Escolar Documentos
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UFRJ
Rio de Janeiro
2016
UFRJ
Área de concentração:
Paleontologia e Estratigrafia
Orientador(es):
Rio de Janeiro
Fevereiro 2016
Rafael Matos Lindoso
Área de concentração:
Paleontologia e Estratigrafia
Orientador(es):
:
Aprovada em / /
_______________________________________________________________
Presidente: Dr. Antônio Carlos Sequeira Fernandes (MN-UFRJ)
_______________________________________________________________
Dr. Aristóteles de Moraes Rios-Netto (UFRJ)
_______________________________________________________________
Dra. Márcia Aparecida Fernandes dos Reis Polck (DNPM)
_______________________________________________________________
Dra. Rita de Cássia Tardin Cassab (DNPM)
_______________________________________________________________
Dra. Luzia Antonioli (UERJ)
_______________________________________________________________
Suplente: Dr. Leonardo Fonseca Borghi de Almeida (UFRJ)
UFRJ
Rio de Janeiro
2016
À minha família, pela paciência, inspiração e amor.
vi
Agradecimentos
Richard Dawkins
Thomas H. Huxley
ix
Resumo
Abstract
The Codó Formation, Parnaíba Basin, occurs discontinuously over a wide area in the
central-north of the Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil. It records important
biological events related to the break up and development of the South and
Equatorial Atlantic Oceans. This lithostratigraphic unit contains a diversified
paleobiota, comprising plants, mollusks (bivalves and gastropods), crustaceans
(decapods and isopods), fishes and ichnofossils. There are three main fossiliferous
outcrops in Brejo municipality, northeastern Maranhão State. The Perneta Ranch is
far 18 km south Brejo away and exhibits laminated and massive limestone, marls,
coquina layers and concretions. The Faveirinha Quarry is far 20 km south Brejo away
and have similar lithologies of those in Perneta Ranch, but without coquina layers.
The outcrop in Piaba 2 is far around 30 km south Brejo and exhibits mainly marl and
limestones concretions. Among the paleobiota referred in this work, there is the
crustacean Codoisopus brejensis, which represents the third species of isopod from
Cretaceous of Brazil. The paleoichthyofauna is numerous but not diversified. They
include seven species (Araripelepidotes temnurus, Vinctifer comptoni, Dastilbe
crandalli, Santanichthys diasii, Codoichthys carnavalii, Dentilepisosteus laevis and
Calamopleurus cylindricus). Biostratigraphic approaches have been shown that the
fossil fish fauna is more homogeneous among the Codó, Santana and Riachuelo
formations than with other occurring in Brazilian Northeastern Marginal and Interior
Basins (BNMIBs), and would have remained connected for an extended period.
However, speciation events and vicariance suggest that such connection were
intermittent and precarious. Additional evidence indicates that the depositional
environment, in the area of study, would have been restricted and calm waters, with
periods of mass mortality of the paleobiota under arid and semi-arid climate
conditions. Moreover, paleontological evidence supports previews hypothesis that, at
least the top of the Codó Formation, subdivision here studied, not experienced
marine sedimentation, although these same data supports influence of a
epicontinental Caribbean sea (Tethys Sea) during the establishment of ancient
aquatic biotas in the Northeastern Brazil during the Early Cretaceous.
Lista de Figuras
Lista de Tabelas
Tabela 1 - Relação dos taxa ocorrentes nos principais sítios fossilíferos do município
de Brejo, nordeste do Maranhão. Os exemplares listados constituem apenas os
espécimes melhor preservados e escolhidos para estudo. (?) simboliza taxa
duvidosos; * táxon preservado juntamente com um espécime ictiológico, por
conseguinte possuindo número de tombamento deste último................................. 7-8
Lista de Quadros
Abreviação institucional
Abreviação osteológica
SUMÁRIO
AGRADECIMENTOS ........................................................................................................... VI
RESUMO .............................................................................................................................. IX
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... X
LISTA DE FIGURAS ............................................................................................................ XI
LISTA DE TABELAS.......................................................................................................... XIII
LISTA DE QUADROS ....................................................................................................... XIV
ABREVIAÇÃO INSTITUCIONAL ....................................................................................... XV
ABREVIAÇÃO OSTEOLÓGICA........................................................................................ XVI
APRESENTAÇÃO ................................................................................................................. 1
1 INTRODUÇÃO ................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 OBJETIVO ...................................................................................................................... 3
1.1.1 Objetivos específicos ............................................................................................. 3
1.2 METODOLOGIA ............................................................................................................... 4
1.2.1 Material de estudo ................................................................................................. 4
1.2.2 Material comparativo ............................................................................................ 10
1.2.3 Levantamento de dados....................................................................................... 11
1.2.4 Trabalho de campo .............................................................................................. 11
1.2.5 Fase laboratorial .................................................................................................. 13
1.2.5.1 Preparação química .......................................................................................... 14
1.2.5.2 Preparação mecânica ....................................................................................... 17
1.2.6 Equipamentos ...................................................................................................... 17
1.2.7 Fase redacional e gráfica ..................................................................................... 17
2 CONTEXTO GEOLÓGICO ............................................................................................... 18
2.1 BACIA DO PARNAÍBA .................................................................................................... 18
2.2 FORMAÇÃO CODÓ ........................................................................................................ 20
2.2.1 Geocronologia ..................................................................................................... 23
2.2.2 Paleontologia ....................................................................................................... 23
2.2.3 Localidades fossilíferas estudadas ...................................................................... 27
2.2.3.1 Pedreira Faveirinha ........................................................................................... 28
2.2.3.2 Fazenda Perneta .............................................................................................. 28
2.2.3.3 Povoado Piaba 2............................................................................................... 28
3 COMPONENTES DA BIOTA AQUÁTICA DA FORMAÇÃO CODÓ (APTIANO DA BACIA
DO PARNAÍBA), NORDESTE DO BRASIL ........................................................................ 30
3.1 INTRODUÇÃO ............................................................................................................... 30
3.1.1 Plantae ................................................................................................................ 30
3.1.2 Isopoda ................................................................................................................ 31
3.1.3 Pisces .................................................................................................................. 33
5 CONCLUSÕES GERAIS .................................................................................................. 36
REFERÊNCIAS ................................................................................................................... 38
APÊNDICE .......................................................................................................................... 48
ANEXOS ............................................................................................................................. 52
1
APRESENTAÇÃO
1 INTRODUÇÃO
1.1 Objetivo
1.2 Metodologia
Figura 1 - Mapa de localização dos principais sítios fossilíferos de Brejo, nordeste do Maranhão. Área
vegetada em verde.
Figura 2 - Sítio fossilífero Pedreira Faveirinha, povoado Santa Alice, município de Brejo, nordeste do
Maranhão. (Fotografia de Rafael Lindoso)
6
Figura 3 - Seção de uma pedreira na Fazenda Perneta, município de Brejo, nordeste do Maranhão.
Em detalhe estrutura de carstificação no centro da fotografia. (Fotografia de Rafael Lindoso)
7
Tabela 1 - Relação dos taxa ocorrentes nos principais sítios fossilíferos do município de Brejo, Nordeste do Maranhão. Os exemplares listados constituem
apenas os espécimes melhor preservados e escolhidos para estudo. (?) simboliza taxa duvidosos; * táxon preservado juntamente com um espécime
ictiológico, por conseguinte possuindo número de tombamento deste último.
UFRJ-DG 170Cr X
Codoisopus brejensis UFRJ-DG 213Cr X
UFRJ-DG 214Cr X
Ostracoda - X
Conchostraca - X X
Icnofósseis
UFRJ-DG 413Ic X
UFRJ-DG 414Ic X
UFRJ-DG 415Ic X
Fodinichnia UFRJ-DG 416Ic X
UFRJ-DG 813Ic X
UFRJ-DG 814Ic X
UFRJ-DG 815Ic X
Osteichthyes
UFRJ-DG 845P X
Araripelepidotes temnurus UFRJ-DG 827P X
UFRJ-DG 838P X
CPHNAMA-VT 1241 X
UFRJ-DG 832P X
Calamopleurus cylindricus
UFRJ-DG 1524P X
UFRJ-DG 1504P X
Rhacolepis buccalis UFRJ-DG 825P (?) X
Codoichthys carnavalii UFRJ-DG 1166P X
UFRJ-DG 828P X
Dentilepisosteus laevis
CPHNAMA-VT 1242 X
UFRJ-DG 812P X
Santanichthys diasii
UFRJ-DG 870P X
UFRJ-DG 1482P X
Vinctifer comptoni UFRJ-DG 837P X
UFRJ-DG 834P X
UFRJ-DG 826P (?) X
Dastilbe crandalli
UFRJ-DG 1466P (?) X
UFRJ-DG 1485P (?) X
9
Figura 4 - Sítio fossilífero Piaba 2, município de Brejo, nordeste do Maranhão. Em detalhe numerosos
nódulos carbonáticos, muitos deles sem peixes preservados. (Fotografia de Ismar Carvalho)
Figura 5 - Sítio Ponto B, estrada principal de acesso a Santa Alice, município de Brejo, nordeste do
Maranhão. Em detalhe níveis carbonáticos contendo icnofósseis (Fodinichnia). (Fotografia de Rafael
Lindoso)
10
Figura 6 - Afloramento à margem direita do rio Itapecuru, entre as cidades de Timbiras e Codó,
centro-leste do Maranhão. (Fotografia de Rafael Lindoso)
Espécimes N° Tombamento
AMNH-11944, AMNH-11948, AMNH-11949,
Araripichthys castilhoi
AMNH-11973
Araripelepidotes temnurus DGM 433-P, DGM 434-P
Axelrodichthys araripensis AMNH-12220, AMNH-14026
AMNH-11853, AMNH-11856, AMNH-11859,
Brannerium vestitum
AMNH-11863, AMNH-11903
AMNH-11602, AMNH-11827, AMNH-11829,
Calamopleurus cylindricus
AMNH-11837, DGM 437-P, DGM 961-P
Codoichthys carnavalii DGM 435-P, DGM 436-P
AMNH-11887, AMNH-18969, AMNH-19129L, DGM
Cladocyclus gardneri
959-P
AMNH-12721R, AMNH-12734, AMNH-12735,
Dastilbe crandalli AMNH-13650, AMNH-13652, AMNH-19191, DGM
441-P, DGM 953-P, DGM 954-P, DGM 962-P
Iemanja palma AMNH-13963, AMNH-19561
AMNH-11809, AMNH-11812, AMNH-11813,
Lepidotes sp.
AMNH-11831, AMNH-11832, AMNH-11833,
11
Quadro 2 - Lista de espécimes ictiológicos examinados e fotografados no AMNH e CPRM
(Cont.).
AMNH-12716
AMNH-19439, DGM 957-P, DGM 958-P, DGM 965-
Leptoleps (=Santanichthys) diassi
P, DGM 647-P, DGM 648-P
Neoproscinites penalvai AMNH-11846, AMNH-11852, AMNH-11893
Obaichthys decoratus DGM 1336-P
AMNH-11895, AMNH-12000, AMNH-12793L,
Oshunia brevis
AMNH-12793R
Paraelops cearenses AMNH-12792
AMNH-12564, AMNH-19020, AMNH-19107, DGM
Rhacholepis buccalis
963-P
AMNH-11993, AMNH-12664, AMNH-19036,
Iansan beurleni
AMNH-19091, AMNH-19125
AMNH-11881, AMNH-11881b, AMNH-12369L,
Tharrhias araripis AMNH-12470, AMNH-12472, AMNH-12472b,
AMNH-12471, DGM 440-P
Vinctifer comptoni DGM 196-P, DGM 955-P, DGM 978-P
Figura 7 - Retroescavadeira utilizada durante atividades de campo nos sítios Faveirinha, Perneta e
Piaba 2, município de Brejo, nordeste do Maranhão. (Fotografia de Rafael Lindoso)
Figura 8 - Trecho do rio Itapecuru navegável entre as cidades de Coroatá e Codó, centro-leste do
Maranhão. (Fotografia de Rafael Lindoso)
Quadro 3 - Critério para seleção de espécimes paleontológico e geológico para estudo da presente
Tese. A seleção baseou-se nos aspectos preservacionais da paleobiota de modo a satisfazer estudos
de Taxonomia, Paleoecologia e Tafonomia.
Figura 9 - Diagrama mostrando as etapas da preparação química adotada na presente tese (apenas
para Dentilepisosteus laevis). A) Confecção da cama de plastilina; B) Inclusão em resina; C) Sulcos
na matriz; D) Imersão em ácido e E) Material preparado. Modificado de Leal & Brito (2004).
Grande parte dos espécimes aqui estuados não puderam ser submetidos à
preparação química em detrimento de seus estados preservacionais e amostragem.
Para tanto, utilizou-se técnicas de preparação mecânica com uso de ferramentas de
precisão como agulhas, escavador de dentina, pinça clínica, brocas diversas, serras
e pincéis. Como agente consolidante utilizou-se adesivo vedante Flexite Silicone
(Cascola 50 g), especialmente em nódulos carbonáticos, nos quais os resultados
foram bastante satisfatórios.
Após a chegada dos materiais no laboratório, os espécimes eram
desembalados, organizados em grupos biológicos, triados (utilizando-se os critérios
explanados no Quadro 1, p. 13) e devidamente etiquetados para posterior
tombamento. Cada espécime selecionado para estudo era lavado e secado para
remoção do excesso de sedimento. Espécimes de pequenas dimensões eram
preparados com auxílio de microscópios estereoscópicos e lupas. Após a
preparação mecânica e limpeza dos exemplares, o material era fotografado antes de
seu armazenamento final na coleção do Instituto de Geociências da UFRJ.
1.2.6 Equipamentos
gráficos e perfis geológicos foi realizada utilizando-se mesa gráfica Wacom Intuos
Pen & Touch médium modelo CTH-680, bem como os softwares Adobe Illustrator
CS6, Adobe Photoshop CS4, CorelDRAW X5 e Time Scale Creator 6.4.
2 CONTEXTO GEOLÓGICO
Figura 11 - Mapa de localização da bacia sedimentar do Parnaíba, nordeste do Brasil, com destaque
para a área de distribuição da Formação Codó. Modificado de Santos & Carvalho, 2009.
20
detalhado sobre a Formação Codó foi realizado por Mesner & Wooldridge (1964),
dividindo-a em três unidades: inferior, composta por folhelhos pretos e betuminosos,
com intercalações de lâminas de calcários ricamente fossilíferos; média, composta
por arenitos com fósseis marinhos e superior, composta por folhelhos cinza com
fósseis de gastrópodes marinhos. Estes autores estimam ainda uma espessura
máxima de 220 m para a Formação Codó.
Por meio de furos estratigráficos, Rezende & Pamplona (1970) subdividem
esta unidade em três seções, objetivando estudos de cunho paleoambiental e sua
relação evolutiva com o Arco Ferrer-Urbanos Santos. Seguem esta metodologia os
trabalhos de Leite et al. (1975) e Lima & Leite (1978), os quais subdividem a unidade
em questão em três seções. Fernandes & Piazza (1978) igualmente subdividem a
Formação Codó em três unidades, apresentando um estudo sobre os folhelhos
pirobetuminosos e seu potencial petrolífero. De acordo com estes autores, a unidade
inferior seria composta por folhelhos pirobetuminosos, leitos de calcários e siltitos; a
unidade média arenosa e a superior composta por leitos de calcário na base
sobrepostos por folhelhos escuros.
As áreas de ocorrência da Formação Codó são restritas e descontínuas, e
aparecem no leito dos rios que drenam o centro da bacia, desde a margem oeste, na
confluência dos rios Tocantins e Araguaia, até próximo à margem do rio Parnaíba,
na cidade de Brejo (Santos & Carvalho, 2009). Ao longo do rio Tocantins até a
região do povoado de São José do Mearim, as espessuras registradas atingem 20
m; a norte de Marabá, as espessuras aflorantes são inferiores a 15 m; na região de
Codó – onde as maiores exposições são registradas em minas a céu aberto – e
Esperantina expõem-se apenas parte da coluna sedimentar, em torno de 12 m (Lima
& Leite, 1978). Sua espessura máxima é da ordem de 180 m (Lima, 1982). Carneiro
(1974), ao efetuar estudos de subsuperfície, concluiu que as formações Grajaú e
Codó são interdigitadas e equivalentes cronoestratigraficamente.
De um modo geral, a Formação Codó pode ser dividida em três ciclos
deposicionais, segundo interpretações de superfície e subsuperfície. O primeiro ciclo
representa uma seção lacustre culminando com ciclos evaporíticos, sugerindo uma
posterior regressão ou estabelecimento de mar restrito; o segundo e terceiro ciclos
evidenciam uma nova ingressão marinha culminando com estabelecimento de
condições paludiais em planície de maré (Fernandes & Piazza, 1978; Leite et al.,
1975; Lima & Leite, 1978; Mesner & Wooldridge, 1964; Rezende & Pamplona, 1970).
22
2.2.1 Geocronologia
2.2.2 Paleontologia
datação desta formação, para a qual foi atribuída idade aptiana final. Em um estudo
palinocronoestratigráfico da Formação Codó, Antonioli (2001) evidenciou a
predominância de Subtilisphaera codoensis, importante elemento de correlação
entre as bacias do Parnaíba, São Luís e Araripe via mar Aptiano-Albiano (Antonioli &
Arai, 2002; Arai, 2014, 1999, 1995; Rossetti et al., 2001). Adicionalmente, Paz &
Rossetti (2001) identificaram, na região de Codó, fácies contendo microbialitos e
conchas desarticuladas de ostracodes.
