Domo de Zaza, an early Miocene vertebrate locality in south-central Cuba : with notes on the tectonic evolution of Puerto Rico and the Mona Passage

43 Pages·2003·5.3 MB·English

by  MacPhee, R. D. E

AMERICAN MUSEUM
Novitates
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10024
Number 3394, 42 pp., 16 figures, 5 tables February 19, 2003
Domo de Zaza, an Early Miocene Vertebrate
Locality in South-Central Cuba, with Notes on the
Tectonic Evolution of Puerto Rico and the
Mona Passage!
R.D.E. MACPHEE,’” M.A. ITURRALDE-VINENT;? AND EUGENE S. GAFFNEY*
ABSTRACT
This report summarizes the results of paleontological and geological investigations carried
out during the 1990s at Domo de Zaza, a late Early Miocene vertebrate locality in south-
central Cuba. Paleontologically, the most important result of fieldwork at Zaza was the first
discovery of terrestrial mammals of Tertiary age in Cuba. Three terrestrial mammal taxa are
now known from this locality—a megalonychid sloth (Imagocnus zazae), an isolobodontine
capromyid rodent (Zazamys veronicae), and a platyrrhine primate (Paralouatta marianae, new
species). In addition to these finds, a number of selachian, chelonian, crocodylian, cetacean,
and sirenian remains have been recovered.
Domo de Zaza is a low hill transected by a large artificial channel, the Canal de Zaza, whose
walls provide an extensive exposure of Miocene sediments attributable to the Lagunitas For-
mation (Fm). This formation is laterally and vertically complex, showing evidence of at least
four different depositional regimes. However, the sedimentary sequence indicates that all de-
positional phases took place within a broader episode of transgression. Estimated Burdigalian
age (16.1—21.5 Ma) for Lagunitas Fm is based on the presence of marine invertebrate taxa
corresponding to the late Early Miocene Miogypsina—Soritiidae zone. The overall transgressive
' Contribution 5 to the series “‘Origin of the Antillean Land Mammal Fauna.”
? Curator, Division of Vetebrate Zoology (Mammalogy), American Museum of Natural History. e-mail:
macphee @ amnh.org
3 Curator, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Obispo 61, Plaza de Armas, La Habana 10100, Cuba; Research
Associate, Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Mammalogy), American Museum of Natural History. e-mail:
iturralde @ mnhnc.inf.cu
4 Curator, Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History. e-mail: [email protected]
Copyright © American Museum of Natural History 2003 ISSN 0003-0082
AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 3394
aspect of Lagunitas suggests rising sea level, possibly in correlation with a global onlap event.
Within Burdigalian time, the most likely correlate is the eustatic rise centered on 17.5—18.5 Ma.
Most of the vertebrate fossils were recovered from lagoonal and alluvial beds; those from
lagoonal beds are exceptionally well preserved. The terrestrial facies displays evidence of
paleosol formation, subaerial erosion, and plant life in the form of grass and palm pollen.
Other evidence indicates that most of the present-day highlands of Cuba, including the Cor-
dillera del Escambray near Zaza, have been continuously subaerial since the latter part of the
Late Eocene. Although no land vertebrate fossils of this age are known from Cuba, recent
discoveries elsewhere in the Greater Antilles indicate that land vertebrates could have colo-
nized landmasses in the Caribbean Basin as early as 33-36 Ma.
Recently, marine geological data have been interpreted as showing that (1) the Mona Pas-
sage began to form in the Early Oligocene, and (2) the Puerto Rico/Virgin Island block was
entirely transgressed by shallow marine environments during the period between the Late
Oligocene and the Early Pliocene. However, the seismic reflection profile evidence for an
Early Oligocene opening of the Passage is ambiguous. Even if the separation of Puerto Rico
and eastern Hispaniola occurred relatively early, it remains more probable than not that this
happened in the medial Oligocene or even somewhat later (i.e., =30 Ma). On the other hand,
the evidence is not at all ambiguous concerning the hypothesized mid-Cenozoic inundation of
Puerto Rico: it did not happen. When available land and marine indicators are adequately
compared, apparent contradictions in datasets can be evaluated and resolved. When examined
in this way, the preponderance of evidence supports the contention that Puerto Rico has been
an emergent landmass and has supported terrestrial environments continuously since the latest
Eocene.
RESUMEN
Este reporte resume los resultados de las investigaciones geolégicas y paleontoldgicas lle-
vadas a cabo durante la década de los noventa en Domo de Zaza, una importante localidad
paleontoldégica para vertebrados del Mioceno Inferior tardio, situada en Cuba sur central. Domo
de Zaza es una localidad significativa pues en ella aparecieron los primeros mamiferos terres-
tres del Terciario de Cuba. En ella se han encontrado restos fdsiles de tres mam/iferos terrestres
identificables—un perezoso megalonichido (Imagocnus zazae), un roedor capromido isolobon-
tino (Zazamys veronicae), y un primate platyrrinido (que aqui se nombra Paralouatta mari-
anae, new species). Adicionalmente a estos hallazgos, se ha recuperado numerosos restos
fdsiles de selachidos, tortugas, cocodrilos, cetaceos, y sirénidos.
