side of the hill named Cerro Gordo, The unit is composed of gray volcanic litharenite horizons interlayered with minor conglomeratic sandstone lenses. Muluple scourmg surtaces and separate individual sandstone bodies are common, ‘The unit consceutes a usefl stratigraphic marker bed that can be followed in the feld and on aerial photos on theFORMATION|FORMATION THUILA GROUP HONDA GROUP 23 JAVIER GUERRERO. Figure 2.8. Contin, S.A, A, C.Sttigaphi ection ofthe Vivi and Neiva formations northwest side of the asymmetric Cerro Gordo-San Al- fonso anticline. The fold is gently dipping on the southeast side and steeply dipping and accompanied by a reverse fault fon the northwest side (Bg. 2.9). The Certo Gordo Sandstone Beds are the product of meandering streams that Kept their positions within a meander belt for some time, as is the case for the CChunchullo and Tatacoa sandstone beds. The resulting rultistory sandstone beltis elongated in the direction of the ‘main drainage pattern to the east-southeast and changes into flood-plain mudstone both on the north and south sides of the belt. The width of the meander belt is about 4 km, and ithas scalloped borders hac represent the transition from meandering channels to overbank mudstone. SANDSTONE BEDS This unit presents the same general characteristics of the unit below the Cerro Gordo Sand- stone Beds and differs from that unit only in ts stratigraphic position. The thickness varies ffom 83.3 m in section A toy SN x NG Q : Te ae Js S x Be y,28 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP 157 m in section D. Although the deposits are composed predominantly of mudstone, the interlayered sandstones are much thicker than those higher in the unit between the ‘Tatacoa and Chunchullo sandstone beds, ‘During deposition ofthis unit the sediments lapped onto and progressively covered the Jurassic basement now outcropping at Cerro Gordo; the unit is thicker toward the north end of Cerro Gordo, The deposits that overlap this ‘basement contain pebble- to cobble-sized debris derived locally from the purple porphyritic andesite. Most of the agains, however, reflect 2 source area farther to the west in the Central Cordillera; clasts are mostly metamorphic quartzite, igneous rocks, and chert; minor white pumice and porphyry fragments ofntermediate composition, from riddle Miocene volcanoes, a aso present. ‘Along section A (fig. 2.8) most sandstones ofthis unitare +£1.5 m thick; thereis, however, one 6,0-ni-thick sandstone with conspicuous cross-bedding and internal erosive surfaces. Shown in section B are two sandstones, 6.7 m and 6.0 m thick, respectively. Along section C the sandstones are aso 1.5 m thick. Insection D the sandstone bodies ate 35 thick as 21.3 m; ewo stacked sandstone bodies, 16.8:m and 416.3 m thick, respectively, combine to make a body 33.1 m thick. Insection Eisa 6.1 -m-thick sandstone body, and two sandstones, each 4.0m, make a body 8.0 m thick. Insection, F the thickest sandstone body is 26.8 m thick. The amount ‘of sandstone varies from 5% (sec. C) to 37% (ec. D. CHUNCHULLO SANDSTONE BEDS A new name, Chun- cholo Sandstone Beds, is formally proposed for medium to coarse sandstone beds with horizons of conglomeratic sandstone and coarse pebble conglomerate, The unit is named where itis best exposed, at Qda. Chunchullo, south of Certo Gordo, Individual sandstone bodies are separated by multiple scouring surfaces "The Chunchullo Sandstone Beds are 6.0:m thick in sec~ tion A (fig. 2.8). Along section B the unit measures 31.5 m thick. Toward the top, their color is gray with lenses of ‘medium to coarse pebble conglomerate. The bottom third is yellowish conglomeratic sandstone, Thin lenses of pale brown and gray claystone are present. This “shucstring” sandstone trends to the east-southeast similarly to the Tat~ acoa sandstone. ‘Along section D (Gg. 2.8) the uni is coarser than in any. other section, The 30.0-m-thick Chunchullo Sandstone Beds can be divided here into an upper 20.0 m of gray medium to coarse sandstone, conglomeratic sandstone, and coarse pebble conglomerate. At the bottom are 10.0 m of yellowish-gray and pale-brown conglomeratic sandstone with lenses of coarse pebble conglomerate up to 0.8 m thick. ‘Sandstones are characterized by conspicuous trough and planar cross-bedding. Epsilon stratification also can be observed in many sandstones. The conglomeratic portions are ‘commonly on the bottom of scoured surfaces and on the ‘cross-bedding that follows. Large tree trunks from forested stream borders are abundant; very well-preserved logs up to (0,5 m in diameter and 2s long as 2.0 m can be observed, UNIT BETWEEN THE CHUNCHULLO AND TATACOA SAND- srone eos The sediments of this unit are mostly fine grained and composed of very fine sandstone an mubione altemating with minor 1 to 2-m medium-grained sandstones. Along section A the unit measures 149.3 m thick. Only 19.6 m (abour 13%) ofthe total thickness of he unitis, rmedium-grained sandstone. The unicis well exposed in the area north of the Qéa. Tatacoa (fig, 2.9). The easiest access is via the jeep track from Qda, Cerbatana to El Libano School. The unie can also be reached inthe upper course of (Qa. Los Hoyos on the road from Villarisja to the Los Hoyos house. A good portion of the unit is exposed along, an eastward deviation from the San Alfonso Road east of Hacienda San José “The mudstone to sandstone ratio varies from 4:1 toward the top ofthe unit to more than 10:1 toward the middle and lower parts. Reddish-brown mudstone and interspersed ‘gry, very fine- to fine-grained sandstone are the dominant Tithologies. Fine- to medium-gruined sandstone lenses lest than 1 m thick are massive or display only trough and planar cross-bedding. Epsilon stratification is not observed. ‘Atypical fining-upward sequence within the unit begist with gray, lithic-rich medium-grained sandstone 1.5 m thick with epsilon stratification, followed by 2.5 m of gray, muddy, very fine-grained sandstone and brownish-gray claystone. Then follows 1.5 m of reddish-brown claystone and, finally, on top of the sequence occur 4 1.5 m brownish-gray claystone, Individual sandstones have very litle lateral extent and change rapidly co mudstone; there ate no marker beds with ‘enough lateral extension to establish correlations. The basevu dic sandstones contains some granule to medium-sized ‘mudstone intraclasts. Sandstones ate volcanic litharenites. ATACOA SANDSTONE peDs The new mame, Tatacoa Sandstone Beds, is formally proposed to designate a 19.0- nivthick unit composed of multitory medium- to coarse- rained sandstone and conglomeratic sandstone beds. Indi- vidual sandstone bodies are separated by erosive sutaces Grins in the conglomerate and the conglomeratic sand scone reach medium pebble size; very minor pockess of conglomerate may contain coarse pebbles. Grains are mostly of metaguartite, chert, and white porphyrtic dhacte and andesite ‘The unis named ater the Qa. Tatacoa where the best ‘exposures are found, es easly followed on aerial photos and constitutes an excellent marker bed within the La Venta ‘Where the sediments can be followed to the north or south, the body ins laterally. It exhibits scalloped borders that epresent the lateral limit of migration of meandering steams in a belt composed of many channels chat kept its postion for some time. This stuation is best observed at Lanalves 11 A and B along the road to El Libano School on the axis of gentle syncline dipping tothe southwest. ‘The thinning ofthe sandstone can also be observed toward the south (east of Duke Locality 109) and along Qa. El Babes From the elongated shape ofthe unit and cros-bedding directions, the trend of the streams that formed the Tatacoa Sandstone was toward the east-southeast. The width ofthe ‘neander-bele sandstone perpendicular to paleoflow direction is 1.5-2.0 km. Mudstones of overbank deposits are in lateral contact with the scalloped sandstones of the border ‘of the channel belt, Duke Localities 114 and 115 are in an area of fine-grained sedimentation adjoining the area of sedimentation of the Tatacoa Sandstone Beds. UNIT RETWEEN TATACOA SANDSTONE AND CERBATANA, CONGLOMERATE EDS In section A, this is a unit composed of 98.6 m of fine-grained deposits (mudstone and. very fine- to fine-grained sandstone) and 40.1 m of coarse- ‘rained deposits (coarse- 0 medium-grained sandstones) for a total of 138.7 m. ‘The easiest access to this unit is along the jeep road from, Villavigja~Qda. Cerbatana ¢9 El Libano School (Nuke To 29 JAVIER GUERRERO. calites 8, 9, and 11), Fwcellenr exposures can also be seen along the jeep road from Villaveja to Los Hoyos, especially con the detour around the heads of Qda. Pachingo (Duke Localities 100, 53, 97, 106, 107, 108, and 106). The foot- ‘mal from Villavieja to San Alfonso also has good exposures (Duke Locality 30) ‘The sandstones atthe base of the simple fining-upward sequences are up to 3 m thick. Locally, the sandstones are deposited on top of one another and have eroded the ‘mudstones of previous flood-plains, producing multistory sandstone bodies up to 15 m thick. Maximum grain size (medium pebbles 16~32 mm) is attained in scarce pockets of conglomeratic sandstone in these composite sandstone bodies In a typical fning-upward sequence, 2.8. of won slomeratic gray sandstone to gray medium-grained sandstone with epsilon stratification is followed by 5.5. m of horizontal lyers of brownish-gray, fine-grained sandstone and mudstone. This sequence is followed by 2.0 m of gray fine-grained sandstone and bioturbated. brownish-gray smudstone that are, in turn, covered by 3.5 m of gray sandy imudstone and fine-grained sandstone. Finally, 1.0 m of _medium-grained limonite-cemented eandktone constirates the base ofthe next fining-upward sequence. ‘Mudstones are less colored than those of the Villvieja Formation. Of the 98.6:m of Houx-platt deposits, less than 25.0 m are reddish-brown mudstone. The remaining por- ton is mostly greenish-gray mudstone. CCERBATANA CONGLOMERATE BEDS The new name, Cer- batana Conglomerate Beds, is proposed for 2 9-m-thick unit (Gee. A) composed of coarse-pebble (3.2-6.4 cm), clast-supported conglomerate, best exposed at the head- ‘waters of Qa, Cesharana Characeritic multiple scouring surfaces are the result of high-energy channel migration, Clas size increases ro small cobble (6.4~12.8 cm) in sinor sedimentary pockets. Conglomeratic sandstone is also present, Trough crost-bedding and planar bedding alternate ‘The pebble fagmenss are mostly metaguartate, wmeous rocks, and chert. Weakly consolidated (middle Miocene) white pumice fagments and porphyries of andesiic and dacitc composition with biotite and hornblende are pres ent in minor amouns. ‘Thisicthe only extensive sheet ofclast-supported pebble30 STRATIGRAPHY OP THE HONDA GROUP conglomerate within the Honda Group that can be corre lated along the Magdalena valley. The Cerbatana Con- slomerate Beds represent only the topmost conglomerate ofthe unit that Fields (1959) named “Cerbatana gravels and clays.” This distinction is made because the conglomeratic sandstones with interbedded mudstones that Fields included differ little from the underlying units and, ehus, the boundary becween the “Cerbatana gravels and clays" and “El Libano sands and clays” cannot be established through- ‘out the La Venta area, Another problem is thacin his section Fields (1959, 418) duplicated part ofthe deposits inthe area west of the San Nicolis house where the Monkey Beds ("San Nicolis clays”) are displaced below the conglomerate beds on the north side of normal ful. This error added 68 'm to the tonal thickness of the “Cerbatana gravels and clays.” ‘The name Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds is now restricted to the uppermost clast-supported conglomerate ot coarse pebbles that caps the La Victoria Formation. VILLAVIEJA FORMATION The type locality of the Villavieja Formation (Wellman 1970) is the La Venta area, where the unit is composed mainly of red and gray mudstone with minor layers of ‘medium grained volcanic litharenitss. The lower part of the Villavieja Formation is very fossiliferous and is composed mainly of gray mudstone and sandstone with minor layers of red mudstone, The upper partis less fosiliferous and is composed of thick horizons of red mudstone with 4 very small amount of volcanic litharenite and chert litharenite. The fine-grained deposits ofthe Villavieja For~ ‘mation contrast sharply with the coarser-grained deposits of the La Victoria Formation. ‘Wellman (1970, fig. 5) recognized ewo alternations ofthe red bed Cerro Colorado Member and the volcanic Baraya ‘Member in the La Venta area. According to Wellman, the succession is from bottom to top, Baraya Member, Certo Colorado Member, Baraya Member, and Cerro Colorado. ‘Member. Unforrunately, using two names to refer to four ‘units introduces confusion because the members ate not bounded by asingle lower and asingle upper surface and the ‘name then recurs in a normal stratigraphic succession, It is very confusing to include a thin and arbitrary interval of| red beds in the (ower?) Cerro Colorado Member and to apply the same name to the uppermost thick horizons of red beds Red horizons of mudstone area conspicuous feature of the entice Vllavieja Formation, but only in the upper part, are they of considerable thickness. In che ower part of the formation these red beds are only 1-3 m thick, and the ‘maximum thickness atained is 12.5 m. To avoid farcher stratigraphic confusion it sformally proposed to restrict the Baraya Member tothe lower 164 m ofthe Villveja For- mation composed predominandy of gray mudsone and sandstone with minor layers of red bed. Ie is also formally proposed to restrict the Cerro Colorado Member to the upper 414 m of the Villvieja Formation composed predominantly of red beds ‘The Baraya Member in the La Venta areais composed of all the layers berween the Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds and the El Cardén Red Beds (new name), inclading the Monkey Beds, the Fish Bed, the Ferruginous Beds, the La Venta Red Beds (new name), and the four unnamed units becween the Monkey Beds and El Cardén Red Beds. The Cerro Colorado Member is restricted in the La Venta area to the El Cardén Red Beds, the San Francisco Sandstone [Beds (new name), and the Polonia Red Beds (new name). ‘The Villaveja Formation conformably overlies the Cer- baa Conglomerate Beds ofthe La Victorla Formation, The uppermost red beds of the Villavieja Formation are ‘overlain disconformably by the first cast-supported coarse- pebble to fine-cobble polygenctic conglomerate of the Neva Formation. Above this basal conglomerate, no red beds appear. The red beds that Howe (1974) includedin the lower par ofthe Neiva Formation in the La Venta area in the Manacleén (Qda, Mano de Leén) section are partofthe Villviia Formation ‘The type locality and sections of the Villvieja Forma Sion, its members, and component beds are in the La Venta area (secs. A, A’ in ig 2.8). The ype locality includes the sections designated by Wellman (1970). Distribution and Thickness ‘The Villavieja Formation is exposed in several localities (Gigante, Campoalegre, La Venta, and elsewhere) along the ‘upper Magdalena valley (fg. 2.1). For the Honda area in the‘middle Magdalena valley the stratigraphic nomenclature proposed by Porta (1966) has priority over the one pro posed by Wellman (1970). The named beds ofthe Villavieja Formation can be recognized only in the La Venta area ‘where they are useful for biostratigraphic purposes. Outside this area, only the component members of the formation can be identified ‘The thickness ofthe Villaveja Formation inthe La Venta area is 578 m. South ofthe La Venta area near Gigante, the thickness ofthe formation, tothe top of the lst-occureing sed mmudstone, is 390 a as reported by Wella (1970). In the Honda area the deposits equivalent to the Villavieja Formation (the uppermost 254 