# Paraná Formation

The Paraná Formation is a geologic formation in Argentina. It preserves fossils dating back to the late Miocene epoch.

## 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
#### Cetaceans

Cetaceans reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| cf. Aulophyseter | cf. A. sp. | Cantera del Puerto Viejo near Paraná, Entre Ríos. | Incomplete tooth (MACN Pv 8926). | Now deemed an indeterminate physeteroid. |
| Balaenidae gen. et. sp. indet. | Indeterminate | | Right tympanic bulla (MACN Pv 13221). | A balaenid. |
| Balaenoptera | B. sp. | | Right tympanic bulla (MACN Pv 13220). | A rorqual. |
| Balaenopteridae indet. | | South Bank of Ensenada Creek. | Cubitus & radius (CICYTTP-PV-1-197) bearing bite marks matching Cosmopolitodus hastalis. | A rorqual. |
| Physeteroidea gen. et. sp. indet. | Indeterminate | Cantera del Puerto Viejo near Paraná, Entre Ríos. | An almost complete tooth (MAS Pv 1361) & a fragmentary tooth (MACN Pv 8926). | Previously identified as cf. Aulophyseter sp. |
| Platanistoidea indet. | | | Left tympanic bulla (MACN Pv 15997). | A relative of river dolphins. |
| Pontistes | P. rectifrons | | | A pontoporiid. |
| Prionodelphis | P. rovereti | | A single tooth. | A dubious delphinoid, other specimens once referred to this taxon are now thought to represent monachine seals. |

#### Pinnipeds

Pinnipeds reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Properiptychus | P. argentinus | | Jaw & limb elements. | A monachine seal. | |

#### Rodents

Rodents reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| cf. Cardiatherium | cf. C. sp. indet. | La Juanita locality. | Left isolated cheek tooth (CICYTTP-PV-M-1-147) & right upper cheek tooth (CICYTTP-PV-M-1-148). | A hydrochoerine. |
| Caviidae gen. & sp. indet. | Indeterminate | La Juanita locality. | A left upper M1-2 (CICYTTP-PV-M-2-267). | A cavy. |
| Plesiacarechimys | P. nov. sp.? | La Juanita locality. | Right lower molar (CICYTTP-PV-M-1-145). | An octodontoid. |

#### Sirenians

Sirenians reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Dioplotherium | D. sp. | Cliffs along Paraná River, Villa Urquiza. | Upper left molar (CORD-PZ 4301). | A dugongid. | |
| Metaxytherium | M. sp. | Cerro La Matanza locality, Victoria City. | Posterior end of both maxillae (MASP 373). | A dugongid. | |

#### Xenarthrans

Xenarthrans reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Scirrotherium | S. sp. indet. | La Juanita locality. | A fixed osteoderm (CICYTTP-PV-M-1-144). | A pampatheriid. | |

### Birds

Birds reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Pelecanus | P. paranensis | Cerro La Matanza locality, Victoria City. | A nearly complete pelvis (CICYTTP-PV-A-3-277). | A pelican. | |
| cf. Phoenicopterus | cf. P. sp. indet. | La Juanita locality. | Fragment of shaft with distal end of left tibiotarsus (CICYTTP-PV-A-1-12). | A flamingo. | |

### Fish
#### Bony fish

Bony fish reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Siluroidae | Undetermined | | Abundant fragmentary specimens. | Evidently represents extant catfish genera. | |
| Tetraodontidae indet. | Indeterminate | La Juanita & Toma Vieja localities. | Several premaxillary beaks. | Remains of pufferfish. | |

#### Rays

Rays reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Material | Notes |
| Dynatobatis | D. paranensis | Dermal tubercles. | |
| Myliobatis | M. americanus | Detached teeth. | |
| Raja | R. agassizi | Dermal tubercles. | Moved to the genus Rioraja. |
| Rioraja | R. agassizii | Dermal tubercles. | A skate, originally reported as Raja agassizi. |

#### Sharks

Sharks reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Carcharias | C. (Prionodon) obliquidens | | Teeth. | Junior synonym of Squalus obliquidens. |
| Carcharodon | C. megalodon | | Teeth. | Reassigned to the genus Otodus. |
| Carcharodon | C. sp. | Arroyo Ensenada valley. | 2 teeth (UAP 1301 & 1303). | Related to the great white shark. |
| Cestracion | C. paranensis | | 2 teeth. | Cestracion is now a junior synyonym of Heterodontus. |
| Cosmopolitodus | C. hastalis | | Several teeth. | A mackerel shark, originally reported as Oxyrhina hastalis. |
| Galeocerdo | G. aduncus | | Tooth. | A requiem shark. |
| Hemipristis | H. serra | | A few well-preserved upper teeth. | A large weasel shark. |
| Heterodontus | H. paranensis | | 2 teeth. | A bullhead shark, originally reported as Cestracion paranensis. |
| Megascyliorhinus | M. trelewensis | La Juanita locality. | 4 anterior teeth. | A ground shark, specimens originally labelled "Squatina". |
| Odontaspis | O. elegans | | Teeth. | |
| Otodus | O. megalodon | | Teeth. | A megatooth shark, originally reported as Carcharodon megalodon. |
| Oxyrhina | O. hastalis | | Several teeth. | Reassigned to the genus Cosmopolitodus. |
| Squalus | S. obliquidens | | Teeth. | Originally reported as Carcharias (Prionodon) obliquidens. |