Domo de Zaza es una pequefia colina que fue cortada por un canal artificial, el Canal de
Zaza, en cuyas paredes afloran por mas de 1.5 km sedimentos del Mioceno que se atribuyen
a la Formacién Lagunitas. Esta formacién es lateral y verticalmente compleja, mostrando
evidencias de al menos cuatro diferentes ambientes deposicionales. No obstante, la secuencia
sedimentaria es caracteristica de un evento general de transgresién, de edad Burdigaliano
(16.1—21.5 Ma) segtn los taxones de invertebrados marinos que corresponden a la zona Mio-
gypsina—Soritiidae. El caracter transgresivo general de la Formaci6n Lagunitas parece corres-
ponder con una elevacién del nivel del mar, que pudiera correlacionarse tentativamente con
el evento de onlap datado en 17.5—18.5 Ma de antiguedad.
La mayoria de los fésiles de vertebrados recuperados provienen de capas lagunales y alu-
viales; los de las capas lagunales extremadamente bien preservados. Las facies terrestres mues-
tran evidencias de formacién de paleosuelos, erosiédn subaérea y vida vegetal en forma de
granos de polen de grama y palmaceas. Otras evidencias indican que la mayoria de las zonas
altas de Cuba, incluyendo la Cordillera del Escambray cercana a Zaza, se han mantenido
continuamente subaéreas desde el Eoceno Superior. Aunque no se conocen fésiles de verte-
brados terrestres de esta antigiiedad en Cuba, los descubrimientos recientes en otras partes de
las Antillas Mayores indican que los vertebrados terrestres pudieron colonizar las tierras de la
cuenca del Caribe tan temprano como hace 33—36 Ma.
Recientemente algunos datos de geologia marina han sido interpretados en el sentido de
que (1) el Paso de Mona se comenzo a formar en el Oligoceno Inferior, y (2) que el bloque
Puerto Rico/Islas Virgenes fue completamente cubierto por mares poco profundos a causa de
una transgresi6n que abarco entre el Oligoceno Superior y el Plioceno Inferior. Ambos eventos
2003 MAcCPHEE ET AL.: CUBAN MIOCENE VERTEBRATES 3
tendrian importantes consecuencias para la biologia. Las evidencias que aportan los perfiles
de reflecci6n sismica en cuanto a la edad Oligoceno Inferior de apertura del Paso son ambi-
guas. Incluso si Puerto Rico y La Espafiola se separaron en el Oligoceno, es mas probable
que este evento haya ocurrido en el Oligoceno medio o algo después (S30 Ma). Por otra
parte, la evidencia no es ambigua en cuanto a la inundacién de Puerto Rico en el Terciario
superior: esto nunca ocurri6. Cuando los datos geolégicos y paleontolé6gicos de mar y tierra
se comparan por completo, las contradicciones aparentes son resueltas con facilidad. La evi-
dencia es completamente consistente con el criterio de que Puerto Rico ha estado emergido
desde el Eoceno Superior, y no ha sufrido posteriormente ninguna transgresion total.
INTRODUCTION lating to the geological context of Domo de
Zaza and provides an annotated catalog of
Tropical soils and climate are not conducive to the
the most significant fossil vertebrates recov-
long-term preservation of bone, and all but the largest
ered to date.
islands lack sufficient deposits in which bones of ter-
restrial vertebrates have their best chance of being
preserved over millions of years. Historical bioge-
INSTITUTIONAL ABBREVIATIONS
ography of the Caribbean is thus disadvantaged by
the lack of hard evidence from early periods in the
AMNH American Museum of Natural
Cenozoic.
—Gregory K. Pregill and Brian I. Crother (1999: History
341) AMNH-M Division of Vertebrate Zoology
(Mammalogy), American Muse-
As the epigraph notes, the fossil record of um of Natural History
land vertebrates in the West Indies is lamen- AMNH-VP Division of Paleontology (Verte-
tably incomplete. However, there are a few brate Paleontology), American
places at which a combination of good pres- Museum of Natural History
MNHNCu Museo Nacional de Historia Nat-
ervation and good exposure combine to give
ural, La Habana
us a brief glimpse into the islands’ distant
MNHNCu-P Paleontological collection, Mu-
past. Among these rare places is the locality
seo Nacional de Historia Natural,
of Domo de Zaza. Since 1990, crews from
La Habana
the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural in
La Habana and the American Museum of
OTHER ABBREVIATIONS
Natural History in New York City have un-
dertaken quasi-annual expeditions to this
Fm formation
Early Miocene locality situated in central
Ma millions of years (ago)
Sancti Spiritus province (see fig. 1). During Sr Strontium (°’Sr/*°Sr dating method)
the past decade, a small but interesting trickle
of fossil vertebrates has come out of Zaza, DOMO DE ZAZA: PHYSICAL SETTING
including the first terrestrial mammals of AND STRATIGRAPHY
confirmed Tertiary age found in the Greater
DOMO DE ZAZA AND ITS ENVIRONS
Antilles (MacPhee and Iturralde-Vinent,
1994, 1995a, 1995b). Now, with the recent Because Cuba still lacks a significant Ter-
discovery of a number of new Tertiary ver- tiary vertebrate record (in sharp contrast to
tebrate localities in the Greater and Lesser its very rich Quaternary record), there are no
Antilles (Donovan et al., 1990; MacPhee and ‘“‘proven”’ collecting areas in which pros-
Wyss, 1990; MacPhee and Iturralde-Vinent, pecting efforts might usefully be concentrat-
1995b; MacPhee and Grimaldi, 1996; Domn- ed (Acevedo-Gonzalez and Arredondo,
ing et al., 1997; Pregill, 1999; Iturralde-Vi- 1982; Iturralde-Vinent and MacPhee, 1999).