m of the San Antonio For- mation and the whole Los Limones Formation of Porta 1966) are truncated by the Cambris Thrust and measure approximately 450 m according to the sections of Porta (1966) and Wellman (1970). Lithology ‘The Villavieja Formation consists mainly of red mudstone slernating vertically and laterally with medium. to fine- grained, reddish-yellow sandstone; fining-upward sequences are a common feature. In minor proportion there are gray-greenish mudstones interlayered with gray, “salt and pepper” pebbly, medium- to fine-grained volcanic litharenites in fining-upward sequences, Epsilon stratification and cross-bedding can be observed in the sandstones. Fossil vertebrates are very abundant, especially inthe gray- green facies of the lower part of the formation. Calcite- cemented concretions similar to those of the La Victoria Formation are also present. The component members and beds ofthe Villavieja Formation are described next. Baraya Member ‘Monsey BeDs A change in rank ofthe “Monkey unit” of Fields (1959) is inwoduced formally. The name Monkey Beds is proposed to designate 14.8 m of extremely for- siiferous greensh-gray mudstone and sandstone tthe base ofthe Baraya Member. The base ofthe Monkey Beds forms a sharp but conformable contact between the Villviejaand 1a Victoria formations ‘Atthough the Monkey Beds are composed predominantly of mudstone, the interayered sandstones are lightly JAVIER GUERRERO 31 thicker than those in the overlying units of the Baraya ‘Member. Atypical fning-upward sequence of the Monkey Beds (figs. 2.6B, 27D) is a 1-m-thick medium-grained sandstone followed by 4.5 m of reddish-brown sandy mudstone, 1.2 m of pale-green mudstone, and, on top, 0.8 m of reddish-brown mudstone, The richly fosilferous sediments that outcrop west of the San Nicolés house are part of the Monkey Beds, not a lens of the underlying unit as had been stated by Fields (1959). The Monkey Beds outcrop to the west of the San Nicolis house because a normal fault repeats the sequence (Luchterhand et al. 1986, 1757). The name “San Nicolis Clays” should be avoided. ‘The paleomagnetic section presented by Hayashida (1984) is fault repeated and miscorrelated. It has been restricted to a short interval (Guerrero 1990) with only one normal and one reverse polarity horizon between the Monkey Beds and the Ferruginous Beds and cannot be used to establish the age of the Honda Group. The fssion- track dates (Localities LV8, KS4, LV13) reported by Take- ‘mura and Danhara (1986) come from this same interval and have been recalculated 25 13,00 + 0.88 Ma by Guerrero (1990) UNIT ABOVE THE MONKEY BEDS This unit is composed of 18.1 mof greenish-gray and reddish-brown mudstone with, ‘minor thin layers of medium-grained sandstone of which the thickest measures 1.5 m. Iusection A (Gg. 2.8) the unicis composed ofa sequence of alternating thin sandstones and siltstones very similar to the ones of the unit above the Fish Bed and can be differen- tiated only by its stratigraphic position. One of the sandstones coward the base ofthe units characterized by its high content of biotite and hornblende. Above this 1.2 m sandstone are 5 m of greenish-gray sandy mudstone. visit peD This green clystone and mudstone is charac terized by enormous quantities of disrtculated fsh remains (spine, vertebrae, and teeth). The unie is beeween 1.2m Gc. A) and 6 m (Fields 1955) thick. The best exposures are located north of Qéa. La Venta on the Vilaveja~San Alfonso foot-tail and on the jeep tack to [Los Hoyos near the headwaters of Qda, Pachingo. ‘The Fish Bed appears to be a lake or swamp deposit in | i32 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP ‘which the fragmentary nature of the fosils and abundance of coprolites suggest that many ofthe fragments are preda- tor residues. Besides the fish remains, isolated mammal teeth and snake vertebrae are abundant. The lateral con- ‘tinuity of the bed (at least in an east-west direction) is also indicative of a depositional environment such as a lake or swamp in an area at least 10 km in diameter, UNIT ABOVE THE Fist ED This is 2 22.5-m-thick pre~ dominantly mudstone unit identified by its postion be~ ‘ween the Fish Bed and the Ferruginous Beds, The mudstones are greenish-gray and reddish-brown. Toward the top the claystone is vey rich in biotite. The mudstone component is thicker than the sandstone component by about 8.1, dhe dhickest sandstoue is 1.5 mn, A cypical se= quence has about 1 m of gray medium-grained sandstone, then 5.0 m ofalternating gray mudstone and fine sandstone, and, on top, 3.5 m of reddish-brown mudstone. renRUGINOUSpEDs The Ferruginous Sandstone of Fields (1959) is here designated formally a the Ferruginous Beds. ‘These pale-brown, medium-grined sandstone beds are cemented with calcite and limonite and form a 10.3-m-thick prominent ledge, which laterally changes to red and reddish-brown mudstone. Fields (1959, 421) tated that “to the east the color changes to deep nint-ed and the beds are composed of fine- to medium-grained sand” in contrast to the more coarse and conglomeratc sandstone tothe west. In section A the sandstone is medium-grained and rich in volcanic fagments, hornblende, and biotite. Trough and planar cross-bedding were aso observed. [UNIT BETWEEN THE FERRUGINOUS BEDS AND THELA VENTA epseps Thisisa26.8-m-thick greenish-gray mudstone unit that crops out between two darker red units, the La Venta Red Beds and the Ferruginous Beds. There ae very {few sandstones, the thickest one being about 1 m hicks in some ofthese, hornblende crystals, biotite, and plagioclase are abundant, Minor horizons of reddish-brown and red -mudstone are also present. TAVENTARED BEDS The new name, La Venta Red Beds, is formally proposed to designate the red beds that Fields (1959) included in the “Lower Red Beds,” excluding the ‘gray units that he included in the bottom and top of the unit. This 12.5-m-thick unit of red beds consists mainly of fine-grained deposits. On the line of section A the unit is entirely mudstone, but when followed laterally, it also includes minor sandstones. Iron oxide nodules 0.5~3.0 em in diameter are commonly present in the mudstones ‘The best exposures of the La Venta Reed Beds are on the north side of the head of Qda, La Venta. The unit is found also along the jeep road from Villaveja to Los Hoyos and on the south drainage of Qda. La Venta, DON RED BEDS The units exposed in the south drainage and heads of the Qda. La Venta where it is 57.7 m thick. It includes the unit dha Fields (1959) named “Unie beoween, Upper and Lower Red Bed” and also the gray units thathe included in the base of the “Upper Reed Bed” and on the top of his “Lower Red Bed.” The sandstones are 1-3 m thick and alternate with greenish-gray and very minor reddish-brown mudstones. The alternation of fining- upward sequences is well exposed, The sandstones are usually ich in hornblende, biotite. and pumice fragments. ‘The unit displays good examples of the lateral and vertical variation characteristic of small meandering streams. The bases of the channel sandstones contain mud intra lasts. Crom-bedeing is difficult vo detec, but epsilon strat ification is beautifilly exposed in the sandstone bodies. ‘Madstone colors are becween reddish-brown and brown. ‘The sandstones can be traced laterally up-dip ofthe epsilon stratification (inthe line of lateral movement of the stream) ‘within about 200 m, where the change to mudstone is, ‘gradual in the inner side of the meanders. Cerro Colorado Member HLCARDON RED BEDS The new name, El Carcén Red Beds, is proposed to detignate part of the unit that Ficlds (1959) called “Upper Red Bed” and in which he included ‘gray units in its base and top. I do not include those gray beds in the El Cardén Red Beds. The unit is named El ‘Cardon after a highly variable stream course where the unit ‘outcrops on the road from Villavgja to Los Hoyos. I is composed almost entirely of fine-grained deposits, including red claystone and madstone with very minor sandstone.‘The unit is 52.2 m thick on section A. The name “Upper Red Bed” is abandoned because it introduces confusion regarding the stratigraphic position ofthe overlying Polonia Red Beds. The sediments of the El Cardén Red Beds are ‘more mature than the ones of the undedying unis and contain higher amounts of rounded quartz. The base of the EI Cardén Red Beds is the base of the Cerro Colorado ‘Member, where red and reddish-brown mudstone domi- nate the section. SAN FRANCISCO SANDSTONE BEDS The new name, San Francisco Sandstone Beds, designates gray lithic sandstone ‘with some lenses of conglomeratic sandstone and minor siltstone. Is total thickness is 12 m on section A. The unit couterops at Hacienda San Francisco north of Qda. Las Lajas beeween the Polonia Red Beds and El Cardén Red Beds Its gray color and coarse-grained nature contrasts with the red clystone units on top and below. The pebble fraction contains fresh pumice fragments of dacitic and andesitic composition. Because it is a “shoestring” sandscone deposited in a belt of meandering channels with an easterly trend, this unit does not outcrop in section A’ (Big, 2.8). In the Qds. Guandbano section the El Cardén and Polonia Red Beds constitute a continuous section of red beds. POLONIA RED BEDS The new name, Polonia Red Beds, is used to designate a unit composed predominantly of red claystone and siltstone. A few sandstone horizons 4-6 m thick (exceptionally, 25 m thick), composed of several stacked sandstone bodies, are present toward the top of the Polonia Red Beds. They repretent a minor amount ofthe total chickness ofthe unit, which is 350 m (Bg. 2.6C). ‘The Polonia Red Beds are the uppermost part of the Cerro Colorado Member and of the Honda Group. Itisthe upper part of the unic that Plelds (1959) called “Las Me- sits.” These re beds are exposed east of Polonia and Vil- lavieja and can be observed in the jeep roads connecting those towns to Baraya. There are alo excellent and continuous exposures south ofthis road in Qdas. Guandbano and Maluco, west of the Andalucia oil field. These ex- posure are located in the area that Wellman (1970, fig. 4) referred to as Cerro Colorado, a name that unfortunately cannot be found on any published topographic map. In- stead, the hill is named Cerro Alto on maps ofthe Instituto 33 JAVIER GUERRERO Geogrifico “Agustin Codazzi.” In these Guanibano- [Maluco areas the unit can be followed to its upper contact ‘with the Neiva Formation, ‘The Polonia Red Beds rest conformably on the San Francisco Sandstone Beds the lower section is composed. mostly of red claystone that forms spectacular badlands (Bg. 2.78, F) in contrast with more abundant sandstone bodies toward the top. The uppermost red beds of the unit are overlain disconformably by the Neiva Formation, a conglomeratic unit 160 m thick in which gray to white rock ffagments of andesitc and dacitic natures are abundant. ‘A noteworthy change in sedimentation pattern and current direction ofthe river system that produced the deposits ‘occurs in the upper part of the Polonia Red Beds. Above Duke Localities 126 and 131 (sec. A’ in fig. 2.8) are ewo smultistory sandstone bodies 20 and 25 m thick that show very restricted lateral extent between 150 and 350 m wide. ‘These sandstone bodies are elongated approximately 1 km to the west and display cross-bedding sets, indicating that the direcdion ofthe water dow was toward the west wit the source aea located to the east. ‘This change in flow direction provides the eatlest clear evidence that the Eastern Cordillera was already uplifted and had enough elevation to be the source area for the upper part of the Cerro Colorado Member. In contrast, all the lower units within the Villavieja Formation, and the underlying La Victoria Formation, appear to have a sedi- ‘ment source to the west in the Central Cordillera (fg. 2.10). Sedimentary Environments ‘Most of the Honda Group is dominated by fining-upward sequences that include channel sandstone and overbank ‘mudstone deposited in a meandering river secing (Bg. 2.6). ‘The only portions ofthe section that have a different sedi- ‘mentary pattern are the uppermost parts of the La Victoria and Villavieja formations. The top ofthe La Victoria For- ‘mation includes a basinwide sheet of clast-supported pebble conglomerate deposited by braided streams. The top of the Villavieja Formation, in addition to a few fining- ‘upward sequences, includes very narrow and elongate ‘multitory sandstone bodies encased in red mudstone. ‘These show lite variation in current direction and have34 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP +z A B s cr84— « Figure 2.10. Paleocurent directions inthe Honda Group ofthe La ‘ents asa. Pulcocutcot diction fom crow-beding inthe Lt ‘Victoria Formation (wit the exception ofthe Cebatana Conglomerate Bed). B,Paleocuren desis fom crou-bedding eu inthe Banya “Member andthe lover part of he Cero Colordo Member ‘C Paleocuten zecons fom crow bedding ein the upper par of| the Gere Colorado Mamber ‘width : thickness ratios of between 6 and 14 perpendicular to flow direction; they were apparently deposited by anastomosing streams. In the lower part of the La Victoria Formation coarse channel sandstone and conglomerate predominate where ‘meander belts kept their postion for some time, producing :nultistory sandstone bodies as thick as 31.5 m. The continuous lateral migration of large channels erodes previous deposits and produces “shoestring” sandstone bodies ex- tending tens of kilometers in the direction of stream flow and encased in mudstone. Perpendicular to paleofiow. the sandstone bodies are 2-4 km wide and have a ‘width : thickness ratio ranging from 63 to 125. These sandstone bodies ae scalloped (fig. 2.7A, B) on the sides ofthe ‘meander belt where overbank deposits are preserved. In ‘exposures oriented perpendicularly to paleoflow, epsilon stratification inclined and inclined heterolitc stratification of Thomas etal. 1987) is present. Similar multistory channel sandstones deposited in point bars were described by Kraus (1980, 1985) from the Eocene of Wyoming. ‘The most common type of succession through the sec~ sion is compoted of medium-grained sandstones (2~6 m thick) overlain by siltstone and claystone arranged in asim- ple Gining-upward trend. The fine member is usually 2s thick as the coarse member in these sandstone-mudstone couplets. The bases of individual sandbodies are coarser than their tops. A conglomeratc lag composed of mudstone intraclass and minor reworked caleite nodules, similar to those described by Edwards et al. (1983) from the Permian of Texas, is usually present at the basal erosive surfaces ofthese sandstones. Mixed conglomeratc lags containing extraclsts and intraclasts are also common. Sand- stones ae tabular (width : thickness ratios from 100 to 130) and present limited lateral extent of usually 200-800 m oblique to paleoflow. The upper boundary of each set is transitional into siltstone and claystone. Epsilon stratification is present in many ofthese tabular sandstones and can be followed up dip into the mudstones where it becomes, horizontal. Epsilon surfaces within the medium-grained sandstone bodies ae indicated by 1-to2-cm discontinuities of either mudstone or fine-grained sandstone. ‘Trough and planar cross-bedding of various scales is pres- cent in the sandstone; their size is related to the size of the sand body. The largest trough sets occur inthe large chan-‘Table 2.1, Measured and calculated dimensions (m) of the Honda Group meandering rivers D w Wa We 23 20-37 188-351 150-350 6 107 1,020 — 8-10 167-235 1,588-2240 2,000-4,000 ‘Nats: D= depth, or thicknes of epion unis. W'= widih, 8D". W,,= meander bek width, 64 0D! W,,= wide oFandstone bodes in the eld, nels ofthe lower portion ofthe La Victoria Formation. The slipfaces ofsand waves up to 4 m high canbe distinguished by granule or pebble layers one clas thick. The sandstone