A fauna de invertebrados possui amplo registro na formação, sendo
representada por espécies de ostracodes (Hourcqia angulata symmetrica,
Bisulcocypris silvai, Bisulcocypris pricei, Bisulcocypris quadrinodosa, Bisulcocypris
praetuberculata, Bisulcocypris sp. 1, Bisulcocypris sp. 2, Darwinula oblonga,
Pattersoncypris micropapilosa, Paracypridae obovata, Clinocypris sp., Petrobrasia
sp. e Salvadoriela), (Krommelbein & Weber, 1985; Leite et al., 1975; Silva et al.,
1989, 1985); conchostráceos (Cyzicus [Lioestheria] codoensis), (Cardoso, 1962) e
insetos (Pricecores breckerae e Latiscutella santosi), (Pinto & Ornellas, 1974).
Biválvios (Paranomia scabra) e moldes internos (Anomiidae, Corbulidae, Cardiidae),
gastrópodos (Turritellidae, Cerithiidae, Nerinea sp.), e espinhos de equinóides
indeterminados (Ferreira & Cassab, 1987; Lima & Leite, 1978; Mesner & Wooldridge,
1964; Santos & Carvalho, 2009). Atinente à flora do paleoambiente Codó, ocorrem
troncos de dicotiledôneas (Lisboa, 1914), troncos silicificados de coníferas (Moraes
Rêgo, 1937) e plantas indeterminadas (Borges, 1937; Duarte, 1958). Ocorre ainda a
espécie Lecythioxylon brasiliense (Milanez, 1935) e uma dicotiledônia primitiva
Nymphaites choffatii (Duarte & Santos, 1993). Em estudo faciológico da Formação
Codó, na região homônima, Paz & Rossetti (2001) identificaram restos vegetais
associados a microcrustráceos desarticulados. O registro de Nymphaites choffatii é
correlacionável às formações Areado e Santana, confirmando a idade neoaptiana e
ambiente deposicional lacustre para a Formação Codó (Duarte & Santos, 1993).
O registro paleoictiológico da Formação Codó é sem dúvida o mais
expressivo, embora pouco diversificado, constituindo importante elemento de
correlação bioestratigráfica com as formações Santana (Bacia do Araripe) e
Riachuelo (Bacia Sergipe/Alagoas) (Santos & Carvalho, 2009). Moraes Rêgo (1937),
em estudo sobre a geologia do Estado do Maranhão, cita a ocorrência de peixes
provenientes dos arredores de Codó, povoado Curador e Barra do Corda,
preservados com frequência em blocos rolados. De fato, poucos trabalhos
25
Tabela 3 - Ocorrências de vários grupos fósseis na Formação Codó, Bacia do Parnaíba. Os itens marcados em negrito correspondem aos taxa
registrados no presente trabalho. Aqueles seguidos de (*) indicam novos taxa, enquanto aqueles acrescidos de (+) indicam a primeira ocorrência para a
Formação Codó. Os números indicam sítios fossilíferos (ver Figura 13 e apêndice); 47 e 48 representam os sítios Perneta e Faveirinha, respectivamente.
(Modificado de: Santos & Carvalho, 2009).
Os depósitos que compõem a Pedreira Faveirinha (W 042º 44’ 45,4’’ S 03º 49’
20,1’’) (Figura 2) estão localizados a cerca de 20 km ao sul da cidade de Brejo,
nordeste do Maranhão. Constituem uma pedreira de extração de calcário
abandonada ricamente fossilífera. Possui litologia predominantemente carbonática,
com alternância de estruturas finamente laminadas e maciças, podendo ocorrer
intercalações de marga (Figura 14 A). Fósseis de maiores dimensões geralmente
encontram-se preservados em nódulos carbonáticos (e.g., Vinctifer); os menores
(e.g., Dastilbe), estão preservados em níveis de calcário maciço ou laminado mais
basais. Além de peixes ocorrem pequenos crustáceos, impressões de vegetais e
invertebrados. A maioria dos espécimes coletados, principalmente peixes,
encontrava-se disperso em uma ampla área na pedreira, provavelmente como
resíduos da extração de calcário local.
A fazenda Perneta (W 042º 44’ 21,1’’ S 03º 48’ 50,0’’) (Figura 3) encontra-se a
17 km ao sul da cidade de Brejo, nordeste do Maranhão. Trata-se de uma pedreira
de calcário ativa e ricamente fossilífera. Raras impressões de vegetais (incluindo
fragmentos de carvão) foram coletados nesses depósitos, além de gastrópodes,
crustáceos, peixes, invertebrados e icnofósseis. Possui litologia idêntica àquela
descrita para os depósitos da Pedreira Faveirinha, com alternância de carbonatos
nodular, laminar e maciço, além de intercalações de marga. Níveis de coquina
aparecem de modo muito restrito no afloramento (Figura 14 B).
Povoado Piaba 2 (W 042º 46’ 10,3’’ S 03º 50’ 46,8’’) constitui um pequeno
vilarejo localizado a cerca de 30 km ao sul da cidade de Brejo (Figura 4). Possui
litologia predominantemente carbonática, com alternância de estruturas finamente
laminadas e maciças, podendo ocorrer intercalações de marga (Figura 14 C).
29
Figura 14 - Perfis geológicos dos principais afloramentos de Brejo, Maranhão. A) Pedreira Faveirinha;
B) Fazenda Perneta; C) Povoado Piaba 2.
30
3.1 Introdução
3.1.1 Plantae
3.1.2 Isopoda
Embora isópodes mesozoicos tenham sido cogitados por muito tempo como
organismos exclusivamente aquáticos (van Straelen, 1928; Van Name, 1936),
estudos recentes têm demonstrado que formas terrestres (Oniscidae) foram
altamente diversificadas durante o Cretáceo (Broly et al., 2015). Não obstante, C.
brejensis é aqui atribuído a ambiente lagunar/marinho, reforçando prévias
inferências sobre o domínio de águas tetianas na sedimentação aptiana em bacias
sedimentares interiores e marginais do Nordeste do Brasil. Para maiores detalhes,
consultar artigo completo em anexo neste volume, intitulado “An isopod from the
Codó Formation (Aptian of the Parnaíba Basin), Northeastern Brazil”, página 90.
3.1.3 Pisces
5 CONCLUSÕES GERAIS
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Rio de Janeiro, p. 221-233.
Bernardes-de-Oliveira, M.E.C.; Mohr, B.; Dino, R.; Sommer, M.G.; Garcia, M.J &
Sucerquia, P.A. 2007. As floras mesofíticas brasileiras no cenário
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Brito, P.M.; Lindoso, R.M.; Carvalho, I.S. 2016. Discovery of †Obaichthyidae gars
(Holostei, Ginglymodi, Lepisosteiformes) in the Aptian Codó Formation of the
Parnaíba Basin: Remarks on paleobiogeographical and temporal range.
Cretaceous Research, 59: 10-17.
Broly, P.; Maillet, S. & Ross, A.J. 2015. The first terrestrial isopod (Crustacea:
Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Cretaceous Burmese amber of Myanmar. Cretaceous
Research, 55: 220-228.
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APÊNDICE
49
34 – Dom Pedro; estrada km 17, próximo à entrada de Santo Antônio dos Lopes, na
estrada Peritoró-Dom Pedro, Maranhão (04°53’S – 44°21’W).
ANEXOS
53
Rafael Matos Lindosoa* Tânia Lindner Dutrab Ismar de Souza Carvalhoa and Manuel
Alfredo Medeirosc
a
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Geologia, CCMN/IGEO,
RJ 21.949-900, Cidade Universitária-Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. E-mails:
b
Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, UNISINOS, Av. Unisinos, 950 - 93022-000,
São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
c
Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus do Bacanga, Avenida dos Portugueses,
s/n, CEP 65.080-040, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
* Corresponding author: rlindoso@ufrj.br; Phone number: +55(98)98868-7462.E-
mails: ismar@geologia.ufrj.br; tdutra@unisinos.br; manuel.alfredo@ufma.br
RESUMO
Marizal, Areado e Santana) e, igualmente, na flora do Grupo Potomac, sul dos Estados
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angiospermas.
ABSTRACT
The previous knowledge regarding the paleoflora from the Codó Formation was limited
to sparse wood, pollen grains and spores remains. This work report a first record of
macroflora from limestone deposits from the Codó Formation, outcropping in the Brejo
coniferous and Gnetales, along palmate and palmatilobate leaves of basal angiosperms
and uncertain types with mixed characters. Although the quality of the material does not
allow reliable systematic assignments, the present morphologies reveal affinities with
botanical types that characterize the Lower Cretaceous, present in others basins from the
northeastern Brazil (e.g. Marizal, Areado and Santana formations), and equally, in the
Potomac Group, south United States. The elements herein described complement the
previous knowledge regarding the tropical floras of the Lower Cretaceous and the early
diversification of angiosperms.
INTRODUCTION
equatorial paleofloristic province, which included almost all the South America, Africa,
Southeast Asia and the south of Laurasia. In Brazil, they are represented by halophyte
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minor component known mainly by the palinological assemblages and by the exclusive
Oliveira et al. 2007; Ferreira et al. 2008, 2011). Despite this, the flowering plants only
become an important ecological component of the floras from the middle Cretaceous
remains are numerous, although not diverse. Dicots woods and some indeterminate
plant remains have been reported (Moraes Rego, 1923; Borges, 1937; Duarte, 1959).
The primitive and putative aquatic angiosperm, Klitzschophyllites choffattii was the sole
nominal species previously described to this lithostratigraphic unit (Duarte & Santos,
1993; Mohr et al. 2006). Another specimen, Lecythioxylon brasiliense Milanez, a fossil
log from the right margin of the Parnaíba river, Piauí State, probably also were related
to the Codó Formation (Milanez, 1935). In Brejo City, Maranhão State, plant remains
are common in limestones located in open pit mines of two localities, Faveirinha Quarry
and Perneta Ranch (Figure 1). In these outcrops, a diversified flora of conifers, Gnetales
The present study reveals a first record of fossil leaf imprints and other plant
debris to the Codó Formation, until now only known by its palinological content (Regali
et al. 1974; Lima, 1982). In the assemblage, precise affinities are of difficult
establishment, sometimes since with higher clades, due to the incomplete character of
the impressions and by some mixed or transitional features with other primitive
flowering plants. However, the macrofloristic content seems to support the age
inferences resulting from the palinological studies, and those concerning to the
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GEOLOGICAL SETTING
The Parnaíba Basin ranges through a vast area of the central portion of
northeastern Brazil, into the territories of the States of Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins, Pará,
Ceará and Goiás. It has a total area of 600,000 km2 and a 3,500 km thick sedimentary
Parnaíba Basin. It has a distribution area of approximately 170,000 km2 (Lima, 1982)
and occurs discontinuously over a wide area in the central-north of the Maranhão State,
exposing mainly in the valley of rivers that drain the central part of the basin (Santos &
Carvalho, 2009). The locality where the specimens were collected, in the Brejo City, is
(1914). After Campbell (1949) designate to this unit the bituminous shales associated to
limestones and gypsum lenses identified in the Itapecuru river valley, municipality of
Codó. The lithostratigraphic unit also includes siltstones, sandstones and evaporite
levels (Vaz et al. 2007). Although an Aptian/Albian age has been suggested to the
temporal range to Aptian due to the lower limit of the overlying unit, the Itapecuru
Formation, considered upper Aptian in age (Pedrão et al. 1996). The strata from the
According to Lima & Leite (1978), the paleontological data indicates that the
deposition of the Codó Formation has been occurred under marine to brackish lacustrine
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environments. This context was after confirmed by Rossetti et al. (2001) in their facies
analyses that indicate three distinct depositional environments linked to the lagoon
deposits: (1) central lake; (2) transitional lake; and (3) marginal lake.
into three units: the lower one, with an incipient marine character; the middle one,
essentially evaporitic; and the third and upper one, with a marine character. The
depositional environments of the area where the fossil was collected were interpreted as
lagoon/bay, suspension lobe, and distributary channel (Paz & Rossetti, 2001; Rossetti et
al. 2001).
In Faveirinha Quarry and Perneta Ranch (Figure 2), the specimens referred here
were collected in levels of massive and laminated limestones, which are interbedded
with marls and calcareous concretions. These outcrops represent the upper part of the
Codó Formation. Almost all printed leaves include a thin deposition of iron oxide,
UFRJ-DG 1800-Pb, UFRJ-DG 1999-Pb and UFRJ-DG 1990-Pb were collected in the
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SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY
Division Gymnospermae
Order Coniferae
Family Brachyphyllaceae
Species indet.
Figures 3 and 4
Numerous striae of radiated disposition are visible in some sectors (Figure 3 B),
present in foliar scales related to the genus Brachyphyllum Lindley & Hutton emmend.
from different basins in northeastern Brazil for the Early Cretaceous (Japoatã
Formation, Araripe Basin). Also occur at levels of same age in South America, from
Argentina and Chile to the northernmost areas of Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela
and Japan (Berry, 1922, 1939; Archangelsky, 1963; Traverso, 1966; Baldoni, 1979;
Romero et al. 1995; Van Waveren et al. 2002; Yabe & Kubota, 2004).
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morphology, opposite and planar disposition of the branches and character "inflated"
has been attributed to B. obesum Heer from Portugal and Araripe Basin (Duarte, 1985,
1989, 1993; Kunzmann et al. 2004). This relationship is also supported by the radiated
arrangement of the veins, common in the abaxial surface of the leaves (and suggested
herein figuratively). The impressions feature of the specimens from the Codó Formation
are still comparable to those of the not yet published form and proposed by Sucerquia
assignment and is commented only for testify another record of the genus
Brachyphyllum for the Cretaceous of Brazil. The presence of Classopollis grain pollen
from the Codó Formation and especially Classopollis sp. cf. C. torosus Couper related
Leaves of opposite arrangement (Figure 4) and inflated (cushion like) are rare
between conifers generally provided with leaves arranged helically. This type of leaf
Podocarpaceae. In this last family, it occurs in types with heterophilic branches and
addition, in the cones of the first one were found Classopollis pollen grains (Ash, 1972;
Taylor et al. 2009), present in the Codó Formation, which suggests that this fragmentary
Similar morphotypes for the Cretaceous of Brazil are unprecedented yet, have
been communicated, without a formal description, for the Sergipe sub-basin (Riachuelo
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Lower Jurassic of United States (Shuttle Meadow and Moenava formations; Whiteside
et al. 2011).
Division Gymnosperm
Order Gnetales
Figure 5
vegetative branch.
axis (2 mm width) and two laterals (1 mm width), each one of them forked. Central axis
and ramifications with detached middle vein, which extends over the leaf lamina.
Opposite leaves, decussates and oblongs (30 mm long, 4 mm width), entire margin and
constricted base, originated from node or sheath little detached and without visible
bracts, suggesting terminal branches. Prominent central vein (0,5 mm) bordered by a
pair of laterals of minor caliber weakly visible of parallel course. Veins of second order
very thin, disposed perpendicularly, with sharp angles of divergence, connect the
primary ones in a curved course toward to apex. In a single sector (middle) of one of the
parallel veins, with occasional anastomoses in chevron (with curvature pointing to the
Crane and Upchurch, from the Lower Cretaceous of United States (Brenner, 1963;
Crane & Upchurch Jr., 1987). Both shares dicasium branches and comparable sizes. The
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leaves of the specimen UFRJ-DG1444-Pb are, however, much longer and narrower and
show a middle vein more prominent than that lateral ones, which differ in D.
distinct type in relation to those previously described for the genus Drewria.
These characteristics were also indicated by Crane & Upchurch Jr. (1987) as
1884). Knobloch, (1999 Tab.13, fig. 1) included similar morphologies herein seen in a
to assess the dicasial disposal of branches and opposite leaves. Another form with
comparable features (coriaceous aspect and central and laterals parallels veins) are
suggested terminals sporophylls for Dechellyia gormani Ash, Triassic from Chinle
Formation, according (Ash, 1972) a "peculiar" conifer. Crane & Upchurch Jr. (1987)
found between the Chloranthaceae angiosperms. This latter, however, often have leaves
prevents its determination even at the genus level, since the presence of chevrons in the
interwoven of higher order veins, is also characteristic of modern Welwitschia (Crane &
Upchurch Jr., 1987; Rydin et al. 2003). Additionally, the dense interwoven
taxonomic assignment.
Division Pinophyta
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Order Pinales
Figure 6
Description. Part of a stem axis, branched once with longitudinal and transversal soft
Comparisons. The very incompleteness of this material without attached leaves, may
the same age from the Santana Formation. However, the visible transverse striations in
some sectors and a leatherier character (Figure 6) suggest a closer relationship with
Cheirolepidiaceae, present in the Araripe Basin and in other parts of the globe in the
Lower Cretaceous. Among them, similar branches characterize forms related to the
genus Frenelopsis Schenk emend. Watson (Watson, 1977). Kunzmann et al. (2006)
reported the first occurrence of this genus for Brazil (Crato Member) from complete
branches, similar to UFRJ-DG1984-Pb, and where the leaves show epidermis features.
Frenelopsis is represented by large (34 cm) and long (41 cm) branches,
longitudinal and transversely striated, with sparse branches and distributed in a single
plane. The stems axis is segmented and may contain scaly and adpressed leaves (with
free apexes), of verticilate or decussate insertion, once or twice per segment or node.
Pseudofrenelopsis Nathorst, only distinguishable from the first by the presence of only
one sheet per node (Srinivasan, 1995). However, the material available here does not
Division Spermatophyta
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63
Order unknown
Family unknown
Figure 7 and 8
Description. Apical leaf (or branch) trilobed (8 cm length in the preserved part, Figure
and blades without basal constrictions, arranged in planar way (at 45° angles in relation
to the caulinar axis), the laterals receiving centrally the primary (or secondary) that
differ from the main suprabasally. The lobes have smooth margins, oblonceolate or
lanceolate shape, the central is most prominent and with rounded apexes (length
between 3,5 cm to 10 cm, a width between 0,75 cm and 1 cm). The main venation is
pinned and extends from the caulinar axis to the leaves. Veins of second (or third order),
more thin and weakly visible, diverge at angles and straight course of the primaries.
