# Cucaracha Formation

The Cucaracha Formation (Tca) is a geologic formation in Panama. It preserves vertebrate and plant fossils dating back to the Neogene period; Early to Middle Miocene epochs (Hemingfordian). Fossils of the crocodylian Centenariosuchus, the turtle Rhinoclemmys panamaensis and the artiodactyl Paratoceras have been found in the formation.
The Cucaracha Formation is approximately 125 metres (410 ft) thick, and dated to 19 to 14 Ma.

## Fossil content

| Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon | Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited. |

### Mammals
#### Bats

Bats reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Americanycteris | A. cyrtodon | Centenario Bridge & Hodges Hill | Partial jaw & right premolar | A leaf-nosed bat, first reported as a new "large insectivorous phyllostomine" | |

#### Carnivorans

Carnivorans reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Bassaricyonoides | B. sp. | Gaillard Cut | | A procyonid |
| Daphoenodon | cf. D. sp. | Gaillard Cut | | A bear dog |
| Hemicyonidae indet. | Indeterminate | Gaillard Cut | Radius & ulna fragment | A bear |
| Tomarctus | T. brevirostris | Gaillard Cut | Jaw & teeth | A borophagine dog |

#### Rodents

Rodents reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Nototamias | N. sp. | Gaillard Cut | | A ground squirrel |
| Petauristodon | P. sp. | Gaillard Cut | | A flying squirrel |
| Proheteromys | P. sp. | Gaillard Cut | | A heteromyid |
| Texomys | T. stewarti | Pedro Miguel Lock & Gaillard Cut | Teeth | A jimomyid |

#### Ungulates

Ungulates reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Anchitherium | A. clarencei | Gaillard Cut & Centenario Bridge | Mandible fragment, upper cheek tooth & maxilla | An equid |
| Archaeohippus | A. sp. | Gaillard Cut | Calcaneus & tooth | An equid |
| Cynorca | C. occidentale | Gaillard Cut, Centenario Bridge & Hodges Hill | Jaw elements with teeth | Species reassigned to the genus Tedfordhyus |
| Floridaceras | F. whitei | Gaillard Cut | Jaws, teeth & femur fragment | A rhinoceros |
| Floridatragulus | cf. F. nanus | Gaillard Cut | | A camelid |
| Machaeromeryx | cf. M. sp. | Gaillard Cut | | A moschid |
| Menoceras | M. barbouri | Gaillard Cut | Teeth & limb elements | A rhinoceros |
| Merycochoerus | M. matthewi | Gaillard Cut | Skull elements | An oreodont |
| Parablastomeryx | cf. P. sp. | Gaillard Cut | | A moschid |
| Paratoceras | P. coatesi | Gaillard Cut, Centenario Bridge, Hodges Hill & Cartagena Hill | Skull elements, teeth & limb fragments | A protoceratid, first reported as P. wardi |
| Paratoceras | P. wardi | Gaillard Cut | Skull elements, teeth & limb fragments | Remains reassigned to P. coatesi |
| Tedfordhyus | T. occidentalis | Gaillard Cut, Centenario Bridge & Hodges Hill | Jaw elements with teeth | A peccary, originally named Cynorca occidentale |

### Reptiles
#### Birds

Birds reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Accipitridae indet. | Indeterminate | West side of the Panama Canal | Talon | A large eagle, talon resembles those of the crowned eagle and martial eagle | |

#### Crocodilians

Crocodilians reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Centenariosuchus | C. gilmorei | Hodges Hill | Skull & jaw | A caiman |
| Centenariosuchus | cf. C. gilmorei | Centenario Bridge | Right angular | A caiman |
| Dadagavialis | D. gunai | East margin of the Panama Canal | Partial snout | A gavialid |
| Dadagavialis | cf. D. gunai | Centenario Bridge | Partial mandible | A gavialid |
| Eusuchia indet. | Indeterminate | Panama Canal Zone | Headless skeleton | Osteoderms comparable to those of gavialids such as Gavialosuchus, but crocodilian osteoderms are non-diagnostic |

#### Squamates

Squamates reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Boa | B. cf. B. constrictor | Cartagena Hill & Hodges Hill | Incomplete vertebrae | A boid snake | |

#### Turtles

Turtles reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Podocnemididae indet. | Incertae sedis | Centenario Bridge | Right epiplastron | A side-necked turtle |
| Rhinoclemmys | R. panamaensis | Centenario Bridge | Shell elements | A geoemydid turtle |
| Rhinoclemmys | R. sp. | Centenario Bridge & Culebra Reach | Isolated bones | A geoemydid turtle |
| Staurotypus | S. moschus | Centenario Bridge | Peripheral part of shell | A kinosternid turtle |
| Testudinidae indet. | Incertae sedis | Culebra Reach | Shell & limb elements | A tortoise |
| Trionychidae indet. | Incertae sedis | Centenario Bridge | Right costal | A softshell turtle |

### Plants

Plants reported from the Cucaracha Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Ampelorhiza | A. heteroxylon | Culebra Cut | Roots | A member of Paullinieae |
| Antrocaryon | A. panamaensis | Lirio East | Endocarps | A member of Anacardiaceae |
| Dracontomelon | D. montesii | Lirio East | Endocarps | A member of Anacardiaceae |
| Guazumaoxylon | G. miocenica | Hodges Hill | Wood | A member of Malvaceae, similar to Guazuma |
| Mammea | M. paramericana | Northern Lirio East | Stem | A member of Calophyllaceae |
| Oreomunnea | O. grahamii | Lirio East | Nuts | A member of Juglandaceae |
| Panascleroticoxylon | P. crystallosa | Hodges Hill | Wood | A member of Malpighiales |
| Parinari | P. panamensis | Lirio East, Gold Hill & Empire sites | Endocarps | A member of Chrysobalanaceae |
| Parinarioxylon | P. panamensis | Lirio East | Wood | A member of Chrysobalanaceae |
| Periplanetoxylon | P. panamense | Hodges Hill | Wood | A member of Malvaceae |
| Prioria | P. canalensis | Hodges Hill | Wood | A legume |
| Prioria | P. hodgesii | Hodges Hill | Wood | A legume |
| Rourea | R. blatta | Northern Lirio East site | Wood | A liana belonging to the Connaraceae |
| Spondias | S. rothwellii | Lirio East | Endocarps | A member of Anacardiaceae |