fines upward (0 planar, cros-bedded, mediunn-yrained sandstone that constitutes the bulk ofthe sand body. Then, fine sandstone and silt are followed by bionurbated reddish- brown mudstone with roots (thizolths) that have been replaced by calcite. Occasionally, there are very minor amounts of dark gray and black shales that probably represent swamp sediments or filled abandoned channels Fossil wood and vertebrate remains are common throughout the enti section, Mammal remains are extremely abundant and well preserved in the fine-grained deposits of overbank origin, especially inthe La Victoria Formation and lower part of the Villavicja Formation. “Transported tee fagmentsas large as2m longand50 cm in diameter are preserved within the thicket sand bodies of the lower part of the section in small pockets of muddy sand or in the conglomeratic sandstone. Very large crocodiles, sienians sh, and complete curle remains are fay com- ‘mon, indicating the existence of permanent water bodies. ‘Among the inverebrats, a few small fresh-water bivalve and gastropod cass and common crab laws are preserved. CHANNEL SANDSTONE FACIES Epsilon units, as those described elsewhere (Allen 1963, 1970; Stewart 1981; Flach and Mossop 1985; Smith 1987), are common in the fine- and medium-grained sandstones of the Honda Group. The epsilon surfaces have either sig- moidal or planar profiles and, commonly, inclinations of 5-15°, Foreset dip directions of trough and planar cross- beds are approximately perpendicular to the dip of the ep- JAVIER GUERRERO 35 Villavieja Formation Lo Victoria Formation Figure 2.11. Frequency dtrbuson of thikneses of Honda santones. The batched bars correspond o malistory sandstone bois Jnsmeander bel, Vile ae Som tbl 2. silon surfaces, The fine sediments on top are either hori~ zontally bedded or bioturbated. The measured thickness of the tabular sandstone bodies with epsilon stratification is taken as the channel depth (ignoring compaction) of the ‘meandering rivers that produced them (table 2.1; fig. 2.11) ‘The horizontally bedded siltstone and claystone with interspersed very fine- and fine-grained sandstone represent overbank deposit ‘The bankfull depth of the channels can be estimated confidently from the simple fining-upward sequences ‘where it ie clear that the sandstone body, encased in flood plain deposits, is produced by the lateral migration of a channel, leaving epsilon surfaces of point bars during the meandering process. Erosion does not affect this simple sandstone body, which fines upward to mudstone. When, some time later, another channel develops on top, erosion affects only the intervening flood-plain fines. These indi~ ‘vidual channels had maximum depths of 8-10 m during.36 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP the deposition of the La Victoria Formation and 2-6 m during deposition ofthe Villavieja Formation. The width of meandering rivers (assuming sinuosity >1.7) and the width of the meander belts can be estimated from channel depth using formulas derived from measure ‘ments of modern river systems. The width of the channel (W) is related to its depth (D) by the relationship W'= 6.8 x Di (Leeder 1973). The width of the meander belt (W,q)is related to channel depth by the relationship W,,= 64,6 x D'5* (Collinson 1978). The values obtained for the Honda Group rivers are shown in table 21. ‘A channel 2.0-3.0 m deep is 20.0-37.0 m wide and has a meander belt width of 188.0-351.0 m. A channel 8.0— 10.0m deep is 167.0-235.0 m wide and has a meander belt width (W,) of 1,588.0-2,240.0 m, This meander belt width represents the width of the active meander at any given time, not the width of the sandstone belt produced in the meander belt ridge through time. The meander belt ridge sandstones (W,,) of the La Victoria Formation are 2.0-4.0 km wide in the La Venta area, about twice the calculated width (W,,) of the meander belt. ‘The Tatacoa Sandstone Beds consist of en clongate ‘multistory-sandstone body 19.0 m thick, about 2km wide and several kilometers long with an east-southeast trend. ‘The Chunchullo Sandstone Beds are 31.5 m thick in the axis ofthe belt, which is about 3.5 km wide. The Cerro Gordo Sandstone is 15.0 m thick on one side of its bet, which is about 4.0 km wide. The large channels and meander belts of the La Victoria Formation are comparable to the ones described by Smith (1987) from the Permian of South Africa (with meander belt widths (WJ of 3.0 km and calculated channel depths of9.2-12.8 m and widths of 209.0-346.0 m) and by Gardner (1983) from the Carbo- niferous of Kentucky (meandering channels 9.5~10.5 m deep that produced meander belt ridge sandstones (Wq] 3.3 kim wide) ‘The large channels of the La Victoria Formation were previously identified by Wellman (1970) as deposi of hhigh-gradient braided streams, When lateral changes are followed (perpendicular to flow direction), however, itis ‘observed that most ofthe deposit is made up of lood-plain ‘muudstone and that large channels constitute a minor fraction. The abundance of laterally equivalent mudstone, in cluding only minor amount of smaller (2-6 m) sandstones in fining-upward sequences with epsilon stratification, indicates that a meandering environment isa better interpre~ tation for the lower part of the La Victoria Formation. As indicated by Walker and Cant (1984), the sand-body geom- cexry of meandering streams willbe esentially an elongated soestring” bounded below and on both sides by flood basin fines. The marked differences in paleoflow directions (Gig, 2.10) within sandstone bodies ofthe La Victoria For- ‘mation in the La Venta area aso indicate deposition by ‘meandering rather than by braided streams. The interpretation of braided streams by Wellman (1970) is valid only for the Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds inthe uppermost part of the La Victoria Formation. ‘fier the episode oflarge meandering channels and associated flood-plains that deposited most of the La Victoria Formation, an episode of braided stream sedimentation oc~ curred, represented by the Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds ‘Trough and planar cross-bedding alternates with horizontal bedding in this clas-supported conglomerate. Masive or crudely stratified conglomerate isso common. Only afew lenses of trough and planar cross-bedded and massive con- slomeratic sandstone arc present, Cross-bedding directions indicate a paleoflow to the east and southeast. The upper- ‘most clast-supported pebble and, occasionally, fine cobble- sized conglomerate beds of the La Victoria Formation can be followed north and south in the Magdalena valley in a direction perpendicular to the trend of the rivers that ‘deposited them. The episode of braided streams that produced this basinwide conglomerate sheet was most probably the result of increased uplift and volcanism ofthe source area, Subsequent to this event, the sedimentary regime changed drastically, and sediments became finer during deposition ofthe Villavicja Formation a8 anew barrie, the Eastern Coniiler, slowiy began to uplift and closed the sedimentary basin on its eastern border. ‘The lower unit of the Villavieja Formation, the Baraya ‘Member, was deposited by small (2~3 m deep) meandering channels that left classic point bar sequences. The Baraya ‘Member channels were approximately of the same size 28 those reported by Edwards al (1983) from the Permian of ‘Texas, Sandstones constitute a minor portion of the member. They have sheetlike geometry, are up to 3m thick and. «an be followed laterally 200-800 m in a lithology dominated by gray mudstone, Sedimentary structures, geometry,and lateral relationships ae the same as those present inthe thinnest (4-6 m) simple fining-upward sequences ofthe La Victoria Formation. Current directions (fg. 2.10) have a ‘wide range of variability, indicating the beginning ofa ma- Jor change in sedimentary pattern and flow direction, ‘The upper unit of the Villavieja Formation, the Cerro Colorado Member, is composed of large amounts of overbank red mudstone and minor amounts of channel sandstone that also have well-developed point bar sequences with epsilon stratification. Very narrow (150350 m) and elongate (up to 1 km exposed in the flow direction) multistory sandstone bodies 20 and 25 m thick, however, encased in mudstone fom the Polonia Red Beds in the upper part ofthe Cerro Colorado Member above Duke Localities 126 and 131) suggest the presence ofanastomosing rivers. These multistory sandstones are composed of several fining- upward sandstone bodies 2-6 m thick containing planar cross-bedding sets up to 1m thick. The most interesting, {feature is that paleoflow directions have a trend tothe west, ‘opposite to the one recorded in the La Victoria Formation to the east-southeast (6g, 2.10). In addition, current directions were much les variable than those from the meandering channels of the La Victoria Formation and Baraya ‘Member of the Villavieja Formation. ‘These multistory sandstone bodies are coarse- to fine- grained and have sharp bottoms with intraformational lags composed of pebble- to boulder-sized fragments of red mudstone, The upper boundary with the overlying red ‘mudstone is commonly gradational but can be sharp. Ep- silon stratification indicating lateral accretion is very rare butcould be observed. The lateral boundaries (perpendicular to paleoflow) are sharp and change abruptly to red rmudstone. The Polonia Red Beds overbank deposits (very fine sandstone, silt, and clay) predominate over channel deposits. Soil development ic most conspicuous, indicating highly stable banks and longer periods ofsoil-forming pro- cesses. The deposits are notably different from those lower in the section, and in no other part of the Honda Group is red mudstone so abundant. ‘An anastomosed fluvial network was also interpreted from sandstone bodies that have approximately the same dimensions, sedimentary structure, and lateral relations by ‘Smith and Putnam (1980), Putnam and Oliver (1980), and. Putnam (1983) from the Cretaceous Manville Group in 37 JAVIER GUERRERO. Canada. They reported sandstone bodies thick (up to 35 1m), narrow (300 m perpendicular to paleoflow), and elongated several kilometers in the paleoflow direction with a general “shoestring” shape. In the Polonia Red Beds, however, the interchannel, horizontally bedded red mudstone and very fine sandstone facies do not contain.coal beds. OVERBANK FACIES AND PALEOSOLS In the overbank deposits that comprise most of the Honda Group section paleosols are very common and display a continuous color range from almost unaltered greenish- g73y to deeply altered red and purple mudetoncs. Reddish- ‘brown mudstone paleosols with calcite-replaced roots and bioturbation cap the fining-upward sequences throughout the entire section. Evidence for paleosols in the mudstones also include small (05-3 em) dispersed calcite nodules, desiccation cracks, slickensides, drab-haloed root traces, small (0.51.5 cm) dispersed iron oxide nodules, and soil horizons. ‘Abundant wood and vertebrate remains are also present. Complete skeletons with no evidence of transport are com= mon. Most of the remains appear to have been either broken and dispersed by predators orjust buried in stu with litle disturbance. Duke Localities 28 and 115 include sev- cra rodent skeletons buried in burrows. The preservation, of vertebrate remaine in the Honda Group vas especially favored by the early precipitation of calcite on the bones. Horizontally laminated sequences, 1~6 m thick, of gray, fine- to very fine-grained sandstone (1-20 em and up to 1.5 m thick) with thinner interspersed gray siltstone are distributed throughout the section and are thought to rep- resentlevee and crevase splay deposits. The sandstones that have channel-lke or lenticular shapes and coarcen upward. or display cross-bedding sets are interpreted as crevasse- channels following Bridge (1984). Although the sequences are commonly fining-upward, some of them are coarsening-upward or alternate from fining to coarsening. in the centimeter to decimeter thick layers. These sequences are both, on top of the fining-upward sandstone sheets that display eprilon reaifcation and laterally adjacent to the large channel belts that deposited the Cerro Gordo, Chunchullo, and Tatacoa sandstone beds.38 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP Dispersed calcite nodules (13 em) and dispersed to abun- ant shizoliths (6g. 2.7C) are present, ‘A large portion of the Honda Group is composed of sheetlike deposits (up to 50m thick and several hundred meters in lateral extent) of variegated very fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, and claystone thought to have been deposited by vertical aggradation in flood-plains. Colors range from reddish-brown, orange, red, and purple. These imudstone deposits can be laminated, but they are more commonly biorurbated, In the Villavija Formation channels are smaller than those of the La Victoria Formation, and overbank deposits are far more abundant, The mudstones are increasingly deep red with nodules of hematite, and the thickness of red beds increases. Abundant kaolinite and smectite were reported by Wellman (1970). The presence of hematite and abundant kaolinite indicates that there were prolonged periods of alteration (Weaver 1989; Retallack 1990) of iron- bearing magnetite, ilmenite, hornblende, nd biotite along with the alteration of eldspars and other aluminum silicates uring soil genesis. This explains, in part, the fact thatthe sediments in the Cerro Colorado Member are comparatively enriched in quartz Johnsson and Meade (1990) illastrated the importance of ‘ime in chemical weathering of fuvial sediments in a point bar in the Upper Amazonas River in northwestern Brazil approximately 500 km eat of Colombia. They showed that ‘under the same climatic conditions (humid-tropical with 2,600 mm annual rainfall) the fraction of smectite increased (ap to 68%) with sediment age within the point bar and active channel. The oldest studied sediments in a terrace contained more kaolinite (up to 40%) than any of the ‘younger point bar sediments, The terrace ao contained a large amount of a clay that was either Mgcrich vermiculite ‘or Fe-tich aluminum-chlorite. They alo reported abundant (up to 80% in the very fine sand fraction) sand-size ferricrete fragments thought to epresentincipient aerites. ‘Among the sls, increasing sediment age was marked by an ‘enrichment in quartz relative to plagioclase. For the sand size faction a steady eduction in lithic fagments and en- richmentin quartz with age was also reported. For the Honda Group, Wellman (1970) found that red ‘mudstone is always richer in kaolinite than the associated ‘green mudstones; the later have more abundant smectite pls mixed-lyerilite-smectite and illite. The highest pr- centage (57%) of kaolinite found was in a dark red-brown rudstone of the Cerro Colorado Member that contrasts with 87% smectite and 2% kaolinite in a pale green ‘ustone ofthe Baraya Member. Wellman aso noted that the mudstones are enriched in ilmenite or slmenite- hematite ifgreen, and in hematite or hematie-dImenite if red. He related this to apparent weathering of magnetite and iron-bearing silicates that occurred both in the source aeaandin the ste of deposition, possibly the result eicher of better drainage o more rainfll. He did not identify any paleosols. The sedimentologic evidence forthe most mature soils ‘of the Honda Group in the La Venta area agrees with the conclusion that the kaolinite is che product of advanced alteration of fldsparsand the hematite is the final product ‘of the oxidation of magnetite, imenit, and iron-bearing silicates. Al of those ae abundant constituents of Honda Group sandstones. The flood-plain deposits ate fine- grind so that the decomposition and transformation of the constituent minerals easily occur through weathering. and biological activity