# Laventan

The Laventan (Spanish: Laventense) age is a period of geologic time (13.8 to 11.8 Ma) within the Middle Miocene epoch of the Neogene, used more specifically within the SALMA classification in South America. It follows the Colloncuran and precedes the Mayoan age.

## Etymology

The age is named after the Miocene Lagerstätte La Venta, where a rich biodiversity from the Middle Miocene has been recovered from the Honda Group.

## Formations

| Formation bold is type | Country | Basin |
| Honda Group | Colombia | Upper Magdalena Valley |
| Honda Group | Bolivia | Quebrada Honda Basin |
| Aisol Formation | Argentina | San Rafael Block |
| Bahía Inglesa Formation | Chile | Caldera Basin |
| Capadare Formation | Venezuela | Falcón Basin |
| Choquecota Formation | Bolivia | Altiplano Basin |
| Cura-Mallín Group | Chile | Cura-Mallín Basin |
| Ipururo Formation | Peru | Ucayali Basin |
| Paraná Formation | Argentina | Paraná Basin |
| Pebas Formation | Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru | Amazon Basin |
| Pisco Formation | Peru | Pisco Basin |
| Santa Inés Formation | Venezuela | Eastern Venezuela Basin |
| Sincelejo Formation | Colombia | Sinú-San Jacinto Basin |
| Socorro Formation | Venezuela | Falcón Basin |
| Urumaco Formation | Venezuela | Falcón Basin |

