Los Molles Formation

{{Short description|Geologic formation of the Early to Middle Jurassic}}

{{Infobox rockunit

| name = Los Molles Formation

| period = Callovian

| age = Pliensbachian-Callovian
~{{fossil range|185|165}}

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| type = Geological formation

| prilithology = Organic shale

| otherlithology = Lime-mudstone

| unitof = Cuyo Group

| subunits =

| underlies = Niyeu–Lajas Formation

| overlies = Lajoa Formation

| thickness =

| area =

| location =

| coordinates = {{coord|39|10|18|S|69|39|35|W|region:AR_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| paleocoordinates = {{coord|36.9|S|31.1|W|display=inline}}

| region = Mendoza Province
Neuquén Province

| country = Argentina

| extent = Neuquén Basin

| namedfor =

| namedby =

| map = {{Location map+ | Argentina

| relief = 1

| width = 250

| float = center

| places =

{{Location map~ | Argentina

| lat_deg = -39.2

| lon_deg = -70.3

| mark = Blue pog.svg

| marksize = 12

}}

| map_caption =

| year_ts =

| location_ts =

| coordinates_ts =

| paleocoordinates_ts =

| region_ts =

| country_ts = Argentina

| thickness_ts =

}}

The Los Molles Formation is a geologic formation of Early to Middle Jurassic age, located at northern and central part of Neuquén Basin at Mendoza Shelf in Argentina. It is overlain by the Niyeu–Lajas Formation.McIlroy et al., 2005

Description

File:Isaberrysaura map.jpg

It is the second largest oil and gas formation in the Neuquén Basin after the Vaca Muerta. Los Molles Formation is estimated to have {{convert|275|e12cuft}} of technically recoverable shale gas and {{convert|3.7|e9oilbbl}} of technically recoverable oil.EIA, 2013 In July 2015, the Buenos Aires Herald indicated that Pan American Energy and YPF planned to drill 46 shale gas wells in Los Molles over the next four years in their Lindero Atravesado drilling block, at an estimated cost of US$590 million.[http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/194048/shale-fields-to-get-US$14-billion-boost Shale fields to get US$14 billion boost]

Fossil content

= Dinosaurs =

== Ornithischians ==

class="wikitable" align="center"
colspan="7" align="center" \| Ornithischians of the Los Molles Formation
Genus ! Species ! Location ! Stratigraphic position ! Material ! Notes ! Images
Isaberrysaura{{cite journal \|author1=Leonardo Salgado \|author2=José I. Canudo \|author3=Alberto C. Garrido \|author4=Miguel Moreno-Azanza \|author5=Leandro C. A. Martínez \|author6=Rodolfo A. Coria \|author7=José M. Gasca \|year=2017 \|title=A new primitive Neornithischian dinosaur from the Jurassic of Patagonia with gut contents \|journal=Scientific Reports \|volume=7 \|pages=Article number 42778 \|doi=10.1038/srep42778 \|pmid=28202910 \|pmc=5311864 \|bibcode=2017NatSR...742778S }} \| I. mollensis \| \| \| \| A stegosaurian ornithischian \|

class="wikitable" align="center"

colspan="7" align="center" | Ornithischians of the Los Molles Formation

Genus

! Species

! Location

! Stratigraphic position

! Material

! Notes

! Images

Isaberrysaura{{cite journal |author1=Leonardo Salgado |author2=José I. Canudo |author3=Alberto C. Garrido |author4=Miguel Moreno-Azanza |author5=Leandro C. A. Martínez |author6=Rodolfo A. Coria |author7=José M. Gasca |year=2017 |title=A new primitive Neornithischian dinosaur from the Jurassic of Patagonia with gut contents |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=7 |pages=Article number 42778 |doi=10.1038/srep42778 |pmid=28202910 |pmc=5311864 |bibcode=2017NatSR...742778S }}

| I. mollensis

|

| A stegosaurian ornithischian

|

= Crocodylomorphs =

class="wikitable" align="center"
colspan="7" align="center" \| Crocodylomorphs of the Los Molles Formation
Genus ! Species ! Location ! Stratigraphic position ! Material ! Notes ! Images
Metriorhynchidae Indet.{{cite journal\|last=Herrera\|first=L. Y.\|year=2015\|title=Metriorhynchidae (Crocodylomorpha: Thalattosuchia) from Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of Neuquén Basin (Argentina), with comments on the natural casts of the brain\|journal=Publicación Electrónica de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina\|volume=15\|issue=1\|pages=159–171\|doi=10.5710/PEAPA.09.06.2015.104 \|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287506372\|doi-access=free\|hdl=11336/54082\|hdl-access=free}} \| Indeterminate \| \| \| \| \|

