Pisco Basin

Summary

Pisco Basin (Spanish: Cuenca de Pisco) is a sedimentary basin extending over 300 kilometres (190 mi) in southwestern Peru.[1] The basin has a 2 kilometres (6,600 ft) thick sedimentary fill, which is about half the thickness of more northern foreland basins in Peru.[2]

Pisco Basin
Cuenca de Pisco
Map showing the location of Pisco Basin
Map showing the location of Pisco Basin
Coordinates14°15′S 76°0′W / 14.250°S 76.000°W / -14.250; -76.000
EtymologyCity of Pisco, Peru
LocationWestern South America
Country Peru
State(s)Ica Region
CitiesPisco
Characteristics
On/OffshoreBoth
Part ofCircum-Pacific forearc basins
Area300 km (190 mi)
Hydrology
Sea(s)Eastern Pacific Ocean
River(s)Pisco River
Geology
Basin typeForearc basin
OrogenyAndean
AgeEocenePliocene
StratigraphyStratigraphy

The oldest known sediments are the Eocene sandstones of the Caballas Formation, while the youngest deposits, the fossiliferous Pisco Formation, date to the Early Pleistocene.[2][note 1] In relation to present-day, topography the fill of Pisco Basin makes the upper part of the Coastal Cordillera of southern Peru, the coastal plains, the Ica-Nazca Depression and the Andean foothills.[3]

The basin is renowned for hosting various highly fossiliferous stratigraphic units; the Pisco Formation has provided a wealth of marine mammals (including sloths), birds, fish and other groups, as have the Chilcatay, Otuma and Paracas Formations.

Stratigraphy edit

Stratigraphy of Pisco Basin[note 2]
Age[2][5] SALMA[note 3] Units[2][5] Environment[2][5] Lithology[2][5][6]
Pleistocene Uquian Pisco Lagoonal to near-shore Bioclastic conglomerate, sandstone
Middle Miocene Colloncuran
Early Miocene Colhuehuapian Chilcatay Marine Siltstone, sandstone
Late Oligocene Deseadan
Early Oligocene
Late Eocene
Tinguirirican
Divisaderan
Otuma Marine embayment Bioclastic sandstone, sandstone, silty sandstone, mudstone, dolomitic sediment
Late Eocene Divisaderan Paracas Yumaque Mudrock, phosphatic shale, diatomite, porcellanite, chert
Late Eocene Mustersan Los Choros Inner shelf, shoreface, intertidal Bioclastic conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, mudrock
Eocene Casamayoran Caballas Fluvial Sandstone, tuff, coal

Tectonic and sedimentary evolution edit

The basin developed in a setting of extensional tectonics from Eocene to the Late Miocene with short-lived episode of basin inversion in the Middle Miocene.[7] Late Pliocene and Pleistocene uplift of the basin may be consequence of the subduction of Nazca Ridge.[2][8]

Sedimentary strata of the basin shows evidence for a series of marine transgressions during the last 50 million years.[9] These marine transgressions occurred in a sequence 41-34 Ma, 31-28 Ma, 25-16 Ma, 15-11 Ma, 10-5 Ma, and 4-2 Ma.[9] The end of most of the marine transgressions is thought to be associated either with global sea level falls or compressional events in the Andes.[9]

Oligo-Miocene transgression edit

The marine Oligo-Miocene (25–16 Ma[9]) marine transgression is evidenced by a series of sedimentary strata containing fossils of marine diatoms, Peruchilus snails and Pitar and Cucullaea clams.[10] Oligo-Miocene marine environments in the Pisco Basin range from littoral to shelf.[10] Moquegua Basin southeast of Pisco Basin appear to have been unaffected by the transgression.[10]

Within the Andean margin contemporary marine transgressions are also known from southern Chile, Patagonia and Colombia.[10] As such the marine transgression is thought to represent a regional phenomenon with the steadily rising central Andes being an exception.[10]