## Fossil content

| Group | Fossils | Formation | Notes |
| Mammals | lesser bulldog bat (Noctilio albiventris), LaVal's disk-winged bat (Thyroptera lavali), Spix's disk-winged bat (Thyroptera tricolor), Acarechimys minutissimus, Anachlysictis gracilis, Anadasypus hondanus, Aotus dindensis, Boreostemma acostae, B. gigantea, Brievabradys laventensis, Cebupithecia sarmientoi, Dukecynus magnus, Eodolichotis elachys, E. maddeni, Glossotheriopsis pascuali, Granastrapotherium snorki, Hilarcotherium castanedaii, Hondadelphys fieldsi, Hondathentes cazador, Huilabradys magdaleniensis, Huilatherium pluriplicatum, Kiotomops lopezi, Lagonimico conclucatus, Lycopsis longirostrus, Megadolodus molariformis, Micodon kiotensis, Micoureus laventicus, Microscleromys cribiphilus, M. paradoxalis, Microsteiromys jacobsi, Miocallicebus villaviejai, Miocochilius anomopodus, Mohanamico hershkovitzi, Mormopterus colombiensis, Nanoastegotherium prostatum, Neoglyptatelus originalis, Neonematherium flabellatum, Neoreomys huilensis, Neotamandua borealis, Notonycteris magdalenensis, N. sucharadeus, Nuciruptor rubricae, Pachybiotherium minor, Palynephyllum antimaster, Patasola magdalenae, Pedrolypeutes praecursor, Pericotoxodon platignathus, Pithiculites chenche, Potamops mascahehenes, Potamosiren magdalenensis, Prodolichotis guerreroi, P. pridiana, Prolicaphrium sanalfolsensis, Prothoatherium colombianus, Pseudoprepotherium confusum, Rhodanodolichotis antepridiana, R. vucetichae, Ricardomys longidens, Saimiri annectens, S. fieldsi, Scleromys colombianus, S. schurmanni, Scirrotherium hondaensis, Stirtonia tatacoensis, S. victoriae, Thylamys colombianus, Thylamys minutus, Thyroptera robusta, Villarroelia totoyoi, Xenastrapotherium kraglievichi, Cochilius sp., Diclidurus sp., Eumops sp., Hapalops sp., Olenopsis sp., Theosodon sp., ?Steiromys sp., Dolichotinae sp., ?Echimyidae sp., Megalonychidae sp., Megatheriinae sp., Nothrotheriinae sp., Dasypodidae sp., Leontiniidae sp., Proterotheriidae indet., Toxodontidae sp. | Honda Group Colombia | [18][19][20] [21][22][23] [24][25][26] [27][28][29] [30][31][32] [33][34][35] [36][37][38] [39][40][41] [42][43][44] [45][46][47] [48][49][50] [51][52][53] [54][55][56] [57][58][59] [60][61][62] [63][64][65] [66][67][68] [69][70][71] [72][73][74] [75][76][77] [78][79][80] |
| Mammals | Acyon myctoderos, Australogale leptognathus, Chimeralestes ambiguus, Guiomys unica, Hapalops angustipalatus, Hemihegetotherium trilobus, Hiskatherium saintandrei, Hondalagus altiplanensis, Lakukullus anatisrostratus, Mesoprocta hypsodus, Miocochilius federicoi, Palaeothentes relictus, P. serratus, Propalaehoplophorus andinus, Quebradahondomys potosiensis, Acarechimys sp., cf. Paratrigodon sp., Prolagostomus sp., cf. Prozaedyus sp., Lagostominae indet., Mesotheriinae indet., Borhyaenidae indet., Caenolestidae indet., Capromyidae indet., Caviidae indet., Chinchillidae indet., Echimyidae indet., Euphractinae indet., Macraucheniidae indet., Octodontidae indet., Proterotheriidae indet., ? Xenastrapotherium indet. | Honda Group Bolivia | [81][82] [83][84] [85] |
| Mammals | Nesodon taweretus, cf. Astrapotherium sp., cf. Theosodon sp., Lomaphorini indet., Mylodontinae indet., Propalaehoplophorinae indet., Toxodontidae indet. | Aisol | |
| Mammals | Microtypotherium choquecotense, Prozaedyus sp., Chinchillidae indet., Glyptodontidae indet., Hegetotheriidae indet. | Choquecota | |
| Mammals | Heteropsomyinae (aff. Acarechimys) sp., Dasyproctidae (aff. Alloiomys) sp., Prolagostomus sp., Caviomorpha indet., Dasypodidae indet., Typotheria indet. | Cura-Mallín | |
| Mammals | Drytomomys cf. aequatorialis, Granastrapotherium cf. snorki, Miocochilius anomopodus, Neoglyptatelus originalis, Parapropalaehoplophorus septentrionalis, Pericotoxodon cf. platignathus, Potamarchus murinus, cf. Theosodon sp., Acarechimys sp., Boreostemma sp., Megathericulus sp., cf. Tetramerorhinus sp., Urumacotherium sp., Xenastrapotherium sp., Borhyaenoidea indet., Delphinida indet., Glyptodontidae indet., Macraucheniidae indet., Megalonychidae indet., Mylodontidae indet., Octodontoidea indet., Potamarchinae indet., Uruguaytheriinae indet. | Ipururo | [90][91][92] [93][94][95] |
| Mammals | Pontistes rectifrons, Prionodelphis rovereti, Properiptychus argentinus, Protautoga longidens, cf. Balaenoptera sp., Chrysophrys sp., Dioplotherium sp., Balaenidae indet., Physeteridae indet., Sciaenidae indet., ?Sparidae indet. | Paraná | |
| Mammals | Dinomyidae indet., ? Octodontoidea indet. | Pebas | |
| Mammals | Boreostemma venezolensis | Santa Inés | |
| Mammals | Neoglyptatelus sincelejanus | Sincelejo | |
| Mammals | Mirandabradys socorrensis, Megatheriidae indet. | Socorro | |
| Mammals | cf. Olenopsis sp., Mylodontidae indet. | Urumaco | |
| Birds | Aramus paludigrus, Galbula hylochoreutes, Hoazinoides magdalenae | Honda Group Colombia | |
| Birds | Psilopteridae indet. | Aisol | |
| Birds | Pygoscelis calderensis, Spheniscus megaramphus, S. urbinai, Pelagornis sp., aff. Thalassarche sp. | Bahía Inglesa | |
| Birds | Pelagornis cf. chilensis | Capadare | |
| Reptiles & amphibians | cane toad (Bufo marinus), Chelus colombiana, Chelonoidis hesterna, Colombophis portai, Dracaena colombiana, ?Eunectes stirtoni, Podocnemis medemi, Gryposuchus colombianus, Langstonia huilensis, Purussaurus neivensis, Balanerodus logimus, Charactosuchus fieldsi, Mourasuchus atopus, Eocaiman sp., Gavialis sp., Sebecus sp., Alligatoridae indet. | Honda Group Colombia | [107][108][109] [110][111][112] [113][114][115] [116][117][118] [119][120][121] |
| Reptiles & amphibians | Crocodylia sp. | Aisol | |
| Reptiles & amphibians | Bairdemys thalassica | Capadare | |
| Reptiles & amphibians | Barinasuchus arveloi | Ipururo | |
| Reptiles & amphibians | Caiman wannlangstoni, Gnatusuchus pebasensis, Gryposuchus pachakamue, Purussaurus neivensis, Kuttanacaiman iquitosensis, Mourasuchus atopus, Paleosuchus sp., Podocnemis sp., Gavialoidea indet. | Pebas | [123] [97][124] |
| Reptiles & amphibians | Colombophis spinosus, Ikanogavialis gameroi, Caiman sp., Mourasuchus sp., Purussaurus sp., Thecachampsa sp., Alethinophidia indet., Boinae indet. | Socorro | [100][125] [126] |
| Reptiles & amphibians | Globidentosuchus cf. brachyrostris, Caiman sp., Mourasuchus sp., Purussaurus sp. | Urumaco | |
| Fishes & crustaceans | Colossoma macropomum, Lepidosiren paradoxa, cf. Acanthicus, Arapaima sp., Brachyplatystoma cf. B. vaillanti, Brachyplatystoma promagdalena, Sylviocarcinus piriformis, cf. Corydoras sp., Hoplias sp., cf. Hoplosternum sp., Hydrolycus sp., Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, Serrasalmus sp., Pygocentrus sp., or Pristobrycon sp. (cf. Myletes sp.), Ariidae indet., Characidae cf. Tetragonopterinae, Cichlidae indet., Doradidae indet., Loricariidae indet., Potamotrygonidae indet. | Honda Group Colombia | [128][129] [130][131] |
| Fishes & crustaceans | Megalodon, Carcharias acutissima, Carcharodon hastalis, Galeocerdo aduncus, Hemipristis serra, Carcharhinus sp., Heterodontus sp., Squalus sp., Squatina sp., Dasyatidae indet., Myliobatoidea indet., Potamotrygonidae indet. | Paraná | |
| Fishes & crustaceans | cf. Hydrolycus sp., Leporinus sp., Potamotrygon sp., Pristis sp., Anostomidae indet. | Pebas | |
| Fishes & crustaceans | Megalodon, Aetobatus arcuatus, Hemipristis serra, Mugil cephalus, Carcharhinus sp., Citharichthys sp., Galeocerdo sp., Rhinoptera sp., Sphyrna sp., Symphurus sp. | Socorro | |
| Insects | Macroteleia yaguarum, Sycorax peruensis | Pebas | |
| Flora | Astroniumxylon parabalansae, Piptadenioxylon paraexcelsa, Solanumxylon paranensis | Paraná | |