Visible only in some sectors, seem unite exmedially or to form a thin vein (intra-
marginal?), which follow parallel to the margin of the leaf, a brochidodromous pattern
not well established. From marginal vein diverge, also orthogonally, external
described from the Santana Formation (Crato Member), Araripe Basin (Kunzmann et al.
2007, Pl. II3, III3), and considered similar to a birdfoot impression. However,
stomata arranged in longitudinal rows, and transversely oriented to the longest axis of
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the leaves. This character cannot be determined in UFRJ-DG 1457-Pb. The same occurs
with reproductive structures cupulates and others types of leaves presents in N. dubia
(Kunzmann et al. 2007), which suggest two morphotypes leaves to the new species, of
which the leaves described herein would match the type I or birdfoot (Figure 7A).
The leaf lamina in the specimens from the Codó Formation is more long and
Republic and previously related to Aralia (Knobloch, 1999, Table 16, Figs. 12–14). It
possesses, however, a more delicate texture and broad leaves for which also are not
Forms that match more closely with the morphotypes identified for the Codó
(1976) for basal deposits from the Cretaceous of United States and recently updated in
and the species S. magnofilia Fontaine (Doyle & Hickey, 1976; fig. 18). Both have
long) and with very thick and striking primary venation. The most striking difference is
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65
well established in American forms, with divergence angles smaller than those broad
ones (85°) of the laminas of the specimens from the Codó Formation.
proposed by Hickey & Wolfe (1975) and Doyle & Hickey (1976) as related to the
Sapindaceae and/or Cunoniaceae. Later, Upchurch (1984) included them among the
platanoides types given its leaf morphology and cuticular characters. Phylogenetic
analysis of Doyle & Endress (2010) show, however, that Sapindopsis represents an
extinct group, in the origin of modern Platanus, and would represent an external group
triporate pollen Triorites africaensis Jardine and Magloire appears in the Albian-
Cenomanian of Brazil and Africa (Dettmann & Jarzen, 1996; Sauquet et al. 2009). For
Doyle (2015) two other lines of Proteales are registered from the Albian and suggest
that the Proteaceae, a typically austral family, already existed in the Early Cretaceous.
specimens from the Codó Formation prevents a reliable taxonomic statement to their
relations. The fine details venation of third-order suggests a preferential affinity with the
Division Angiosperm
Order Nymphaeales
Figure 9
connected to a petiole.
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Description. Obovate leaf (15 mm high and 25 mm wide) diverging with clear limits of
a delicate petiole (20 mm long and 3 mm wide), with transverse constrictions little
detached. The next associated and preserved branch, but without organic connection, is
Comparisons. The obovate morphology of the leaf, its disposition on the shaft and the
characteristics of the associated branches (Figure 9), are common into different types of
plants from the Early Cretaceous of the southern Laurasia and northern Gondwana. For
the distinct forms also preserved in the levels from the Araripe Basin (Crato and
Romualdo members, Santana Formation) and the Iberian Peninsula, aquatic habits are
assigned.
Mohr & Rydin (2002) and Mohr et al. (2006) have pointed comparable
morphotypes to specimens from the Parnaíba Basin (Codó Formation). The coriaceous,
cordate and palmate leaves, with numerous nervures of flabellate disposal, secondary
reticulates exmedially branched, and spiny teeth are a common component in these
associations.
The first finding of this type of morphology was due to Duarte (1985), working
with specimens from the Romualdo member attributed it to Nymphaeites choffati (Sap.)
Teixeira. Mohr & Rydin (2002), expanding the description and in an amendment to the
diagnosis, transferred this morphotype to a new genus and species, Trifurcatia flabellata
Mohr & Rydin. Posteriorly, Mohr et al. (2006) have proposed its inclusion in the genus
Trifurcatia flabellata, Mohr & Rydin (2002), show that the amendment to the
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description and the new proposed combination is consistent, and that the two types
share trifurcated thick branches with crossed grooves (or nodes) and flabellate leaves
with margin covered from the basal portion by thorny triangular teeth (Figure 9).
Gomez et al. (2009) described a new material to the genus Klitzschophyllites (K.
choffatti) from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) of Spain and discuss the validity of
the association made by Mohr et al. (2006). According to these authors, the species
originally described by Saporta sensu Teixeira would be the one that best matches with
the generic features of Klitzschophyllites, while the forms of Brazil should remain
restricted to the species Trifurcatia flabellata from Mohr & Rydin (2002).
Nymphaeites choffati (Saporta) Teixeira has been registered from the Codó
Formation by Duarte & Santos (1993) based on roots, stems and leaves. The study made
herein seems to confirm this occurrence, although with different types from those
member by the morphology of the carpel (absent in UFRJ-DG 1985-Pb). The common
elements with leaf branch of UFRJ-DG 1985-Pb are: i) the ovate shape of some leaves,
with smooth margins and centimetric size (between 10 and 30 mm); ii) weak and barely
visible venation (actinodrome in the material of Mohr et al. 2008), and iii) long petiole
(50 mm long) not transversely divided, of delicate texture (Figure 9). As shown here,
many leaves illustrated for P. peltata are covered by a ferruginous material film. Some
specimens (Mohr et al. 2008, Fig. 3) exhibit bifurcations that resemble to the branches
associated here.
Araripe Basin (Coiffard et al. 2013) possess leaves more rounded and larges than
UFRJ-DG 1985-Pb, connected to very long petioles (up to 10 cm in length and between
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68
2 and 6 mm wide), very fine texture, with base tending to cordate, does not show a close
relationship. Furthermore, the petiole is inserted eccentrically in the leaves and emerges
directly from rhizomes, characters which also distinguishes J. wiersemana from the
Division Magnoliophyta
Order Magnoliales
Magnolidae?
Figure 10 (A-C), 11
Material. UFRJ-DG 1800-Pb refers to an impression of the middle portion of a leaf and
other specimens of the basal (UFRJ-DG 1999-Pb) and middle (UFRJ-DG 1990-Pb)
preserved separated by rounded sinus, the central ones obovate and the laterals
bifurcated. The basal pair diverges laterally in a concave and curved course, the upper
one shows at least one additional branching of curved course apically directed
10B), connected to a detached and long petiole (3 cm length) of wide base (swollen).
Secondary veins also detached (5 mm), opposite and with acute angles of divergence,
with the basal pair penetrating in the lateral lobes centrally, and the upper one
apparently originating veins of apical course and of smaller caliber. Tertiary opposite
highest order and terminate in a parallel thin vein in the margin of the lamina
(intramarginal).
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69
Comparisons. The three relatively symmetrical lobes, the primary detached with
suprabasal bifurcation, each of its branches covering the central part of the lobes, the
detached petiole, secondary of curved course and tertiary percurrents (Figure 10A)
approach the leaves of the Codó Formation to those that currently characterize the genus
the southeastern United States. The only distinguishing feature between the two
Sassafrass, the primary laterals (or secondary) curving toward the apex (Figure 10A).
Mohr & Eklund (2003) had compared the genus Sassafras to specimens from the
related to the Magnolidae and probable Laurales. According these authors, it would
have been irregularly trilobite (occasionally bilobate), with primary pinnate venation
and secondary craspedodrome, this latter character not being distinguished in the
The smaller size of the leaves and the irregular nature of the lobation and veins
of highest order differ from the forms herein described. However, some forms of A.
florífera contains distinct flowering and one of them (Mohr & Eklund, 2003; fig. 2), the
primary basal pair is illustrated with the inflection of the basal pair (concavity) observed
here.
This character is still recorded by Mohr & Friis (2000, fig. 2G) for "leaf type 5"
from the Crato Member, a leaf with basal characteristics and sizes comparable to the
specimens here studied, but superiorly occur 4 lobes irregularly distributed and
containing a craspedodrome pinnate venation. The preservation only of the basal part of
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70
The basal branch of the secondary, emerging in acute angle and inflecting in a
straight course and slightly concave by central region of the lateral lobes (morphotypes
DISCUSSION
The previous knowledge regarding plant remains in the Lower Cretaceous levels
from the Codó Formation was limited to sparse wood, pollen and spores remains
reported by Lima (1982). This scenario has contrasted with the great diversity of leaves,
flowers and seeds remains identified in the Crato Member, Santana Formation in the
of angiosperms, present among the grains spores and pollens (Regali et al. 1974; Lima,
1982, 1989; Coimbra et al. 2002) and macrofossils (Kunzmann et al. 2004, 2006, 2007,
layers of the Araripe Basin, and its absence in the Codó Formation, can contribute to the
is closer to those from the Sergipe-Alagoas and Tucano basins, also located in the
northeastern Brazil.
especially when it comes from primitive groups of plants with characters present in
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71
different groups. Also, thinner details are not visible from the venation, which are in
turn beautifully preserved in the Crato Member strata. One aspect regarding the
taphonomic biases observed in the biota from the Codó Formation could represents
geochemical differences between the limestones from the Codó Formation and Crato
Member. For example, while the limestones of the Crato Member are constituted almost
The flora from the Codó Formation has been paleoecologically significant in
many aspects. The flora debris preserved in the thinnest layers of argillaceous limestone
halophyte plant of coastal regions commonly associated with remains and impressions
1974; Duarte, 1985). According to Duarte & Santos (1993), N. coffattii represents a
with only their leaves disposed on the water surface. Teixeira (1948) considers this
association of plants typical of the margin of shallow basins with very thin
The rare presence of Monilophytas in the Santana Formation and its absence in
the Codó Formation may be related to the not as diverse, or as common, distribution of
seed ferns as they were in the late Paleozoic, disappearing with the rise of angiosperms
during the mid to Late Cretaceous (Mohr et al. 2007). The apparent absence of
may suggest that the specimen from the Codó Formation was a herbaceous or shrubby
71
72
plant (Crane & Upchurch Jr., 1987). Another possible member of Cheirolepidiaceae
its surface similar to Frenelopsis sp. (Kunzmann et al. 2006; fig. 4C-E). The trilobed or
the fossil record (Kunzmann et al. 2007). However, the specimens UFRJ-DG 1986 and
1983 Pb show possible additional lateral lobes forming the branch. In addition, we
cannot rule out an affinity of the specimen UFRJ-DG 1457-Pb with the angiosperms
Codó Formation by the specimen UFRJ-DG 1985 Pb and support previous assumptions
florifera) is documented in the Codó Formation for the first time and presents
xeromorphic adaptations (e.g. small leaves) consistent with the arid and driest climate
CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary analysis indicates that the main botanical types that characterize the
Early Cretaceous in various parts of the globe are represented in the Codó Formation. It
demonstrates a close and concomitant affinity both with vegetation known to the
northeastern Brazil (e.g. Marizal, Areado and Santana formations) as with the southern
and western units of North America, whose most paradigmatic representatives are
incomplete and fragmentary, its occurrence in the Early Cretaceous is crucial to the
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73
these specimens is due not only the general quality of the record, but due the complex
nature of the first angiosperms, in which exhibit a mixture found in different clades.
The material here studied shows absence of morphologies related to ferns and
(basal types) and specimens that share common features to both groups.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank the anonymous reviewers for the important comments during the
review phase. The financial support to the study was provided by Fundação de Amparo
Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and Centro
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conifer branch from the Lower Cretaceous Kitadani Formation of the Tetori Group,
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black stars indicate the area where the material was collected.
Figure 2 View of Faveirinha and Perneta Quarries, Brejo County, northeastern Brazil: a
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and oblongs leaves; B) Leaf outline showing the venation pattern. Bar scale equal 1 cm.
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equal 1 cm.
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Figure 8 A) Specimen UFRJ-DG 1986 Pb showing the possibility of more than one
lobe having formed the branch; B) Specimen UFRJ-DG 1983 Pb exhibiting the same
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officinales Nees Rugel and to associated leaves of Araripea florifera Mohr and Eklund;
Incomplete portions of the same morphotypes (UFRJ-DG 1990-Pb). Bar scale equal 1
cm.
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DOI: 10.5327/Z2317-48892013000100003
ABSTRACT: The Codó Formation is a lithostratigraphic unit RESUMO: A Formação Codó constitui unidade litoestratigráfica com pre-
with predominant carbonate sedimentation of the Aptian age situ- domínio de sedimentação carbonática de idade aptiana, e situa-se na bacia
ated in the intracratonic Parnaíba Basin. In this formation, the only intracratônica do Parnaíba. Nessa formação, os crustáceos eram conhecidos
known crustaceans were conchostracans and ostracods. Systematic apenas por conchostráceos e ostracodes. Coletas sistemáticas realizadas no mu-
collections conducted in the Brejo city, in the Maranhão State, have nicípio de Brejo, Maranhão, proveram novos taxa para a citada unidade
provided new taxa for the cited lithostratigraphic unit. A new genus litoestratigráfica. Um novo gênero e espécie de isópode é descrito apresentando
and species of isopod is described with the following set of features: o conjunto de caracteres: céfalon elíptico, profundamente inserido no pri-
cephalon elliptical deeply inserted in the first pereionite; eyes locat- meiro pereionite; olhos localizados dorsolateralmente; corpo oblongo-ovalar;
ed dorsolaterally; body oblong oval; and isomorphic pereionites and e presença de pereionites e pleonites isomórficos indicando afinidade com a
pleonites, which indicate an affinity with the family Archaeoniscidae. família Archaeoniscidae. A ocorrência deste táxon em depósitos calcários da
The presence of this taxon in the limestone deposits from the Codó Formação Codó reforça prévias inferências de paleoambiente lagunar/mari-
Formation reinforces prior inference of a lacustrine/marine paleoen- nho, e demonstra uma diversidade maior de artrópodes aquáticos durante a
vironments, and indicates a greater diversity of aquatic arthropods abertura do Atlântico Sul no Cretáceo Inferior.
during the opening of the South Atlantic in the Early Cretaceous. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Archaeoniscidae; Formação Codó; Bacia
KEYWORDS: Archaeoniscidae; Codó Formation; Parnaíba Basin. do Parnaíba.
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão (RJ), Brazil. E-mails: rlindoso@live.com; ismar@geologia.ufrj.br
1
Federal University of Maranhão, Campus do Bacanga, São Luís (MA), Brazil. E-mail: igpaleo@gmail.com
2
*Corresponding author
Manuscrito ID 25778. Recebido em: 03/02/2012. Aprovado em: 11/10/2012
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Brazilian Journal of Geology, 43(1): 16-21, March 2013
91
This study aims to describe a new genus and species of drain the central basin at the confluence of the Tocantins
isopod for the Codó Formation (Aptian of the Parnaíba and Araguaia rivers, approaching the Parnaíba River,
Basin), which is the third species from Brazil described in the Brejo city and Codó (Santos & Carvalho 2009).
for the Cretaceous. Paleoenvironmental inferences are also The inferred age for these deposits is Aptian/Albian
made from this new fossil. (Lima 1982), and their strata are deposited in an arid to
semiarid climate regime (Rossetti et al. 2001).
Geological setting According to Lima & Leite (1978), paleontologi-
The new isopod comes from the intracratonic Parnaíba cal data indicate deposition occurred under marine and
Basin located in a large area of the western portion of brackish lacustrine environments. The stratigraphic
Northeast Brazil, covering the states of Maranhão, Piauí and faciological analyses in the region of Codó, Maranhão
and part of Tocantins, Pará, Ceará and Goiás. This basin State, by Rossetti et al. (2001) indicated three depositional
has a total area of 600,000 km2, and its sedimentary suc- environments: (1) central lake; (2) transitional lake; and
cession is 3,500 m thick in its depocenter, 500 m of which (3) marginal lake. The depositional environments were in-
belong to Mesozoic rocks (Campbell 1949, Mesner & terpreted in the upper sequence, which corresponds to an
Wooldridge 1964). upper shoreface, interdistributary lagoon/bay, suspension
The sedimentary and magmatic succession of the lobe, and distributary channel (Rossetti et al. 2001, Paz &
Parnaíba Basin is divided into five supersequences: Rossetti 2001). In a palynostratigraphic study, Antonioli
Silurian, Middle-Devonian, Early-Carboniferous, Late- (2001) divided the Codó Formation into three lithostrati-
Carboniferous-Early-Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous, graphic units: (1) Lower, which had an incipient marine
and the latter consists of the following formations: Corda, character; (2) Middle, which was essentially evaporitic;
Grajaú, Codó and Itapecuru (Vaz et al. 2007). However, and (3) Upper, which had a marine character.
according to Carneiro (1974) and Rezende (2002), the
Corda, Grajaú and Codó formations are interfingered and
chronostratigraphically equivalent. The Corda Formation MATERIALS AND METHODS
is composed of reddish-brown, very fine, semi-friable
and semi-cohesive sandstones. The Grajaú Formation, in Nine isopods were collected in the Faveirinha
turn, consists of whitish-pale-beige medium/coarse sand- Quarry (42º44’45,4’’W and 03º49’20,1’’S) and Perneta
stones and conglomeratic levels. In the Codó Formation, Ranch (42º44’21,1’’ W and 03º48’50,0’’S), located ap-
there are bituminous shales, siltstones, limestones, evap- proximately 20 km from the city of Brejo, northeastern
orites, and sandstones. Superimposed on these depos- Maranhão. These outcrops have a predominantly carbon-
its is the Itapecuru Formation of the Middle-Albian-Late atic lithology interbedded with marls; the Faveirinha Quarry
Cretaceous age, which is composed of fine, friable sand- is currently abandoned (Fig. 2). The specimen UFRJ DG
stones and pelites (Vaz et al. 2007). 170-Cr is bidimensionally preserved in a fragment of mas-
The areas where the Codó Formation occurs are sive limestone, which was subjected to mechanical prepara-
restricted and discontinuous, appearing in river beds that tion techniques and photographed under a binocular Carl
Zeiss Discovery v.12 lens. It is housed in the paleontolog-
W 48º00’
ical collection of the Geology Department of the Federal
São Luís University of Rio de Janeiro.
