Vol. 45 No. 3 (2023): Boletín de Geología
Artículos científicos

Palynology of Cretaceous amber deposits of the Oriente Basin-Ecuador and the Eastern Cordillera-Colombia

Rafael Francisco Castaño-Cardona
Universidad de Caldas
Carlos Jaramillo
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Andrés Pardo-Trujillo
Universidad de Caldas
Barbara Vento
Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones en Zonas Áridas
Daniela Quiroz-Cabascango
Uppsala University
Estefanía Angulo-Pardo
Universidad de Caldas

Published 2023-10-26

Keywords

  • Palynology,
  • Cretaceous,
  • Amber,
  • Colombia,
  • Ecuador,
  • Tropical floras
  • ...More
    Less

How to Cite

Castaño-Cardona, R. F., Jaramillo, C., Pardo-Trujillo, A., Vento, B., Quiroz-Cabascango, D., & Angulo-Pardo, E. (2023). Palynology of Cretaceous amber deposits of the Oriente Basin-Ecuador and the Eastern Cordillera-Colombia. Boletín De Geología, 45(3), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.18273/revbol.v45n3-2023004

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Abstract

Several Cretaceous amber-bearing localities were recently discovered, including the Oriente Basin of Ecuador (Hollín Formation), and the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia (Une Formation at La Popa mine). A palynological study of 48 samples was carried out to date them and assess their broad floristic content. We date the Hollín Formation as spanning the late Aptian to the early Albian based on the co-occurrence of Callialasporites trilobatus, Retitricolpites operculatus and Callialasporites dampieri, among others. The sandstone lens containing amber from Une Formation at La Popa mine were dated as latest Aptian to early Cenomanian based upon the co-occurrence of Callialasporites dampieri, Afropollis jardinus, Ischyosporites variegatus and Gnetaceaepollenites retangularis. The palynoflora is dominated by high spore diversity suggesting humid climate conditions in the northwestern margin of Gondwana.

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