Abstract
Since 2005, our multinational collaboration, Projecto PaleoAngola, has focused on the exploration and documentation of the geological and paleontological heritage of Angola. In conjunction with our scientific goals, we have an active outreach and exchange program that ranges from field and lab training of Angolan undergraduate and graduate students, and development of museum exhibits, including the exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Since the project’s inception, numerous localities from Cabinda in the north to Tombua in the south of Angola have been documented; however, one site stands out as an exceptional example of Angola’s geoheritage.
That site is near Bentiaba, Namibe Province, in the south of Angola. It has
yielded a rich fauna of marine tetrapods, including mosasaurs, plesiosaurs and turtles, and in terms of fossil density, it is arguably the richest Mesozoic marine tetrapod site of the Southern Hemisphere.
Most of the fossils at Bentiaba have been recovered from the lower Maastrichtian part of the section, the so-called ‘Bench 19’ interval; however, ongoing work in the upper part of the section is also sampling a late Maastrichtian fauna, and new fossils have been discovered below Bench 19 in recent field seasons.
The species diversity in the Bench 19 interval is striking, with ten mosasaur, two plesiosaur, and four marine turtle taxa discovered thus far. Additionally, the locality preserves both young and old individuals, as well as evidence of trophic interaction including multiple examples of exceptionally well-preserved gut content. Diversity of body size and tooth form evidence niche partitioning, and isotope-based evidence allows to discern segregation of foraging area.
Thus Bench 19 provides a snapshot of an early Maastrichtian South Atlantic ecosystem, set at 26 degrees paleolatitude, and likely reflects an upwelling setting, similar to that supporting the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, which today is one of the world’s most productive fisheries.
This contribution is intended to provide an overview of our fieldwork and research so far, and to highlight education and outreach initiatives, as well as ongoing efforts to further safeguard the rich geoheritage at Bentiaba.
Since the project’s inception, numerous localities from Cabinda in the north to Tombua in the south of Angola have been documented; however, one site stands out as an exceptional example of Angola’s geoheritage.
That site is near Bentiaba, Namibe Province, in the south of Angola. It has
yielded a rich fauna of marine tetrapods, including mosasaurs, plesiosaurs and turtles, and in terms of fossil density, it is arguably the richest Mesozoic marine tetrapod site of the Southern Hemisphere.
Most of the fossils at Bentiaba have been recovered from the lower Maastrichtian part of the section, the so-called ‘Bench 19’ interval; however, ongoing work in the upper part of the section is also sampling a late Maastrichtian fauna, and new fossils have been discovered below Bench 19 in recent field seasons.
The species diversity in the Bench 19 interval is striking, with ten mosasaur, two plesiosaur, and four marine turtle taxa discovered thus far. Additionally, the locality preserves both young and old individuals, as well as evidence of trophic interaction including multiple examples of exceptionally well-preserved gut content. Diversity of body size and tooth form evidence niche partitioning, and isotope-based evidence allows to discern segregation of foraging area.
Thus Bench 19 provides a snapshot of an early Maastrichtian South Atlantic ecosystem, set at 26 degrees paleolatitude, and likely reflects an upwelling setting, similar to that supporting the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, which today is one of the world’s most productive fisheries.
This contribution is intended to provide an overview of our fieldwork and research so far, and to highlight education and outreach initiatives, as well as ongoing efforts to further safeguard the rich geoheritage at Bentiaba.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2021 |
| Event | SECAD - Online, Santiago de Chile, Chile Duration: 19 Apr 2021 → 23 Apr 2021 https://paleovert.cl |
Conference
| Conference | SECAD |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Chile |
| City | Santiago de Chile |
| Period | 19/04/21 → 23/04/21 |
| Internet address |
