Several studies from the Pisco-Ica desert (Peru), evidenced an extraordinary fossil preservation and concentration, and a fossil record more o less continuous from 48 to 2 Ma. These peculiar conditions permitted the preservation and the discovery of exceptional fossils such as Odobenocetops, Thalassocnus, and Icadyptes. New fossil localities have been discovered, both in the poorly known Chilcathay Formation (late Oligocene-early Miocene) and in those of the well known Pisco Formation (middle Miocene-late Pliocene). In the Pisco Formation, two new localities have been investigated in detail: Cerro Colorado and Cerro los Quesos. At Cerro Colorado (middle Miocene) the skull and mandible of one of the biggest predators of the past have been discovered and described with the name of Livyatan melvillei. In the same area several skulls referred to the new species Messapicetus gregarius have been discovered, together with several hundreds of more o less complete skeletons of other odontocetes, mysticetes, pinnipeds, birds and turtles. At Cerro los Quesos (middle-late Miocene) the partial skeleton of a new ziphiid (Nazcacetus urbinai) have been found and many other odontocete, mysticete and pinniped remains have been identified in the field. The investigations provided data useful not only for the systematic and phylogenetic study of the fossils, but also for the elaboration of palaeoecological and taphonomical models. Key words: Cetaceans, Exploration, Fossils, Palaeontological deposit, Peru.
Esplorazioni e nuove scoperte nel deserto del Perù: i cetacei fossili di Cerro Colorado e Cerro los Quesos
BIANUCCI, GIOVANNI
2011-01-01
Abstract
Several studies from the Pisco-Ica desert (Peru), evidenced an extraordinary fossil preservation and concentration, and a fossil record more o less continuous from 48 to 2 Ma. These peculiar conditions permitted the preservation and the discovery of exceptional fossils such as Odobenocetops, Thalassocnus, and Icadyptes. New fossil localities have been discovered, both in the poorly known Chilcathay Formation (late Oligocene-early Miocene) and in those of the well known Pisco Formation (middle Miocene-late Pliocene). In the Pisco Formation, two new localities have been investigated in detail: Cerro Colorado and Cerro los Quesos. At Cerro Colorado (middle Miocene) the skull and mandible of one of the biggest predators of the past have been discovered and described with the name of Livyatan melvillei. In the same area several skulls referred to the new species Messapicetus gregarius have been discovered, together with several hundreds of more o less complete skeletons of other odontocetes, mysticetes, pinnipeds, birds and turtles. At Cerro los Quesos (middle-late Miocene) the partial skeleton of a new ziphiid (Nazcacetus urbinai) have been found and many other odontocete, mysticete and pinniped remains have been identified in the field. The investigations provided data useful not only for the systematic and phylogenetic study of the fossils, but also for the elaboration of palaeoecological and taphonomical models. Key words: Cetaceans, Exploration, Fossils, Palaeontological deposit, Peru.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