Brejo
PALEONTOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS
Maranhão
Brazil MALACOSTRACA Latreille, 1802
ISOPODA Latreille, 1817
S 07º00’ SPHAEROMATIDEA Wägele, 1989
SPHAEROMATOIDEA Latreille, 1825
ARCHAEONISCIDAE Haack, 1918
Codoisopus gen. nov.
(Fig. 3)
Etymology. The generic name refers to the Codó
Formation, the lithostratigraphic unit where the specimen
Figure 1. Location of the city of Brejo, Maranhão State. comes from.
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Brazilian Journal of Geology, 43(1): 16-21, March 2013
92
Diagnosis. The same as for the species. Codoisopus brejensis and abdominal somites, which gives it an oblong-oval
gen. nov. et sp. nov. shape. Antennules and antennae are not preserved.
Etymology. The specific designation, brejensis (latin), Exopodites only occur as printings. The pleotelson is sub-
refers to Brejo city. triangular and twice the length of the pereon.
Holotype. UFRJ DG 170-Cr
Location. Faveirinha Quarry, city of Brejo, Maranhão
State. DISCUSSION
Stratigraphic Context. Parnaíba Basin, Codó
Formation, Lower Cretaceous (Aptian). The fossil record for isopods has been limited, partly
Diagnosis. Body oblong-oval measuring 13 mm length due to their small size (usually less than 30 mm) and del-
and 7 mm width. Cephalon elliptical deeply inserted with- icate structure (Taylor 1972). Therefore, isopods are rare
in the first pereionite. Dorsolateral eyes; somites thoracic but important ecological forms, especially in benthic ma-
and abdominal isomorphic (seven pereionites and five pleo- rine habitats (Ruppert et al. 2005).
nites). Pleotelson small, subtriangular, having half the length The occurrence of these crustaceans in Brazil is notable as
of the pereon. Presence of subrectangular exopodites. only two species have been described: Unusuropode castroi
Duarte & Santos (1962), Turonian of the Group Apodi,
Açu Sandstone, Ceará, and Saucrolus silvai Santos (1971),
DESCRIPTION Aptian of the Areado Formation in the Sanfranciscana
Basin. For the carbonate deposits of Brejo, Maranhão,
Specimen UFRJ-DG 170-Cr measures 13 mm length which correspond to the Codó Formation, a new ge-
and 7 mm width. It is dorsoventrally preserved in light-yel- nus and species of isopod, Codoisopus brejensis gen. et sp.
low massive limestone. The entire body is preserved in dor- nov., is proposed. This species differs from U. castroi for
sal view. It is possible to identify the cephalon, which has having elliptical cephalon and lateral pleural expansions
the first somite diamond-shaped and a total of 12 thoracic that are strongly distally arched, although the possibility
2m
AA B
1m
C
Concretions
Plants
Limestone
Fishes
Marl Crustaceans
Mud Sand
Figure 2. Stratigraphic profile of the Faveirinha Quarry in the city of Brejo, Maranhão (A); Geological cross-section
of the same outcrop demonstrating the predominance of carbonate sedimentation (B); Panoramic view of the site
where the isopod was found (C).
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Brazilian Journal of Geology, 43(1): 16-21, March 2013
93
A
A BB
Ce
Pe = 7
1 cm
1 cm
Pl = 5
Pt
Ex
Figure 3. Isopod Codoisopus brejensis gen. et sp. nov. in dorsal view (A); Reconstitution of C. brejensis gen. et sp. nov. from
identifiable regions (B). Ce: cephalon, Pe: pereon (= 7 pereionites), Pl: pleon (= 5 pleonites), Pt: pleotelson, Ex: exopodites.
that this feature was taphonomically produced has not been interpretations of a restricted lagoon with episodes of marine
ruled out, both 7 pereionites and 5 pleonites, and reduced, ingressions and fluvial influence in these deposits are consis-
subrectangular exopodites. Such distinct features also dis- tent with the nature of the arthropod fauna (Feldmann et al.
tance C. brejensis gen. et sp. nov. from any association with 1998, Applegate et al. 2005, Vega et al. 2005).
S. silvai, which exhibits a sub-hexagonal body with trilobed In addition, members of the family Archaeoniscidae are
and subtriangular ophistosoma that distally narrows toward characterized by a posterior sagittal crest that extends from
the pleotelson. However, C. brejensis gen. et sp. nov. exhib- the central portion of the pleotelson toward the base of the
its the following features observed for taxa belonging to first pereionite, which is a feature apparently absent in C.
the family Archaeoniscidae (Haack 1918): a cephalon el- brejensis gen. et sp. nov. In fact, Feldmann et al. (1998)
liptical deeply inserted in the first pereionite, eyes dorso- interpreted this feature as being the dorsal reflection of a
laterally located, body oblong-oval, and the presence of ventral structure in females, which is most likely an incu-
seven similar pereionites. According to Vega et al. (2005), bator chamber (sexual dimorphism). Given the set of fea-
Archaeoniscidae is a monogeneric extinct family which tures outlined above, we propose a new genus and species
belongs to the suborder Sphaeromatidea (Wägele 1989), of isopod for the Cretaceous of Brazil (Codó Formation,
that includes the taxa Archaeoniscus brodiei Milne Edwards, Parnaíba Basin) (Fig. 3).
1843, from the Late Jurassic of Europe, which represents To date, faciological studies have indicated a strictly
the species type, Archaeoniscus texanus Wieder & Feldmann lacustrine depositional environment for the Codó
1992 from the Late Cretaceous of Texas, and Archaeoniscus Formation; therefore, no support for a possible marine in-
aranguthyorum Feldmann, Vega, Applegate and Bishop, vasion existed (Paz & Rossetti 2001). However, when con-
1998 from the Late Albian of Mexico. C. brejensis gen. et ducting palyno-chronostratigraphic studies in the Codó
sp. nov. shares only the general body shape and number of region, Antonioli (2001) concluded the Codó Formation
pereionites (seven) with A. brodiei (Milne Edwards 1843, was deposited in an environment sometimes continental
Feldmann et al. 1998). In turn, C. brejensis gen. et sp. nov. (lacustrine) and sometimes coastal marine, and the pres-
also differs from A. texanus because the latter has a marked- ence of dinoflagellates becomes steadier toward the upper
ly oblong body, semicircular pleotelson, and an oval pro- strata (Antonioli & Arai 2002).
tuberance in the axial region (Wieder & Feldmann 1992). However, the presence of C. brejensis gen. et sp. nov.
The new Brazilian taxon resembles the taxon A. aranguthy- in carbonatic deposits of Brejo and the associated pa-
orum from the Middle Member of the lithographic lime- leobiota reinforce prior inferences of a marine/lacus-
stones of the Tlayúa Formation, in the quarries of Tepexi trine paleoenvironment for the Codó Formation, which
de Rodríguez, Puebla, Mexico. Prior paleoenvironmental was first only supported by palynological evidence. The
19
Brazilian Journal of Geology, 43(1): 16-21, March 2013
94
paleobiota recorded in Brejo, Maranhão, includes co- addition, the occurrence of C. brejensis gen. et sp. nov. in car-
quina with gastropods, decapods, plants, ichnofossils bonate deposits of the Codó Formation along with a diverse
and euryhaline fishes (Lindoso 2012). Moreover, this paleobiota composed of gastropods, decapods, plants, ichno-
finding is in accordance with the hypothesis of a marine fossils, and fishes reinforces prior inferences of a marine/lacus-
transgression via the Parnaíba Basin during the Lower trine paleoenvironment for the cited lithostratigraphic unit.
Cretaceous (Maisey 1991, 2000, 2011; Arai 1995, However, the collection of new specimens with greater anatom-
1999, 2000, 2011). ical detail is necessary to better understand the biota diversity of
aquatic arthropods during the opening of the South Atlantic.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Until recently, the only known crustaceans from the
Codó Formation were conchostracans and ostracods. We thank Aline Ghilardi for her support with the Fig. 3.
Recent fieldwork conducted at the Faveirinha Quarry, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento
municipality of Brejo, Maranhão State, identified a new Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão (FAPEMA),
genus and species of isopod for the Cretaceous of Brazil Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível
(Codó Formation, Parnaíba Basin). C. brejensis gen. et sp. Superior (CAPES), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento
nov. shares features with taxa of the family Archaeoniscidae Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação Carlos Chagas
Haack, 1918, which was not yet documented in Brazil. Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado do Rio de Janeiro
This finding demonstrates the lack of knowledge about this (FAPERJ) and Centro de Pesquisa de História Natural e
group of crustacean fossils in Brazilian sedimentary basins. In Arqueologia do Maranhão (CPHNAMA).
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8
a
9 Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Geologia, CCMN/IGEO,
16 Abstract - Although fossils from the Codó Formation have been known for over
17 seventy years, their abundance and biotic diversity have only recently become better
18 understood. Numerous specimens of fossil fishes have been collected at new localities
19 in Brejo municipality, northeastern Brazil, and are interpreted here in the light of
20 evidence for an epicontinental seaway extending from the Equatorial Atlantic (Tethys
21 Ocean). Similarities are noted among fossil fish assemblages from the Codó, Santana
23 the Parnaíba, Araripe and Sergipe-Alagoas basins during the Early Cretaceous (Aptian-
24 Albian). Paleoecological observations suggest that the Codó Formation formed under a
27 1. Introduction
28 The breakup of South America and Africa during the Early Cretaceous was an
29 important event, leading to the progressive development of the Equatorial and South
33 distributed across northeastern Brazil during the Aptian-Albian, until now the
34 ichthyofaunas of the Santana Formation of the Araripe Basin have received most
35 attention, due to their Fossil-Lagerstätten status. Distribution patterns of the fishes from
36 western Gondwana during the Early Cretaceous are still poorly known, although they
38 the Tethys Ocean and extending across the interior of NE Brazil (Maisey, 2000, 2011;
42 Formation), Parnaíba (Codó Formation), Recôncavo and Tucano (Marfim and Marizal
44 (Riachuelo and Muribeca formations) and Cabo (Cabo Formation) (Silva Santos, 1990a,
48 Mexico, Australia, West Africa and even Antarctica (Moody and Maisey, 1994;
49 Schultze and Stöhr, 1996; Maisey, 2000; Maisey and Moody, 2001).
50 There have been few previous studies of fossil fishes from the Codó Formation
51 of northeastern Brazil, although many taxa have been recorded. Silva Santos (1994a)
98
56 Several of these taxa occur also in the Santana and Riachuelo formations, although the
57 clupeid Codoichthys carnavalii is still known only from the Codó Formation (Silva
58 Santos, 1994a; Santos and Carvalho, 2009;). Additionally, a new species of mawsoniid,
60 limestones on the margin of the Itapecuru River, between Codó and Timbiras cities
64 In this paper, we describe fossil fishes of the Codó Formation from new
67 is still somewhat conjectural, the Codó Formation may be one of the earliest
68 lithostratigraphic units in NE Brazil affected by the Tethyan seaway during the Early
71
72 2. Geological setting
74 extending across the states of Maranhão, Piauí and part of Tocantins, Pará and Ceará,
75 with a total preserved area of 600,000 km2 (its original margins probably extended even
78 includes the Codó Formation. This unit was first recognized by Lisboa (1914), who
81 According to Carneiro (1974) and Rezende (2002), the Corda, Grajaú and Codó
85 stones and conglomerates . The Codó Formation is overlain by the Itapecuru Formation
86 (middle Albian to Late Cretaceous), which is composed of fine, friable sandstones and
89 river channels that drain the central basin at the confluence of the Tocantins and
90 Araguaia rivers, in Brejo city and Codó (Santos and Carvalho, 2009). The Formation is
93 According to Lima and Leite (1978), deposition of the Codó Formation occurred
94 under marine and brackish lacustrine conditions. Stratigraphic and facies analyses in the
96 depositional environments: (1) central lake; (2) transitional lake; and (3) marginal lake.
97 In a palynostratigraphic study, Antonioli (2001) and Antonioli and Arai (2002) also
99 was not entirely lacustrine in origin. Instead, they identified a lower sequence, with an
100 incipient marine character a middle part (essentially evaporitic), and an upper sequence,
100
101 again with a marine character. The presence of isopods in limestones of the Codó
103
105 The specimens described here were collected between 2008 and 2014 during
106 fieldwork at outcrops near Brejo city, in northeastern Maranhão. Besides fishes,
107 numerous other fossils were collected, including plants, gastropods and crustaceans.
108 The fossil fishes are housed at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
111 UFRJ-DG 827P, UFRJ-DG 825P, UFRJ-DG 840P, UFRJ-DG 828P, UFRJ-DG 812P,
112 UFRJ-DG 870P, UFRJ-DG 834P and CPHNAMA-VT 1241, CPHNAMA-VT 1242.
113 The material was compared with specimens from the Santana Formation, housed
114 at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York, USA, as well as
115 with other specimens from the Codó Formation housed at the Departamento Nacional
117
125 Figure 2
101
127 seen in right lateral view. Most of the skull, trunk and tail are preserved. UFRJ-DG
128 827P is an incomplete specimen in a carbonate concretion, preserved in left lateral view;
129 most of the skull and trunk (including tail) is missing. UFRJ-DG 838P is an incomplete
130 specimen in carbonate concretion in right lateral view; only the posterior part of the
131 skull and the anterior half of the trunk are preserved.
132 Locality – Faveirinha Quarry and Perneta Ranch, Brejo City, Maranhão State.
133 Description – UFRJ-DG 845P (Figure 2) is 215 mm standard length (SL) missing the
134 nasal and jaws. The circum-orbital series is complete, with seven infraorbitals and two
135 supraorbitals. The fifth infraorbital is well developed and extends from the orbit to the
136 ventral lobe of the preoperculum (a characteristic feature of this genus; Maisey, 1991).
137 Three suborbitals are aligned vertically and limited dorsally by the dermopterotic-
138 dermosphenotic and ventrally by the fifth infraorbital. The antorbital is partially
139 preserved. The ventral lobe of the preoperculum extends obliquely forward below the
140 level of the orbit; the preoperculum is slightly inclined anteriorly. The opercular series
141 is incomplete, and the cleithrum and supracleithrum are not distinguishable. The
142 interopercular is poorly preserved, but is apparently elongated anteriorly. The preserved
143 parts of the skull roof include the frontal, parietal and supratemporal-postemporal; the
145 characteristic feature of the genus). Fringing fulcral scales are present in all the
146 preserved fins (the pelvic fin is missing) and are especially well developed in the dorsal
147 fins. Dorsal and anal fins are situated on the posterior half of the body; the beginning of
148 the anal is located immediately behind the end of the dorsal. The pectoral fin includes at
149 least nine rays, the anal has ten rays, the dorsal has nine, and the caudal fin has thirteen;
102
150 this latter homocerca. Absence of hunchback elevation and presence of isometric ganoid
151 scales.
152 This taxon was first described from the Santana Formation as Lepidotes
153 temnurus (Agassiz, 1841), but was later placed in a new genus Araripelepidotes by
154 Silva Santos (1990a). It is a relatively abundant taxon in carbonate concretions from the
155 Romualdo Member, but is rare in laminated limestones of the Crato Member (Maisey,
156 1991; Brito et al., 1998; Gallo and Brito, 2004;). Araripelepidotes differs from
157 Lepidotes and other semionotiforms in having a well developed fifth infraorbital which
158 contacts the preopercle, a comparatively short skull, unornamented dermal bones,
159 separation of the dermopterotic and frontal by the dermosphenotic, and absence of a
160 predorsal elevation (Maisey, 1991; Brito et al., 1998; Gallo and Brito, 2004; Brito,
161 2007). Another diagnostic feature of A. temnurus is the weak and edentulous lower jaw
162 (Thies, 1996), although this feature could not be observed in the Codó specimens. We
163 attribute the lack of the lower jaw in UFRJ DG-845P to taphonomic factors such as
164 disarticulation prior to burial. The state of preservation of the specimens UFRJ DG-
165 827P and UFRJ DG-838P shows that they were buried in an almost complete condition,
166 with only the anterior portion of the skull missing in UFRJ DG-838P.
168
175 Material – UFRJ DG-832P, incomplete skull preserved approx. 155 mm long, seen
176 from the right side, in a limestone concretion. UFRJ DG-1504P, impression of the distal
177 portion of the trunk approx. 320 mm long, including the caudal fin in massive
179 concretion.
180 Locality – Perneta Ranch and Piaba 2, Brejo City, Maranhão State.
181 Description – In UFRJ DG-832P (Figure 3), the dentary is large and supports a robust
182 row of caniniform teeth that have an acrodine cap with sharpened margins. The most
183 anterior teeth in the jaw are taller than those farther posteriorly. The gular plate is fan-
184 shaped, with its posterior margin terminating in several pointed serrations. The opercle
185 is incomplete and its surface has been largely obliterated. The anterior portion of the
186 subopercle is ornamented with striated and irregular grooves. The preopercle is also
188 In UFRJ DG-1504P (Figure 4), some vertebrae and part of the caudal fin
189 skeleton are preserved. Traces of the anal fin are also visible, and the caudal fin is
190 homocercal, with a slightly convex margin. Impressions of the caudal fin rays suggest
191 that 8 hypurals, 2 or 3 epurals and 12-13 hypaxial rays were originally present. There
192 are 33 preural caudal centra. UFRJ DG-1524-P (Figure 5) exhibits part of the skull roof
194 extrascapular. The extrascapular is incomplete and shows a subtriangular shape. Left
195 parietal longer than right parietal. Frontal long and sutured to each other through a
196 midline, pattern of striation and roughness suggests the frontal and other bones of the
197 skull roof were quite ornate. Supraorbitals longer than dermosphenotic, dermopterotic
198 length reaching all length of the parietal and posterior part of the frontal. Premaxilla
199 with strong dorsal process and large olfactory foramina. 5 to 6 robust premaxillars
104
203 instead of 39 preural caudal centra. It also agrees with C. cylindricus and differs from C.
