Cetacean fossils from Ecuador are reported for the first time on the basis of fragmentary remains referred to odontocetes, collected during our investigations of Neogene stratigraphic sequences out-cropping along the northern coast (Esmeraldas Province). One specimen was collected near Las Peñas village in the Lower-Middle Miocene sediments of the Viche Formation and consists of ear bones and mandibular fragments for sure belonging to Ziphiidae. It represents the oldest record of this family in the southeastern Pacific and one of the few records of this family in South America. The other fossil was collected near Rio Verde village in the Upper Miocene sediments of the Angostura Formation and consists of an isolated tooth exhibiting some ziphiid affinities.
First cetacean fossil records from Ecuador, collected from the Mioocene of Esmeraldas Province
BIANUCCI, GIOVANNI;LANDINI, WALTER;RAGAINI, LUCA;
2005-01-01
Abstract
Cetacean fossils from Ecuador are reported for the first time on the basis of fragmentary remains referred to odontocetes, collected during our investigations of Neogene stratigraphic sequences out-cropping along the northern coast (Esmeraldas Province). One specimen was collected near Las Peñas village in the Lower-Middle Miocene sediments of the Viche Formation and consists of ear bones and mandibular fragments for sure belonging to Ziphiidae. It represents the oldest record of this family in the southeastern Pacific and one of the few records of this family in South America. The other fossil was collected near Rio Verde village in the Upper Miocene sediments of the Angostura Formation and consists of an isolated tooth exhibiting some ziphiid affinities.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.