nent and MacPhee, 1999; MacPhee et al., On the assumption that land vertebrates have
2000a, 2000b; table 1), it is to be hoped that had a long, but as yet largely unknown, his-
paleontological sources for unravelling the tory in this part of the Caribbean Basin, in
biogeographical history of the Caribbean re- our prospecting activities we have concen-
gion will continue to increase. To this end, trated on areas around heights-of-land that
the present paper summarizes information re- would have been subaerial at least through
AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 3394
J
a
d
e
d
IsIy WoJdOa sureu pomo:jAqs aq P66] “USUTA-opfeLMy] pue soyqoerW 4S66] ‘WoUTA-sp[euMy] pue soy qoeW sty ‘ecg6] WUaUIA-apeLiMyy pur sdyqorw TLOI “BUOIeA Jaded si) ‘uautA-opeuimy pur so4ygorp] Jaded siyj uourA-dpleumy pue soygorpy supsgJtouoooyye)Ud r eLJaded sy) uoUrA-opleuMy pue soy goerj dA -Jodaed sty) ‘Aauyyen pTeuMy 0861 ‘1eddory R661 “1839 ZOLIANO 9q P86 ‘suUYyOY LQ6[ ‘e]Ja}euUeD pue eUlOg 766] “Te 19 auNOghery 8“W8e6U]9661 “IPIEULID lpure so4qor og "sqo ‘[qndun ‘Juout, -opreumMy pue soyqorW, O16] ‘MoyNeW 6561 “Weyuloy 0ps‘qo6uSoy6eSe 1 A686] “SPOOM W A ZO0Z ‘POO pure AouyeD *7/6] ‘POO 0661 ‘SSAA puv sdy gory 0‘psu6aSr6ySe1QA qA qC66] ‘USUIA-opfesngy pue soy gov] QC66] “UOUTA-opleuiniy pue sayqorjy
smusindjsw idg o e
lI av UOISIAIP [IAIO ‘AqITEOOT ‘UONeULIO] ‘asy ¢‘ao‘s‘“ApeeaU w zyuLoeud “‘oo‘s‘“zdnssqepawue Z u0z oyyes“s‘d‘O‘“se1g use’mqepaszW]d zn ]j y0 uWy e Z uUrs SfzS‘“yeiN,; aAWOU]ds ]0U LUZ eg Is N’ Usmiuidg s ‘ezez op ow0g ‘UJ seyUNse’] ‘aus901A] “q ]9]DR 0 I1smuidg ‘¢ ‘ezez ap oulog ‘WA seyunse’] ‘auac01] “4 R! smuids ‘¢ ‘ezez ap owlod ‘Ww. seyunZe’] ‘auas01y] “q smidg -s ‘ezez op owl0d ‘UWL seyuNZe’] ‘auas01p] “gq smiidg ‘Ss ‘ezez ap owog ‘Wy seyuNZe’] ‘aud;01,] “q ZDoyqnudeasyr u‘muulBoyO ge] y ‘ aus90° T)\\ Soyqnday uestunuog ‘ul. BO], eT] ‘auso0I,] * Sozoyqnudeasyr u‘itwew0 oge ]’ ]‘ ausS0* I]\] Soorqnday ueo1unu0g ‘Wf BO] ev] ‘aUs901;\] * zAoorqnudeooy un‘uulBoyog oe ]y‘ auss0° r)A\ L dAooyqnudeosyl um‘MWuoBJ90 0ge] ,y‘ ausS°0 TAY oZ oyqnudeasyi wi‘wWiBy0O g]e ,7]‘ auss* 0T] S oqnday uvoiuilu0g ‘Uy BOL ey ‘aUas0IJA] ° sensevoorry‘r u yZ eIequ en‘sayu 290“34T 10 upnseqgas ues ‘UL UeNSEgas URS ‘aUd903T[0O “] BY BOL SUL ORQID ‘aus90T1N “g [@zo107) ‘wy “uaprluN ‘Arena, 31k]Z uowRArg ‘W,] ORQID ‘aua001|] “q Ro‘‘“|aIwR uIyqs W piRIpensy ‘uw orqic ‘eusso1] “q se on1sooney ‘ul ZeIq euens ‘sus003I10 “gq ]y oonex ‘uy zeIq euene ‘aua903I10 “q