duringsoil genesis. Inthe less mature sgreenist-gray soils ilmenite enrichment relative to he- ‘matice would atest to a shorter time for soil formation. ‘Smectite and illite have some Mg, Fe, K, and Ca in their structures and would point in the same direction as chemically intermediate stages in the alteration of pla- giodlase, hornblende, and biotite. The release of Ca from the alteration of plagioclase and hornblende probably con- tributed to the formation of small calite nodules during soil genesis. ‘The best ine of evidence for recognition of fossils in she La Venza area ress inthe sedimentologte information availble. The identification of meandering channels with their overbank deposits (and asociated paleosol) preserved in fining-upward sequences, as those characerized ele- ‘where (Allen 1970; Bown and Kraus 1987; Smith 1990), ‘explain and predict the relative vertical and lateral position, of facies. In one point bar sequence of the Honda Group the flood-plain reddish-brown to red, either uniform or biorarbated mudstone with desiccation cracks calcite nod= ules, and shivoliths {versol) overlap burrowed, pale brown mudstone containing rhizolths and dispersed, small calcareous nodules (inceptsol). These overlap greenish-‘gray mudstone and very fine sandstone with rhizoliths (en- tisol) of the levee and crevasse splays, which, in turn, over= lap the fine- to medium-grained sandstones deposited by the channels and displaying the epsilon stratification that results from lateral migration. The sequence is not always the same, and very frequently only one type ofsoilis present herwren rwo channel candetnnes. Tateral changes of soil canalso be observed and have the same sequence of vertical changes. The range of colors fom pale brown, reddish- brown to deep red or purple, relted to the amount of hematite and other iron compounds, is similar to that pre~ sented by Bown and Kraus (1987) for progresive stages of| soil maturity with distance from the main channels and time available for pedogenesis. A few paleosols of the Honda Group appear to be the product of continuous sedi- ‘mentation that did not interrupt the soil genesis; they were not developed in static parent material, and soil horizons are not evident. ‘The Honda Group paleosols range from calcic entsols, calcic inceptisols, and calcic vertisols to oxisols thought to have been produced by chemical weathering during in- ‘creasing lengths of time asa result of diferent depositional rates, The available chronostratigraphic information indicates that average depositional rates in the La Victoria For- nation (~950 11,000 ys) were Villavieja Formation (~413 mm, 1,000 yr) (Guerrero 1993; also chap. 3), Calei entisols and calcicinceptisols are com- ‘mon in the La Victoria Formation and lower part of the Villaveja Formation. Calcic vertisols are present through- ‘out the entire section but are more abundant in the upper part of the Villavieja Formation in the Cerro Colorado Member. Oxisols represented by kaolinite-rich, motded (rab-haloed) red to purple mudstone with small and dispersed hematite nodules are restricted to the Cerro Col orado Member. ‘There is nether faunal nor any other evidence between the La Victoria and Villavieja Formations that could indicate that the different paleosols were affected by a climatic change Apparently, the major cooling event during the establishment of a large Antarctic ice cap (Shackleton and Kennett 1975; Woodruff etal. 1981), which took place at 12,9-11.8 Ma (Keller and Barron 1987) during deep sea [Neogene Hiatus NH3, had little influence on continental climate near the equator. If there was any climatic change wh Faster dat it the JAVIER GUERRERO 39 affecting the paleosols of the Villavieja Formation, it was very minor compared with the effect resulting from dramatic changes in sedimentary rates. Paleosolsin the entre section include small and dispersed calcite nodules, indicating that carbonate was not effee- tively leached by available soil water (Retallack 1990, 107) dring dry period; desiccation crack ae aio indicative of seasonal dry periods. In contrast, drab-haloed root moctles ‘would indicate periodically waterlogged soils (Retallck 1990, 29). Fosil wood indicating a subhumid-tropical to hhumid-tropial climate (Coupiaxylon stutzeri of the family Celastraceae) was reported from the Honda Group in the Honda and Villaveja area by Pons (1969). The family i represented today by tll tees (2540 m high) along river valleys with annual rainfills of t least 2,000 mm and temperatures between 23 and 30°C, The climate ofthis part ofthe continent during the late ‘Miocene, after the deposit ofthe Honda Group, continued unchanged. A humid-tropical lowland assemblage of ‘woodland plants was reported by Howe (1974) for the [Neiva Formation in the La Venta area. Plan remains that ako indicate a humid-tropical climate were reported by Berry (1936) from the middle Magdalena valley; these re ‘mains apparently come from the Bagre Formation, which correlus with the Neiva and Gigante formations of the Huila Group in the upper Magdalena valley. ‘The Honda Group paleosols were strongly influenced by changes in sedimentary rates controlled by relative uplift and subsidence in atectoncaly active basin where the cli- ‘mate was subhumid-tropical to humid-tropical with marked seasonality, Evans (1991) reported calcie entisols and inceptisols from Paleogene alluvial fanin Washington, indicating that rapid uplift, high erosion rates, and rapid subsidence parly concealed the distinctive signature ofin- tense humid-tropical climate. Perhaps the most comparable environment of deposition ofthe Honda Group (except for the Cerro Colorado Mem- ber when the basin became enclosed bevween the Central and Eastern Cordillers) it eastern Colombia, the area ofthe (Orinoco Llanos. The area is characterized by large mean dering tributary systems of the larger Guaviare, Vichada, and Mea rivers of the Orinoco River Basin. The vegets- tion is that of herbaceous savannah with small (100 m) patches of dryland wooded forest and larger gallery forests40 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP. along streams, The climate (Ener and Borero 1990) is characterized by a three~ to five-month dry season, annual ‘infill of 1,800-2,200 mm and mean annual temperatures 0f 25-30°C. PALEOCURRENT DIRECTIONS AND UPLIFT OF THE COLOMBIAN ANDES: aleocurtent directions from cross-beds ofthe La Victoria Formation indicate an east-southeast paleofiow (ig. 2.10A). The “shoestring” sandstone trends of the Cerro Gordo, Chunchullo, and Tatacoa sandstones also indicate a direction to the east-southeast during a time in which the Eastern Cordillera did not exist “The Baraya Member in the lower part of the Vilaveja Formation has indications of changes in paleoflow direc- ‘hons to the north and northeast (5g, 2.10B) besides the sil predominant direction to the east and southeast, The Po- Jonia Red Beds in the upper patt of the Cerro Colorado ‘Member show a complete shift in paleocurrent directions toward the west, indicating a source area to the east inthe newiy uplifted Eastern Cordillera (g. 2.10C), ‘Wellman (1970) reported paleoflows to the east and southeast from measurements that come from the lower part (La Victoria Formation and lower part ofthe Villvija Formation) of the Honda Group, Wiel (1994) concluded that paleocurrent directions of the Honda Group were to- ‘ward the east and thatthe uplift ofthe Garzén Masson the ‘eastside of the basin had lite influence on the Honda Group deposis. ‘The inversion of the drainage, coward the west, afer the uplift ofthe Eastern Cordillera, was undetected by Wellman (1970) and Wiel (1991) Because no paleocurrent measure- ‘ments of the upper part of the Cerro Colorado Member ‘were available, Paleocurtent indicators are rare inthis part of the section because most ofthe Polonia Red Beds are ‘composed of mudstone, and only very small amounts of sandstone are present. ‘The Central Cordillera was still the source area ofthe San Francisco Sandstone Beds in the lower part of the Cerro Colorado Member as indicated by its content of pumice class fom middle Miocene volcanism. Above this, the lower part of the Polonia Red Beds in the La Venta area are composed of approximately 150 m of red mudstone of overbank origin where there is uo record of paleveurrent directions. Immediately above, the upper part of the Po- lonia Red Beds contain the sandstone bodies with paleo current directions to the west, opposite to the directions from the underlying units in the Baraya Member and the La ‘Vicwria Formation. This change in paleocurcent directions provides the firs direct evidence of substantial uplift in the Eastern Cordillera at about 11.8 Ma (using the time scale of Berggren etal. 1985) and further refines the results of 13.9 2.3 Ma to 9.2 £ 2.0 Ma reported by Wiel (1991), using. apparent fssion-track ages on apatite-bearing samples from the Eastern Coniillera. The wide (north-south) regional distribution of thick red beds in the upper part of the ‘Honda Group suggests that at 11.8 Ma the Eastern Cor- dillera was already a continuous range that completely closed the basin on its eastern side, The changes in paleoflow in the Barzya Member indicate that the uplift ofthe Eastern Cordillera began as eatly as 12.9 Ma. (Clase composition and paleocurrent directions (co the north and northeast) of the Neiva Formation (10.1-8.4 Ma) in the La Venta atea indicate both a source area to the ‘west in the Central Cordillera and a source area to the east in the newly uplifed Eastern Cordillera. The braided- stream conglomerates of the Neiva Formation are the coldest known ancestral deposits of the Magdalena River. Howe (1974) concluded chat the regional paleocurrent system of che Neiva Formation showed an eastward directed drainage network, He unfortunately included in his sections (fig. 4 in Howe 1974) deposits of what is now known to be the Villavija Formation (Qda. Guandinosita ‘and Qa, Mana de Ten) or deposits of whatisnow known tobe the Gigante Formation (Camposlegre). True sections of the Neiva Formation north of Neiva (Desengafio, Qda. Michio, and Palogrande), however, show paleocurrent directions to the northeast (Bg. 10 in Howe 1974). More recently, Wiel (1991) reported north-northeast paleocurrent ditections for the Neiva Formation in the Gigante ‘Area, which includes the section at Qda. Guandinosita, Stratigraphic and Structural Relations The Honda Group overlies with angular unconformity ‘older units chat range from Jurasic to early Miocene in age. Prior to Honda Group deposition, the area was subjected toectonism and subsequent erosion so that the predomi~ randy west-dipping thrust faults of eatly to middle Miocene age predate the Honda Group; this tectonic event was related to the uplift of the eastern side of the Central Cordillera. The east-dipping thrust faults related to the uplift of a new mountain range, the Eastern Conillera, postdate the Honda Group. These east-dipping thrust faults of the western side of the Eastern Cordillera postdate not only the middle Miocene Honda Group but also the late Miocene Huila Group. ‘The available evidence indicating that uplift ofthe East- ern Cordillera began at about 12.9 Ma, during deposition of the Villavieja Formation, suggests that this uplift began on the east and progressed o the west. The ealiest uplifed area ofthe Eastern Cordillera was located far enough tothe cast ofthe present day Magdalena valley that the effect on Honda Group deposition was only to tlt and close the basin. The exposed Honda Group sequence in the La Venta and Gigante ares does not include synsedimentary fauks or falas ‘The structural trend in the upper Magdalena valley i to the northeast. AtLa Venta three anticlines affect the Honda Group; they are from northwest to southeast the Los Fi- ques, Cerro Gordo, and La Becerrera anticlines (new names). The Los Fiques and Cerro Gordo anticlines (Gg. 2.2, 2.9) are accompanied by thrust faults that dip to the ‘escsoutheast and have minor displacements. In contrast, accompanying the La Bececrera Antcline, « major thrust fale ips to the west-northwest. This thrust pus the lower partofthe La Victoria Formation in contact with the upper part of the Villivieja Formation, the Cerro Colorado Member. The amount of displacements larger to the north ‘where the base ofthe Hlonda Group is exposed. At Cerro La Becerrera the La Victoria Formation rests unconformably ‘on the volcanic rocks ofthe Jurassic Saldaia Formation and also.pn the marine deposi of the Cretaceous Caballos and Villet formations, ‘The Doche Syncline, east of the La Becerrera Thrust, exposes the upper part of the Villavieja Formation; then, the contact, further east, between the Cretaceous units and the Honda Group is a thrust fault, not an unconformity. ‘This thrust fault can be seen in Baraya and is named afer it (fig, 2.2), The Baraya Thrust can be followed toward the south, up to the village of Rivera where itis continuous JAVIER GUERRERO 41 with the major regional Suaza Thrust System. Because of | uplift and subsequent erosion, only minor exposures of the lower part of the Honda Group are present east of the Baraya Thrust. ‘Another dominant feature in the La Venta area is the presence of normal faults of very high angle; the tend of these faults (N70°W) is approximately normal tothe trend. of the main structures, In addition, rwo sets of calcite-filled vertical joints with approximately east-west and north- south directions can be observed. Most of the rounded calcareous concretions (torpedo-shape concretions of Fields 1959) have their axes oriented with these vertical Joins. These structural elements were discussed by Guer= rero (1985) who concluded that the evidence indicated a local compression in a northwest-southezst direction. ‘An interesting facto be noticedis that despite the north= east rend of the structures, the sandstone beds of the La Victoria Formation can only be followed in a direction normal to this trend. Sandstone bels encased in mudstone ‘were deposited by rivers movingto the east-southeast, leaving narrow and elongate bodies in these directions. The perpendicular trends of the structure and channel belts, however, provide additional exploration targess for oil in the Honda Group. Oil is being recovered from the An- dalucta and Tello oil fields west of the La Becerrera and Baraya Thrust, respectively. The La Becerrera is a west- dipping fault char thrust che Saldaia Formation against marine Cretaccous deponits prior to the Honda Group deposi tion, The thrust was reactivated afer the deposition of the Honda-Huila sequence, creating the anticline structure of the Andalucta oil field Age and Correlation Following the time scale of Berggren et al. (1985), the -milable chronostratigriphic evidence (Guerrero 1990, 1993; aso chap. 3) indicates that the Honda Group was deposited inthe interval between about 13.5 atid 11.5 Ma. ‘The La Victoria and Villavieja formations were deposited fiom about 13.5 to 12.9 Ma, and 12.9 to 11.5 Ma, respectively. Honda Group deposition began witha wide regional ‘unconformity (Guerrero 1990), ‘Another set of important data for biostratigraphic and ‘grochronologic correlation comes from calibrations be-42 STRATIGRAPHY OF THE HONDA GROUP ween zones of planktonic forsminifer, palymological zones, and molluscan faunas. In lithology and stratigraphic position the La Victoria and Villvija formations of the Honda Group in the upper Magealen valley are equivalent to the San Antonio and Los Timones formations of the Honda Group in the Honda area and to the lower part (Lluvia, Chontorales, Hil, and Enrejado formations) ofthe Real Group in the middle Magdalena valley. North of Honda, the Honda Group and the Real Group overlie (paraconformably and unconformably, respectively) strata that contain the La Cirafosil horizon of the upper pare of the Colorado Formation. The Colorado Formation and the Real