The Cretaceous (Cenomanian) continental record of the Laje do Coringa flagstone (Alcantara Formation), northeastern South America

Medeiros, Manuel Alfredo , Lindoso, Rafael Matos , Mendes, Ighor Dienes , Carvalho, Ismar de Souza

2014-08-01 JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES 2014   53(卷), null(期), (50-58页)

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The fossil taxa of the Cenomanian continental flora and fauna of Sao Luis Basin are observed primarily in the bone bed of the Laje do Coringa, Alcantara Formation. Many of the disarticulated fish and tetrapod skeletal and dental elements are remarkably similar to the chronocorrelate fauna of Northern Africa. In this study, we present a summary of the continental flora and fauna of the Laje do Coringa bone-bed. The record emphasizes the existence of a trans-oceanic typical fauna, at least until the early Cenomanian, which may be interpreted as minor evolutionary changes after a major vicariant event or as a result of a land bridge across the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, thereby allowing interchanges between South America and Africa. The paleoenvironmental conditions in the northern Maranhao State coast during that time were inferred as forested humid areas surrounded by an arid to semi-arid landscape. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.