The Tithonian ammonite fauna of the transect Cerro Lotena–Cerro Granito, Vaca Muerta Formation, Argentina. III. Family Aspidoceratidae: Genus Pseudhimalayites Spath

Authors

  • Horacio Parent Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Facultad de Ingeniería, Laboratorio de Paleontología, IFG, Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario
  • Alberto C. Garrido Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales “Prof. Dr. Juan A. Olsacher”, Dirección Provincial de Minería, Etcheluz y Ejército Argentino, 8340, Zapala, Neuquén; Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Facultad de Ingeniería, Departamento Geología y Petróleo, Centro de Investigación en Geociencias de la Patagonia, Buenos Aires 1400, 8300 Neuquén
  • Günter Schweigert Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Rosenstein 1, 70191 Stuttgart
  • Armin Scherzinger Maurenstraße 26, 78194 Immendingen-Hattingen

Keywords:

ammonites, Late Jurassic, Neuquén Basin, evolution, biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography

Abstract

The Aspidoceratid genus Pseudhimalayites Spath (Oxfordian–Tithonian) consists of stout and depressed females with three rows of spines occurring at different ontogenetic stages; the males are smaller with apertural lappets. An important succession of these ammonites from the Tithonian of the southern Neuquén Basin has been studied and three species are described: Pseudhimalayites n. sp. A (lower Zitteli Zone), Pseudhimalayites andinus (Leanza & Olóriz) with two transients (Zitteli–Proximus zones), and Pseudhimalayites steinmanni (Haupt), the type species (top of Proximus Zone and lower Internispinosum Zone). These three species show a rather similar shell shape with little variation; the main differences consist of changes in the female adult size and the sizes of onset and offset of the rows of spines. The males gradually lose their sculpture in the adult body-chamber, becoming smooth in the latter species.All the American records of the genus are reviewed, it being currently known from Tithonian occurrences only, from Cuba and Mexico besides the Neuquén Basin. The studied succession is considered an Andean lineage branched and differentiated from the Tethyan main lineage in the Darwini Zone.

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Published

2026-10-22

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Articles