Group of the ‘midale Magdalena valley have palynological agcs. Hopping (1967) indicated that the bate of the Zone of Ver rutcelprites rtundpors contained inthe upper pare ofthe Colorado Formation coincided more orles withthe top of the foraminiferal Zone of Globortaliacpeoeniscipeoesis (Oligocene-Miocene boundary). Thus, the age of the Col- corado Formation would be broadly late Oligocene to early Miocene, Hopping abo correlated the bate of the Zone of Crasretiietes vemaadshooveni that is contained in the lower part of the Real Group with the lower part of the foraminiferal Zone of Globortalia fs oki, This would ‘mean thatthe base ofthe Real Group is younger than about 14.5 Ma and, therefore, of broadly midale Miocene age The Pebas Formation in eastern Peru (Costa 1981) ex- tends into the Colombian Amazonas Basin where it was dated palynologically by Horn (1990). She reported a middle Miocene age based on the presence of an asociation that contains Crasoretiiee snmaadshooven and Grimidalea rmagnaclaata. Thus, the Pebas Formation would correlate in time of deposition tothe lower part ofthe Real Group and to the Honda Group. The Pebss Formation contains benthic foraminifera in some sections, and the depositional envionment was interpreted by Horn (1990) a8 coastal with brackish lagoons The antes ofthe molluscan una studied by Nutal (1990) from the La Tagua Locality in the Pebas Formation in Colombia led him to conclude that there wasa bracksh-water connection with the Caribbean ae that ime, ‘A very important aspect ofthe Honda Group relative to the uplift ofthe Colombian Andes places the unit ina global context. Its very interesting to note that an upiéeventin the Andes beginning at sboue 12.9 Ma colncides with ‘widespread global tectonism and with the deep sea hiatus NHS dated as 12.9-11.8 Ma by Keller and Barron (1987) The uplift of the Eastern Coxiillera of the Colombian ‘Andes coincides withthe final closure ofthe eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea (Steininger 1983), with the collision ‘of the Australian subcontinent with Indonesia (Kennett et al, 1985), and with a major cooling event during the establishment oF an Antarctic ice cap (Shackleton and Kennett 1975; Woodruff cal. 1981). Conclusions ‘The middle Miocene Honda Group of the upper Mag- dalena valley isa distinct lithostratigraphic unit bounded above and below by unconformities (the base of the Honda Group atabout 13.5 Ma and the base ofthe Huila Group at 10.1 Ma) that reflect important episodes of volcanism and uplift of the Colombian Andes. The deposition af the Ta Victoria Formation (about 13,5-12.9 Ma) was initiated doring active uplift and volcanism of the Central Cordillera, which was the source area ‘on the west side uf ue basin. Puleocurrent directions from, the La Victoria Formation to the eastand southeast indicate thatthe Eastern Cordillera did not exis at that time. The river deposit ofthe La Victoria Formation on the modern ‘Magdalena River valley were apparently continuous to the ‘east with the coastal and brackish deposits of the Pebas Formation in the present Amazon basin. ‘The deposition ofthe Villavieja Formation (about 12.9 11.5 Ma) hegan during active waleaniem and the uplift of the Central Conillera and also during the uplift of a new mountain range, the Eastern Cordiller. Paleocurrent dircetions of the Baraya Membet ins the lower part of dhe Villavieja Formation are very variable, and alzhough most ‘of them point tothe east and southeast, some have north and northeast trends, indicating thatthe uplift ofthe East- cern Cordillera was initiated as early as 12.9 Ma, In che upper part of the Cerro Colorado Member (Polonia Red Beds), the paleocurrent directions are to the west, indicating that the Eastern Contillera wasalready uplifted arabout 11.8 Ma and had closed the eastern side ofthe basin. Thick red heds in the upper part of the Honda Group are regionally continuous and can be followed along the Magdalena Rivervalley, suggesting that the Eastern Cordillera was a con- tinvous range at about 11.8 Ma. The age (beginning a 12.9 Ma) of the tectonic event of the Colombian Andes that led to the uplift ofthe Eastern Condillera coincides with widespread global tectonism during deep sea hiatus NH3 (12.9- 11.8 Ma). ‘Most of the La Victoria Formation was deposited by lange meandering rivers that were up to 8-10 m deep and flowed to the east-southeast. Meander-bele ridges were produced by various episodes of channel sedimentation in places where the river position persisted for some time. Medium- and coarse-grained conglomeratic multstory- sandstone bodies with “shoestring” shape (and encased in smudstone) are up to 31.5 m thick and 24 km wide. The Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds in the upper part of the La Victoria Formation were deposited by braided rivers chat also flowed tothe east and left a basinwide pebble to cobble conglomerate derived from the Central Cordillera. The change in sedimentary regime was probably the result of rapid pulse of upliftin the Central Cordillera just before the uplift of the Eastern Cordillera ‘The Villavieja Formation was deposited by meandering rivers smaller than those of the La Victoria Formation. The rivers of the Baraya Member and lower part of the Cerro Colorado Member were up to 2-3 m deep and flowed rosy to the east. The upper part of the Cerro Colorado ‘Member was deposited by meandering and anastomosing rivers up to 6 m deep that flowed to the west. Paleosols form a very important portion of the sequence. ‘They are present with different stages of maturity atthe top ‘ofthe fining-upward sequences except where the following channel eroded the upper portion of the preceding cycle, Although paleosols are common in the entire sequence, they are most mature (oxsols and ealeic vertisols) and abun dant in the Cerro Colorado Member of the Vilavieja For- mation where fossil are scarce. In contrast, fossils are most ‘common in the soils with less maturity (clcic enisols and ‘alec inceptisols in the La Victoria Formation and Baraya ‘Member of the Villaveja Formation. Calcic vertisols are found through the entie section but are more abundant in the Cerro Colorado Member. ‘The La Victoria Formation was deposited much faster (+950 mm/1,000 ye) than the Villaveja Formation (~413 JAVIER GUERRERO | 43 ‘mim/1,000 ye). The finer sediments and more mature soils, ‘of the Villavieja Formation indicate les energetic environ- ‘ments and prolonged periods of subaerial alteration during ‘hich soils reached almost complete mineral degradation. ‘The Honda Group paleosols were strongly influenced by sedimentary rates controlled by relative uplift and subsidence in a tectonically active basin where the climate was subhtumid- to humid-tropical with marked seasonality. Acknowledgments ‘The project of which this chapter is part has been made possible by a cooperative agreement between Duke Uni- versity and the Colombian Geological Survey (INGEO- MINAS). Very special thanks go to R. F Kay and R. H. Madden from Duke University and co D. Mosquera, ‘A. Loboguerrero, and L. Jaraillo from INGEOMINAS. ‘This work was mainly supported by grants from the U.S. [National Science Foundation NSF BSR. 8614533 and NSF BSR 8614133 to R. F Kay, to whom Tam indebted. Ad- ditional funding came from grants of the US. National Science Foundation to J. Flynn (NSE BSR. 8614133/ 8896178) and from grants of INGEOMINAS, Colciencias, and Ieetex in Colombia, ‘The magnetosmarigraphic analyses were made by J. J Flynn and the author in the Laboratory of Paleomagnetism of the Field Museum. The #Ar/2°Ar analyses were made by C. C, Swisher II in the Geochronology Center of the Instirute of Human Origins. Some of the results were reported earlier in a masters thesis (Guerrero 1990) presented to the Geology Depart- ment at Duke University under the supervision of D, Heron. The paleomagnetc reruls from the upper part of| the Honda Group and from the overlying Neiva and Gi- gante formations (samples JG-M90 and JG-M91) constitute part of my Ph.D. dissertation (Guerrero 1993) Thad valuable discussions with RF Kay, R. H. Madden, J.J. Flynn, L. G. Marshall, R. L. Cifeli, C, Vilarroe, ‘A. Gomer, C. Ruiz, V. Ramirez, and G. Marquines, who ‘were my partners during the field seasons, Two anonymous reviewers helped improve the manuscript. The final ver- sions of the drawings were by J. Smith3 Geochronology of the Honda Group John J. Flynn, Javier Guerrero, and Carl C. Swisher IIT RESUMEN Se reporta un estudio magnetoestratigtifico de detalle del Grupo Honda en ef Valle Superior del Magdalena, ‘basado en 210 horizontes paleomagnéticos, y seis data- clones 40Ar/39Ar asociadas. Tarnbién se reportan datati- ‘anes adicionales de ae suprayacontes Formaciones Neiva y Gigante. ‘Las edades “@Ar/?°Ar indican que el Grupo Honda y la fauna de La Venta son mis jévenes que 13,8 Ma y mis antiguos que 10,0 Ma, La mis precita correlacién pa- leomagnética indica que el Grupo Honda abarea el inter- valo de tempo entre 13,5 y 11,6 Ma durante los intervalos CSABn~C5An.In (de la geocronologia de Cande y Kent 1992). Esta edad para la fauna de La Venta indica que ésta seria temporalmente correlativa con algunas faunas que ‘han sido asignadas ala edad mamifero “Friasense,” y que ‘@° 4-6 Ma més Joven que la Edad Santacrucense, Las tasas de acumulacién de la Formacién La Victoria fueron un poco mds que el doble de Int de la Formacion Villavieja. As la Formacién La Victoria representa aproximadamente 0,6 milliones deafios, mientras que la Forma- ign Villavieja representa aproximadamente 1,4 milliones de aos. Elimite entre las Formaciones La Victoria y Vile lavieja no representa un hiato erosivo 0 depoticional im= ottante. Los diferencias litolégicas entre las das forma= clones, aunque resaltan principalmente de os cambios ea. as tasas de sedimentacion, podsfan también indicar cambios paleoambientales y tectonicos significativos. recise geochronologic information is essential to any study of the temporal patterns of faunal evolution and geologic history. Early studies ofthe La Venta fxuna (Strton 1951, 1953b: Fields 1959) lacked any independent geochronologic constraint, Biochronology, in the form of “stage-of-evolution” of the mammalian fauna, suggested that the La Venta fauna was broadly comparable to Friasian, oF possibly Santacrucian, Land Mammal Age faunas from Patagonian South America. The Santacrucian and Friasian, ‘in turn, were considered Miocene in age, although until only recently these mammal ages also lacked reliable, direct correlation to standard global chronostratigraphic seri (such as the Miocene) or stages (such as the Serravalian, ‘middle Miocene). Even though the La Venta faunas one of the most important South American mammal asemblages ” by virewe ofits rarely sampled tropical paleogeographic position, high diversity (including one of the most significant fossil assemblages of New World primates), and unusual paleoccology, the first numerical dating of the La Venta sequence did not occur unt the 1980s, Takemura and Danhara (1986) reported fission-track dates for two hori- ‘ons within the Honda Group (lowet Villavieja Formation), Which were complemented by preliminary paleomagnetic studies ofa short stratigraphic interval by Hayashida (1984).JOHN J. FLYNN, JAVIER GUERRERO, AND CARL C, SWISHER 1! Beginning in 1986, the U.S. National Science Founda- tion supported an extensive collaborative study of the pa~ leontology (coordinated by Richard Kay) and geochronol~ ogy (coordinated by John Flynn) of the Honda Group in the La Venta area (locally known as the Desierto de la ‘Tatacoa) of Colombia. This chapter summarizes some of the geochronotogic results of that study, especially paleomagnetic and “°Ar/**Ar radioisotopic analyses, con- straining the numerical age and temporal correlation of the approximataly 1,250-m-thick Honda Group (La Victoria and Villavieja formations; chap. 2) and the contained La Venta fauna. Current understanding of the stratigraphy of this sequence is presented in denal in Guerrero (1990; also chap. 2), building upon earlier seatigraphic studies (Hett~ ner 1892; Butler 1942; Royo y Gémez 1942a, 1946; Stir- ton 1951, 1953b; Fields 1959; Wellman 1970). We focus on developing a geochronology for this sequence and using, that geochronologic information to (1) evaluate and vest patterns and rates of sedimentation within the Honda Group and (2) evaluate the age of the tropical La Venta fauna relative to higher latinude faunas exemplifying South ‘American Land Mammal Ages, thereby providing a test of the applicability of previously recognized Land Mammal ‘Ages over wide geographic areas Summary of Paleomagnetic Analyses Hayashida (1984) presented preliminary paleomagnetic analyses froma shor stratigraphic interval within the lower Villavija Formation, which were affected adversely by un- recognized structural geologic complexity. Because this volume is intended 2s a complete summary of the current grological and paleantological research in the Ta Venta area, we provide here a brief summary of those paleomagnetic results. This summary also will facilitate evaluation of the data used to construct the magnetic polarity stratigraphy analyzed in this chapter ‘We collected more than 210 sites from more than 1,000 1m of stratigraphic section, yielding an average sampling. incerval of | site perm, We collected 21 addivional sites near the base of the section (sratigraphically overlapping, the main section), from the limbs of fold (axis trends NE~ SW) near Cerro Gordo, to perform a fol test for magnetic 43 stably. Atleast three to four individually oriented samples ‘were collected from each site ‘Allsample preparation and paleomagnetic measurements were performed in the Field Muscum Palcomagnetism Laboratory. Detailed thermal (16 steps, to 700°C) and alternating field (AF) (14 steps, to 100 mT) demagnetization studies were performed on pilot samples from about 50% of the total sites, Detailed thermal and AF studies were performed on complementary subsamples ffom the same sample block, for each pilot sample site, to provide direct comparison of magnetic vector behavior under differing demagnetization treatments of the same sample, Based on vector analysis ofthe magnetization behavior of pilot samples, we chose to demagnetize all remaining samples in up to 9 steps (10 mT, 30 mT, 200°C, 400°C, 450°C, 500°C, 530°C, 560°C, 600°C) to be certain to identify all low to moderate coercivity and blocking temperature magnetization components, All magnetic remanence measurements were made with a Molspin Minispin MS-1 spinner mag- netometer, Magnetic suscepebility measurements were made following the natural remnant magnetism (NRM) measurement and every thermal demagnetization step, £0 ‘monitor physicochemical changes n che magnetic mineral- copy of samples. Demagnetization studies indicate that it is possible to isolate a stable, characteristic remanence in most samples. ‘This characteristic remanence very likely represents a pri- ‘mary remanence (acquired at, or shortly following, deposition) accurately reflecting the orientation of the earths ‘magnetic field atthe time of sediment accumulation. Both hhigh blocking temperature (probably representing hematite ‘or ttanohematite) and moderate blocking temperature (presumably representing magnetite or titanomagnetite) smagnetizations are presentin varioussamples, hit the mow. crate blocking temperature component (which almost cex- tainly carriesa primary, depositional remanence) dominates ‘most samples. Following isolation of the characteristic remanence for ‘each sample, we used principal components analysis (least- squares fit program “Manual of Gillete; based on Kirschvink 1980) to determine the direction and intensity ‘ofthe remanence vector (using at least three individual data points (demagnetization steps] to define a remanence vec~ tor component). The best-fit directions fo all samples from.46 