Pisco Basin

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
AgeEocene–Pliocene
StratigraphyStratigraphy

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]

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]

Main article: Pisco Formation § Fauna

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.
[11][12]
[13][14]
Birds Palaeospheniscus sp.
[14]
Reptiles Testudines indet.
[11]
Fish Carcharhinus cf. brachurus, Carcharodon hastalis, Carcharodon subauriculatus, Hemipristis cf. serra, Isurus desori
[13]
[15][16]

Otuma Formation[edit]

Group Fossils Notes
Mammals Cynthiacetus peruvianus, Basilosauridae indet.
[17][18]
Birds Icadyptes salasi, Inkayacu paracasensis, Spheniscidae indet.
[19][20]
[21]
Fish Engraulis sp., Sardinops sp.
[21]

Paracas Formation[edit]

Group Fossils Notes
Mammals Ocucajea picklingi, Supayacetus muizoni, Basilosauridae indet., Mystacodon selenensis, Peregocetus pacificus, Perucetus colossus
[22][23]
[24][25][26][27]
Birds Perudyptes devriesi
[28]
Fish Pristis sp., Myliobatis sp., Clupeiformes sp.
[29][25]

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

Geology publications[edit]

Paleontology publications[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Chilcatay Formation
Paracas Group
Pisco Formation
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