Santa Lucía Formation
| Santa Lucía Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Tiupampan | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Potosí Basin |
| Underlies | Cayara Formation |
| Overlies | El Molino Formation |
| Thickness | 100 m (330 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | mudstone, sandstone |
| Other | tuff, gypsum, siltstone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 18°00′46.0″S 65°24′23.4″W / 18.012778°S 65.406500°W |
| Region | Cochabamba |
| Country | Bolivia |
| Type section | |
| Location | Tiupampa, Mizque |
| Coordinates | 18°00′46.0″S 65°24′23.4″W / 18.012778°S 65.406500°W |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 20°42′S 52°30′W / 20.7°S 52.5°W |
Santa Lucía Formation (Bolivia) | |
The Santa Lucía Formation is a geologic formation in Bolivia. It is part of the Potosí Basin and preserved fossils dating back to the earliest Paleogene. The formation is classified within three sections with the middle section being where the fossils are described from. The dating of the formation, mainly the vertebrate beds, has been disputed with current estimates placing the deposits at 65 mya. All deposits within the formation are representative of inland, freshwater ecosystems with most of the fossil coming from terrestrial mammals and reptiles. The climate was most likely similar to the modern climate in the area, being tropical with a wet and dry season. The formation overlies the El Molino Formation and underlies the Cayara Formation.