204 africanus in the proportions of the frontals, supramaxilla and gular (Forey and Grande,
205 1998).
207
216 Figure 6
218 partially preserved in laminated limestone (skull, most of the trunk and part of the
221 Description – In this specimen (Figure 6), the head is 10 mm long (one third of the total
222 body length). Two supramaxillae are present; the first is elongated and narrow, the
223 second is large and elliptical. The dentary is edentulous. Four infraorbitals are
224 preserved; infraorbital 2 has a diamond shape and infraorbital 3 is subtriangular. The
105
225 operculum is trapezoidal with its lower half ornamented by striae rising toward the
226 border; the same ornament pattern is present on the suboperculum. The preoperculum is
227 semilunar, with a long sensory canal which branches postero-inferiorly. The
228 interoperculum is strongly ornamented with thin grooves extending up beyond the
229 inferior border of the suboperculum. Cycloid scales are also present, ornamented with
231 Santanichthys diasii was originally described as Leptolepis diasii (Silva Santos,
232 1958). Later, Silva Santos (1991a) erected the genus Santanichthys for L. diasii based
233 on the presence of a fronto-occipital fontanelle and epipleurals in the middle region of
234 the thorax. Santanichthys was redescribed by Filleul and Maisey (2004), who concluded
235 that it represents the earliest known otophysan and perhaps the earliest characiform.
236 UFRJ DG-1482-P (Figure 6) is referred to S. diasii here, based on the following
237 similarities: gape of mouth very inclined; presence of two supramaxilla (the first one
238 long and narrow; the second one large and elliptical); dentary apparently toothless;
239 opercle trapezoidal; presence of some striae on inferior border of the opercle and
240 subopercle; preopercle semilunar with preopercular canal posteriorly sends off striated
241 postero-inferior border; absence of abdominal scutes. Most of the caudal elements of
242 specimen UFRJ DG-1482-P are not preserved, which preclude effective comparisons
243 with others otophysans (e.g. Leptoleis bahiaensis, Grupo Ilha, Reconcavo Basin).
245
255 Description - The body is fusiform, with dorsal and ventral scutes. Dorsal scutes are
256 smooth, located between the posterior margin of the skull and the anterior border of the
257 dorsal fin, becoming progressively larger toward the latter. The dorsal scutes are
258 supported by pre-dorsal bones. Ventral scutes are broad and extend from the posterior
259 margin of the skull to the origin of the anal fin. These scutes increase progressively in
260 size toward the pelvic fin and decrease toward the anterior border of the anal fin. The
261 pelvic fin is opposite the dorsal and the pectoral fin is located lateroventrally. The dorsal
262 fin contains 16 rays and the anal 12 rays, but the pectoral and pelvic fins are
263 incomplete. The ventral outline of the body is moderately convex. Much of the cranial
264 skeleton has been obliterated. Only the posterior margin of the opercle and part of the
265 dentary are preserved, the latter exhibiting a slight convexity. There are between 34-36
266 vertebrae. The caudal skeleton is incomplete, with only ural centra 1 and 2 no hypurals
267 preserved. The proximal region of the parhypural is well developed and fused to
268 the centrum of the first pre-ural. The first uroneural is fused to neural of the first pre-
269 ural.
271 having both dorsal and ventral scutes. The pelvic fin is located opposite the dorsal; the
272 dorsal fin has 16 rays and the anal fin has 12 rays; the anal fin has a convex, rounded
273 outline ventrally. In the caudal skeleton, the neural spine of the first pre-ural is well
107
274 developed. Additionally, S. silvasantosi shows two supramaxilla (unlike the single
276 UFRJ DG-1166P resembles Ellimma branneri (a basal clupeomorph from the
278 outline of the body and both dorsal and abdominal scutes (Chang and Maisey, 2003)
279 (Figure 8). However, the abdominal scutes in E. branneri are attached to a series of
280 plates arranged laterally (Chang and Maisey, 2003: Fig. 2). Although the dorsal scutes
281 in UFRJ DG-1166P are not well preserved, they seem to lack a median keel and
282 ornament, which are present in E. branneri (Chang and Maisey, 2003: Figs. 7 A, B).
283 Ellimma cruzi occurs in micaceous shales of the Cabo Formation (Aptian),
284 Pernambuco, where it is associated with the gonorhynchiform Dastilbe crandalli (Silva
285 Santos, 1990c). E. cruzi differs of UFRJ DG-1166P in having a more convex ventral
286 margin; the pelvic fin is smaller than the pectoral; the maximum convexity is located in
287 the ventral border of the body; the distance between the pelvic and the base of the
288 ventral lobe of the caudal fin is shorter than in Codoichthys carnavalii; the dorsal
289 outline is also more rounded in E. cruzi, although not as much as the ventral margin; the
290 dorsal fin located exactly in the middle of the distance between the tip of the snout and
291 the base of the caudal fin; and the dorsal surface of its scutes are heavily ornamented
292 (Silva Santos, 1990c). In UFRJ DG-1166P, the dorsal fin is located along the posterior
293 half of the body between the tip of the snout and the base of the caudal lobe, the dorsal
294 outline of the body is straight, and its dorsal scutes are unornamented.
296
297 5. Discussion
108
298 There are numerous Early Cretaceous fossil fish occurrences across north-
299 eastern Brazil (Maisey, 2000), but only some have received much attention (e.g., in the
300 Araripe, Recôncavo, Sergipe and Alagoas basins). Previously, fossil fishes from the
301 Codó Formation were known from only a few localities in eastern and northern
302 Maranhão State (Table 1). Silva Santos (1994a) listed eleven species, ten of which were
303 described already from elsewhere (mainly from the Santana Formation of the Araripe
304 Basin), plus a clupeomorph, Codoichthys carnavalii. Carvalho et al. (2013) described a
305 new species of mawsonid (Axelrodichthys maiseyi) from an outcrop in the margin of the
306 Itapecuru River, between the cities of Timbiras and Codó, east Maranhão. Duarte and
310 reported from the Codó Formation (Silva Santos, 1994a), although no specimens were
312 The Cretaceous fossil fishes of the Parnaíba Basin thus include a large number
313 of taxa that also occur in the Araripe Basin to the south-east. Several of these shared
314 taxa are extremely abundant in Araripe, so it is perhaps not surprising that some should
315 also occur in the Codó Formation. However, despite the relatively low number of
316 specimens so far collected (no more than a few hundred, compared with tens of
317 thousands from Araripe), these Codó samples include taxa that are rare in Araripe (e.g.,
318 gars, coelacanths). Moreover, some of the most abundant taxa from Araripe (e.g.,
319 Vinctifer, Rhacolepis) are represented by relatively few specimens from the Codó
320 Formation. The abundance of Santanichthys diasii in the Codó Formation may be
322 crandalli, which is also very abundant in limestone exposures at Faveirinha and
109
323 Perneta. The co-occurrence of Dastilbe with many other fishes in the Codó Formation
324 contrasts with the situation in the Araripe Basin, where this taxon is abundant only in
325 the Crato Member, where it dominates the fish assemblage. As at Araripe,
326 clupeomorphs are rare in the Codó Formation; so far, Codoichthys carnavalii is the only
327 one documented (Silva Santos, 1994a). However, recent collecting at the Perneta Ranch
328 locality produced what may be a second species of clupeomorph. The only clupeomorph
329 thus far described from the Santana Formation is Santanaclupea silvasantosi which is
330 apparently restricted to concretions, shales and marls of the Romualdo Member.
331 Some of the taxa listed by Silva Santos (1994a), from Umburanas Quarry in
332 Brejo, have not yet been recognized at Faveirinha or Perneta (e.g. Cladocyclus
334 unclear whether this represents a ‘real’ absence or is simply due to insufficient
335 sampling. The generally poor preservation of many fossil fishes from the Codó
336 localities makes them less than ideal for systematic study and identification; for
337 example, numerous specimens of small fishes have been referred to Dastilbe
338 crandalli from limestones of open pit mines in Brejo municipality, largely on the basis
339 of meristic features (e.g. fin ray counts) rather than definitive morphological features.
340
343 interpret in the Brazilian Northeastern Marginal and Interior Basins (BNMIBs) of
344 western Gondwana, because they were affected by a history of complex, syn- and post-
345 depositional tectonic events, related to continental separation that began in the Late
347 presented numerous opportunities for local speciation (Arai, 1995, 1999, 2009, 2014;
350 fossil fishes within the syn- and post-rift deposits of this region (Silva Santos, 1963,
351 1994a, b; Maisey, 1991, 2000, 2011; Duarte and Silva Santos, 1993; Martill, 1993;
352 Forey and Grande, 1998; Grande and Bemis, 1998; Malabarba et al., 2002; Gallo and
353 Brito, 2004; Brito, 2006; Brito and Amaral, 2008; Santos and Carvalho, 2009; Gallo and
354 Figueiredo, 2012; Carvalho et al., 2013; Lindoso et al., 2013a). Brito (1984) attempted
355 to correlate various interior and marginal basins using the aspidorhynchiform
356 Vinctifer (which he considered a biozone marker). However, the genus is not well
357 constrained stratigraphically (Martill 1988; Maisey, 1991). Vinctifer, along with several
358 other fishes in the Santana Formation of the Araripe Basin, is closely related to taxa
359 from western Tethyan marine deposits elsewhere; for example in Venezuela
361 (e.g. Rhacolepis, Vinctifer, Notelops), and Mexico (Rhacolepis, Vinctifer, Notelops,
363 It has long been suspected that an ephemeral equatorial seaway extended across
364 north-eastern Brazil during part of the Early Cretaceous, but opinions have differed over
365 its extent and direction of propagation. Silva Santos (1991b) suggested that a marine
366 ingression began on the eastern coast of the South Atlantic (Sergipe-Alagoas Basin;
367 Muribeca and Riachuelo formations, respectively) and then spread northward, passing
368 through the Reconcavo-Tucano basins (Marfim and Marizal formations, respectively),
369 the Araripe Basin (Santana Formation) and then Parnaíba (Codó Formation). Martill
370 (1993) advocated a short marine episode in the Araripe Basin, with possible ingressions
371 extending from the Potiguar (Alagamar Formation), Parnaíba (Codó Formation) and the
111
372 Reconcavo, Tucano and Jatobá complex. Newer paleontological evidence suggests a
373 different hypothesis, with the seaway extending first from Caribbean Tethys into several
374 Brazilian sedimentary basins (with the notable exception of the Pelotas Basin; Arai,
375 2014). According to this hypothesis, an Aptian marine ingression may have started in
376 the São Luís Basin (Codó Formation) and subsequently extended into the Parnaíba,
377 Araripe, Tucano and Sergipe basins (Arai, 2014; see Figure 9 A). The similarities
378 between marine fossil assemblages recovered from these basins and those of the
380 and fishes), along with the absence of marine sediments coeval with the Santana
381 Formation in basins located between the Araripe and Potiguar basins, adds credence to
382 this hypothesis (Arai, 2006, 2009, 2014; Maisey, 2000, 2011).
383 The fossil fishes of the Codó Formation are generally similar to those from the
385 Formation), and Sergipe-Alagoas (Riachuelo and Muribeca formations) basins (Silva
386 Santos, 1991a; Santos and Carvalho, 2009;). There is nevertheless some evidence to
387 suggest that resident fish populations may have been temporarily isolated from those of
388 adjacent basins, providing opportunities for speciation (Tables 2 and 3). It is also
389 possible that different lineages invaded various basins at various times, For example,
390 different clupeomorph genera are present in the Codó (Codoichthys carnavalii); Santana
392 (Ellimma branneri) and Cabo formations (Ellimma cruzi) (Figure 9 C). These forms are
393 not closely related to each other (i.e., as sister taxa), suggesting that their distribution is
394 most likely the result of independent and unrelated dispersals rather than vicariant
395 isolation. However, other taxa (e.g., the amiiform Calamopleurus) is represented by
396 different species in different basins, which may conceivably have arisen by vicariant
112
397 isolation; Calamopleurus cylindricus (the largest vertebrate found so far in the Codó
398 Formation) is also well known from the Santana Formation in the Araripe Basin.
399 Another species, C. mawsoni, occurs in the Ilhas Formation (Neocomian, Recôncavo
400 Basin (Grande and Bemis, 1998; Maisey, 1991). In addition, C. africanus was described
401 from the Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of southern Morocco (Forey and Grande, 1998).
402 Similarities noted here between the fossil fish assemblages of the Codó, Santana
403 and Riachuelo formations may thus be related to a relatively prolonged period of
404 continuous or intermittent connection between the Parnaíba, Araripe and Sergipe-
405 Alagoas basins by a seaway (Figure 9 B), although the factors responsible for their
407
410 suggest a lacustrine environment with marine influence under arid to semi-arid
411 conditions (Campbell, 1949; Mesner and Wooldridge, 1964; Lima, 1982; Aranha et al.,
412 1990; Antonioli, 2001; Paz and Rossetti, 2001; Rossetti et al., 2001; Paz, 2005). The
413 region now located in Codó municipality of eastern Maranhão was probably occupied
414 by stable, well-stratified, saline lakes characterized by periodic closure and anoxia (Paz,
415 2005). In Brejo municipality, articulated specimens of fishes and crustaceans occur
416 together on single bedding planes (Figure 10), suggesting mass mortality events
417 (Lindoso and Carvalho, 2014). These may have been triggered by episodic changes in
418 salinity, temperature, or oxygen levels, and perhaps poisoning by algal blooms (Martill
419 et al., 2008). Additionally, Paz and Rossetti (2001) suggested that such mass mortality
420 events in the Codó lake may have resulted from sudden lowering of the lake level and
421 subaerial exposure of its margins. Karstification structures (e.g. dolines) in the Codó
422 and Brejo formations point to a climate regime with alternating hot/arid and rainy
113
423 conditions for the Codó Formation (Gonçalves et al., 2006; Lindoso and Carvalho,
424 2014).
426 considered a crucial event in the biogeographic history of western Gondwana (Maisey,
427 2000, 2011), there is little evidence of maritime influence within the Codó
428 Formation. For example, isotopic analyzes of evaporites from the Codó and Grajaú
429 regions yielded 87Sr/86Sr ratios higher than those of late Aptian seawater (Paz, 2005). In
431 for a possible marine invasion (Paz and Rossetti, 2001). The abundance of articulated
432 ostracods (including young and adult stages) as well as frequent occurrences of
433 complete fossil fishes in the uppermost levels of the sequence are consistent with
434 progressive dissection of the lake system as proposed by Paz and Rossetti (2001).
436 Brejo municipality, where limestone coquinas include supposedly marine gastropods
438 conditions. Many of the fishes from these levels are widely distributed in northeastern
439 Brazil (e.g. Calamopleurus, Vinctifer, Dentilepisosteus) and at least some of them are
440 known from marine deposits elsewhere. Santanichthys is also considered a marine form
441 (Figueiredo and Gallo, 2004), in which case its presence in the Codó lake may be
442 related to initial ingression of salt waters emanating from the equatorial
443 Atlantic. However, fossils indicative of open marine conditions (e.g., ammonites,
444 brachiopods, echinoderms, corals) are absent. Instead, high levels of terrestrial plant
445 debris in these deposits suggest an endorheic drainage system with freshwater influx
446 into the Codó lake . Although isopods have broad ecological distribution, occurring in
447 benthic freshwater, terrestrial and marine habitats (Ruppert et al., 2005), Codoisopus
114
448 brejensis is assigned to a lagunar/marine environment for the Codó Formation (Lindoso
450 6. Conclusions
451 The fossil fishes reported here from new outcrops in Brejo, Maranhão State, add
452 to previously observed similarities between fossil fish assemblages of the Codó,
453 Santana and Riachuelo formations. These findings suggest that greater connectivity
454 existed between the aquatic environments of these basins than between other
455 BNMIBs. However, these connections may have been intermittent, with independent
457 speciation. Paleontological data are still somewhat equivocal about the depositional
458 environments of the Codó Formation, especially the extent of any marine
459 influence. Many of the fishes found in Brejo have relatively widespread distributions in
460 northeastern Brazil, and some are known from marine deposits elsewhere. Others
461 nevertheless seem more restricted geographically (e.g., Santanichthys, as well as the
463 ambiguity and uncertainty regarding the depositional environment of the Codó
464 Formation, but this situation will hopefully be better understood with further
465 investigation.
466
467 Acknowledgments
468 We would like to thank Maria da Glória Pires de Carvalho (AMNH), Ighor
469 Mendes (UFMA) and Robertônio Brito (UFMA) during the fossil fish collecting in
470 Brejo municipality, Maranhão. This manuscript is part of the first author’s doctoral
471 research at American Museum of Natural History. This manuscript received financial
473 4234/14-6), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de
476
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663 Silva Santos, R.S., 1991a. Fósseis do Nordeste do Brasil: Paleoictiofáunula da Chapada
664 do Araripe. Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 64 p.
122
665 Silva Santos, R.S., 1991b. Paleogeography of the Araripe Basin, in: Maisey, J.G. (Ed.),
666 Santana Fossils: An Illustrated Atlas. TFH publications, New Jersey, pp. 40–43.
667 Silva Santos, R.S., 1994a. Ictiofáunula da Formação Codó, Cretáceo Inferior, com a
668 descrição de um novo táxon - Codoichthys carnavalii (Pisces-Teleostei). An. Acad.
