Notes on fossil remains from the Early Cretaceous Lohan Cura Formation, Neuquen Province, Argentina

In this contribution, we describe an association of fossil remains collected in the locality of Cerro de Los Leones, approximately 8 km southwest of the town of Picun Leufu, Neuquen Province, Argentina, from different levels of the Albian Cullin Grande Member, Lohan Cura Formation. The fossils include pelecypodan (Neocorbicula dinosauriorum, Neocorbicula pehuenchensis, and genus indet.) and gastropodan (Physa wichmanni) molluscs, a mesoeucrocodylian, possible pterosaurs, theropods, and sauropods. The sedimentary environment at Cerro de los Leones is characterized by fluvial deposits corresponding to a sandy meandering fluvial system. The most fossiliferous levels (located in the lower part of the exposed sequence) were developed in a distal flood plain and flood basin areas. Sedimentological and paleopedological features suggest semi-arid conditions during the deposition of the Cullin Grande Member. Despite the fragmentary nature of the specimens described here, the new information provided from the Albian assemblages of the Lohan Cura Formation at the Cerro de Los Leones locality provides a broader panorama of the composition of terrestrial faunas during the Early Cretaceous in Patagonia. (c) 2006 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.