(
e
l
n
e
s
e0S1WA9ps3o4(Ta9aO)I)ZVj3z[ A 0HzevHy0Ar19soisepduse qdnois UTI0q1 VTds5 ,az y1 9A eqn’) (erpeusyX‘ aeprysAuojesayA]a)v zv2z snusospuly (enuopoy ‘aeprAutoideD) avaiuosad skuiD207 (soyeulg ‘WUMyUAIe[g) avuniipiu DYDNOTDADY (e1Ud1Ig ‘oepIsuosnq) rosaan unisaysAxDJay (e1uaig ‘oepisuosnq) ‘ds wniwayi<xviapy p"i‘suusp‘youp“JUapPIU, SUBI[IPODOIO ussusjnppap rus yA“pd)ypjl .duo1s sNp]n ipuoyuo rbopjo(eles ‘aepruendy) smuDoiunuop syouy ardu e ‘aepruensy)d noid-saisodss nundoos07Y9 stjouy “yo dstp(BLines ‘aepluoyyaH) ,.yatuuop snjcjavposavyds,, y (einuy ‘aepiyAjoepojdaq) “ds snpdjovposayinary (SOAY ‘3UPIOId) SamoIosan “Jd “qusupS“odIJlUO,pa,Ap T SUBIUSIIS ‘SaqINY ‘SUBITIPOdOIO “JUOpPTUy) IIUOrI)S UI o0 (V1UdS ‘aepIsuosNq) asuayyuy wmiuaysyoy (eluaiS ‘aepisuosnq) Maung uassoqupy (eIuaNS ‘aepisuo8nq) asuatsaajpo umisayiAxDlapy (ernuspoy ‘aeprAutyoq) snjoz0109 skulor140}4aNd (Soprlosnpsulojag ‘SaUIPMSaL) MualstiDYy Skuapsiog P“lwoogppu rlauupye“rW)nWOu so[rypsS‘“)‘i,JU sSu UBdUySIpBlpIU)IIND [U)II_ IP)SO SOID
dy}.1
9N
g
2003 MAcCPHEE ET AL.: CUBAN MIOCENE VERTEBRATES
-19qp ue sureUu9r9aql-Q EMgY[SqAupJuu ueaj JaOi QNIBUIWI JOQUIL ‘IA
UOISSNOSIP pauSisse
‘SepslsTaYdoiInD)gS )A LY JuoUIA-opreLingyy)
C UROIUTUOG
661 ‘ALID pue Zuruwiog osje aas ‘s¢g] ‘UaMO 1007 ‘surmwi0q L661 “Te 19 Buruwi0g £661 ‘ARIDp ureB uruwm0g6 96] “B19q ‘daid ul ‘Suruuw0q BODOT“ Te 19 294 goR ‘sqo ‘|qndun uaul,-opyeunyy pue saygorpy] 8(Dyeivuyui)tousDSSdW spasyUuiOyjo)ItosApl aAouYyoepY‘PJ‘HJsTdsasuayJ3OOe Ui]mDvaikyOSJdaUYe TjaesisJ s9 t [g] tSvU“IWSB SaYpD y]A[US’ LSgey A II]d9TIP) ISIY YPeUU JJ3PsJoWsQSD)UDLd OyUOa[qaaI IIS J)oLyN }yDVII IiOv[IsI“‘pA‘“G VnDa HT(P QuAUUa) IUeZOLOe- auHY O O0 pou3Us Uy OATuLouvqaTAe ) neo T nytl[J‘As[aAlA] desOna[d Pu[ e}youNsysAn } yose) UWS1uJuyOu)d] qI0BoaOnD o 0 4 uL tTgan]Jda t 1Yyd4 el dasx DUSa[‘jJlUSRB OaJUIIUyOQSII NNJWIJVIOPIUUOPIIAYS p(‘pUSSTU6uuOEIO6eeS 2C6 UYH[OIe uqUIOLAIYLO )J
paqa josuT qe90Sy}UY s} INsypsrilpou1Bs9rIn SpEWesIwnA[os IyIYuAjUY-aeIIdZYx uA O) TMY UOoOUU RYS ) spea yeusisap
AeUI ‘sotdads SIOYINE
AeNIIyL, 0} pue
U1 d[QUUOSwAL