669 Bras. Cienc. 66, 131–143.
670 Silva Santos, R.S., 1994b. Vinctifer araripinensis sp.n. da Formação Santana (Aptiano),
671 NE do Brasil. An. Acad. Bras. Ciências 66, 85–94.
672 Silva Santos, R.S., 1995. Santanichthys, Novo Epíteto Genérico para Leptolepis diasii
673 Silva Santos, 1958 (Pisces - Teleostei) da Formação Santana (Aptiano), Bacia do
674 Araripe, NE do Brasil. An. Acad. Bras. Ciências 67, 249–258.
675 Schultze, H.P., Stöhr, D., 1996. Vinctifer (Pisces, Aspidorhynchidae) aus de Unterkreide
676 (oberes Aptium) von Kolumbien. Neues Jahrb. Geol. Paläontol. Abh. 199, 395–
677 415.
678 Thies, D., 1996. The jaws of Araripelepidotes temnurus (Agassiz, 1841) (Actinopterigii,
679 Semionotiformes) from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil. J. Vertebr. Paleontol. 16,
680 369–373.
681 Vaz, P.T., Rezende, N.G.A.M., Filho, J.R.W., Travassos, W.A.S., 2007. Bacia do
682 Parnaíba. Bol. Geociências Petrobras 15, 253–263.
683 Woodward, A.S., 1890. The fossil fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford. Mem.
684 Geol. Surv. New South Wales. Palaeontol. 1–57.
685
123
Figure 9 - Main paleogeographic and paleobiogeographic scenarios discussed on text. A) possible routes of entrance of the epicontinental seaway
(Tethys Sea) in the BNMIBs according Santos (1991), Martill (1993) and Arai (2014); B) distribution of fossil fishes in the BNMIBs showing a
greater similarity among Codó, Santana and Riachuelo formations (a, c, g; dark green region) than others BNMIBs (b, e, f, d; light green region);
C) posterior moment of supposed vicariance, speciation and dispersal of fossil fishes related to the precarious connection of some BNMIBs (e.g.
clupeomorfs in 1-5). Sedimentary basins shown on map: a – Parnaíba, b – Sanfranciscana, c – Araripe, d – Recôncavo-Tucano-Jatobá, e –
Potiguar, f – Paraíba-Pernambuco, g – Sergipe-Alagoas. Lithostratigraphic units shown on map: 1 – Codó Formation, 2 – Santana Formation, 3 –
Marfim Formation, 4 – Muribeca Formation, 5 – Cabo Formation.
132
Figure 10 – Mass mortality of fishes (A) and crustaceous (B) from the Codó Formation
in the Brejo municipality.
133
Table 2 – Distribution of fossil fishes in Brazilian Northeastern Marginal and Interior Basins (BNMIBs) during the Early Cretaceous (Aptian-
Albian).
Species Codó Fm. Santana Fm. Riachuelo Muribeca Marizal Fm. Marfim Areado Fm. Cabo Fm.
(Aptian) (Aptian/Albian) Fm. Fm. (Aptian) Fm. (Aptian) (Aptiano)
(Albian) (Aptian) (Grupo Ilhas)
Acrodus nitidus +
Amiidarum mawsoni genus +
Araripelepidotes temnurus + +
Araripichthys castilhoi +
Axelrodichthys araripensis +
Axelrodichthys maisey +
Belonostomus carinatus +
Brannerion latum + +
Brannerion vestitum +
Calamopleurus cylindricus + +
Calamopleurus mawsoni +
Cladocyclus alagoensis ? +
Cladocyclus gardneri + + + genus genus
Cladocyclus mawsoni +
Chiromystus mawsoni + +
Clupavus braziliensis +
Codoichthys carnavali +
Dastilbe crandalli + + + + ? + +
Dentilepisosteus laevis + +
Diplomystus longicaustatus +
Ellimma branneri +
Ellimma cruzi +
Ellimmichthys longicostatus + +
Iemanja palma +
Itaparica woodwardi +
Lepidotes bahiaensis genus +
Lepidotes mawsoni +
Lepidotes roxoi +
Lepidotes wenzae +
Mawsonia gigas cf. gigas +
135
Neoproscinetes penalvai + +
Nightia sp. +
Notelops brama + +
Ophiopsis longipectoralis +
Ophiopsis cretaceus +
Oshunia brevis +
Obaichthys decoratus +
Paraelops cearenses +
Placidichthys bidorsalis + genus
Rhacolepis buccalis + + +
Rhacolepis defiorei +
Rhinobatos beurleni +
Santanichthys diasii + + +
Santanaclupea silvasantosi +
Scombroclupeoides scutata +
Scutatuspinosus itapagipensis +
Tharrhias araripis + + +
Tribodus limae +
Vinctifer araripinensis +
Vinctifer comptoni + + +
Vinctifer longirostris +
Vinctifer punctatus +
136
Table 3 – The relation of distribution of shared taxa (in gray) and speciation or dispersal events (in black) in BNMIBs during the Early
Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian). The Parnaíba, Araripe and Sergipe-Alagoas basins were supposedly connected for a long time more than others
basins in BNMIBs. The black rectangles suggest an intermittent precariousness in the connections among basins in BNMIBs.
Lepidotes wenzae
Mawsonia gigas
Neoproscinetes penalvai
Nightia sp.
Notelops brama
Obaichthys decoratus
Ophiopsis longipectoralis
Ophiopsis cretaceus
Oshunia brevis
Paraelops cearenses
Placidichthys bidorsalis
Rhacolepis buccalis
Rhacolepis defiorei
Rhinobatos beurleni
Santanichthys diasii
Santanaclupea silvasantosi
Scombroclupeoides scutata
Scutatuspinosus itapagipensis
Tharrhias araripis
Tribodus limae
Vinctifer araripinensis
Vinctifer comptoni
Vinctifer longirostris
Vinctifer punctatus
138
Cretaceous Research
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/CretRes
a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t
Article history: Here we report the first yobaichthyid gar from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Codo Formation of the
Received 7 August 2015 Parnaíba Basin, Northeastern Brazil. It shows the following obaichthyid characters: numerous odontods
Received in revised form firmly attached to the outer surface of the dermal bones, free and mobile maxilla, presence of inter-
7 October 2015
opercle, lack of contact between the metapterygoid and ectopterygoid, absence of lacrimomaxillary
Accepted in revised form 18 October 2015
bones, and a prominent spine at the posterior margin of the scales. Due to the presence of scales bearing
a prominent ventral posterior spine and a number of additional posterior marginal spines, the fish from
the Codo Formation is noticeably the same species found in the Albian Santana Formation of the Araripe
Keywords:
Dentilepisosteus laevis
Basin, Dentilepisosteus laevis. Although probably restricted to fresh or brackish water, the new discovery
Obaichthyidae adds one more taxon to the assemblages found in the Parnaíba and the Araripe basins. The new record
Lepisosteiformes extends the temporal range of this species down into the Aptian (about ~10 myr older than the previous
Codo Formation occurrence).
Parnaíba Basin © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Aptian
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2015.10.017
0195-6671/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
139
northeastern Brazil (Fig. 1). The Parnaíba Basin occupies an area of Araripelepidotes temnurus (Agassiz, 1841); Tharrhias araripes Jordan
about 600,000 km2, covering the states of Maranha ~o, Piauí, Para
, and Branner, 1908; Vinctifer comptoni (Agassiz, 1841), Santanichthys
Ceara, Goi
as, and parts of Tocantins. Its sedimentary succession at diasii (Santos, 1958); Cladocyclus gardneri Agassiz, 1841, Codoichthys
its depocenter reaches thicknesses of the order of 3400 m, of carnavali Santos, 1994; Rhacolepis buccalis Agassiz, 1841; and
which about 500 m represent Mesozoic strata (Mesner and mawsoniid coelacanths, probably Axelrodichthys araripensis Maisey,
Wooldridge, 1964). 1986 (Santos, 1974, 1985, 1992, 1994; Santos and Carvalho, 2009;
Formation is widely accepted as Aptian and is
The age of the Codo Carvalho et al., 2013).
mainly based on palynological data (Lima, 1982). Deposits assigned
to the Codo Formation are geographically restricted and discontin- 4. Material and methods
uous. They are exposed in the beds of rivers that drain the center of
the basin, from the western margin, at the confluence of the The present study is based on two partial specimens from the
Tocantins and Araguaia Rivers, until near the margin of the Parnaíba Codo Formation, preserved in calcareous concretions and housed in
River, in the town of Brejo (Santos and Carvalho, 2009). The Codo the Collection of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and
Formation is divided into three depositional cycles, following Centro de Pesquisa de Historia Natural e Arqueologia do Maranha ~o,
stratigraphical interpretations. The lowest cycle represents a accession numbers respectively are: UFRJ-DG 828P and CPHNAMA-
lacustrine facies culminating with evaporite cycles, suggesting a VT 1242. One of these specimens (UFRJ-DG 828P) was prepared
subsequent regression or the establishment of a restricted sea; the using the transfer method of Toombs and Rixon (1959). The pre-
second cycle shows a new marine transgression culminating with pared fossil comprised two halves of a concretion and reveals part
the third cycle with the establishment of palustrine conditions on a of the skull including dermal bones, part of the braincase, pectoral
tidal flat (Mesner and Wooldridge, 1964; Rezende and Pamplona, girdle, some vertebrae, and many scales (Figs. 2 and 3).
1970; Leite et al., 1975; Fernandes and Piazza, 1978; Lima and Comparative material d Dentilepisosteus laevis: UERJ-PMB 233
Leite, 1978). Analysis of the paleobiota of the first cycle suggests a (a semi-complete specimen preserved in lateral view from the
marine e brackish lacustrine setting (Lima and Leite, 1978). Crato Formation), UERJ-PMB 144 (a semi-complete specimen,
lacking the skull, preserved in lateral view from the Crato Forma-
3. Palaeoenvironment tion), MPSC 901 (complete specimen, preserved in lateral view
from the Santana Formation); “Belonostomus” carinatus: NHMUK
The Codo Formation has yielded numerous fossils including PV P.10062 (some isolated scales from the Marfim Formation,
palynomorphs, macrophytes, foraminifera, crustaceans, bivalves, Reco^ ncavo Basin); Oniichthys (Atractosteus) falipoui: UERJ-PMB 67
gastropods, and fishes (Santos and Carvalho, 2009; Lindoso et al., (a semi-complete, three dimensional specimen, lacking the dorsal,
2011; 2013; Lindoso, 2012). The fishes, which form the most anal and caudal fins, from the Kem-Kem beds of Morocco).
abundant element of this biota, are exceptionally abundant and
have affinities with the ichthyofauna of the Santana and Riachuelo 5. Systematic palaeontology
formations, respectively from the Araripe and Sergipe/Alagoas ba-
sins (Santos and Carvalho, 2009). Fish taxa include Calamopleurus Neopterygii Regan 1923
cylindricus Agassiz, 1841; Brannerion latum (Agassiz, 1841); Holostei sensu Grande, 2010
Formation, Parnaíba Basin, State of Maranh~ao, Northeastern Brazil, indicating the location of the fossil locality.
Fig. 1. Map and Stratigraphic column of the Codo
140
Fig. 2. Dentilepisosteus laevis (Wenz and Brito, 1992) from the Codo Formation, Parnaíba Basin. UFRJ-DG 828P. A) Photograph of the head region; B) anatomical interpretations.
Abbreviations: Ang, angular; Ao, antorbital; Br, branchiostegals; Cl, cleithrum; D, dentary; Dps, dermosphenotic; Dpt, dermopterotic; Ecp, ectopterygoid; Epo, epiotic; Ept, endop-
terygoid; Ex, extrascapular; Fr, frontal; Iop, interopercle; L, lacrimal; Mpt, metapterygoid; Mx, maxilla; Op, opercle; Pa, parietal; Pmx, premaxilla; Po, postinfraorbital; Pop, preopercle;
Pt, posttemporal; Q, quadrate; Qj, quadratojugal; Rart, retroarticular; Scl, supracleithrum; So, subinfraorbital; Sop, subopercle; Su, supraorbital. Scale bar equals 1 cm.
Ginglymodi sensu Grande and Bemis, 1998 DG 828P. The bone seems to be somewhat triangular and is pierced
Order Lepisosteiformes Hay, 1929 by the sensory canal. The nasal is not recognizable in our specimen.
Family Obaichthyidae Grande, 2010 The premaxilla is a long and immovably bone located anteriorly
Dentilepisosteus Grande, 2010 to the frontal (Figs. 2 and 3). Although a lateral process bearing a
small tooth row, considered as a familial character by Grande (2010),
Dentilepisosteus laevis (Wenz and Brito, 1992)
was present, this process was lost during the acid preparation.
(Figs 2e4)
The frontal is the longest element of the dermal skull being
slightly longer than the premaxilla (Figs. 2 and 3). The bone is
Description: This is a medium sized lepisosteiform. Taking into ac-
slightly wider at the rear where it contacts the parietal and der-
count the excellent preservation of the material and, comparing
mopterotic. The suture between the frontals is almost straight, with
them to other specimens from the Araripe Basin, we consider that
few interdigitations. The supraorbital sensory canal extends
both specimens had total lengths (TL) of approximately 130 mm.
longitudinally, close to the lateral margin of the bone. The parietal
The dermal bones and the scales are covered with ganoin. Dermal
(Figs. 2 and 3) is subrectangular and well-developed being longer
bones are highly ornamented by numerous odontods hindering the
than wide and is approximately two thirds of the length of the
identification of sutures between some dermal bones.
frontal. The parietal is strongly sutured with the frontal but the
The anterior part of the snout is not well preserved in our
suture is difficult to see because of the high number of odontodes.
specimen, a state also found in the numerous specimens from the
Lateral to the parietal and contacting the posterior part of the
Santana Formation concretions (see Grande 2010).
frontal is the subrectangular dermopterotic bearing the supra-
The rostral (Fig. 3) is a well-developed arched tube-like element
temporal canal. Both parietals and dermopterotics overlap poste-
housing the ethmoidal commissure connecting the right and left
riorly the extrascapular series.
antorbitals. The antorbital is partially preserved on specimen UFRJ-
141
Fig. 3. Dentilepisosteus laevis (Wenz and Brito, 1992) from the Codo Formation, Parnaíba Basin. UFRJ-DG 828P. A) Photograph of the head region; B) anatomical interpretations.
Abbreviations: Ao, antorbital; Br, branchiostegals; Boc, basioccipital; Cha, anterior ceratohyal; Chp, posterior ceratohyal; Cl, cleithrum; Ecp, ectopterygoid; Enp, entopterygoid; Epo,
epiotic; Exo, exoccipital; Fr, frontal; Hy, hyomandibula; Op, opercle, Pa, parietal; Pcl, postcleithrum; Pmx, premaxilla; Pop, preopercle; Pro, prootic; Psp, parasphenoid; Ro, rostral;
Scl, supracleithrum; Sop, subopercle; V, vertebrae; Vo, vomer; Scale bar equals 1 cm.
There are four extrascapulars, somewhat square in outline and dermopterotic (Fig. 2). The ventral posterior lacrimal is followed by
much smaller than the parietals (Fig. 2). Posteriorly they overlap three subinfraorbitals that form the ventral margin of the orbit.
the anterior margin of the posttemporals while laterally they These are followed by three postinfraorbitals: one ventral, forming
contact the dorsal part of the opercle. The supratemporal the posteroventral corner of the orbit and two smaller elements
commissure runs through the anterior part of the extrascapulars. forming the rear of the orbit. The postinfraorbital plates are on the
Lateral to the premaxilla and the frontal is a series of at least anterior edge of the preopercle. The dorsal postinfraorbital contacts
three lacrimals (Fig. 2), behind which, after a gap of two bones due the ventral surface of the dermosphenotic. Behind the post-
to preservation, the circumorbital series commences with two infraorbitals there are probably some small suborbitals. However
posterior lacrimals. The superior lacrimal contacts the first of three due to the quantity of odontods the limits between these bones as
supraorbitals which are somewhat rectangular and form the dorsal well as the number of suborbitals could not be assigned. The der-
margin of the orbit, contacting dorsally the frontal and the mosphenotic is sutured to the underside of the dermopterotic
142
although its limits are difficult to see due to the high number of respectively by an anterior notch for the efferent pseudobranchial
odontods. artery and posteriorly by a notch for internal carotid artery. The
The posterior cheek region is closed by the L-shaped preopercle posterior end of the parasphenoid is forked, diverging in the level of
(Fig. 2). The dorsal edge of the preopercle contacts the dermop- the aortic notch.
terotic, where the preopercular canal communicates with the The maxilla is an elongate bone that increases in depth poste-
supratemporal canal. In the preopercle, the sensory canal cannot be riorly. As in other species of the family, the maxilla is free and
followed due to the highly ornamented by odontods on its outer mobile (Wenz and Brito, 1992; Grande 2010). The oral border of the
surface. maxilla bears a single row of very tiny teeth.
The opercular series consists of three bones: the opercle, the The jaw joint lies well forward of the orbit. The dentary is long
subopercle, and the interopercle (Figs. 2 and 3). The opercle is and slender, increasing in height posteriorly (Fig. 2). It presents a
almost subrounded in shape with its size as high as wide. Its unique row of small marginal teeth at the anterior end of the bone.
anterior margin is vertical. Posteriorly, it contacts the supra- The dentary posteriorly sutures with the small retroarticular and
cleithrum and the dorsal part of the cleithrum. Its ventral border the angular. The supraangular was not seen.
contacts the subopercle. The subopercle is a semi-triangular bone The palatal complex is well preserved in UFRJ-DG 828P. The oral
smaller than the opercle. This bone articulates anteriorly with the face of the ectopterygoid and the endopterygoid are visible (Fig. 3).
preopercle, anteroventrally with the interopercle and posteriorly The ectopterygoid is a thin and elongated bone bearing a thin
with the cleithrum. The interopercle is an elongate triangular bone shagreen of tiny teeth on its oral surface. The endopterygoid also
contacting dorsally the posterior margin of the preopercle. At least has tiny villiform teeth on its oral surface. The metapterygoid is a
four thin and elongate branchiostegal rays are present in UFRJ-DG somewhat rectangular bone. It is edentulous and contacts anteri-
828P and are located below the interopercle. orly the posterior end of the endopterygoid.
