Vertebrates of the El Pelillal locality (Campanian, Cerro del Pueblo Formation), southeastern Coahuila, Mexico

Abstract

A new locality named El Pelillal (Cerro del Pueblo Formation, Late Cretaceous, Campanian) in the southeastern area of the State of Coahuila, Mexico yields an assemblage of vertebrates that is important for correlation due to its frequent occurrence in other localities along the Cerro del Pueblo Formation outcrops. It is located in the Municipio de Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila. Among the vertebrates found are: fishes (Lepisosteidae

Amiidae [cf. Melvius sp.])

turtles (Trionychidae, Chelydridae [cf. Protochelydra sp.], Kinosternoidea [cf. Hoplochelys sp.], an undetermined kinosternoid genus, and ?Pleurosternidae [Compsemys victa])

Crocodilians Neosuchia (Goniopholididae)

and Eusuchia and a pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea). Dinosaurs found include a hadrosaurine hadrosaur, a new Troodontidae, and other indeterminate theropods. The Fl Pelillal Locality is interpreted as a freshwater environment possibly influenced by tides. The fauna of the Fl Pelillal locality, Cerro del Pueblo Formation, resembles southern U.S. Campanian-Maastrichtian faunas but lacks the prevalence of baenid, adocid, Basilemys and Nanhsuingchelyd turtles.