Esmeraldas Formation, Ecuador

Esmeraldas Formation Stratigraphic range: Early Pliocene (Montehermosan-Chapadmalalan) ~5.3–3.6 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Overlies
Lithology
Primary	Mudstone
Other	Sandstone, tuff
Location
Coordinates	1°00′N 79°48′W / 1.0°N 79.8°W / 1.0; -79.8Coordinates: 1°00′N 79°48′W / 1.0°N 79.8°W / 1.0; -79.8
Approximate paleocoordinates	0°48′N 79°00′W / 0.8°N 79.0°W / 0.8; -79.0
Region	Esmeraldas & Manabí Provinces
Country	Ecuador
Extent
Type section
Named for	Esmeraldas
Esmeraldas Formation, Ecuador (Ecuador)

The Esmeraldas Formation is an Early Pliocene (Montehermosan to Chapadmalalan in the SALMA classification) geologic formation of the in northwestern Ecuador.^[1]

Description[]

The bioturbated, tuffaceous, green mudstones and sometimes sandstones with small or medium-sized rounded pebbles are scattered throughout the formation, or more rarely concentrated into minor beds or seams of conglomerate. Large calcareous concretions, some rounded or with an irregular rootlike shape, generally with hollow centers are common at many places. The beds are highly foraminiferal, with pelagic types, often pure enough to form a foraminiferal ooze-like sediment. On the fresh surface of the rock platform, the formation is hard, and of a gray-black or dark olive-green color. The sediments were deposited in a deep marine environment.^[1]

Fossil content[]

The formation has provided bivalve, gastropod, echinoid, coral, bryozoa, radiolaria, foraminifera and scaphopod fossils.^[1]

See also[]

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Ecuador

References[]

Further reading[]

• P. F. Hasson and A. G. Fischer. 1986. Observations on the Neogene of Northwestern Ecuador. Micropaleontology 32(1):32-42
• P. Jung. 1989. Revision of the Strombina-group (Gastropoda; Columbellidae), fossil and living. Schweierische Paläontologische Abhandlungen 111:1-298
• A. A. Olsson. 1964. Neogene Mollusks From Northwestern Ecuador