BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA AND OSTRACODA FROM MIDDLE–UPPER MIOCENE SEQUENCES OF SOUTHERN ECUADOR
Keywords:
Ostracods. Middle–late Miocene. Marine influence. Southern Ecuador.Abstract
The debate regarding a possible marine influence during the middle–late Miocene in the Loja, Malacatos-Vilcabamba and CatamayoGonzanamá Basins (southern Ecuador) continues. To shed light on this controversy, we present a detailed stratigraphic and micropaleontological (benthic foraminifers and ostracods) study of selected sections from these basins. The facies associations, together with the presence of several benthic foraminifer species from marginal marine and open-water environments and ostracod genera resistant to high salinity changes, verify a marine water influence and sporadic marginal marine conditions in this area during certain periods of the middle–late Miocene. Additionally, six new ostracod species are hereby described: Heterocypris ballentae, Cyprideis lojaensis, Cyprideis petersonae, Cyprideis pachamama, Cyprideis tumi and Cyprideis amaru. Resumen. FORAMINÍFEROS BENTÓNICOS Y OSTRÁCODOS DE SECUENCIAS DEL MIOCENO MEDIO Y SUPERIOR DEL SUR DE ECUADOR. La posible influencia marina durante el Mioceno medio–tardío en las Cuencas de Loja, Malacatos-Vilcabamba and Catamayo-Gonzanamá (Sur de Ecuador) aún permanece en debate. Para clarificar esta controversia, en este trabajo realizamos un detallado estudio estratigráfico y micropaleontológico (foraminíferos bentónicos y ostrácodos) de algunas secciones seleccionadas de estas cuencas. Las asociaciones de facies, junto con la presencia de varias especies de foraminíferos bentónicos de ambientes marinos marginales y marinos abiertos, y de géneros de ostrá- codos resistentes a grandes cambios de salinidad, confirman la influencia de agua marina y el desarrollo esporádico de condiciones marinas marginales en esta área durante algunos momentos puntuales del Mioceno medio–tardío. Además, proponemos la definición de seis nuevas especies de ostrácodos: Heterocypris ballentae, Cyprideis lojaensis, Cyprideis petersonae, Cyprideis pachamama, Cyprideis tumi y Cyprideis amaru.Downloads
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