class="wikitable" align="center"

colspan="7" align="center" | Crocodylomorphs of the Los Molles Formation

Genus

! Species

! Location

! Stratigraphic position

! Material

! Notes

! Images

Metriorhynchidae Indet.{{cite journal|last=Herrera|first=L. Y.|year=2015|title=Metriorhynchidae (Crocodylomorpha: Thalattosuchia) from Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of Neuquén Basin (Argentina), with comments on the natural casts of the brain|journal=Publicación Electrónica de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina|volume=15|issue=1|pages=159–171|doi=10.5710/PEAPA.09.06.2015.104 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287506372|doi-access=free|hdl=11336/54082|hdl-access=free}}

| Indeterminate

|

= Ichthyosaurs =

class="wikitable" align="center"
colspan="7" align="center" \| Ichthyosaurs of the Los Molles Formation
Genus ! Species ! Location ! Stratigraphic position ! Material ! Notes ! Images
Chacaicosaurus{{cite journal \|first=M. S. \|last=Fernández \|year=1994 \|title=A new long-snouted ichthyosaur from the Early Bajocian of Neuquén Basin, Argentina \|journal=Ameghiniana \|volume=31 \|issue=3 \|pages=291–297 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xeo9pTkWJHsC&dq=Chacaicosaurus&pg=PA291}} \| C. cayi \| \| \| \| A neoichthyosaurian ichthyosaur \|
Mollesaurus{{cite journal \|author=Fernández, Marta S. \|year=1999 \|title=A new ichthyosaur from the Los Molles Formation (Early Bajocian), Neuquen Basin, Argentina \|journal=Journal of Paleontology \|volume=73 \|issue=4 \|pages=677–681 \|jstor=1306766\|doi=10.1017/S0022336000032492 \|bibcode=1999JPal...73..677F \|s2cid=130751356 }} \| M. periallus \| \| \| \| A ophthalmosaurine ophthalmosaurid \|

class="wikitable" align="center"

colspan="7" align="center" | Ichthyosaurs of the Los Molles Formation

Genus

! Species

! Location

! Stratigraphic position

! Material

! Notes

! Images

Chacaicosaurus{{cite journal |first=M. S. |last=Fernández |year=1994 |title=A new long-snouted ichthyosaur from the Early Bajocian of Neuquén Basin, Argentina |journal=Ameghiniana |volume=31 |issue=3 |pages=291–297 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xeo9pTkWJHsC&dq=Chacaicosaurus&pg=PA291}}

| C. cayi

|

| A neoichthyosaurian ichthyosaur

|

Mollesaurus{{cite journal |author=Fernández, Marta S. |year=1999 |title=A new ichthyosaur from the Los Molles Formation (Early Bajocian), Neuquen Basin, Argentina |journal=Journal of Paleontology |volume=73 |issue=4 |pages=677–681 |jstor=1306766|doi=10.1017/S0022336000032492 |bibcode=1999JPal...73..677F |s2cid=130751356 }}

| M. periallus

|

| A ophthalmosaurine ophthalmosaurid

|

= Plesiosaurs =

class="wikitable" align="center"
colspan="7" align="center" \| Plesiosaurs of the Los Molles Formation
Genus ! Species ! Location ! Stratigraphic position ! Material ! Notes ! Images
Maresaurus{{cite journal\|last1=Smith\|first1=A. S.\|last2=Dyke\|first2=G. J.\|title=The skull of the giant predatory pliosaur Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni: Implications for plesiosaur phylogenetics\|journal=Naturwissenschaften\|year=2008\|volume=95\|issue=10 \|pages=975–980\|url=https://plesiosauria.com/pdf/smith&dyke_2008.pdf\|doi=10.1007/s00114-008-0402-z\|pmid=18523747 \|bibcode=2008NW.....95..975S \|s2cid=12528732 }} \| M. coccai \| \| \| \| A rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur \|

class="wikitable" align="center"

colspan="7" align="center" | Plesiosaurs of the Los Molles Formation

Genus

! Species

! Location

! Stratigraphic position

! Material

! Notes

! Images

Maresaurus{{cite journal|last1=Smith|first1=A. S.|last2=Dyke|first2=G. J.|title=The skull of the giant predatory pliosaur Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni: Implications for plesiosaur phylogenetics|journal=Naturwissenschaften|year=2008|volume=95|issue=10 |pages=975–980|url=https://plesiosauria.com/pdf/smith&dyke_2008.pdf|doi=10.1007/s00114-008-0402-z|pmid=18523747 |bibcode=2008NW.....95..975S |s2cid=12528732 }}