GEOCHRONOLOGY OF THE HONDA GROUP ‘each sive were composited (Fisher 1953) to determine asite mean direction of magnetization and avociated calculation ‘of site mean virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP). The site mean directions were plotted versus stratigraphic position to construct a magnetic polarity stratigraphy. Only Clas | reliability sites, having statistically significant magnetization directions, afer thermal demagnetization (using statistical tests of Watson 19562, 1956b; modified from relibility classification of Opdyke et al. 1977), were used to define polarity intervals. We follow the convention of not recognizing polarity intervals defined only by a single site. ‘Summary of Radiolsotopic Dating Bight volcanic units found interbedded in the terrestrial sediments of the La Vietoria and Villivieja formations of | the Honda Group and the overlying Neiva and Gigante formations were collected for radioisotopic age determination (tables 3.1, 3.2). Samples of the voleanic units were collected by Javier Guerrero (J.G.) and were subsequently submitted at various times during the study to Carl Swisher (C.CS) at the Geochronology Center, institute of Human Origins, for4°Ar/2#Ar analysis, The volcanic samples consist primarily of pumice pieces found in voleaniclasticsand- stones, Generally the pumice from the Neiva and Gigante formations were much larger and frether than thoce re- ‘covered from the underlying Honda Group, possibly reflecting more primary deposition. In this regard, the *ges because some reworking may have occurred since the time ‘of eruption. Given the agreement of the ages derived from. these units with the general stratigraphy, however, these volcanics are considered, for the most part, penecontem- poraneous with sediment deposition, ‘The sample preparation and “0Ar/9®Ar analytical pro- cedures follow those of Deino and Potts (1990), Deino et al. (1990), Swisher and Prothero (1990), Renne and Basu (1991), and Swisher etal. (1992). The handpicked minerals, together with a centrally located monitor mineral (Fish (Canyon Tuff sanidine [FC)), were irradiated in the hy- draulic rabbit core facility of the Omega West research reactor, Los Alamos National Laboratory. After irradiation, single crysals of the monitor mineral and single crystals of | hhomblende, plagioclase, and biotite of the unknowns were ‘Table 3.1. Summary of #Ar/*Ar analyses of volcanic unite from the Honda Groop and overlying formations Age (Ma), Mineral ‘Weighted ‘Volcanic Sample Dated oN Meant SE Gigante Formation LGM-LV9 Horblende 8 8.41240.065 [Neiva Formation JG-Ra8-4 Plaglocie «510.1335 0.184 Villvigja Formation JG-REB-2 Homblende 6 © 12.23020.117 Plagiochse 612.111 40.259 ‘Overall % 12210201107 La Vicsoria Formation JG-R89-2 Hornblende 6 124860.111 Plagioclse 6 12649#0.258, Oven 2 1251240.102 JGR Homblende 4 13.420.408 JG-RO3 Biotite 2 - Homblende 2 = Overal 4 13:778+0081 JORES Homblende $13,608 40.210 Biowite 5 13.801 +0056 Plagiocase 6 13.565 +0.170 Overs 16 13767 £0052 JORS-1 Homblende 5 1359040171 Plgiocae 613.6904 0.138 Overall Tt 1365120.107 JG-R90-3, 89-3, and 89-1 Overall 31 13.754£0.040 (Nae: = numberof nals. ‘analyzed at the Geochronology Center of the Insticute of Human Origins. Laser heating, gas purification, and mass, spectrometry were completely automated following computer programmed schedules, . ‘The *Ar/29Ar ages of the unknowns are calclated using J-value determined fromm at leas six replicate analyses ofindividual grains ofthe co-irradiated monitor mineral Fish Canyon Toff sanidine. The age of the Fish Can- ‘yon sanidine adopted in this study (27.84 Ma) is similar to that recommended by Cebula et al. (1986) but slightly ‘modified as a result ofin-house intercalibraton at the Geo ‘chronology Center with Minnesota hornblende MMb-I (published age 0520.4 41.7 May Saunou aud Alexander‘Table 3.2, Radiolsotopic analyses of woleanic units from several locations in the Honda Group and from two ‘oveetying formations Are iy Mean (or Weighted SD, 1o(or ‘Mineral Dated? Mean,in SE, ia and Tab Sample “Ac/"Ar—27Ae/*Ar —*Ae/MAr Marte Meet Bold) Bold) GIGANTE FORMATION SAMPLE LGM-LV9 Hornblende ($90): 1131-01 2sa4ss 5.249834 .0n50RD 1867 RS 2.969 0.162 131-02 273660 4.401004 0.006778 «1.09554 39.83 8.282 167 1131-05 134363 S.tn2880 0.002224 1.10641 82.03 8.364 oat 1131-08 151858 4.265698 0.002615, 10056527203, 8.289 0.47 1131-05 165573 4.790506 0.003167 Lio 67.03 8.422 0334 1131-06 196001 6.492087 0.004180 1.26061 6403, 9327 0198 131-07 433264 5.931083 0.012480 14795 26.43 8677 029 1131-08 273895 3.101322 0.006932 0.94480 34.43 718; on, ALN = 8) - = = = 8.412 0.065 NEIVA FORMATION SAMPLE JG-Ra#-4 Phgiociae (158) 1595.01" 1.54208 5308253 0.004246 0.72282 46.73, 6.306 0373 1595.02 186883 9.902993 0.004007 119850 76.03 10443 0.496 1595-03, 138568 7.068369 0.002728 iiss 83.43 10.130 0.362 1595.08 159700 5.808780 0.008135 114886 71.63, 10012 0.285 1595.05 162962 7,902843 0.008759 137086 71.43, 10.203 068 1595.06 141514 9360951 0.003508 1510s 80.83, 10.031 1159 AN = >) = = = = = 10.39 188 VILLAVIEJA FORMATION SAMPLE JG-R8R-2 Homnblende (2842): 2444-01 3081295 6771322 0012370277982 89.83 12486 0.407 asso 3419724 @317772 —G.026020 © 27.40261 7893 12.174 0527 2446-03, 3559240 GATBATS. 0200712731685. T6.43 12270 0280 244-04 4001713 6304565 0.046919 26763156563 12.022 0219 244a-o5, 5433003 6731263 0.025514 -37.42556 79.53, 12319 0493 2448-06 3451988 6833303 0025871 27.4195. 79.33, 12316 020 AN =6) - - - - - 12.230 0.7 Continsed on next page "Noss Conan and corrections wed i he clelatonsareafalowss Nae Ar = radiogenic WAR Phgioclne Hornblende 30s Sin parerhees afer the miner ithe irditon number D = 1.005 D = 1.005000 D= 1005 Aealyic noe eluded in mea eleton 2D = 000015 2D=D0W150 4D = 000015 (339/37 = 0.00067 239/37 = 0000670 Ca39/37 = 0.00067 (G236/37 = D00025K2 Cs 36/37 = DO0025H Ca36/37 = 00002582 39/39" 001077 K34/39= 001077 38/39 = 00L0TT 439 = 0004 KH0/39 = 0.002400 K 40/39 = oars WO" denotes constant and correction fo rales JG-R SO and 3,‘Table 3.2. Continued (May Mean (or Weighted SD, to (or Mineral Dated* ‘Mean,in SE, in andLab Sample Ar/"Ar—MAr/Ar Maar Aart Bold) Bold) Plagioctse (28) 2437-10 32.9014 18919290 0.026347 -26.90575. 80.73. 12.028, 0588 2437-11 8.71430 20,068740 0.079816 2702080 54.73. 12079 0.810 2637-12 3959354 19.1047300.047379«—-27.39889 68.33. 12247 1.039 2837-13 3316259 18.955410 0026102272338 BL.13. 12177 0.452 2837-14 3202505 18.031190 0.022408 © 27.10827 83.63, 12116 0.506 2837-15 82.20982 22647780 0.195407 -26.61655 31.93 11.999 1,099 All (N= 6) - - - - - sai 0.259 nb, plag: A= 12) = = = = - 12.210 0.107 LA VICTORIA FORMATION SAMPLE JO-RAS-2 Hornblende (2842): 2443-01 52.99926 6878727 0.085972 2824708 $3.13, 12687 cant 2443-02 0.13709 5.458227 0.044242 27578376853. 12.387 0.169 2483-03 40.2971 3.691529 0.044857 27912746843. 12537 0.192 2aaso4 5.90072 7.795060 © OSRTS «2730744 aR AY 704 saa 2443-05 5912641 5.978217 0.107709 «27863624693 12515, 0.386 2443-06 41.05070 5.780835 00189 2854193 69.33, 1219 sua A N=6) - - - - - 12.496 oan Plagioclase (284): 2432-10 61.89320 9.611100 0.082157 28530355463 12751 0519 23241 8451453 12525970 0.195897 27813588 32.63, 12.432 om 2932-12 180.2220 22451000 0.520604 8.52321 1543 12748 6.681 2432.13 9.72075 9.415843 0.230453 © 2R.SIT74 «2963, 12.746 0461 2432-14 128 7e440 «14712710 0345751 «2B. «21.53, 12520 2.022 Daas 954000 9.197359 ONKITI9—-2RATS6I 063 12549 0.459 AIN=6) - - = - - 12.649 0.258 Hinbl, plag: Al N= 6) — = = = ~ ns 0.102 LA VICTORIA FORMATION SAMPLES JG-R90-1 AND -18 Hornblend (578): 4837-01 3852090 7.272837 0.121444 23.30018 «39.63 13.4660 0.759 4837-02 4405065 9.211583 0.074259 «22949175183 13.455, 1198 4837-03 49.3683 7.339304 0.052868 2259448 45.53 13248, 2.669 4882.01 7438980 8540560 0.188483 «19453532603, 412 0.527 4882-02 so7aies 7823687 0.200278. 22.44760 «24.93 13.162 0.540 4842-0 5244941 8.098479 0.114732 19.26613. 36.53 11.302 0524 AlN 4) - - - - - 13.342 0.408‘Table 3.2, Continued Age (Mia) Mean (or Weighted SD, to (or Mineral Dated* Mean,in SE,in and Leb Sample ®Ar/**Ac—MAn/"Ar Maar WAe/ar WATS Bold) Bold) LA VICTORIA FORMATION SAMPLE JG-R90-3 Bioite (678) 4835-01 32.86034 0.009728 ousi7#2 = 2.4791 71.53, 13.765 0197 4835-02 3746959 0045275 0.038145. (26.19967 6993, 15353, 0357 4895-03 296800 —G.O11339-—owan7a1 «2356245 «79.48 13.813, 0.095 Hornblende (57B): 4344-01" 4827403 5.859098 0.076857 6.10987 53.93, 15300 0.655 $4402 3.06536 5.525230 0.028384 3.18283 74.33, 13591 0478 $844.03 4558593 5.919340 0.078160 23.0303. «5033, 13.502 osi7 Biot, hb: AlN =4) - = = - - 13.778 0.081 LA VICTORIA FORMATION SAMPLE JG-RE9-3 469100) 7.906872 0.057934 «30553266483. 13718 0564 51.05243 8.684949 0.072802 30495385943, 13.693 0333, 4069625 9.578953 0.084930 «2832978 69.23, 12.724 0291 69.4409 9.153598 0.136333 3003466 43.03, 13.486 0.484 45.16644 7.982059 0.053736 © -30.05493 66.23, 13.496 0.480 45.96754 9.851885 0.056666 «30.7128 65.23, 13547 0738 = - - - - 13.608 210 5e49811 0.015683 0.093586 3083265 52.73. 13.843 0.096 5091936 0.025323 0.068287 30.64068 60.33. 13757 0.304 5955398 0.055583 0.100108. (29.97571 5033 13.460 0.250 5015366 0.024553 0.085759 $0721, 61.33. 13794 0.087 36.90808 0.027161 0.088166 = 30.85523 84.28, 13.853 048 - - - ~ - 13.801 0.056 Plagioclace (284); 2435-10 56.0755 18908580 0.096015. 30.25842 5263 13521 0.281 2435-11 5451643 17.775010 0.089703 (9.71684 53.99 13.280 0.425, 2435-12 37.70918 13506360 0.031929 29.5694 77.73. 13214 0.869 2a Soxs741 18521660 0.072038 «30.66150 6049 13.700 0.335, 2435-14 6197900 15564120 0.108728 31.36205. 50.13, 13012 0455, 2435-15, 14854510 14431860 0.41111 2.41154 1893 12.699 1.009 AL(N=6) - - - - - 13.565 0.370 Biot, hnbl, pag AUQN= 16) - - = - et 13.767 0.082 Continued on next page‘Table 3.2. Continued. a Mean (or Weighted SD, to (or Mineral Dated+ Mean,in —SE,in and Lab Sample “Arar AP™Ac_— A/a Art/MAr MARY Bold) Bald) LA VICTORIA FORMATION SAMPLE JG-R80~1 Hornblende 282): 2442.02 4059898 6.629370 0039017 29.7490 72.83 13339 0.452 2442-03 3312465 5.636874 0.011453 3028242, 1.13 135970265, 2442-04 4639849 8.427279 0057309 30275166483 13598 0876 2442-05, 3951211 6993673 0031554 30863827773. 13887 0.488 2442-06 5257550 6.838804 9.010040 30.26673, 9283 1359 08, AN =5) - - - - - 13590 osm Phgiacase (284) 2341-10 3680s 11.352210 0026238 0.22182 8133 13505 0.693 paattt SS.as081 12877710 Owui3e84 © 30.47992_——90.63 13620 0.308 auiia 5294999 12189390 0.079501 30630205743 13687 0.01 2341-13, 3623683 11720120 022726 30.65374 83.93, 130970282 poate 3.86688 13420450 0.015077. 30.7081 8993, 17220277 paris 112.3480 10.770820 0278683 «31.08147, 2743 ham 0812 ALN= 6) = - - - - 13.690 0.138 Hib, pag: All = 11) = = - = - 13651 0.107 LA VICTORIA FORMATION SAMPLES, OVERALL (JO-R00-3, -REI-3, -R49-1) Biot bob. pag AlN =31) = = = = - 13.754 0.040 LA VENTA (LOCATION UNCERTAIN) SAMPLE JGOIS8-3 Plgiodlse (284): 2836-10 3352764157873 o0os24 93613 0420 0.087 236-11 35047 4414561400836 175882 44.83, 0787 0.095, 2436-12 roses 4451125 003171715799 1138, 0519 oot 2436-13 Sa90m 410739 oa? = 1548092813 ooo 0.088, 2436-18 414501 4799000 0.011265 1.18465 283 oss 0.089, 2436215 935127 4800961 0030199 ——oam10 8.50 o2se on LA VENTA (LOCATION UNCERTAIN) SAMPLE JG-R9072 Horbende (578) 4839.01 699965 7492687 oss * 12771311903 750 1572 4838-02 1820057201002 cz «12.6338 69.13 a9 02m 4939-03, i7a6a19 0123554 asim -74257RD aR HSA 20.976JOHN J. FLYNN, JAVIER GUERRERO, AND CARL C. SWISHER 1 ‘ess GIGANTE SOME: FORMATION | sous cape [°= NEIVA FORMATION ELEVATION ‘nny fesse ve Fala Ne ie a a Ss 2 eB Ns a aney Slipmmy a ES raat 3\Sts3—— Ng om 335 2|>| =| smmer Ra —— soa s| res sofas 801 Siar BENTH yo 21g eI sa z 7 Rt 2 eran me is el [amt BER g Pees, is ° Figure 3.1. Magnetonraigrephic section plowed relative to measured sratgraphic section of Guerrero (chap. 2). Abbreviations: MB, member; 1987), Samples were analyzed from four diferent iradia~ tions over the course ofthe four-year seudy. The subsequent |Fralues are as follows: for Ie. no. 9 (8) J = 0.004200 + (0.00001; for rr. no, 15 (7 hours) = 0.004841 + 0.000002; {forlrt. no. 28A-28A2 (20 min) J = 0.0002486 + 0.000005 and 0.0002498 + 0.000000, respectively; and for Ir. no, 57 (30 min) } = 0.0003262 + 0,0000005. Ca and 51 K corrections were determined from laboratory salts: (C*Ar/7Arhcy = 2.587 x 10% £4.6 x 10°, CPAR/7ANC, = 6.608 1042.53 x 10-9 and (OAr/99AN)g = 24x 10> + 7.0 x 10, Mass discrimination during this study, as determined by replicate air aliquots delivered from an on- line pipette system, was 1.005 + 0.002. Decay constants re those recommended by Steiger and Jager (197) and. Dalrymple (1979). The uncertainties associated with the individual ages are 1 sigma errors, whereas those that ac- company the calculated weighted mean ages of the replicate analyses are standard errors (SE) following Taylor (1982) Three pumice samples fom the lower patt of the La Victoria Formation were dated (Gg. 3.1; table 3.2). JG- 90-33 is from the main stratigraphic section A, and JG- 89-1 and JG-R89-3 are from section D. Biotite and hornblende from JG-R90-3 yielded four concordant e40Ar/2?Arages, with a weighted mean age of 13.78 £0.08 Ma, At nearly he same stratigraphic interval, pumice fom, ‘ewo horizons in section D yielded similar #Ar/9¥Ar ages con hornblende, biotite, and plagioclase. A weighted mean age of 13.75 £0.04 Mais calculated forJG-R89-1, whereas ‘JG-R89-3 yielded 2 weighted mean age of 13.77 + 0.05 ‘Ma, Although separated by approximately 75 m of section, ‘JG-R89-1 and JG-R89-3 possibly represent pumice from the same eruption; consequently, these ages must be re garded 2s minimum ages. Alternadvely, chese rwo horizons may represent two distinct volcanic events whose ages could not be distinguished Analysis of one biotite grain and one hornblende from JG-R9O-3 yielded consistent but significantly older ages of 15.3 Ma (able 3.2). These analyses probably reflect con- taminant grains from a volcanic event that cook place 1.5, million years earlier. Ifso, hese analyses would indicate that volcanic acivity in chieregion may extend back to atleast, 15 Ma, Similarly, some of the older, anomalous fission- track ages reported by Takemura and Dankara (1983) fom the Honda Group may be a result of reworked zircon from these older voleanics, ‘A third pumice sample (JG-R.90-1), collected from between the Chunchuilo and Tatacoa sandstone beds in the riddle part of the La Victoria Formation, yielded mixed ages. Four hornblende analyses resulted ina weighted mean 349Ar/29Ar age of 13.34 4 0.41 Ma (table 3.2), am age that appears consistent with its stratigraphic level above52 GEOCHRONOLOGY OF THE HONDA GROUP JG-R90-3, JG-R89-3, and JG-R89-1. Two hornblendes yielded consistent, albeit younger, ages of 11.3 and 114 ‘Ma, however (table 3.2). These two ages appear anomalous ‘with those obtained from overlying units and are perhaps young as a result of alteration, although this cannot be demonstrated analytically. It is unlikely, however, that all samples from the upper part ofthe La Victoria and from the overlying Villvieja Formation are reworked. Homblende and plagioclase extracted from 2 foorth sample, JG-R89-2, collected from the Cerbatana Con- slomerate Beds at the top of the La Victoria Formation, yielded dates of 12.49 4 0.11 Ma (H) and 12.65 40.26 Ma (P) with a mean concordant #*Ar/#*Ar age forthe horizon (of 12,51 £ 0.10 Ma (table 3.2). ‘Stratigraphically higher in section A, fom the San Fran- isco Sandstone Beds in the overiying Vllaveja Formation, a fifth horizon yielded a weighted mean “@Ar/2¥Ar age of 12,21 20.11 Ma on analyses of hornblende and plagioclie (table 3.2. Although no paleomagnetic data ae yet published for the overlying Neiva and Gigante formations, ewo volcanic horizons yielded ages which ae stratigraphically consistent with those from the underlying Fonda Group and are re= Ported here to substantiate farther the minimum posible age for the La Venta fauna, Plagioclase