# Papo Seco Formation

The Papo Seco Formation is a geological formation in Portugal, whose strata date back to the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaur fossils are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

## Name

The unit was previously referred to as the "Gres a Dinosauriens", due to the abundant dinosaur remains found in the past.

## Description

The Papo Seco Formation (Rey, 1992) marks the return to clastic-dominated sedimentation. Exposure of the formation is found above the low cliff between Rochadouro and Areia do Mastro, and on the foreshore and beach at Boca do Chapim. The Papo Seco Formation is dominated by silty mud-mud deposition. This is interbedded with medium to coarse, commonly ribbon shaped, clastic sandstones. Along the exposure, between Rochadouro and Boca do Chapim, the clastic sands are not laterally continuous. The exposure clearly shows that the ribbon sands are isolated and change laterally into muds. Three distinct sand facies have been identified within the Papo Seco Formation.

## Vertebrate paleofauna

Dinosaurs of the Papo Seco Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Notes |
| Dromaeosauridae indet. | Indeterminate | Praia do Areia do Mastro | |
| Iberospinus | I. natarioi | Praia de Aguncheiras | Was once thought to be a specimen of Baryonyx. |
| Suchosaurus | S. girardi | Boca do Chapim | Was considered a species of Baryonyx |
| Titanosauriformes indet. | Indeterminate | Boca do Chapim | Was referred to "Pleurocoelus" valdensis |
| Theropoda indet. | Indeterminate | Boca do Chapim | Including Megalosaurus superbus, now known as Erectopus" |
| Theropoda indet. | Indeterminate | Praia do Areia do Mastro | |
| Ornithopoda | Indeterminate | Boca do Chapim Praia do Areia do Mastro | Previous supposed reports of Mantellisaurus and Iguanodon cannot be substantiated |
| Iguanodontia | Indeterminate | Boca do Chapim Praia do Areia do Mastro | Previous supposed reports of Mantellisaurus and Iguanodon cannot be substantiated |
| cf. Styracosterna | Indeterminate | Boca do Chapim Praia do Areia do Mastro | Previous supposed reports of Mantellisaurus and Iguanodon cannot be substantiated |

## Correlation

Early Cretaceous stratigraphy of Iberia :
| Ma | Age | Paleomap \ Basins | Cantabrian | Olanyà | Cameros | Maestrazgo | Oliete | Galve | Morella | South Iberian | Pre-betic | Lusitanian |
| 100 | Cenomanian | | La Cabana | Sopeira | Utrillas | Utrillas | Mosquerela | | | | | Caranguejeira |
| 100 | Cenomanian | | Altamira | Sopeira | Utrillas | Utrillas | Utrillas | | | | | | | Caranguejeira |
| 100 | Cenomanian | | Eguino | Sopeira | Utrillas | Utrillas | Utrillas | | | | | Caranguejeira |
| 125 | Albian | | Ullaga - Balmaseda | Lluçà | Utrillas | Utrillas | Utrillas | | | Traiguera | | Caranguejeira |
| 125 | Albian | | Monte Grande | Lluçà | Escucha | Escucha | Escucha | | | Jijona | | Caranguejeira |
| 125 | Albian | | Itxina - Miono | Lluçà | Escucha | Escucha | Escucha | | | | | Caranguejeira |
| 125 | Aptian | | Valmaseda - Tellamendi | Lluçà | Ol Gp. - Castrillo | Benassal | Escucha | Benassal | | | | Olhos |
| 125 | Aptian | | Valmaseda - Tellamendi | Font | En Gp. - Leza | Morella/Oliete | Oliete | Villaroya | Morella | Capas Rojas | | Almargem |
| 125 | Aptian | | Patrocinio - Ernaga | Senyús | En Gp. - Jubela | Forcall | Forcall | Forcall | Morella | Villaroya | Upper Bedoulian | Figueira |
| 125 | Barremian | | Vega de Pas | Cabó | Abejar | Xert | Alacón | Xert | Morella | Huérguina | Upper Bedoulian | Assises |
| 125 | Barremian | | Vega de Pas | Prada | Abejar | Artoles | Artoles | Artoles | Morella | Collado | Moutonianum | Papo Seco |
| 125 | Barremian | | Vega de Pas | Rúbies | Tera Gp. - Golmayo | Alacón/Blesa | Blesa | Camarillas | Mirambel | Collado | Moutonianum | Papo Seco |
| 150 | Hauterivian | | Vega de Pas | Rúbies | Ur Gp. - Pinilla | Llacova | Blesa | Castellar | Tera Gp. - Pinilla | Villares | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Hauterivian | | Vega de Pas | Rúbies | Ur Gp. - Pinilla | Llacova | hiatus | Castellar | | Villares | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Hauterivian | | Vega de Pas | Rúbies | Ur Gp. - Pinilla | Huerva | hiatus | Castellar | Gaita | | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Valanginian | | Villaro | Rúbies | Ur Gp. - Larriba | Huerva | hiatus | Castellar | Ped Gp. - Hortigüela | | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Valanginian | | Villaro | Rúbies | Ped Gp. - Hortigüela | Huerva | hiatus | Castellar | Ped Gp. - Piedrahita | | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Valanginian | | Villaro | Rúbies | Peñacoba | Huerva | hiatus | Galve | Ped Gp. - Piedrahita | Miravetes | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Berriasian | | Cab Gp. - Arcera | Rúbies | Valdeprado | hiatus | hiatus | Alfambra | Ped Gp. - Piedrahita | Miravetes | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Berriasian | | Cab Gp. - Arcera | | TdL Gp. - Rupelo | hiatus | hiatus | Arzobispo | hiatus | Tollo | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Berriasian | | Cab Gp. - Arcera | | On Gp. - Huérteles Sierra Matute | hiatus | hiatus | Arzobispo | hiatus | Tollo | | Porto da Calada |
| 150 | Tithonian | | Lastres | | Tera Gp. - Magaña | hiatus | Higuereles | Higuereles | hiatus | Tera Gp. - Magaña | | Lourinhã |
| 150 | Tithonian | | Lastres | | Tera Gp. - Magaña | hiatus | Higuereles | Higuereles | Arzobispo | Tera Gp. - Magaña | | Lourinhã |
| 150 | Tithonian | | Lastres | | Ágreda | hiatus | Higuereles | Higuereles | Arzobispo | Tera Gp. - Magaña | | Lourinhã |
| Legend | Legend | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation | Major fossiliferous, oofossiliferous, ichnofossiliferous, coproliferous, minor formation |
| Sources |||||||||||||