The genera Cryptaulax and Procerithium (Procerithiidae, Caenogastropoda) in the Early Jurassic of Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract

Ferrari, S.M., September 2012. The genera Cryptaulax and Procerithium (Procerithiidae, Caenogastropoda) in the Early Jurassic of Patagonia, Argentina. Alcheringa 36, 325–339. ISSN 0311-5518.

New species of Cryptaulax and Procerithium (Procerithiidae, Caenogastropoda) are reported from the Lower Jurassic (Pliensbachian–Toarcian) marine deposits of west-central Chubut province, Argentinean Patagonia. Three new species are described: Cryptaulax redelii, Procerithium (Rhabdocolpus) patagoniensis and Procerithium (Infacerithum) nodosum; and the diagnoses of Cryptaulax damboreneae Ferrari and Procerithium nulloi (Ferrari) are emended. The new fossils derive from the Mulanguiñeu and Osta Arena formations and expand the known diversity of the Procerithiidae, extending its palaeobioeographical distribution into the South American Jurassic.

Key words:

• Gastropoda
• Cryptaulax
• Procerithium
• Procerithiidae
• biogeography
• Pliensbachian
• Toarcian
• Patagonia
• Argentina

Acknowledgements

This research represents part of a PhD study undertaken at the Museo Paleontológico ‘Egidio Feruglio’ (Trelew, Argentina) supervised by Dr. Susana Damborenea (Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata) and Dr. Alejandra Pagani (Museo Paleontológico ‘Egidio Feruglio’, Trelew). I am deeply grateful for their guidance and help during the preparation of this work. I thank Dr. Alberto Riccardi (Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata) for identifying the Patagonian cephalopods. I thank Pablo Puerta, Mariano Caffa and Leandro Canessa (all at Museo Paleontológico ‘Egidio Feruglio’, Trelew, Argentina) for their help during fieldwork and, especially, Leandro Canessa for his laboratory work. I am grateful to the Museo Paleontológico ¨Egidio Feruglio¨ for financing the fieldwork.