from a volcanic unit within the Neiva Formation, JG-R88-4, resulted in a ‘weighted mean age of 10.13 # 0.18 Ma, and hornblende separated from a unit in the overlying Gigante Formation (LGM-LV9) was dated at 8.41 + 0.07 Ma (able 3.2). At- tempts to date other mineral phases in these ewo unis re~ sulted in widely disparate ages that ranged from 400,000 ‘years to more than 12 Ma, most likely owing to the low radiogenic yields resulting from alteration. Consequently these results are not discussed further in chis study. Interpretation of Radioisotopic Date Constraints on Correlation of the Magnetic Polarity Stratigraphy ‘There are at least chree ways in which the available radi- ‘isotopic dates can be used to constrain the correlation of | the Honda Group magnetic polarity stratigraphy to the standard magnetic polarity time scale (MPTS). All three ‘methods assume thatthe dates associated with each horizon representa maximum age for that horizon because the dated ‘material must be derived either from contemporaneous vokcanism or from material reworked oF tansported from ‘older events. In all cases the younger limit on the age ofthe ‘upper part of the Honda Group is provided by #Ar/29Ar ages from overlying units: 10.13 + 0.18 Ma (JG-R88-4) from the lower Neiva Formation and 8.41 4 0.07 Ma {LGM-LV9) from the lower Gigante Formation. Similarly, the cluster of dates near the base of the Honda Group averaging about 13.75 Ma indicate that the Honda Group ‘must be younger than about 14 Ma, ‘The ist method isto assume thatthe series of dates fom horizons within the Honda Group only broadly constrain the age of the sequence. A variation of this approach ("Method 1, variation A”) assumes that each date represents anindependent voleanic event and an independent estimate ‘ofthe age ofits associated horizon, each date isa maxima age for chat horizon, and each date has some chance of being incorrect or inaccurate because of analytical error of problems associated with the dated mineral (diagenesis, nonclosed system behavior, etc). Using this asumprion, the Honda Group is constrained in age tobe approximately 4.5 milion years ong, ranging in age becween 12.2 and 13:7 Ma (although it could range slightly younger but is ‘minimally constrained by the 10.1 and 8.4 Ma dates from ‘overiying strata) ‘A second method isto assume that (1) the radioisotopic dates all are extremety accurate (accepting that they truly lie somewhere within the interval defined by the mean age determination and the associated error range), and (2) each individual date must be contemporaneous with, or older than the horizon sampled. This assumpeion and the aval- able dates provide maximum age constraints for the upper (Willavieja Formation) Honda Group of 122-125 Ma (Cepresenting at least two separate episodes of volcanism) and for the lower (La Victoria Formation) Honda Group of 13.3-13,8 Ma (representing a¢ least rwo different voleanic episodes) A third method is to assume that most, oF all, of the horizons analyzed by #°Ar/29Ar techniques sampled vole canic material representing the same voleanic event. This ‘would require the entre section to be younger than 12.2 Ma, based on the age ofthe youngest Honda Group horizon. The relatively consistent decrease in age of dated hiJOHN J. FLYNN, JAVIER GUERRERO, AND CARL C. SWISHER 111 zone moving upward in the section indicate chat thie ‘method probably cannot be applied validly to the Honda Group sequences. BIVARIATE MAGNETIC POLARITY/ GEOMAGNETIC POLARITY TIME SCALE PLOTS ‘We used “Method 1, variation A” (in which the dater are interpreted to represent maximum ages for the asociated horizons, recognizing that error/inaccuracy associated ‘with the dates preclude rigorously requiring age estimates based on magnetic polarity correlations to be younger than all of the associated dates) in interpreting the radioisotopic age constraints on correlation ofthe magnetic polarity stra- ‘igraphy, In analyzing magnetostratigraphic and radio- jnotopic data fiom the Miocene of the East AGican Rife, ‘Taune et al. (1985; see also Deino et al. 1990) used an approach similar tothe “Method 1, variation A” discusted previously, We used the available dates and comparison to time scales of Berggren et a. (1985), Deino et al. (1990), ‘McDougall et al. (1984), and Cande and Kent (1992), to constrain the posible correlation of the Honda Group smagnetostratigraphy (figs. 3.23.4). Within he limitations imposed by the radioisotope dates, there ace only three reasonable alternative correlations to the magnetic polar~ ity time scale, as illustrated inthe bivariate plots of fgures 32-34, All other possible correlations would violate constraints imposed by the radioisotopic ages because correla~ tion to older magnetic polarity chrons would make all available dates younger than asociated magnetic polarity Jneervals (even though the dates must be contemporancous ‘with, orolder than, the horizons they date) and correlation to younger magnetic polarity chrons would make polarity ‘event in the Honda Group younger than the two dated horizons within the overlying Neiva and Gigante formations. Figures 3.2-3.4 each show correlations ofthe Honda Group magnetostratigriphy to two “end-member” magnetic polarity time scales (McDougall etal 1984; Berggren tal, 1985). These two time scales differ by about 7%in the ‘numerical ages asigned o the same polarity chrons (Berg ren et al. [1985] estimate about 7% younger than McDougal etal. [1984] estimate), and the ewo other comparative time scales provide intermediate estimates. These 33 mete hid cK FFigoe 3.2, Coreaion | for Hon Group magetonaigraphy: (CSA In-CSADn (terminology of Cande and Kent 1992). Correlation of Honds Group magnewourasgphy (lanty ius NIAN6, veal sx) and adiosouopic dats (led cine wih err ba) youngst (Berggren et ab. 1985; BKFF; weg) and older (McDougal etal. 1984; MD eal, suse) “end-member” time cal (hoz a) (Carrelition so the Deno etl. (1999; DMD) or Cande and Keat (1992; C 6K) sme sale would be slat, ba emporlyberween, {he eo “end- member” sae, correlations assume there are no major hiaruses, and assoc ated nonpreservation of a polarity chron, in the section. “The radioisoropic dates from the Honda Group and overly ing Neiva and Gigante formations constrain the entire Honda Group to be deposited in les than 4 million years (approximately 10-14 Ma) and, most likely, in less chan 1.52.0 million years (approximately 12.2-13.8 Ma). based ‘onthe Honda Group dates lone. Given the extremely high sedimentation rates implied by deposition of bout 1,000 m ‘of section in les than 1.5-2.0 millon years itis very likely that all Miocene polarity events would be representedin the section. This is supported by evidence that major hiaruses probably are not present within the Honda Group, even at the boundaries between major lithologic units. For in- stance, the La Victoria Formation/Villavieja Formation, boundary lies within asingle normal polarity interval (N2), suggesting no major depositional hiatus. These correlations also assume that all polarity events preserved in the Honda4 GEOCHRONOLOGY OF THE HONDA GROUP Zo oe SC COC . m2 eect pw sett fii —cax Figure 3.3. Cormiaion 2, or prefered correltion for Honda Grosp ignetonzaigzapy: C5An. 12 CSABa (erminology of Cand ard Kent 199), Se eaption co gore 3. fr deinons and ericson Group section represent true polarity chrons rather than possible short-term polarity eeversals (les than 30,000 years duration) or intensity fluctuations hypothesized from some sea floor magnetic anomaly profiles (“tiny wiggles” of La- Breeque et al. 1977). This assumption is supported by the lack of any hypothesized “tiny wiggles” in the middle Miocene (approximately 10.8~17.8 Ma; Cande and Kent 1992). ‘The three possible Honda Group correlations each span. approximately 1~2 million years. Using the polarity chron terminology of Cande and Kent (1992), the magnetostratigraphic correlations ate Correlation 1: Chrons C5An.1n-CSADn Correlation 2: Chrons CSAn.1n—CSABn Correlation 3: Chrons C5t.1n-C3Ar.2n ‘Of these three, Correlation 2 (fig. 3.3) clearly isthe most reasonable correlation of the Honda Group to the magnetic polarity time seale of Berggren etal, (1985), as well as the “intermediate” age time scales of Cande and Kent (1992) ‘and Deino et al. (1990). This correlation implies ages for the Honda Group strata chat are younger than all the avail- Figure 34, Correlation 3 for Hoods Group magnerosuaberphy: (Coe tn-CSAr2a erminlogy of Cande and Kent 1992). Se caption to figure 3.2 fr definitions and csicaons. able radioisotope date constraints, excepe that the bound ary between the La Victoria and Villavigia formations is slightly too old for the 12.51 Ma horizon mean date (weighted mean of hornblende: 12.49 £ 0.11 Ma; of pl gioclase: 12.65 + 0.26 Ma). In Correlation 2 there is slowing in the sedimentation rate in the Vilavieja Forma tion as we would predict from sedimentologic differences beeween the Villavieja and La Victoria formations (se aso chap. 2) Ifwe estimate “instantaneous” sedimentation rates {for individual polarity unis, che rate during polarity interval N2 was two to three times higher than during the immediately preceding and following polarity intervals, suggesting a speed-up in sedimentation rate across the Vil- lavieja/La Victoria formation boundary. Such an increase might be predicted by the presence of the Cerbatana Con- glomerate Beds, the only braided stream deposit within the otherwise meandering stream sedimentary regime of the Honda Group. Within the Villavieja Formation, there also appears to be an exceptionally low relative rate of sedimentation during Re (although this docs fall within a red bed interval. Reasonable tests ofthe validity of Correlation 2 would be provided by additional dates from within ehe upper Vil-JOHN J, FLYNN, JAVIER GUERRERO, AND CARL C. SWISHER Ht lavieja Formation (dificult because of the pauctty of large, fesh pumices within this dominantly Gne-clastic interval) If Correlation 2 is correct, there is probably a short (about 1 -million-yeat) hiatus between the Honda Group and the Neiva Formation. A long normal polarity interval (Chron C5n.2n) should begin at the base, or within the lower part, of the Neiva Formation, Fach of the other two alternative correlations has serious deficiencies. Correlation 1 (fg. 3.2) seems highly unlikely. "The ages calculated for horizons throughout the Honda Group are all signficandy older than the available radi- isotopic date constrains, contrary to expectations. This is true for comparisons to all of the four standard magnetic polarity time scales although, of course, it is most serious for the okdest “end-member” (McDougall etal. 1984) scale in which the correlation suggests horizon ages about 1.3+2.0 million yeats older than the associated dates, Even. the youngest “end-member” scale (Berggren etal. 1985) js seriously contradicted because the predicted horizon ages are about 0.41.0 million years older than associated ates Correlation 3 (fig. 3.4) is more reasonable than Correla~ tion 1 (Bg, 3.2) in that the horizon ages all (except for the 412.51 Ma and 13.34 Ma dates reacve to the McDougall al. 1984 scale) are younger than the associated radioisotopic dates. These horizon ages, however, are up to 1.7 million, years younger than the associated dates (using Berggren et 21. 1985), implying reworking from much older sources in ‘a manner in which all ofthe horizons consistently are 1.0- 1.7 million years younger than the associated dates. This scems unlikely, given the relatively large and fresh pumice ‘clas that were dated from these horizons and the difficury in envisioning a mechanism for recording uniformly offset ‘dates throughout the section. In addition, “instantaneous” sedimentation rates for individual polarity intervals vary ramatically and unpredictably (not correlated with lithology: see extreme slope changes between adjacent polarity intervals, Bg. 3.4). For example, rates range over more than. 2 orders of magnitude within the entire Honda Group, between the La Victoria and Villavieja formation averages, within che generally “low-energy” fine clastic deposits of the Vilavieja Formation (vary up to 1-2 orders of magni ‘uide), and even between adjacent polarity intervals. Sedi~ ‘mentation rates appear unusually high for polarity intervals 35 NS and N6 within the red bed sequence of the upper Villavieja Formation. Discussion Chronostratigraphy and Geochronclogy One of the most exciting results of our geachronologic seady isthe fst detaled and precive chronostratigraphic ‘correlation for the entire Honda Group in the study area, “This correlation permis us to establish thatthe La Venta fauna spans the interval ofa least 12.2-13.8 Ma (based on. dates alone) or 11.6-13.5 Ma (based on magnetostratigraphic correlations); the biochronologic duration of this fauna may have been longer, but there are no older strata exposed, the uppermost 200 m of the Honda Group is poorly fosiliferous in this area (a single edentate skull, not age diagnostic is known fiom the top ofthe section), and the overlying Neiva Formation is unfosiliferous. This age forthe eropical La Venta fauna indicates thatitis temporally correlative with atleast some faunas that have been assigned tothe “Frisian” (hisand other ages sometimes considered coeval or as subdivisions, referred to below in quotes, ate ‘currently under revision; aso see chap. 30) and Chasicoan Land Mammal Ages in temperate latitude Patagonia, although there islimited faunal similarity between these contemporaneous faunas. Contrary to some previous sugges tions iti clear thatthe La Venta fauna is not coeval with, Santacrucian Land Mammal Age faunas from higher lati tudes but instead is up to 4-6 million years younger than the Santacrucian. Defore our work on the Honds Croup at La Venta, the only available geochronologic information consisted of fission-track dates on three horizons near the middle of che Honda Group (neat the base of the Villavieja Formation; ‘Takernura and Danhara 1986) and paleomagnedic information (Hayashida 1984) on a very shor stratigraphic interval (65-90 m; less than. 10% of the thickness of the Honda Group section we analyzed) bracketing the fision-tack horizons. ‘The magnetic polarity suatigraphy condicted ‘mainly of a normal polarity interval overlain by 2 shorter reversed polarity interval. This pattern originally (Hay- ashida 1984) was correlated to cither part of Chrons CSAC-CSAD (“Epoch 15"), based on assumed correla.36 GEOCHRONOLOGY OF THE HONDA GROUP tion berween the La Venta fatima and “Friasan”” f2unas ‘dated at about 14-15 Ma (Marshall etal. 1977), oF Chron CSN (“Epoch 9," the Tongest Miocene normal polarity chron), assuming their “thick” normal represented a long time and correlation to Chron C5N (Lowrie and Alvarez 41981) was not contradicted by the approximately 8 Ma dates from the upper pat (Gigante Formation) ofthe overlying Mesa Group (no dates were then availble fom the Neiva Formation). ‘Takemura and Danhara (1986) reported three Sssion- track dates (15.7 + 1.1 Ma, believed o represent the “lower red bed” of Fields [1959], bat now [see Guerrero 1990] known to be correlative with the sirtigraphically lower Ferruginous Sands with a recalculated age of 13.00 + 0.88 ‘Ma; 14.6 + 1.1 Ma from the “Unit below Fish Bed”; and. 16.1 £ 0.9 Ma from near the “Monkey Uni") from the upper Honda Group. They conchided that the magnetostratigraphy of Hayashida (1984) was best correlated to partof Chrons CSAC-CSAD (“Epoch 15”) and “Frisian” faunas fom the Argentine Collén Curd Formation (14.0 15.4 Ma; Marshall et al. 1977), Interestingly, Hayashida (1984, 82) previously noted that in samples ftom the red beds of the upper Honda Group “unforcunately, zircon crystals extracted from the bentonite samples had scuffed surfaces, which are characteristics of reworked material Consequently, fission-track dating of these samples was