Paleontology edit

Pisco Formation edit

Chilcatay Formation edit

Group Fossils Notes
Mammals Chilcacetus cavirhinus, Huaridelphis raimondii, Incacetus broggii, Inticetus vertizi, Macrosqualodelphis ukupachai, Notocetus vanbenedeni, cf. Kentriodon sp., Cetotheriidae indet., Eurhinodelphinidae indet., Mysticeti indet., Odontoceti indet., Pinnipedia indet., Physeteroidea indet., Squalodelphinidae indet.
Birds Palaeospheniscus sp.
Reptiles Testudines indet.
Fish Carcharhinus cf. brachurus, Carcharodon hastalis, Carcharodon subauriculatus, Hemipristis cf. serra, Isurus desori

Otuma Formation edit

Group Fossils Notes
Mammals Cynthiacetus peruvianus, Basilosauridae indet.
Birds Icadyptes salasi, Inkayacu paracasensis, Spheniscidae indet.
Fish Engraulis sp., Sardinops sp.

Paracas Formation edit

Group Fossils Notes
Mammals Ocucajea picklingi, Supayacetus muizoni, Basilosauridae indet., Mystacodon selenensis, Peregocetus pacificus, Perucetus colossus
Birds Perudyptes devriesi
Fish Pristis sp., Myliobatis sp., Clupeiformes sp.

See also edit

Notes and references edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ later publications give a younger top date
  2. ^ Based on "DeVries (1998) as presented by León et al. (2007)"[4]
  3. ^ See SALMA Bibliography for sources

References edit

  1. ^ Solís Mundaca, 2018, p.1
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Dunbar et al., 1990
  3. ^ León et al. 2007, p. 7.
  4. ^ León et al. 2007, p. 44.
  5. ^ a b c d DeVries et al., 2017
  6. ^ León et al. 2007, p. 45.
  7. ^ León et al. 2007, p. 146.
  8. ^ León et al. 2007, p. 145.
  9. ^ a b c d DeVries, 1998
  10. ^ a b c d e Macharé et al., 1988
  11. ^ a b Ullujaya at Fossilworks.org
  12. ^ Ullujaya 2 at Fossilworks.org
  13. ^ a b Santa Rosa at Fossilworks.org
  14. ^ a b Zamaca at Fossilworks.org
  15. ^ Cerro Buque M2 at Fossilworks.org
  16. ^ Cerro Buque M8 at Fossilworks.org
  17. ^ Paracas Bay at Fossilworks.org
  18. ^ Archaeocete Valley, Otuma, AV-10 at Fossilworks.org
  19. ^ Ullujaya Valley at Fossilworks.org
  20. ^ Bajada del Diablo at Fossilworks.org
  21. ^ a b Paracas Reserve at Fossilworks.org
  22. ^ Archaeocete Valley at Fossilworks.org
  23. ^ Archaeocete Valley, Paracas, AV-17 at Fossilworks.org
  24. ^ Archaeocete Valley, Paracas, AV-19 at Fossilworks.org
  25. ^ a b Lambert et al., 2017
  26. ^ Lambert, Olivier; Bianucci, Giovanni; Salas-Gismondi, Rodolfo; Di Celma, Claudio; Steurbaut, Etienne; Urbina, Mario; de Muizon, Christian (2019). "An Amphibious Whale from the Middle Eocene of Peru Reveals Early South Pacific Dispersal of Quadrupedal Cetaceans". Current Biology. 29 (8): 1352–1359.e3. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.050. hdl:11581/425570. ISSN 0960-9822.
  27. ^ Bianucci, Giovanni; Lambert, Olivier; Urbina, Mario; Merella, Marco; Collareta, Alberto; Bennion, Rebecca; Salas-Gismondi, Rodolfo; Benites-Palomino, Aldo; Post, Klaas; de Muizon, Christian; Bosio, Giulia; Di Celma, Claudio; Malinverno, Elisa; Pierantoni, Pietro Paolo; Villa, Igor Maria (2023-08-02). "A heavyweight early whale pushes the boundaries of vertebrate morphology". Nature: 1–6. doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06381-1. ISSN 1476-4687.
  28. ^ Quebrada Perdida at Fossilworks.org
  29. ^ Collareta, Alberto; Tejada-Medina, Luz; Chacaltana-Budiel, César; Landini, Walter; Altamirano-Sierra, Alí; Urbina-Schmitt, Mario; Bianucci, Giovanni (2020-03-17). "A rhinopristiform sawfish (genus Pristis) from the middle Eocene (Lutetian) of southern Peru and its regional implications". Carnets Geol. 20 (05): 91. doi:10.4267/2042/70759. hdl:20.500.12544/2621. ISSN 1634-0744.