A few elements of the hyoid arch are partially preserved, The quadrate does not contact the metapterygoid (Fig. 2). It is
including a long anterior ceratohyal and a strong posterior cera- fan-shaped with a well developed articular condyle for articulation
tohyal (Fig. 3). with the lower jaw. Posteriorly to it there is a well ossified elongate
Some bones of the braincase are preserved (Fig. 3) with the dermal quadratojugal. The symplectic could not be observed in our
same configuration as those described by Wenz and Brito (1996) material. The hyomandibula articulates dorsally into the ventral
and Grande (2010). There are no ethmoidal ossifications. surface of the dermopterotic. The bone presents, in its middle part,
The prootic extends on the lateral anterior wall of the braincase a large foramen for the hyomandibular trunk of the facial (Fig. 3).
and is pierced by a large foramen for the hyomandibular trunk of The dermal elements of the pectoral girdle include the post-
the facial nerve (Fig. 3). temporal, supracleithrum, cleithrum, and postcleithrum (Figs. 2
The epioccpital (pterotic of Wenz and Brito, 1996) is a small bone and 3), but the clavicle cannot be seen.
that, in posterior view, nearly meets its antimere on the midline. In The posttemporal bone is oblique and subtriangular. It contacts
lateral view it extends dorsally to meet the dermopterotic. It is anteriorly the extrascapulars and covers the antero-dorsal edge of
sutured ventrally to the antero-dorsal edge of the exoccipital. the supracleithrum. The lateral line canal penetrates the lateral
The exoccipital has a dorsal process that separates the posterior edge of the posttemporal. The supracleithrum contacts antero-
and lateral faces of the bone. The exoccipital has a large foramen for dorsally the lateralmost extrascapular and the posttemporal.
the vagus nerve situated towards the anterior margin and incom- Ventrally it overlaps the dorsal end of the cleithrum. The supra-
pletely enclosed by this bone. The basioccipital extends below the cleithrum contains the lateral line canal. The cleithrum is the
exoccipital and is sutured with the posterior part of the parasphenoid. largest bone of the pectoral girdle. It has an elongated lower arm
The basioccipital incorporates at least two vertebral centra. which seems to be equal or longer than the upper arm. Anteriorly, it
Part of the right vomer is present and slightly displaced (Fig. 3). is covered by the opercle and the subopercle and posteriorly it
The vomer has a lateral expansion where some tiny teeth are found. overlaps the postcleithra. Although disarticulated in our specimen,
Only the posterior part of the parasphenoid is present in our the postcleithrum is somewhat rectangular in outline, deeper than
specimen (Fig. 3). It presents an ascending wing pierced long. Posteriorly, the postcleithra overlap the first row of scales.
Formation, Parnaíba Basin. CPHNAMA-VT 1242. Posterior part of the body. Scale bar equals 5 cm.
Fig. 4. Dentilepisosteus laevis (Wenz and Brito, 1992) from the Codo
143
Fig. 5. Dentilepisosteus sp. from the Crato Formation, Aptian of Araripe Basin. UERJ-PMB 233. Scale bar equals 5 cm.
6. Discussion
taxon considered to belong in the genus Atractosteus by Grande da reconstituiça ~o paleogeogr afica do Creta ceo do Brasil. In: Boletim do 5
Simpo sio do Creta ceo do Brasil. UNESP, Rio Claro, pp. 577e582.
(2010) which was recently confirmed as a valid taxon (Cavin
Arai, M., 2014. Aptian/Albian (Early Cretaceous) paleogeography of the South
et al., 2015). This taxon may be an obaichthyid rather than a lep- Atlantic: a paleontological perspective. Brazilian Journal of Geology 44 (2),
isosteid, although a detailed phylogenetic analysis is required. 339e350.
The presence of Dentilepisosteus in the Brazilian northeastern Berthou, P.Y., 1990. Le Bassin d'Araripe et les petits Bassins intracontinentaeux
voisins (N-E du Bre sil): formation et e volution dans le cadre de l'ouverture de
basins (Parnaíba and Araripe) as well as in the Kem Kem beds of l'Atlantique Equatorial. Comparaison avec les Bassins ouest-africains situe s
Morocco can be explained by local vicariant events as all these dans le me ^me contexte. In: Campos, D.A., Beurlen, C., Brito, P.M., Viana, M.S.
(Eds.), I Simpo sio sobre a Bacia do Araripe e Bacias interiores do Nordeste.
fossils predate or are contemporary with the complete tectonic
DNPM, Crato, pp. 337e349.
separation between South America and Africa. During the Aptian, Brito, P.M., 1997. Re vision des Aspidorhynchidae (Pisces: Actinopterygii) du
and most probably during part of the Albian, the epicontinental Me sozoïque: oste ologie et relations phyloge ne
tiques, donne es environ-
seaway system separated the South America continent from the nementales et bioge ographiques. Geodiversitas 19 (4), 681e772.
Brito, P.M., Richther, M., 2015. The contribution of Sir Arthur Smith Woodward to
current Northeastern Brazil although Northeastern Brazil was still the palaeoichthyology of Brazil. In: Johanson, Z., Barrett, P.M., Richter, M.,
connected to Africa (see Maisey 2011). Smith, M. (Eds.), Arthur Smith Woodward: His Life and Influence on Modern
Finally another species previously described as Belonostomus (?) Vertebrate Palaeontology, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 430.
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carinatus by Woodward (1907) from the ?upper Hauterivian, Marfim Brito, P.M., Yabumoto, Y., 2011. An updated review of the fish faunas from the Crato
Formation of the Reco ^ncavo Basin was recently tentatively consid- and Santana formations in Brazil, a close relationship to the Tethis fauna.
ered as an obaichthyid (Brito and Richter, in press). This taxon had Bulletin of the Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History 9,
107e136.
been briefly revised by Brito (1997) who considered its scales
Brito, P.M., Amaral, C.R.L., Machado, L.P., 2006. A ictiofauna do Grupo Bauru,
distinct from those from aspidorhynchids suggesting that these Cret aceo Superior da Bacia Bauru, Sudeste do Brasil. In: Galo, V., Brito, P.M.,
scales could belong to any holostean group. The scales of this taxon Silva, H.M., Figueiredo, F.J. (Eds.), Paleontologia de Vertebrados: Grandes Temas
e Contribuiço ~es Científicas. Editora Intercie ^ncia, Rio de Janeiro, pp. 133e143.
are from the caudal region, are rhombic, ganoid and have a robust
Carvalho, M.S.S., Gallo, V., Santos, H.R.S., 2013. New species of coelacanth fish from
peg and socket articulation. In addition they are smooth, except for the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) of the Grajaú Basin, NE Brazil. Cretaceous
the presence of bony keels (Fig. 6). The smaller scales bear a simple Research 46, 80e89.
keel, which arises near the middle of the scale and extends down- Cavin, L., Brito, P.M., 2001. A New Lepisosteidae (Actinopterygii: Ginglymodi) from
the Cretaceous of the Kem Kem beds, Southern Morocco. Bulletin de la Socie te
wards and backwards into a prominent spine at the postero-inferior Geologique de France 172 (5), 661e670.
angle. On the larger scales, the keel is less distinct and branches into Cavin, L., Boudad, L., Tong, H., La €ng, E., Tabouelle, J., Vullo, R., 2015. Taxonomic
a pair of parallel ridges (Woodward, 1907; Brito and Richther, n Composition and Trophic Structure of the Continental Bony Fish Assemblage
from the Early Late Cretaceous of Southeastern Morocco. PLoS One 10 (5),
press). «Belonostomus» carinatus represents the oldest species of e0125786.
this family and is a member of the rift system paleofauna. Fernandes, G., Piazza, H.D., 1978. O potencial oleogenítico da Formaça ~o Codo .
Boletim Te cnico da Petrobra s 21, 3e16.
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The material described here represents the first occurrence of Grande, L., Bemis, W.E., 1998. A comprehensive phylogenetic study of amiid fishes
(Amiidae) based on comparative skeletal anatomy. An empirical search for
Obaichthyidae in the Lower Cretaceous Codo Formation of the interconnected patterns of natural history. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
Parnaíba Basin. 18 (Suppl. 1), 1e690. Mem 4.
Despite the differences in age, the Codo Formation (Aptian) Hay, O.P., 1929. Second bibliography and catalogue of the fossil Vertebrata of North
America. Publications of the Carnegie Institute of Washington 390, 1e2003.
specimens possess a suite of characters sufficient to identify them Jordan, D.S., Branner, J.C., 1908. The Cretaceous Fishes of Cear a, Brazil. Smithsonian
as Dentilepisosteus laevis, as species known previously only from Miscellaneous Collection 52 (5), 1e29.
the Santana Formation (Albian), of the Araripe Basin. This discovery Leite, J.F., Aboarrage, A.M., Daemon, R.F., 1975. Projeto Carva ~o da Bacia do Parnaíba.
DNPM/CPRM, Recife, pp. 1e5. Relato rio Final das Etapas II e III.
therefore extends by approximately 10 myr the temporal range of Lima, M.R., 1982. Palinologia da Formaçao Codo na Regi~ ao de Codo , Maranh~ ao.
this species to the Aptian. Instituto de Geocie ^ncias, Universidade de S~ ao Paulo, 13, pp. 43e134.
Obaichthyid gars appear to have an exclusively western Gond- Lima, E.A.A., Leite, J.F., 1978. Projeto estudo global dos recursos minerais da bacia
sedimentar do Parnaíba. Recife, Integraç~ ao Geolo gica-Metalogene tica. DNPM/
wanan distribution, and a temporal distribution from the ?late rio, pp. 1e437.
CPRM, Relato
Hauterivian to the Albian/Cenomanian. Lindoso, R.M., 2012. Paleobiota dos depo sitos calcarios de Brejo, Maranh~ ao (For-
The material described here represents the first occurrence of an maça ~o Codo , Bacia do Parnaíba), Nordeste do Brasil. Master thesis. Instituto de
Formation of the Parnaíba Basin. Geocie ^ncias, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (inedict).
Obaichthyidae in the Codo
Lindoso, R.M., Carvalho, I.S., Medeiros, M.A., Pereira, A.A., Santos, R.A.B.,
Mendes, I.D., Brito, J.M., Bo ^ as, I.V., Araújo, M.N., Ferreira, N.N., 2011. Novos sítios
Acknowledgments fossilíferos em carbonatos da Formaça ~o Codo (Aptiano-Albiano) da Bacia do
Parnaíba, Maranh~ ao, Brasil. In: Carvalho, I.S., Srivastava, N.K.,
Strohschoen Jr., O.S., Lana, C.C. (Eds.), Paleontologia: Cen arios de Vida 4. Editora
We are grateful to Lúcio Machado and Kleyton Magno for the Intercie ^ncia, Rio de Janeiro, pp. 819e827.
photographs, and to David Martill for improving the English style. Lindoso, R.M., Carvalho, I.S., Mendes, I.D., 2013. An isopod from the Codo Formation
(Aptian of the Parnaíba Basin), Northeastern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Geology
We would like to thank Lionel Cavin and Jesus Alvarado-Ortega for
43, 16e21.
their invaluable comments. This research was supported by grants Maisey, J.G., 1986. Coelacanths from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil. American
of the CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa, Brazil), CAPES (Coor- Museum Novitates 2866, 1e30.
~o Aperfeiçoamento Pessoal Nível Superior), and FAPERJ Maisey, J.G., 2000. Continental break up and the distribution of fishes of Western
denaça
Gondwana during the Early Cretaceous. Cretaceous Research 21, 281e314.
(Fundaça ~o Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Maisey, J.G., 2011. Northeastern Brazil: out of Africa?. In: Carvalho, I.S.,
Rio de Janeiro). Srivastava, N.K., Strohschoen Jr., O.S., Lana, C.C. (Eds.), Paleontologia: Cen arios
de Vida, vol. 4. Editora Intercie ^ncia, Rio de Janeiro, pp. 515e529.
Martill, D.M., 1993. Fossils of the Santana and Crato Formations, Brazil. The Palae-
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in the north of Brazil. The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal 30, 82e84. Regan, C.T., 1923. The skeleton of Lepisosteus, with remarks on the origin and
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Cretaceous marine long snout “pejelagarto” fish (Lepisosteidae, Lepisosteini) ciety of London 1923, 395e422.
from Múzquiz, Coahuila, northeastern Mexico. Cretaceous Research 57, 19e28. Rezende, W.M., Pamplona, H.R.P., 1970. Estudo do desenvolvimento do arco Ferrer-
Arai, M., 1999. A transgressa~o marinha mesocreta cea: sua implicaça
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Santos, R.S., 1958. Leptolepis diassi, novo peixe fossil da Serra do Araripe, Brasil. In: Grajaú e Sa~o Luís. CPRM, Serviço Geolo gico do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 215 pp.
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fica da Academia Brasileira de Cie ^ncias a
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Santos, R.S., 1992. Dastilbe (Pisces-Gonorhynchiformes), importa ^ncia estratigr
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Santos, M.E. de C.M., de Carvalho, M.S.S., 2009. Paleontologia das Bacias do Parnaíba,
146
149
17
CRUSTÁCEOS DA FORMAÇÃO CODÓ
(BACIA DO PARNAÍBA, BR ASIL)
Abstract – The Codó Formation presents sandstones, siltstones, bituminous shales and
carbonates in discontinuous areas of the central, northwest and northeastern Parnaíba Basin.
The main outcrops are found in quarries of Brejo County, Maranhão State. Sampling in two
outcrops (Pedreira Faveirinha and Fazenda Perneta) allowed the discovery of a wide variety
of fossils such as plants, gastropods, crustaceans, fishes and ichnofossils. These specimens of the
1
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária
– Ilha do Fundão (RJ), Brasil; rlindoso@live.com
2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária – Ilha do Fundão, (RJ), Brasil;
ismar@geologia.ufrj.br
147
flora and fauna record the beginning of the South Atlantic rift phase. Among the crustaceans
there is a new genus and species of Archaeoniscidae isopod; decapods which are represented by
shrimps and an isolated chelae of Brachyura. This paleobiota corroborate previous inferences
concerning the occurrence of lagoon environment with marine incursions to Codó Formation.
172
Therefore, the new data will allow a better comprehension of the aquatic biota during the
South Atlantic opening in Western Gondwana.
1 – Introdução
173
2 – Contexto geológico
albiana (LIMA, 1982) e seus estratos depositados em regime climático árido a semi-árido
(ROSSETTI et al., 2001).
Segundo LIMA & LEITE (1978), os registros paleontológicos evidenciam sedimenta-
ção em ambientes marinhos e salobro-lacustrinos. ROSSETTI et al., (2001), em análise
174
estratigráfica e faciológica na região de Codó, Estado do Maranhão, interpretou três
associações de fácies: (1) lago central; (2) lago transicional; (3) lago marginal. À sequência
superior foram interpretados ambientes deposicionais correspondentes a shoreface superior,
laguna/baía interdistributária, lobos de suspensão e canal distributário (ROSSETTI et
al., 2001; PAZ & ROSSETTI, 2001). Em estudo palinoestratigráfico da Formação Codó,
ANTONIOLI (2001) a dividiu em três unidades litoestratigráficas: (1) Inferior, apresen-
tando caráter marinho incipiente; (2) Média, essencialmente evaporítica; e (3) Superior,
com caráter marinho preclaro.
3 – Material e métodos
4 – Resultados
somitos encontram-se ausentes (Fig. 3 A). Outro espécime, UFRJ-DG 168 Cr, exibe apenas
três pereiópodes preservados com quelas (Fig. 3 B). Entre os decápodes, ocorre ainda uma
rara impressão de apêndice, possivelmente relacionada à infra-ordem Brachyura, UFRJ-DG
160 Cr (Fig. 3 C). Contudo, a falta de caracteres diagnósticos, devido aos aspectos preser-
175
vacionais, impossibilita uma determinação taxonômica efetiva. O espécimen UFRJ-DG
170 Cr constitui um isópode com 15 mm de comprimento e exibe uma cabeça sub-re-
tangular, profundamente inserida no primeiro pereionite; um dos olhos preservados está
situado dorsolateralmente. Possui cerca de 10 pereionites similares com expansões pleurais
laterais arqueados distalmente; o pleotélson possui forma subtriangular. Dado o conjunto
de características supracitadas, UFRJ-DG 170 Cr constitui novo gênero e espécie de
isópode Archaeoniscidae para a Formação Codó (Fig. 3 D).
5 – Considerações finais
Formação Codó (lagunar com breves incursões marinhas), como sugere o novo gênero e
espécie de isópode Archaeoniscidae, típico de ambiente marinho. Decápodes (camarões e
caranguejos) constituem fósseis raros e eram desconhecidos para esta unidade. Contudo,
a falta de caracteres diagnósticos, devido aos aspectos preservacionais, impossibilita uma
176
determinação taxonômica detalhada. Assim, a coleta de novos espécimes em bom estado
preservacional se faz necessária para um melhor entendimento da diversidade das biotas
aquáticas durante a abertura do Atlântico Sul.
Referências Bibliográficas
In: Carvalho, I. S., Srivasatava, N. K., Strohschoen Jr, O. S. & Lana, C. C. (eds.). Paleontologia: Cenários
de Vida. Vol. 4, Editora Interciência, p. 819-827.