## Correlations

The Laventan (13.8 to 11.8 Ma) correlates with:
* NALMA
** latest Barstovian (15.97-13.65 Ma)
** early Clarendonian (13.65-10.3 Ma)
* Californian ages
** Luisian (15.5-13.5 Ma)
* ELMA - Astaracian (15.97-11.608 Ma)
* CPS
** Badenian (13.65-12.7 Ma)
** Sarmatian (12.7-11.608 Ma)
* New Zealand stratigraphy - Southland epoch (15.9-10.92 Ma)
** Lillburnian (15.1-12.98 Ma)
** early Waiauan (12.98-10.92 Ma)
* Australian ages
** Bairnsdalian (15.0-10.5 Ma)
* Japanese ages
** Tozawan (15.97-13.5 Ma)
* NMAC - Tunggurian (13.65-11.1 Ma)
Laventan correlations in South America :
| Formation | Honda | Honda | Aisol | Cura-Mallín | Pisco | Ipururo | Pebas | Capadare | Urumaco | Inés | Paraná | Map |
| Basin | VSM | Honda | San Rafael | Caldera | Pisco | Ucayali | Amazon | Falcón | Falcón | Venezuela | Paraná | Laventan (South America) |
| Country | Colombia | Bolivia | Argentina | Chile | Peru | Peru | Peru | Venezuela | Venezuela | Venezuela | Argentina | Laventan (South America) |
| Boreostemma | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Hapalops | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Miocochilius | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Theosodon | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Xenastrapotherium | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Mylodontidae | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Sparassodonta | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Primates | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Rodents | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Birds | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Terror birds | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Reptiles | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| megalodon | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Flora | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Insects | | | | | | | | | | | | Laventan (South America) |
| Environments | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvio-lacustrine | Fluvio-lacustrine | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvial | Laventan volcanoclastics Laventan fauna Laventan flora |
| Volcanic | Yes | Yes | Yes | | | | | | | | | | Laventan volcanoclastics Laventan fauna Laventan flora |