HTadVvi 1 (panuljuo)) AUMPIAIL SUL [TH S,Anng ‘aus00g “W-"d soulegJ $ ‘UL [TH S,Any‘ aus00q“ W saulef 3S ‘WL [HH S,Any ‘auasog "WW JoysayourySyW [IH S,Any‘ ous90q‘ W souler1 § ‘WL [ITH $.Any‘ ouss0q" W souler1 § ‘Wy ITH $.Any‘ auss0q" W UOPUdIE[O ‘UL UNIN}gG ‘9U9907q “WW ‘SISY(STSASGTUOP]NS)Y N O6As“‘WSsItIsj(U6eyO }TyII1q X eeIT)IAUSPAoySyevLT1Y 9Oeyu } JOyqp aR UJoesrdUAdd(“1dGSILMse9IUdT[yQ MTLSeY eS)eeU OAIOaI s JI OLON [“‘‘‘PsTUoAI) IDO(OdGUSS]sY s 1Y6TOL)USys 0y6 Io ASSBWpQ0I.UUAIJojo7 OLWO U JR IIYSWousS1WsU EOSUlZ]I9udouU-GuI qrIseoJ rPuu JnsSI“dSSSDUe[irABI lJyYeIP UI euS A))e9sUE l Q ]q oS ad‘‘PIU (dy Ud9UI[LDoE9AB9,U U jG I6GoA6Op-]Vod "UBOPIyp} sOdA l aUA e1SI.[O‘FPJoISLC(UUUoS UiOOOL dSInGU sZyeGUT/L] [AIs )L-On d u Ps[dVAMa‘UsJS LiyjIOUoOIe)aO JuY N qy ]aUe]Idr DeeWdyUaT s
JUSUTA-OplesNg] SIE
UsIS UI9Q
SIP] usoq
S[ISSOJ
se] EPCUSIN ATTEUOISEDDO JOU Se
JU[qIOdAsInISoO I iAsI p ‘‘spAaUaQiOmIsNoPaBPjOdWsOsIaT Oq} Aq ‘puaes y yoda sJou reu sborewes (RIUDIIS ‘SEPMUO|SPIOIg) SAplouass SNUOISDLOLg (eIUdIIS‘ QepIUIO}seIOI1gj)7 a140dU asIsozaq (ej Ajoepossiiag ‘aepnuopoowiAp) ‘ds sndyoosdyy (ey ApooolD‘ oepuNesoovioya,p|i) nys nyonsojopivyy ueUons“ jUSpUl) jeune“ yuapruy) ‘181g I[S6p‘IS,jr6T uAu6Hsne1 pnd ig uiy,) S‘:ooWuuLls eof0 g “WW SUPIUDIIS ‘S9]}IN] ‘SURTTIPODOIO “JUSpIUE) psJ|BssSe Iq OouoIqQ jeyQLeue gd‘9W“‘‘I Ip(I4oUs [opZd)ead[Z,y nuD|aGISWY[AdSp(‘ LO]HIISYSyZG1Tu]s0 TI)Y)9 UQWL9 sJ j ATeGO YoW9 BAJB1J AiAI] }SOO]U3UOO 9 Y 9 IDddv I IV9D JC“SJoUSAWpI0OI°IY a9ao U I3T )Oy}Ty"S] sBV[9ossUsI3“I Y )IM1Na SRd9pU 9IUqe{Oaa3ldDY YqWqsoJSP‘0‘0 dqI}SS UsIqB UuULnJ} BLi pI3S“‘]°‘IIeNY(AOaUU U{]d}O16DSuII 4OI6UoPd‘UsSJadSUIO]IaIOyyjeo3uS qT As }Dij eei o -O‘As‘‘[s‘o deeya(Iuo1arsW ea-iDPdqlut|oqsp ]awnee ayqr-peDSJS3SU,qdydoedyg1 I[[T. ULAuEgs esUIoQ "9R InL)ioa}SRJ eIqN YYu JJSSJUJW}UUyIu nO AUOOMOBLV])JiP DQ O d ISpZJ‘AaU(‘“SUP epPU.UWsTJIsasUulusyTsNoauUSIIId IAQ[UU usNre lp) 1O qIeIeSIdROp VIIe,aor s LpY lQSOqJYp p,dsuu‘(aqeAApoUSyIN aYiuA i AgogzIooja8IIqsV6eSyIo O ij eqlNqsOnA SouOs6]oDIduKeu GTeUMa udyS6PA‘[Spu» iqad yT e p [Iosau,T)dolynI ) urPeHASd ijN Lya] a NNde‘sHyI usaDO ysU 9ds oT d;e‘AA0ye Ap any[l0a]ydgpq7ed ni u jsristqoidng o p
6 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 3394
most of the Tertiary, whatever the ambient at Domo de Zaza are referable to the Lagun-
sea level. The most productive locality dis- itas Fm, an Early Miocene unit defined by E.
