The Lecho Formation is a geological formation in the Salta Basin of the provinces Jujuy and Salta of northwestern Argentina. Its strata date back to the Early Maastrichtian, and is a unit of the Salta Group. The fine-grained bioturbated sandstones of the formation were deposited in a fluvial to lacustrine coastal plain environment.

Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

According to Frankfurt and Chiappe (1999), the Lecho Formation is composed of reddish sandstones. The Lecho is part of the Upper/Late Cretaceous Balbuena Subgroup (Salta Group), which is a near-border stratigraphic unit of the Andean sedimentary basin. Fossils from this formation include the titanosaur Saltasaurus along with a variety of avian and non-avian theropods.

Fossil content

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs from the Lecho Formation
GenusSpeciesLocationMaterialNotesImages
AbelisauridaeIndeterminateEl BreteIsolated teeth.May represent more than one species of abelisaurid
ElbretornisE. bonaparteiEl BreteScapula, partial coracoid, humerus, partial radius, partial ulnaAn enantiornithine bird
EnantiornisE. lealiEl BretePostcranial elementsAn enantiornithine bird
Euenantiornithes indet.IndeterminateEl BretePartial right lower jawAn enantiornithine bird
LectavisL. bretincolaEl BreteTarsometatarsus and tibiotarsusAn enantiornithine bird
MartinavisM. minorEl BretePartial humerusAn enantiornithine bird
M. saltariensisEl BreteHumerus
M. vinceiEl BreteHumeri
M. whetstoneiEl BretePartial humerus
NoasaurusN. lealiEl BreteIsolated elements from the head and foot, as well as a verebral arch.A Noasaurid abelisaur
SaltasaurusS. loricatusEl Brete"Partial skeletons of at least [six] individuals, including jaws and armor."A saltasaurid titanosaur
SoroavisaurusS. australisEl BreteTarsometatarsus and phalanges.An enantiornithine bird
YungavolucrisY. brevipedalisEl BreteTarsometatarsiAn enantiornithine bird

See also

Bibliography