MAISEY, J. G. & CARVALHO, M. G. P. (1995) – First records of fossil Sergestid Decapods and fossil Bra-
chyuran crab larvae (Arthropoda, Crustacea), with remarks on some supposed palaemonid fossils, from
the Santana Formation (Aptian-Albian, NE Brazil). American Museum Novitates, New York, 3132, p. 1-7. 177
MARTINS-NETO, R. G. & MEZZALIRA, S. (1991) – Descrição de novos crustáceos (Caridea) da Formação
Santana, Cretáceo Inferior do Nordeste do Brasil. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 63, p. 362-367.
MAURY, C. J. (1930) – O Cretáceo da Parahyba do Norte. Monografia do Serviço Geológico e Mineralógico
do Brasil. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 63, p. 155-160.
MESNER, J. C. & WOOLDRIDGE, L. C. P. (1964) – Estratigrafia das bacias paleozoica e cretácea do
Maranhão. Rio de Janeiro, Boletim Técnico Petrobras 7, p. 137-164.
PAZ, J. D. S. & ROSSETTI, D. F. (2001) – Reconstrução paleoambiental da Formação Codó (Aptiano), borda
leste da Bacia do Grajaú, MA. In: Rossetti, D. F.; Góes, A. M. e Truckenbrodt, W. (eds.). O Cretáceo na Bacia de
São Luís-Grajaú. Belém, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Coleção Friedrich Katzer, p. 77-100.
REIS, M. A. F., TURBAY, C. V. G. & CESERO, P. (2005) – Descrição de um novo Decapoda (Natantia,
Malacostraca, Crustacea) da Formação Riachuelo, Albiano da Bacia de Sergipe. Anuário do Instituto de
Geociências – UFRJ, 28, p. 80-91.
REZENDE, N. G. A. M. (2002) – A zona zeolítica da formação corda, Bacia do Parnaíba. 2002. Dissertação
(Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, 142 p.
ROSSETTI, D. F., GÓES, A. M. & ARAI, M. (2001) – A passagem Aptiano-Albiano na Bacia do Grajaú. In:
Rossetti, D. F., Góes, A. M. & Truckenbrodt, W. (eds.). O Cretáceo na Bacia de São Luís-Grajaú. Belém,
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Coleção Friedrich Katzer, p. 101-117.
ROXO, M. G. O. (1940) – Preliminary note on fóssil crustacea from Bahia, Brazil. Anais da Academia Brasileira
de Ciências, 22, p. 279-280.
SANTOS, M. E. C. M. (1971) – Um novo artrópodo da Formação Areado, Estado de Minas Gerais. Anais da
Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 43, p. 415-420.
SANTOS, M. E. C. M. & CARVALHO, M. S. S. (2009) – Paleontologia das bacias do Parnaíba, Grajaú e São
Luís. Rio de Janeiro: CPRM Serviço Geológico do Brasil – DGM/DIPALE, 215 p.
SCHWEIGERT, G., MARTILL, D. M. & WILLIAMS, M. (2007) – Crustacea of the Crato Formation. The
Crato Fossil Beds of Brazil. In: Martill, D. M., Bechly, G. e Loveridge, R. F. (eds). Cambridge University
Press, p. 133-141.
SILVA, M. D., KAERCHER, E. G. & BARBOSA, E. G. S. (1985) – Bioestratigrafia do furo 1-UN-32-PI,
Roça do Meio, Municipio de Duque Bacelar, Formação Codó, Cretáceo Inferior, bacia do Maranhão. In:
Congresso Brasileiro de Paleontologia 9, 1985, Fortaleza, Resumos..., Fortaleza, SBP, 80 p.
SILVA, M. D., BARBOSA, E. G. S. & KAERCHER, E. G. (1989) – Bioestratigrafia do furo 1-UN-24, Buriti,
Maranhão, Formação Codó, Cretáceo Inferior da bacia do Maranhão. In: Simpósio de Geologia do Nor-
deste 13, 1989, Fortaleza, Atas..., 1989, SBG, Núcleo Nordeste, p. 188-192.
TÁVORA, V. A. & SOUZA-LIMA, W. (2001) – Os fósseis da Bacia de Sergipe-Alagoas. www.phoenix.org.
br/Phoenix27_ mar01 (consultado em: 2011.05.14)
VAZ, P. T., REZENDE, N. G. A. M., FILHO, J. R. W. & TRAVASSOS, W. A. S. (2007) – Bacia do Parnaíba.
Boletim de Geociências Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro, 15, p. 253-263.
153
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Geociências, Departamento de Geologia, Av. Athos da Silveira Ramos, 274,
21.949-900, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
E-mails: rlindoso@live.com, ismar@geologia.ufrj.br
RESUMO
Na Formação Codó, Bacia do Parnaíba, Nordeste do Brasil, estudos sedimentológicos,
geoquímicos e estratigráficos têm caracterizado condições lacustres com influência marinha,
bem como condições paleoclimáticas áridas a semi-áridas. No município de Brejo, nordeste do
Maranhão, dados paleontológicos têm sido utilizados para melhor avaliar tais interpretações, o
que tem possibilitado, por exemplo, aventar condições paleoambientais marinhas/estuarinas no
topo desta unidade, e também episódios de mortandade em massa da paleobiota. Adicionalmente,
estruturas de carstificação nesses depósitos podem sugerir um regime climático com alternância
de condições quentes e úmidas. Contudo, apesar desta caracterização genérica, estudos mais
detalhados de âmbito geológico e paleontológico são necessários para uma melhor definição
dos aspectos paleoambientais e paleoclimáticos vigentes durante o Eocretáceo no nordeste
brasileiro.
Palavras-chave: Formação Codó, Bacia do Parnaíba, Paleoclima
ABSTRACT
In the Codó Formation, Parnaíba Basin, Northeastern Brazil, sedimentological, geochemical
and stratigraphic studies have characterized lacustrine conditions with marine influence, as
well arid to semi-arid paleoclimatic conditions. In the city of Brejo, Northeastern Maranhão,
paleontological data have been used to better evaluate these interpretations, which has allowed
suggest, for example, marine/estuarine paleoenvironmental conditions on top of this unit and
also episodes of mass mortality of paleobiota. Additionally, karstification structures in those
deposits may suggest a climate regime with alternating hot and humid conditions. However,
despite this general characterization, more detailed geological and paleontological studies are
needed to better define the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental aspects prevailing during
the Early Cretaceous in Northeastern Brazil.
Keywords: Codó Formation, Parnaíba Basin, Paleoclimate
154
1. INTRODUÇÃO
Durante o Eocretáceo, eventos tectônicos globais, tais como o de Deriva Continental,
deflagraram profundas modificações na biosfera da Terra. Inerentemente, tais eventos refletiram
oscilações nos padrões de circulação oceânica e atmosférica, zoneamentos climáticos, distribuição
continental e variações globais do nível do mar (Skelton, 2003).
Na Bacia do Parnaíba, nordeste do Brasil, a Formação Codó constitui uma importante unidade
litoestratigráfica de idade aptiana, ricamente fossilífera, e com registro de episódios paleoambientais
e paleoclimáticos globalmente correlacionáveis, tal como o evento anóxico global do limite Aptiano-
Albiano (Antonioli, 2001). Nesta unidade, estudos sedimentológicos, geoquímicos e paleontológicos
têm se concentrado, até o momento, na região centro-oriental do Maranhão, particularmente na cidade
de Codó, onde a seção está bem representada ao longo de minas a céu aberto (Paz & Rossetti, 2001).
Tais estudos têm sugerido um ambiente deposicional lacustre para a Formação Codó, com variação no
teor de oxigênio e salinidade, resultando em episódios de mortandade em massa da paleobiota (Paz &
Rossetti, 2001; Ramos et al., 2006; Lindoso, 2012).
No município de Brejo, nordeste do Maranhão (Figura 1), novos sítios fossilíferos em
duas localidades principais, Fazenda Perneta e Pedreira Faveirinha, têm provido uma fauna e flora
diversificada, composta por plantas, gastrópodes, crustáceos, peixes e icnofósseis (Lindoso et al.,
2011). Evidências a partir de estruturas sedimentares e da paleobiota nesses sítios constituem bons
indicadores paleoambientais e paleoclimáticos.
Figura 1. Mapa de localização da cidade de Brejo, Estado do Maranhão. Sítios fossilíferos Faveirinha (A) e Perneta (B).
O presente trabalho objetiva uma integração de dados disponíveis na literatura com evidências
de campo, reunidos a partir de investigações conduzidas em depósitos da Formação Codó, os quais
têm possibilitado melhor caracterizar aspectos paleoambientais e paleoclimáticos desta unidade
litoestratigráfica mesozoica.
155
2. CONTEXTO GEOLÓGICO
A Bacia do Parnaíba ocupa uma ampla área do nordeste ocidental brasileiro, com
aproximadamente 600.000 km2. Uma das sequências sedimentares mesozoicas desta bacia é a Formação
Codó, inicialmente referida por Lisboa (1914) para designar folhelhos betuminosos associados
a carbonatos no vale do rio Itapecuru, na região de Codó, Estado do Maranhão. Posteriormente,
Campbell (1949) descreveu-a como uma série de folhelhos calcíferos e betuminosos, com níveis de
calcário, concreções e lentes de gipsita. Sua espessura máxima é da ordem de 180 m e seus sedimentos
recobrem discordantemente a Formação Grajau, sotoposta, e concordantemente a Formação Itapecuru,
sobreposta (Lima & Leite, 1978).
A Formação Codó pode ser dividida em três ciclos deposicionais, segundo interpretações
de superfície e subsuperficie: o primeiro ciclo representa uma transgressão marinha culminando
com ciclos evaporíticos, sugerindo uma posterior regressão ou estabelecimento de mar restrito; o
segundo e terceiro ciclos evidenciam uma nova ingressão marinha culminando com estabelecimento
de condições paludais em planície de maré (Mesner & Wooldridge, 1964; Rezende & Pamplona,
1970; Lima & Leite, 1978; Fernandes & Piazza, 1978). Rossetti et al. (2001), em analise estratigráfica
e faciológica na região de Codó, Estado do Maranhão, a dividiu em duas sucessões sedimentares:
inferior, composta de folhelhos negros betuminosos gradando para calcários e evaporitos; superior,
consistindo de intercalações de pelitos e arenitos de colorações vermelho chocolate e esverdeada,
calcários esbranquiçados e acinzentados. Aos estudos faciológicos da primeira sucessão foram
interpretados três associações de fácies: (1) lago central; (2) lago transicional; (3) lago marginal. Na
sequência superior foram interpretados ambientes deposicionais correspondentes a shoreface superior,
laguna/baia interdistributária, lobos de suspensão e canal distributário (Rossetti et al., 2001; Paz &
Rossetti, 2001).
3. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS
O material de estudo pertence às coleções da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
(UFRJ-DG) e Centro de Pesquisa de História Natural e Arqueologia do Maranhão (CPHNAMA),
e provém de depósitos carbonáticos localizados a cerca de 20 km da cidade de Brejo, Estado do
Maranhão (Fazenda Perneta e Pedreira Faveirinha; Fig. 1: A, B). O método de estudo consistiu em
um levantamento bibliográfico atinente aos aspectos paleoambientais e paleoclimáticos da Formação
Codó em diversos afloramentos da Bacia do Parnaíba. Tais informações foram avaliadas frente aos
novos resultados obtidos nos sítios fossilíferos de Brejo.
4. DISCUSSÃO
A segunda metade do século XX testemunhou um aumento significativo dos estudos
concernentes à reconstituição paleoambiental e paleoclimática durante o Eocretáceo em bacias
interiores e marginais do nordeste brasileiro, particularmente as de São Luís, Grajaú e Parnaíba
(Rossetti, 1995, 1996; Rossetti & Truckenbrodt, 1997; Paz, 2000; Paz & Rossetti, 2001, 2005; Rossetti
156
et al., 2001, 2004). Maior destaque tem sido dado àquelas áreas com significativas reservas econômicas
de petróleo, tal como as bacias de Campos, Recôncavo e Sergipe-Alagoas, enquanto que áreas menos
expressivas economicamente permanecem por serem detalhadas (Rossetti, 2001). Em função de sua
complexidade, diversas ferramentas para investigação do clima no passado geológico têm sido propostas
no campo das geociências: Paleobotânica, Paleopalinologia, Geoquímica Orgânica, Paleotermômetro
TEX86 (Rios Netto et al., 2005).
Para a Formação Codó na Bacia do Parnaíba, estudos sedimentológicos, geoquímicos
e estratigráficos têm se concentrado, até o momento, na região centro-oriental do Maranhão,
particularmente na cidade de Codó, onde ocorrem boas exposições dos afloramentos ao longo de minas
a céu aberto (Paz & Rossetti, 2001). Até então estudos faciológicos apontavam ambiente estritamente
lacustre, não havendo, portanto, subsídios para uma possível invasão marinha. Essa interpretação
seria reforçada pela presença de fósseis atribuídos a ambiente de água doce (e.g. ostracodes e algas
carófitas), bem como ausência de fósseis marinhos e bioturbações (Paz & Rossetti, 2001). No entanto,
Antonioli (2001) em estudo palinocronoestratigráfico também na região de Codó, demonstrou que os
sedimentos da unidade litoestratigráfica homônima foram depositados num ambiente ora continental
(lacustre), ora marinho costeiro, e que a presença de dinoflagelados marinhos torna-se mais constante
em direção aos estratos mais superiores. De fato, este último modelo coaduna-se bem com a hipótese
de uma transgressão marinha via Bacia do Parnaíba, durante o Cretáceo Inferior, proposto por alguns
autores (Arai, 1995, 2000, 2009; Anaisse et al., 2001).
Estudos realizados em seções estratigráficas localizadas nas áreas de Codó e Grajaú têm
demonstrado uma assembleia de argilominerais detríticos e autigênicos (e.g. esmectita, ilita e caulinita),
condizentes com deposições em lago hipersalino/complexo de sabkha-salt pan em regime climático
árido (Gonçalves et al., 2006). De acordo com Góes & Rossetti (2001), depósitos correspondentes às
formações Codó e Grajaú foram formados, de norte para sul, em ambientes marinho raso, lacustre e
flúvio-deltáico.
No município de Brejo, os elementos macroflorísticos são ainda incipientes para uma
interpretação paleoambiental mais acurada, uma vez que os espécimes encontram-se muito
fragmentados e/ou mal preservados. No entanto, os resultados obtidos até o momento indicam um
cenário macroflorístico sustentado por coníferas, gnetófitas e angiospermas primitivas (Lindoso et
al., 2011, 2012). Estudos palinológicos realizados na região de Codó refletem macro e microflora
bem mais diversificada, representada por coníferas da família das cheirolepidiáceas e de plantas do
grupo das gnetáceas secundadas por pteridófitas, angiospermas primitivas e cistos de dinoflagelados
(Lima, 1982; Antonioli, 2001). Tal associação palinológica evidencia uma flora característica de climas
quentes e áridos (Batista, 1992; Antonioli et al., 1999). No sítio Faveirinha, Nymphaeites coffatii (=
Klitzschophyllites coffatii) ocorre em calcários maciços a laminados juntamente com restos de folhas
de coníferas (Podozamitaceae) e peixes do gênero Dastilbe. De acordo com Duarte & Santos (1993),
Nymphaeites coffatii constitui uma planta vascular heliofítica, típica de limnobentos, e vive submersa
em água doce, apenas com as folhas dispostas na superfície. Segundo ainda estes autores, tal associação
indica fácies lacustre para os sedimentos da Formação Codó e pode ser correlacionada com as formações
Santana (Bacia do Araripe) e Areado (Bacia Sanfranciscana).
Ainda no município de Brejo, vários espécimes de peixes e crustáceos, preservados em um
mesmo plano de acamamento, sugerem eventos de mortandade em massa (Figura 2), episodicamente
157
deflagrados por variações nos níveis de salinidade, temperatura, oxigenação, intoxicação por floração
fitoplanctônica (bloom) ou pela interação de um ou mais desses fatores (ver Martill et al., 2008). Tais
evidências demonstram que o paleoecossistema lagunar de Brejo deveria passar por stresses ambientais
episódicos, provavelmente acentuados quando a comunicação com o mar ou rio era interrompida,
promovendo estratificação da coluna d’água e consequente anoxia do fundo da laguna. Essa hipótese
também é sustentada pela ausência de bioturbações nesses depósitos.
Figura 2. Espécimes de Santanichthys diasii (UFRJ-DG 812P) e crustáceos (UFRJ-DG 153Cr) preservados em um mesmo
plano de acamamento, sugerindo eventos de mortandade em massa.
5. CONCLUSÕES
Informações paleoambientais e paleoclimáticas durante o Eocretáceo na Bacia do Parnaíba são
ainda bastante incompletas. O mesmo pode ser dito para bacias da margem equatorial que documentam
o intervalo Aptiano (São Luís-Grajaú), as quais têm sido foco de grande parte dos estudos sobre o
Cretáceo no Brasil. Apesar dos estudos sedimentológicos, geoquímicos e estratigráficos permitirem
uma visão generalizada sobre as condições paleoambientais e paleoclimáticas que teriam prevalecido
durante o Eocretáceo, em bacias do nordeste brasileiro, o uso de indicadores paleontológicos torna-se
159
fundamental para uma melhor caracterização do tema aqui proposto. Desse modo, a Formação Codó
constitui importante unidade litoestratigráfica para a compreensão de tais eventos, dado seu potencial
fossilífero.
Contudo, embora as novas informações paleontológicas aqui apresentadas permitam
estabelecer inferências e corroborar hipóteses sobre aspectos paleoambientais e paleoclimáticos da
Formação Codó, novos achados deverão melhor caracterizar o tema aqui proposto para este intervalo
deposicional cretáceo.
6. AGRADECIMENTOS
Os autores agradecem à Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado
do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), à Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico
e Tecnológico do Maranhão (FAPEMA), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível
Superior (CAPES) e Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).
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