covered using this strategy is Domo de Zaza, Popov in an unpublished geological survey
a roughly circular structural uplift located ap- conducted as part of the 1:250,000-scale
proximately 18 km SE of the city of Sancti mapping project of the former Las Villas
Spiritus, on the southern coastal plain bor- province (Kantchev et al., MS). Because no
dering the central Cuba highlands (Alturas de published description of the Lagunitas Fm is
Santa Clara, del Nordeste de Las Villas, and available, and because we have used this for-
Cordillera del Escambray). Rio Zaza (fig. 1) mational name (MacPhee and Iturralde-Vi-
is one of several rivers draining the eastern nent, 1994, 1995a; Iturralde-Vinent and
and southern flanks of the largest of these MacPhee, 1999), we take this opportunity to
massifs, the Cordillera del Escambray (max. provide a brief characterization of the unit.
elev., 1754 m). In the 1970s, the lower Zaza NAME: Lagunitas Formation.
basin was substantially modified by construc- ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: E. Popov in
tion of a dam and diversion of river water Kantchev et al. (Ms).
through an artificial channel, the Canal de
Type LocaLity: The type locality desig-
Zaza (figs. 1, 2B), to serve irrigation works
nated by Popov is a small outcrop located
on the south coast. To create the canal it was
1.2—3.0 km E of Trinidad, on highway link-
necessary to cut through Domo de Zaza ap- ing Trinidad and Banao, in the province of
proximately 1 km S of the dam site. The re-
Sancti Spiritus (fig. 1). The section is poor
sulting transect provides one of the very few
and is now extensively weathered. By con-
glimpses of the underlying stratigraphy of
trast, excellent Lagunitas exposures exist
this region, which is otherwise almost devoid
along Canal de Zaza, especially at Domo de
of relief. The paleontologically productive
Zaza (fig. 2B—D), which we formally desig-
area consists of approximately 1.5 km of hor-
nate here as a cotype locality.
izontal exposure on both sides of the canal;
DESCRIPTION OF TYPE SECTION: The unit
maximum vertical exposure is 10—15 m (fig.
covers various complexes of older rocks, in-
2B-—D). Easting and northing coordinates are
cluding metamorphic rocks south of Banao.
x = 670,500, y = 216,000 on Map 4381-HI
The youngest lithostratigraphic unit overlain
(Guasimal quadrangle) of the 1:50,000 map
by Lagunitas is Oligocene Las Cuevas Fm,
of Cuba issued by the Instituto de Geodesia
in the type area. Lagunitas is in turn overlain
y Cartografia in La Habana, Cuba.
by Middle Miocene Giiines Fm and younger
Additional domelike structures occur on
sediments.
either side of the La Trocha fault zone (fig.
As described by Popov in Kantchev et al.
2A), near the towns of Violeta and Baragua.
(Ms), the type section includes two subunits
The most impressive of these are the Lomas
(beginning with base): (1) 10-m polymictic
de Judas de la Cunagua, a brachyanticline
conglomerates with detrital quartz, metamor-
feature exhibiting dips up to 60°. Unfortu-
phic rocks, and limestones derived from Las
nately, the stratigraphy of these uplifts is not
Cuevas Fm. Matrix is soft silty clay, yellow
well exposed, which limits their paleontolog-
in color. (2) 55—60-m silty clays, siltites with
ical interest. Limited exposures of Lagunitas
Fm are also encountered along road cuts sandstone intercalations and lenses, and
(e.g., roads between Zaza Dam and the vil- some conglomerates and sandy limestones.
In highest part of the exposed section, sand-
lages of San Carlos, Cayo Yero, Alevinaje,
and La Sierpe; road from Sancti Spiritus to stone and conglomerates are massive and in-
Trinidad). One of them, Zaza Dug-Out, lo- durated with calcareous cement. This subunit
cated immediately south of the main dam is capped by massive coralline limestones of
(fig. 1), has yielded fossils of sirenians, croc- Giiines Fm. Fossils include Miogypsina an-
odiles, rays, sharks, and turtles, showing that tillea, Heterostegina antillea, and Sorites sp.
even small exposures repay exploration. EXTENT: Best developed in the southeast
part of Sancti Spiritus province; laterally as-
DESCRIPTION OF LAGUNITAS FORMATION sociated with Arabos Fm, in the form of a
The gravel, sand, clay, and rare limestone wide belt stretching from Rio Jatibonico to
intercalations exposed on channel sidewalls eastern side of Bahia de Cienfuegos and
2003 MACPHEE ET AL.: CUBAN MIOCENE VERTEBRATES 7
SANCTI
SPIRITUS
TRINIDAD
Type Section
Lagunitas Fm
TRINIDAD
Bist J: Sketch map of south-central Cuba, showing pertinent localities discussed in text. Alturas de
Sancti Spiritus and Sierra de Trinidad constitute together the Cordillera del Escambray. Shaded area,
surficial extent of Lagunitas Fm.
skirting south and east flanks of Cordillera lent to the Catapsydrax stainforthi—Globiger-
del Escambray (fig. 1). Partial temporal and inatheka insueta zones of Iturralde-Vinent
lithological equivalents of Lagunitas Fm sit- (1969, 1970). The presence of Procythereis
uated elsewhere in Cuba include the Arabos, cf. deformis indicates that the Lagunitas Fm
Paso Real, Rosario, and Magantilla Fms is younger than the Catapsydrax dissimilis
(Iturralde-Vinent, 1969; Iturralde-Vinent et zone (van den Bold, 1988). Chronostrati-
al., 1987). In Hispaniola, Lagunitas Fm can graphically, this faunal interval should cor-
be roughly correlated in age and lithology respond to Burdigalian zones M3-—4 (16.3-—
with the Maissade and Yanigua Fms (Iturral- 18.8 Ma) as interpreted by Berggren et al.
de-Vinent and MacPhee, 1999). In Puerto (1995).