abandoned.” ‘Taken at face value, those results (Hayashids 1984; Take- ‘mura and Danhara 1986) indicated an approximate cem- poral correlation of the “La Venta fauna” with clasic San~ tecrucian or earliest “Friasian” (“Colloncurense”) faunas from Argentina, rather than middle ot late “Frisian” (*Friasense,” “Mayoense") faunas as suggested by many previous workers (Hirschfeld and Marshall 1976; and time scales in Marshall, Drake, et al. 1986, and in Marshall, Cifeli,ec al. 1986). ‘After our first feld season of geochronologic work, we collected and 40Ar/3%Ar dated pumice samples from the ‘upper Honda Group and the overiying Neiva and Gigante formations, Those results (Flynn et al. 1989) constrained the age of the Honda Group to be older than about 10 Ma, based on preliminary *°Ar/2%Ar dates of 12.7 Ma from the ‘San Francisco Sandstone (upper Villavcja Formation), 10.1 ‘Ma from low in the Neiva Formation, and 8.4 Ma from the base of the overlying Gigante Formation. The dates from the Neiva and Gigante formations are derived ftom large and very fresh pumice clasts that are unlikely to have been reworked or transported very far from the source, suggesting contemporaneity between volcanic source eruption/ pumice age and the horizons in which the pumices are preserved. The dates forthe Neiva and Gigante formations are likely co date accurately che horizonc in which the pumice is preserved. ‘Consideration of those preliminary #°Ar/2*Ar dates and thefission-track dates from the middle of the Honda Group suggested that sedimentation rates might have been relatively consent across the entire Honda and Mesa Groups, and thatthe fosilferous Honda Group (containing the “La Venta fauna”) might span a temporal interval as long 28 10 rrlion years. Such a lengthy sime span for the Honda Group, equivalent tothe time represented by atleast three to fourland mammal agesin southern South America, with linde change in the La Venta fauna (assignable to 2 single land mammal age) would have profound implications for concepts of rates of evolution in the tropics, biogeography and faunal interchange, and biochronologie correlation. ‘There were, however, no #°Ar/29Ar dates from the lower ‘two-thirds of the Honda Group, and it was impossible to force a preliminary magnetostratigraphy (Flynn et al. 1989) to ftsuch a lengthy time span because there was no reasonable correlation ofthe relatively small number of magnetic polarity intervals present in the Honda Group to any se~ quence of polarity intervals spanning 10 milion yeas ofthe ‘Miocene. These points emphasize the dangers inherent in “overinterpreting” preliminary geochronologic data, short rmagnetostratigraphies, studies with only one or 2 small number of dates not broadly spaced over the stratigraphic interval of interes, or dates in which itis difficult deter- ‘mine contamination by older grains or nonclosed system behavior of the dated minerals “Wenow have three addtional ®Ar/2%Ar dates, one from the middle Honda Group and two from near the base ofthe Honda Group. Reanalysis (Guerrero 1990, 1993) of the fission-track data of Takemura and Danhara (1986) showed thatthe grains analyzed in that study were derived from at least two different source populations, indicating detrital ‘contamination of the samples (as suggested by Hayashida 1984 for samples from the section [“LV13"] that producedJOHN J. FLYNN, JAVIER GUERRERO, AND CARL C. SWISHER 111 cone of the three samples we dated) and a resukant anoma- lously old age for both of the fission-track dates. The section sampled by Hayashida (1984) and Takemura and Danhara (1986) aso is fault repeated, miscorrelated, and actually is quite thin, probably representing only 50-70 m of the almost 1,250-m-thick Honda Group. Graphic pre- sentation (Gigs. 3.1-3.4) ofall the available 4°Ar/2Ar ages, versus stratigraphic postion show clearly that the Honda Group was depusited over a very shoct temporal interval of| probably less than 2 million years. Additionally, it is clear (Ggs. 32-34) that sedimentation rates were not constant throughout the entire Honda Group-Neiva Formation Gigante Formation sequence. Rather, there were significant changes in sedimentation rate within the Honda Group. Near the Honda Group/Neiva Formation contact, is either another sediment accumulation rate change (Bg. 34) on, more likely, an unconformity berween the upper Honda Group and the Mesa Group (figs. 3.2, 3.3). ‘These conclusions, basedon the radiosotopic data alone, are supported and enhanced by the paleomagnetic data (Gited previously) and sedimentology (chap. 2). Within the Honda Group, sedimentologic evidence (chap. 2) from paleosols (abundance, maturity, mineral alteration, et lithology and grain sie; sedimentary structures; and channel geometry, lithology, and abundance indicate that the La Victoria Formation was deposited much faster than the Villavicja Formation. Further, the maturity and abundance of paleosols (and concurrent reduction in size and abundance of meandering channels) suggest especialy slow sedimentation rates in the red beds of the Cerro Colorado Member of the Villavieja Formation. Only the coarse- pebble Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds, which cap the La Victoria Formation, represented braided stream deposi- sion. Lateral continuity of this unit throughout the entre basin suggestsa shore phase of rapid tectonic change during upland voleanism of the source area in the Central Cor- dllera (chap. 2), Sediment Accumulation Rate Using our preferred Correlation 2 (fig. 3:3). we estimate the temporal durations of the La Victoria Formation and Villavija Formation at about 0.6 million years and 1.3 aillion years, respectively, Our preferred correlation (in 37 factany ofthe three possibilities) indicates that the sediment accumulation rates were about three times faster in the La Victoria Formation than in the Villavija Formation, implying major change in the depositional regimes in the La Venta area somewhere near the time of the La Vic- toria/Villavieja Formation boundary. The relationship between regional and global climatic, tectonic, and sedimentary regime influences and the observed changes in sediment accumulation rates ac being explored by ws. The smujor change in sediment accumulation rates is consistent with the sedimentological evidence and depositional system interpretations presented by Guerrero (chap, 2). ‘When the available magnetic polarity data presented hhere are evaluated in comparison to the sedimentologic data, we draw the following conclusions about sedimentation rates and patterns, Firs, sedimentologic data indicate that the Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds, at the top ofthe La ‘Victoria Formation, represent the only episode of high- ‘grdient, extremely rapid, braided-channel deposition ‘within the Honda Group. Sedimentation in the remainder ‘ofthe underlying La Victoria Formation represents slower, meandering-channel deposition, whereas the overlying Villavija Formation represents the slowest deposition within the sequence. The paleomagnetic data show a long. normal polarity interval (N2) spanning the upper La Vie~ toria Formation (including its capping Cerbatana Con- slomerate Beds) through lower Villavieja Formation, making it impossible to use paleomagnetic information to constrain variations in sedimentation rate across this hypothesized short pulse of very rapid sedimentation. Com- parison of inferred sedimentation eates indicates, however, that sedimentation was significandy more rapid during the norm polarity interval (N7} than during the intervals i= mediately preceding (R1) and postdating (R2) it, in agree- iment with the sedimentologic data from the Cerbatana Conglomerate Beds. In fic, using any of the possible reasonable magnetic polarity correlations discussed previously (Gigs. 3.2-3.4), deposition rate during this interval (N2) was as fasts, or faster than, the rate in any other part ofthe La Victoria Formation and was much faster than during any part of the Villavija Formation. again in agreement with the sedimentologic evidence. Second, the sedimentologic hypothesis of fter sedimentation rate for the La Victoria Formation than for any part of the Villavieja Formation is58 GEOCHRONOLOGY OF THE HONDA GROUP. corroborated by the paleomagnetic information (figs. 3.2 34). ‘Time Scales “The La Venta magnetostratigraphie correlations have some implications for calibration of standard time scales, which ifr by up vo 7% in ages assigned to Miocene pi chvons, cis noteworthy that our preferred Correlation 2 and Correlation 1 (and, posibly, Correlation 3), and asociated radioisotopic date information, are incompatible with the polarity ages assigned in the McDougall etal. (1984) time sale. There has been debate over the validity of that time seale and its calibration dates (¢,, Tauxe etal. 1985; Deino et al. 1990), and our data suggest thatthe numerical ages signed to Miocene polarity chrons by McDougal et 21. (1984) indeed are too old. Our data currently are not suiciendy resolved, however, to decisively esolve which ofthe remaining three time sales (Berggren et al. 1985; Deino etal. 1990; Cande and Kent 1992) provides the best numerical age estimates for Miocene polarity chrons. Biostratigraphy and Biochronology ‘Our paleomagnetic and geochronologic results have signif- ‘cant implications for interpreting the biostratigraphy of the La Venta sequence. ‘The La Victoria Formation cleatly spans very litle time and represents 2 consistent depositional paleoenvironment. ‘We would not expect temporally significant ot environ- ‘mentally driven changes in the fauna nor major evolution ary changes within individual lineages. Lineages with smirked ernsformations within the La Victoria Formation _must have been evolving extremely rapidly in situ or had an indux of representatives with significantly different mor- phologies from other aress. The La Victoria/Villavieja For- ‘ution boundary almost certainly does not represent a ma~ jor depositional or erosional hiatus, based on the close concordance of radioisotopic ages above and below the ‘boundary, and indications of continuous, rapid rates of sediment accumulation across the boundary. The Cerbatana ‘Conglomerate Beds mark a short pu of very high-energy, bnided stream deposition within a continuous series of somewhat lower energy deposits dominated by meandering stream systems, without any asociated marked temporal gap. Similarly, the overlying Monkey Beds—Fish Bed interval (atthe base ofthe Villaveja Formation} falls with= in the same interval of rapid sediment accumalation and. normal magnetic polarity as the upper La Victoria Far- ‘mation, implying continuity of sedimentation across this centie interval. The lack of evidence for any significant depositional hiatus sandsin contrast to the biostatigraphic evidence from the Monkey Beds~Fish Bed interval, which suggests some faunal change in the Villavieja Formation relative to the older units (ce composite biowratigreph- ic chart; igs. 29.1, 29.5). Although absolute sediment accumulation rates remained very high throsghout the entire La Victoria and Villavieja formations, there are dramatic absolute and reltive sedimentation rate and lithologic changes beginning in the lower Villvieja For- mation (Monkey Beds-Fish Bed interval). These lithologic differences indicate significant paleoenvironmental changes, probably to more humid, higher rainfil, less seasonal, riparian and flood-plain environments. Therefore, the faunal changes beginning across the La Victona/ Villavija formation boundary may be the resultof regional tectonic limate/ environmental changes, and possibly bio~ seratigraphic sampling of different facies/pakoenviron- iments (creating taxonomic biases because of different taxic ‘environmental distributions), rather than to any dramatic faunal turnover resulting from extinction immigration/ ‘temporal differences. CONCLUSIONS ‘This study presents a detailed paleomagnetic stratigraphy (more than 210 sites) and associated single-crystal laser fu- sion #°Ar/29Ar dates (6 horizons) for more than 1,000:m of the Honda Group in the La Venta area, Magdilena River valley, Colombia. Additional dates were determined for the overlying Neiva and Gigante formations. Datesalone indicate that the La Venta fauna and sampled Honds Group ‘strata certainly are younger than 13.8 Ma and older than 10 ‘Ma, Our dating and the most reasonable correlition of the ‘magnetostratigraphy indicates that the Honda Group spans approximately 1.8-2.0 million years (about 11.6~13.5 Ma)JOHN J. FLYNN, JAVIER GUERRERO, AND CARL C. SWISHER IIL 1.5 times slongas the carapace), and the fingers have a large gap between them. This last type of cheliped was not observed among the fosil material. BIOGEOGRAPHY At present, Spliocarinus pinformis is found up to 350m above sea level in three disjunct areas (Bg. 4.2): the Mar acaibo Depression, where it inhabits almost all river basins. ‘This depression is separated from the Magdalena Basin by the Cordillera Oriental and the Sierra de Peri. On the castern side this depression is closed by the Sierra de Merida and the high mountains that end on the Falcén coastal plain, The records on the Falcén coastal plain and the Rio ‘Tocuyo basin are probably extensions ofthis general area It fs ako found in the Rio Cesar valley and the small iver basins draining the Sierra de Santa Mara and the upper ‘Magdalena valley at several localities between Puerto Boy- acé (Boyacé Department) and the Rio Gualanday (Tolima Department) (Von Prabl 1982; Rodriguez 1992). The fossil records described here come from about 200 km upriver fom the Rio Gualandzy. The species has notbeen recorded. fiom the middle and lower Magdalena valley except for 2 problematic record at La Regla, an undetermined locality, presumably in Bolivar Department (type locality of Valdivia tomes! Pretamann 1968, a synonym of V. piriform). ‘The characteristic disjunct pattern of distribution in three areas suggests 2 relict distribution interrupted as a66 = TRICHODACTYLID CRABS Figure 4.2. Fosiland Recenr dscbutionof |e ‘Sybian pis Abbrevios: 2, ier Sie, Sant, © eam, arconss result of paleogeographic changes. Regarding the Cesar ‘Sierra de Santa Marta area, the similarity ofthe fish fauna of the Maracaibo and Cesar basins (Dahl 1971) indicates a close relaticnship berween the two areas. Occupancy of the ‘Cesar~Sierra de Santa Marta area by freshwater organisms, however, must be a relatively recent event because marine ‘conditions prevailed in the lower Magdalena from mid- ‘Miocene tc Pliocene times (Harrington 1962), and, conse- ‘quently, che crab populations from the Cesar—Santa Marta ‘basins probably are extensions of the populations of the Maracaibo Depression. Reganding the Magdalena valley, ‘Wellmann (1970) and Guerrero (chap. 2) have shown, by the study of paleocurrents during deposition of Miocene sediments, that the rivers owed tothe eastin the lower and ‘middle reaches of this valley. The presence of the species in| the Magdalena valley in the middle Miocene reinforces the posibilty of continuous distribution of the species in the ‘upper Magdalena and the Maracaibo basin at this time.5 Freshwater Fishes and Their RESUMEN Las extensas aguas dulces de América del Sur sostienen en. Inactualidad Ia mis ica fauna de poces sobrela Tierra. Una ‘comprensién cabal de Ia evolucin de esta fauna ha sido imposible debido sla naturslera del archivo fall. La abus dancia de especkmenes de peces del Grupo Honda, la may- ‘ria huetos y dientes desarticulados pero también algunos crineos y mandibulas, srven para aumentar el nimero de taxa reconocidos para el Nedgeno. La fauna de La Venta barca el conjunto mis diverso de peces de agua dulce que se conoce en América del Sur. Hasta ahora, solamente cinco especies habian sido descritas para Ia fauna. En este estudio, dieciocho peces distintos son identificados y
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