Bibliography edit

Stratigraphy
  • DeVries, Thomas J.; Mario Urbina, and Nathan A. Jud. 2017. The Eocene-Oligocene Otuma Depositional Sequence (East Pisco Basin, Peru): Paleogeographic and Paleoceanographic Implications of New Data. Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica del Perú 112. 014–038. Accessed 2020-03-09.
  • Dunbar, Robert B.; Richard C. Marty, and Paul A. Baker. 1990. Cenozoic marine sedimentation in the Sechura and Pisco basins, Peru. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 77(3–4). 235–261. Accessed 2020-03-09.

Geology publications edit

  • León, Walter; Antenor Aleman; Walter Rosell; Víctor Torres, and Orlando de la Cruz. 2007. Estratigrafía, sedimentología y evolucón tectónica de la cuenca Pisco Oriental, 1. 27; Estudios Regionales, Serie D. Accessed 2020-03-09.
  • Devries, T.J.. 1998. Oligocene deposition and Cenozoic sequence boundaries in the Pisco Basin (Peru). Journal of South American Earth Sciences 11(3). 217–231. Accessed 2020-03-09.
  • Macharé, José; Thomas Devries; John Barron, and Élisabeth Fourtanier. 1988. Oligo-Miocene transgression along the Pacifie margin of South America: new paleontological and geological evidence from the Pisco basin (Peru). Geódynamique 3(1–2). 25–37. Accessed 2020-03-09.

Paleontology publications edit

  • Solís Mundaca, Flavio Alejandro. 2018. Bioestratigrafía e implicancias paleoceanográficas de las diatomeas de la sección Cerro Caucato, Formación Pisco, Ica, Peru (MSc. thesis), 1–158. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. Accessed 2018-09-10.
  • Lambert, O.; M. Martínez Cáceres; G. Bianucci; C. Di Celma; R. Salas Gismondi; E. Steurbaut; Mario Urbina, and C. de Muizon. 2017. Earliest Mysticete from the Late Eocene of Peru Sheds New Light on the Origin of Baleen Whales. Current Biology 27. 1–7. Accessed 2019-02-04.