Rico the most similar unit is the Cibao Fm The Lagunitas section probably contains a
(MacPhee and Iturralde-Vinent, 1995b). major sequence boundary. Although it would
FossIL CONTENT AND AGE: Invertebrate be necessary to have detailed evidence to
fossils reported by Popov from various out- demonstrate the point conclusively, in all
crops of Lagunitas Fm and from samples col- likelihood the Calcarenite Bed, described in
lected by the authors from Domo de Zaza are detail below, marks the main transgression
typical of late Early Miocene age. The com- (onlap) event. Accepting this inference, the
plete faunal list (table 2) confirms the ab- age of the uppermost part of the section ex-
sence of any fossil assemblage indicative of posed at Domo de Zaza can be further con-
basal Early Miocene (Lepidocyclina—Mio- strained to 17.5—18.5 Ma, coincident with the
gypsina zone), which seems to be missing isochronous onlap event identified by Haq et
throughout central Cuba (Iturralde-Vinent, al. (1987) in their global eustatic chronology.
1969). The joint presence of Miogypsina an- The Calcarenite Bed cuts across all older lay-
tillea, Heterostegina antillea, and Sorites ers exposed at Domo de Zaza and also out-
marginalis is characteristic of the Miogypsi- crops elsewhere in the region, making it a
na—Soritiidae zone, which is in turn equiva- valuable marker horizon.
8 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 3394
LATE EARLY
MIOCENE
ow
La Trocha fault ae
\ ME
HIGHLANDS
LOWLANDS
DELTAIG LAGOONAL
COASTAL PLAINS.
SHALLOW MARINE
LAGOONAL SHELF Pai gam Ne ae
CARBONATE SHELF aber ae ay abo
(REEF) Nipe -fault—
DEEP (>>100) MARINE
ZAZA DOME
r, i Paar: ree eyrk: 2 yee a = ; ag ee= L p3 om i 5 ‘a, - q #A .
= a Be : aeS o = : aeT A ate orHE tmte l oe coe e|e 8 ba| ee i ee: io fh. ali, A=iyet goha t ee tt be ea‘ _t er ai o ei ahs e. e e“ea s C| n 4i h aiW e k c
Fig. 2. (A) Paleogeography of Cuba as a series of archipelagos, late Early Miocene; Domo de Zaza
is located in the central archipelago, near La Trocha fault. (B) Northwest wall of Canal de Zaza trench
(canal seen in foreground; surface of water to uppermost sandy gravel bed is approximately 10 m). (C)
Detail, showing one of the larger channel cuts (geology hammer below lettering provides scale). (D)
Detail, showing main lithofacies present in Lagunitas Fm (geology hammer provides scale). Key: CL,
marine carbonate layer; CB, marine Calcarenite Bed; GC, lagoonal clay; PS, paleosol; SG, alluvial sandy
gravel. In part A, numbered features indicate areal distribution of the following formations: 1, Paso
Real; 2, Rosario; 3, Los Arabos; 4, Lagunitas; 5, Magantilla.
2003 MAcPHEE ET AL.: CUBAN MIOCENE VERTEBRATES 9
TABLE 2
Inventory of Invertebrate Taxa Recovered at Domo de Zaza (Lagunitas Fm)?
Taxa Marine limestone Lagoonal clay Alluvium
Foraminifera
Ammonia beccarii
Amphistegina, aff. A. taberana
Amphistegina angulata
Archaias aduncus
Archais angulatus
eeKm
Discorbis sp.
Elphidium discoidale
Elphidium nautiloideum
Elphidium sagrei O~MX K
Heterostegina antillea
Myogypsina antillea
Pyrgo sp.
Sorites marginalis
Ostracoda
Aurila, aff. A. cicatricosa
Bairdia antillea
Bairdia bradyi
Caudites sp.
Costa (Rectotrachileberis) sp.
Cytheropteron sp.
Haplocytheridea cubensis
Haplocytheridea sp.
Loxoconcha antillea nodosa
Loxoconcha cubensis
?Procythereis, cf. deformis
Quadricythereis antillea pOiiiii a e
Mollusca
Crassostrea vaughani insularis
Glycymeris acuticostatus, aff. G. a. guaica xX
Glycymeris jamaicanus xX
Chlamys spp. x
@Compiled from Popov (in Kantshev et al., MS), with additional identifications by Silvia Blanco and Consuelo Diaz using authors’
samples; for biochronological significance, see text.
