Tablazo Formation, Ecuador

Tablazo Formation Stratigraphic range: Mid Pleistocene (Lujanian) ~0.8–0.2 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Lithology
Primary	Claystone, sandstone
Location
Coordinates	1°12′S 80°48′W / 1.2°S 80.8°W / -1.2; -80.8Coordinates: 1°12′S 80°48′W / 1.2°S 80.8°W / -1.2; -80.8
Region	Santa Elena Province
Country	Ecuador
Type section
Named for	Cerro El Tablazo
Tablazo Formation, Ecuador (Ecuador)

The Tablazo Formation is a Middle Pleistocene geologic formation of Santa Elena Province in western Ecuador. The claystones and sandstones were deposited in an estuarine environment.^[1]

Fossil content[]

The formation has provided the following fossils:^[1]

• Geochelone sp.^[2]
• Eremotherium cf. laurillardi
• Notiomastodon platensis (described as Haplomastodon waringii)^[3]
• Smilodon fatalis

An association of two subadult and one adult specimen of Smilodon fatalis was reported from the formation by Reynolds, Seymour & Evans (2021), who interpret the subadult specimens as likely to be siblings, and evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of the life history of S. fatalis.^[4]

See also[]

• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Ecuador

References[]

Bibliography[]

• Reynolds, A. R.; K. L. Seymour, and D. C. Evans. 2021. Smilodon fatalis siblings reveal life history in a saber-toothed cat. iScience in press. Article 101916. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2020.101916
• , Edwin A.; Juan Abella, and Maria D. Gregori. 2017. New findings of Pleistocene fossil turtles (Geoemydidae, Kinosternidae and Chelydridae) from Santa Elena Province, Ecuador. PeerJ 5. e3215. Accessed 2019-02-09.
• Cantalamessa, G.; C. Di Celma; G. Bianucci; G. Carnevale; M. Coltorti; M. Delfino; G. Ficcarelli; M. Moreno Espinosa, and D. Naldini, P. Pieruccini, L. Ragaini, L. Rook, M. Rossi, G. Tito, D. Torre, G. Valleri and W. Landini. 2001. A new vertebrate fossiliferous site from the Late Quaternary at San José on the north coast of Ecuador: preliminary note. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 14. 331–334. Accessed 2017-05-07.