| M. coccai

|

| A rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur

|

= Molluscs =

== Cephalopods ==

class="wikitable" align="center"
colspan="7" align="center" \| Cephalopods of the Los Molles Formation
Genus ! Species ! Location ! Stratigraphic position ! Material ! Notes ! Images
Costiphylloceras{{Cite journal \|last1=Joly \|first1=B. \|last2=Parent \|first2=H. \|last3=Garrido \|first3=A. C. \|title=Aalenian phylloceratid ammonites from Picún Leufú, Neuquén Basin, Argentina \|year=2023 \|journal=Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève \|volume=42 \|issue=1 \|pages=143–148 \|doi=10.5281/zenodo.7446073 }} \| C. limayense \| \| \| \| A phylloceratid ammonite \|
Pseudosonninia{{Cite journal \|author1=Horacio Parent \|author2=Alberto C. Garrido \|author3=Günter Schweigert \|author4=Luciano Brambilla \|year=2019 \|title=Pseudosonninia, a new genus of oppeliid ammonite (Haploceratoidea) from the Callovian (Middle Jurassic) of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina \|journal=Volumina Jurassica \|volume=17 \|pages=39–48 \|url=https://voluminajurassica.org/resources/html/article/details?id=193672 \|access-date=2019-09-26 \|archive-date=2019-09-26 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926155746/https://voluminajurassica.org/resources/html/article/details%3Fid%3D193672 \|url-status=dead }} \| P. chacaymelehuensis \| \| \| \| A oppeliid ammonite \|

class="wikitable" align="center"

colspan="7" align="center" | Cephalopods of the Los Molles Formation

Genus

! Species

! Location

! Stratigraphic position

! Material

! Notes

! Images

Costiphylloceras{{Cite journal |last1=Joly |first1=B. |last2=Parent |first2=H. |last3=Garrido |first3=A. C. |title=Aalenian phylloceratid ammonites from Picún Leufú, Neuquén Basin, Argentina |year=2023 |journal=Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=143–148 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.7446073 }}

| C. limayense

|

| A phylloceratid ammonite

|

Pseudosonninia{{Cite journal |author1=Horacio Parent |author2=Alberto C. Garrido |author3=Günter Schweigert |author4=Luciano Brambilla |year=2019 |title=Pseudosonninia, a new genus of oppeliid ammonite (Haploceratoidea) from the Callovian (Middle Jurassic) of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina |journal=Volumina Jurassica |volume=17 |pages=39–48 |url=https://voluminajurassica.org/resources/html/article/details?id=193672 |access-date=2019-09-26 |archive-date=2019-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926155746/https://voluminajurassica.org/resources/html/article/details%3Fid%3D193672 |url-status=dead }}

| P. chacaymelehuensis

|

| A oppeliid ammonite

|

References

= Bibliography =

{{citation |last1=McIlroy |first1=Duncan |last2=Flint |first2=Stephen |last3=Howell |first3=John A. |last4=Timms |first4=Nick |year=2005 |title=The Neuquén Basin, Argentina: A Case Study in Sequence Stratigraphy and Basin Dynamics - Sedimentology of the tide-dominated Jurassic Lajas Formation, Neuquén Basin, Argentina |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z1svsoYunLYC&pg=PA84 |publisher=Geological Society of London |issue=252 |pages=84 |accessdate=2019-02-16 |isbn=9781862391901}}
{{citation |last1=Salgado |first1=Leonardo |last2=Canudo |first2=José I. |last3=Garrido |first3=Alberto C. |last4=Moreno Azanza |first4=Miguel |last5=Martínez |first5=Leandro C. A. |last6=Coria |first6=Rodolfo A. |last7=Gasca |first7=José M. |year=2017 |title=A new primitive Neornithischian dinosaur from the Jurassic of Patagonia with gut contents |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313790491 |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=7 |pages=42778 |doi=10.1038/srep42778 |pmid=28202910 |bibcode=2017NatSR...742778S |accessdate=2019-02-16|pmc=5311864 }}
{{citation |last=Various |first=Authors |year=2013 |title=Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: An Assessment of 137 Shale Formations in 41 Countries Outside the United States |url=http://www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/worldshalegas/pdf/fullreport.pdf |publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) |pages=_ |accessdate=2013-06-11}}

Category:Geologic formations of Argentina

Category:Jurassic System of South America

Category:Early Jurassic South America

Category:Middle Jurassic South America

Category:Jurassic Argentina

Category:Pliensbachian Stage

Category:Aalenian Stage

Category:Toarcian Stage

Category:Bathonian Stage

Category:Bajocian Stage

Category:Callovian Stage

Category:Shale formations