We have provisional evidence of a second marine bed to youngest coquinal horizon).
onlap event that occurred in early Middle Calculated ages (table 3) were determined by
Miocene, represented by the transition be- Paul A. Mueller (University of Florida). Un-
tween the Lagunitas and the overlying Gui- fortunately, the results are inconsistent with
nes Fm. The transitional beds—outcropping other data. The oldest samples (1 and 2) in
in a small quarry north-northeast of Domo terms of stratigraphic position yielded the
de Zaza—consist of strongly weathered, youngest dates, and none of the dates agree
whitish to yellowish limestones, containing with the age obtained by conventional time-
abundant molds of shallow water marine taxa stratigraphic methods (>16.5 Ma). We con-
and overlain by coquinal limestones. clude that the samples submitted for dating
STRONTIUM Isotopic AGE: In order to ver- underwent some form of diagenesis, and that
ify the age of the cotype locality, shell sam- the oldest Sr age obtained (14.68 Ma) should
ples were collected for ®’Sr/*°Sr analysis from be considered to represent no more than a
four horizons along the canal transect (lowest minimum age.
10 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 3394
TABLE 3
Lagunitas Formation: ®’Sr/*°Sr Dating Results, Domo de Zaza
Position in Calculated
Sample Material section 87$1/86Sr age (Ma)?
1 Crassostrea vaughani bottom 0.70892 5.47
2 Crassostrea vaughani middle 0.70895 5.24
3A Crassostrea vaughani, Glycymeris spp. top 0.70882 11.71
3B Crassostrea vaughani, Glycymeris spp. top 0.70875 14.68
aA ges calculated using segmented curve following SRM-987 normalization to 0.710235 (see Geyh and Schleicher, 1990).
DESCRIPTION OF THE DOMO DE ZAZA in detail. The longitudinal section (fig. 3) of
SECTION, LAGUNITAS FM the northwestern face of the canal schemat-
ically illustrates the relationships of these en-
The section exposed at Domo de Zaza is
vironments to one another. As would be ex-
laterally and vertically complex, showing ev-
pected, land and freshwater facies predomi-
idence of at least four different depositional
nate on the north-northwestern side of the
regimes within the limited area of exposure,
section, nearest the ancient land area (fig.
from fully terrestrial to shallow marine. The
2A), while marine facies cluster on the
exposed part of the section shows evidence
south-southeastern side, facing the Caribbean
of several short-term coastal onlap events;
Sea.
the main one began with thick alluvial (sand
Marine Facies: Shallow-water marine con-
and gravel) deposition, followed by a short
period of lagoonal development (clay), and ditions in the Zaza section are indicated by
ended with a ubiquitous shallow marine several calcareous horizons, light yellow to
phase (Calcarenite Bed). However, within cream in color, that locally attain thicknesses
this cycle there were clearly shorter phases up to 1—2 m. However, with only one excep-
of uplift and subsequent submersion marked tion, these beds pinch out laterally. The ex-
by alluvial channelling, paleosol develop- ception is the Calcarenite Bed mentioned
ment, animal bioturbation, and other features above, which runs through the entire expo-
(fig. 3). sure (figs. 2B—D, 3). This strongly biotur-
For the purpose of this description, obser- bated deposit contains small amounts of
vations on the section exposed at Domo de sand, gravel, and clay, mostly at base. Ma-
Zaza are organized according to environment rine fossils occur sporadically, except at top,
of deposition. The four distinct depositional where the calcarenite transitionally becomes
regimes that can be recognized (marine, la- biocalcarenite and coquinite (i.e., a limestone
goonal, alluvial, and terrestrial) are described largely composed of shells). Ichnofossils of
-
Fig. 3. Diagrammatic longitudinal section, west wall of Canal de Zaza (vertical scale highly exag-
gerated). A and A! are coincident points. Lithofacies are organized according to environment of depo-
sition (shallow marine, lagoonal, alluvial, terrestrial). Marine sediments are more common to south-
southeast, while nonmarine facies dominate the north-northwestern half of the section. Upsection, marine
facies progressively onlap to the north-northwest, indicating general marine transgression. Most of the
fossils described in this report were recovered from the float and are therefore of uncertain stratigraphic
placement. Positions of certain fossils found in situ are noted on the section. Among in situ land-mammal
fossils, the ?mold of the sloth caniniform (MNHNCu-—P 3015) was found in the Calcarenite Bed at the
position marked by the upper star. The sloth partial pelvis (MNHNCu-—P 3021) was recovered in a
context stratigraphically below this bed (lower star). All other sloth elements, as well as all material
referred to the pitheciine platyrrhine Paralouatta marianae and the isolobodontine capromyid Zazamys
veronicae, were found in the float and therefore could have come from levels stratigraphically above or
below the Calcarenite Bed.