Further reading edit

Chilcatay Formation
  • Bianucci, Giovanni; Giulia Bosio; Elisa Malinverno; Christian De Muizon; Igor M. Villa; Mario Urbina, and Olivier Lambert. 2018. A new large squalodelphinid (Cetacea, Odontoceti) from Peru sheds light on the Early Miocene platanistoid disparity and ecology. Royal Society Open Science 5(4). 172302. Accessed 2019-02-11.
  • De la Cruz, Aldo Alván. 2008. Geología de Ocucaje: aportes en la sedimentología y paleontología de Lomas de Ullujaya (Ica, Perú). Revista del Instituto de Investigaciones FIGMMG 11. 51–59. Accessed 2017-08-15.
  • Lambert, Olivier; Christian De Muizon; Elisa Malinverno; Claudio Di Celma; Mario Urbina, and Giovanni Bianucci. 2017. A new odontocete (toothed cetacean) from the Early Miocene of Peru expands the morphological disparity of extinct heterodont dolphins. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 16(12). 981–1016. Accessed 2019-02-12.
  • Lambert, Olivier; Giovanni Bianucci, and Mario Urbina. 2014. Huaridelphis raimondii, a new early Miocene Squalodelphinidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the Chilcatay Formation, Peru. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 34(5). 987–1004. Accessed 2019-02-12.
Paracas Group
  • Clarke, Julia A.; Daniel T. Ksepka; Marcelo Stucchi; Mario Urbina; Norberto Giannini; Sara Bertelli; Yanina Narváez, and Clint A. Boyd. 2007. Paleogene equatorial penguins challenge the proposed relationship between penguin biogeography, body size evolution, and Cenozoic climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104. 11545–11550. Accessed 2017-08-15.
Pisco Formation
  • Altamirano Sierra, Alí J. 2013. Primer registro de pelicano (Aves: Pelecanidae) para el Mioceno tardio de la formacion Pisco, Peru. Bulletin de l'Institut français d'études andines 42. 1–12. Accessed 2017-09-04.
  • Báez Gómez, Diego A. 2006. Estudio paleoambiental de la formación Pisco:: Localidad Ocucaje. Revista del Instituto de Investigaciones FIGMMG 9. 64–69. Accessed 2017-09-04.
  • Bianucci, Giovanni; Claudio Di Celma; Mario Urbina, and Olivier Lambert. 2016. New beaked whales from the late Miocene of Peru and evidence for convergent evolution in stem and crown Ziphiidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti). PeerJ 4. e2479. Accessed 2019-02-12.
  • Brand, Leonard; Mario Urbina; Arthur Chadwick; Thomas J. DeVries, and Raul Esperante. 2011. A high resolution stratigraphic framework for the remarkable fossil cetacean assemblage of the Miocene/Pliocene Pisco Formation, Peru. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 31(4). 414–425. Accessed 2017-10-01.
  • Collareta, Alberto; Olivier Lambert; Christian De Muizon; Mario Urbina, and Giovanni Bianucci. 2017. Koristocetus pescei gen. et sp. nov., a diminutive sperm whale (Cetacea: Odontoceti: Kogiidae) from the late Miocene of Peru. Fossil Record 20(2). 259–278. Accessed 2019-02-12.
  • Lambert, Olivier; Giovanni Bianucci; Mario Urbina, and Jonathan H. Geisler. 2017. A new inioid (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Delphinida) from the Miocene of Peru and the origin of modern dolphin and porpoise families. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 179(4). 919–946. .
  • Marx, Felix G.; Olivier Lambert, and Christian De Muizon. 2017. A new Miocene baleen whale from Peru deciphers the dawn of cetotheriids. Royal Society Open Science 4(9). 170560. Accessed 2019-02-12.
  • Marx, Felix G., and Naoki Kohno. 2016. A new Miocene baleen whale from the Peruvian desert. Royal Society Open Science 3(10). 160542. Accessed 2019-02-12.
  • Poma Porras, Orlando; Edgard Horna Santillán, and Raúl Esperante. 2009. Baleen Fósil (Cetacea: mysticeti) en Sedimentos de la Cuenca Marina del Neógeno en la Formación Pisco, al Sur del Perú. Revista de Investigación Universitaria 1. 84–97. Accessed 2017-09-04.
  • Ramassamy, Benjamin; Olivier Lambert; Alberto Collareta; Mario Urbina, and Giovanni Bianucci. 2018. Description of the skeleton of the fossil beaked whale Messapicetus gregarius: searching potential proxies for deep-diving abilities. Fossil Record 21(1). 11–32. Accessed 2019-02-11.
  • Solís Mundaca, Flavio Alejandro. 2018. Bioestratigrafía e implicancias paleoceanográficas de las diatomeas de la sección Cerro Caucato, Formación Pisco, Ica, Peru (MSc. thesis), 1–158. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. Accessed 2018-09-10.
  • Stucchi, Marcelo; Steven D. Emslie; Rafael M. Varas Malca, and Mario Urbina Schmitt. 2015a. A new late Miocene condor (Aves, Cathartidae) from Peru and the origin of South American condors. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35(5). e972507. Accessed 2019-02-13.
  • Stucchi, Marcelo; Rafael M. Varas Malca, and Mario Urbina Schmitt. 2015b. New Miocene sulid birds from Peru and considerations on their Neogene fossil record in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 61(2). 417–427. Accessed 2019-02-13.
  • Stucchi, M. 2007. Los pingüinos de la Formación Pisco (Neógeno), Perú. 4th European Meeting on the Palaeontology and Stratigraphy of Latin America, Cuadernos del Museo Geominero 8. 367–373. Accessed 2017-09-04.