### Invertebrates
#### Bivalves

Bivalves reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Aequipecten | A. paranensis | | Valves. | A scallop. |
| Amusium | A. darwinianum | | | A scallop. |
| Erodona | E. doellojuradoi | La Juanita & La Paz. | 260 specimens. | An erodonid. |
| Flabellipecten | F. oblongus | | Valves. | A scallop. |
| Polymesoda | P. muravchiki | La Juanita. | 13 specimens. | A cyrenid. |

#### Bryozoans

Bryozoans reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Acanthodesia | A. cf. sulcata | Punta Gorda, near Diamante, Entre Ríos. | Fragments of colonies (MLP 13471 to 13476). | A cheilostomatid. |
| Microporella | M. sp. | Punta Gorda, near Diamante, Entre Ríos. | Fragments of colonies (MLP 13477 to 13483). | A microporellid. |
| Schizoporella | S. sp. | Punta Gorda, near Diamante, Entre Ríos. | Fragments of colonies (MLP 13474, MLP 13484 to 13488). | A schizoporellid. |
| Schizoporellidae indet. | Indeterminate | Punta Gorda, near Diamante, Entre Ríos. | Fragments of colonies (MLP 13489). | A schizoporellid. |
| Schizosmittina | S. sp. | Punta Gorda, near Diamante, Entre Ríos. | Fragments of colonies (MLP 13486, MLP 13490 to 13492). | A bitectiporid. |
| Tubulipora | T. sp. | Punta Gorda, near Diamante, Entre Ríos. | Two colonies (MLP 13493 & MLP 13494). | A tubuliporid. |

#### Echinoderms

Echinoderms reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Material | Notes |
| Abertella | A. sp. | | A sand dollar. |
| Amplaster | A. alatus | | A sand dollar. |
| Amplaster | A. ellipticus | | A sand dollar. |
| Monophoraster | M. duboisi | | A sand dollar. |
| Neognathostomata | Indeterminate | An immature specimen. | A sea urchin. |
| Ophiocoma | O. sp. | | A brittle star. |
| Ophiothrix | O. sp. | | A brittle star. |

### Plants

Plants reported from the Paraná Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Astroniumxylon | A. parabalansae | Toma Vieja fossil locality. | Fossil wood. | An anacardiaceaen. |
| Laurophyllum | L. sp. | Villa Urquiza. | Leaves. | A lauraceaen. |
| Myrciophyllum | M. paranaesianum | Villa Urquiza. | Leaves. | A myrtaceaen. |
| Ocotea | O. sp. | Villa Urquiza. | Leaves. | A lauraceaen. |
| Piptadenioxylon | P. paraexcelsa | Toma Vieja fossil locality. | Fossil wood. | A mimosoid. |
| Schinus | S. aff. terebinthifolius | Villa Urquiza. | Leaves. | An anacardiaceaen. |
| Solanumxylon | S. paranensis | Toma Vieja fossil locality. | Fossil wood. | A nightshade. |

## Correlations
### Laventan

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 | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Country | Colombia | Bolivia | Argentina | Chile | Peru | Peru | Peru | Venezuela | Venezuela | Venezuela | Argentina | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Boreostemma | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Hapalops | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Miocochilius | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Theosodon | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Xenastrapotherium | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Mylodontidae | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Sparassodonta | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Primates | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Rodents | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Birds | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Terror birds | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Reptiles | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| megalodon | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Flora | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Insects | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (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 |

### Huayquerian

Huayquerian correlations in South America :
| Formation | Cerro Azul | Ituzaingó | Paraná | Camacho | Raigón | Andalhuala | Chiquimil | Las Flores | Maimará | Palo | Pebas | Muyu | Rosa | Saldungaray | Salicas | Urumaco | Map |
| Basin | Colorado | Paraná | Paraná | Paraná | Paraná | Hualfín | Hualfín | Tontal | Andes | Salta | Amazon | Huasi | Altiplano | BA | Velasco | Falcón | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Country | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Brazil Peru | Bolivia | Bolivia | Argentina | Argentina | Venezuela | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Cardiatherium | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Lagostomus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Macroeuphractus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Proeuphractus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Pronothrotherium | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Pseudotypotherium | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Thylacosmilus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Xotodon | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Macraucheniidae | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Primates | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Rodents | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Reptiles | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Birds | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Terror birds | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Flora | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Paraná Formation (South America) |
| Environments | Aeolian-fluvial | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvio-deltaic | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvio-lacustrine | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvial | Fluvio-lacustrine | Fluvio-deltaic | Huayquerian volcanoclastics Huayquerian fauna Huayquerian flora |
| Volcanic | | | | | | Yes | | | | | | | | | | | | Huayquerian volcanoclastics Huayquerian fauna Huayquerian flora |