Cucaracha Formation
Geologic formation in Panama
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The Cucaracha Formation (Tca)[1] is a geologic formation in Panama. It preserves vertebrate and plant fossils dating back to the Neogene period; Early to Middle Miocene epochs (Hemingfordian).[2] Fossils of the crocodylian Centenariosuchus, the turtle Rhinoclemmys panamaensis and the artiodactyl Paratoceras have been found in the formation.[3]
TypeFormation
UnderliesPedro Miguel & La Boca Formations
OverliesCulebra Formation
Thickness~125 m (410 ft)
| Cucaracha Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Early Burdigalian-Mid Langhian (Hemingfordian-Barstovian) | |
| Type | Formation |
| Underlies | Pedro Miguel & La Boca Formations |
| Overlies | Culebra Formation |
| Thickness | ~125 m (410 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone, conglomerate |
| Other | Claystone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 9.0°N 79.6°W |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 8.4°N 77.5°W |
| Region | Panamá Province |
| Country | Panama |
| Extent | Panama Basin |
  Cucaracha Formation (Panama) | |
The Cucaracha Formation is approximately 125 metres (410 ft) thick,[4] and dated to 19 to 14 Ma.[5]
Fossil content
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Mammals
Bats
| Bats reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Americanycteris[6][7] | A. cyrtodon | Centenario Bridge & Hodges Hill | Partial jaw & right premolar | A leaf-nosed bat, first reported as a new "large insectivorous phyllostomine" | |
Carnivorans
| Carnivorans reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Bassaricyonoides[6] | B. sp. | Gaillard Cut | A procyonid | ||
| Daphoenodon[6] | cf. D. sp. | Gaillard Cut | A bear dog |  | |
| Hemicyonidae indet.[8] | Indeterminate | Gaillard Cut | Radius & ulna fragment | A bear | |
| Tomarctus[6][8] | T. brevirostris | Gaillard Cut | Jaw & teeth | A borophagine dog |  |
Rodents
| Rodents reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Nototamias[6] | N. sp. | Gaillard Cut | A ground squirrel | ||
| Petauristodon[6] | P. sp. | Gaillard Cut | A flying squirrel | ||
| Proheteromys[6] | P. sp. | Gaillard Cut | A heteromyid | .jpg) | |
| Texomys[6][9] | T. stewarti | Pedro Miguel Lock & Gaillard Cut | Teeth | A jimomyid | |
Ungulates
| Ungulates reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Anchitherium[6][8][10] | A. clarencei | Gaillard Cut & Centenario Bridge | Mandible fragment, upper cheek tooth & maxilla | An equid | |
| Archaeohippus[6][8] | A. sp. | Gaillard Cut | Calcaneus & tooth | An equid | |
| Cynorca[6][11] | C. occidentale | Gaillard Cut, Centenario Bridge & Hodges Hill | Jaw elements with teeth | Species reassigned to the genus Tedfordhyus[12] | |
| Floridaceras[6][8] | F. whitei | Gaillard Cut | Jaws, teeth & femur fragment | A rhinoceros | |
| Floridatragulus[6] | cf. F. nanus | Gaillard Cut | A camelid | ||
| Machaeromeryx[6] | cf. M. sp. | Gaillard Cut | A moschid | ||
| Menoceras[6][8] | M. barbouri | Gaillard Cut | Teeth & limb elements | A rhinoceros |  |
| Merycochoerus[6][8] | M. matthewi | Gaillard Cut | Skull elements | An oreodont | |
| Parablastomeryx[6] | cf. P. sp. | Gaillard Cut | A moschid | ||
| Paratoceras[6][8][13] | P. coatesi | Gaillard Cut, Centenario Bridge, Hodges Hill & Cartagena Hill | Skull elements, teeth & limb fragments | A protoceratid, first reported as P. wardi | |
| P. wardi | Gaillard Cut | Skull elements, teeth & limb fragments | Remains reassigned to P. coatesi | ||
| Tedfordhyus[6][11] | T. occidentalis | Gaillard Cut, Centenario Bridge & Hodges Hill | Jaw elements with teeth | A peccary, originally named Cynorca occidentale | |
Reptiles
Birds
| Birds reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Accipitridae indet.[14] | Indeterminate | West side of the Panama Canal | Talon | A large eagle, talon resembles those of the crowned eagle and martial eagle | |
Crocodilians
| Crocodilians reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Centenariosuchus[15] | C. gilmorei | Hodges Hill | Skull & jaw | A caiman | |
| cf. C. gilmorei | Centenario Bridge | Right angular | A caiman | ||
| Dadagavialis[16] | D. gunai | East margin of the Panama Canal | Partial snout | A gavialid | |
| cf. D. gunai | Centenario Bridge | Partial mandible | A gavialid | ||
| Eusuchia indet.[15] | Indeterminate | Panama Canal Zone | Headless skeleton | Osteoderms comparable to those of gavialids such as Gavialosuchus, but crocodilian osteoderms are non-diagnostic | |
Squamates
| Squamates reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Boa[17] | B. cf. B. constrictor | Cartagena Hill & Hodges Hill | Incomplete vertebrae | A boid snake |  |
Turtles
| Turtles reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Podocnemididae indet.[18] | Incertae sedis | Centenario Bridge | Right epiplastron | A side-necked turtle | |
| Rhinoclemmys[18] | R. panamaensis | Centenario Bridge | Shell elements | A geoemydid turtle | |
| R. sp. | Centenario Bridge & Culebra Reach | Isolated bones | A geoemydid turtle | ||
| Staurotypus[18] | S. moschus | Centenario Bridge | Peripheral part of shell | A kinosternid turtle | |
| Testudinidae indet.[18] | Incertae sedis | Culebra Reach | Shell & limb elements | A tortoise | |
| Trionychidae indet.[18] | Incertae sedis | Centenario Bridge | Right costal | A softshell turtle | |
Plants
| Plants reported from the Cucaracha Formation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Ampelorhiza[19] | A. heteroxylon | Culebra Cut | Roots | A member of Paullinieae | |
| Antrocaryon[20] | A. panamaensis | Lirio East | Endocarps | A member of Anacardiaceae | |
| Dracontomelon[20] | D. montesii | Lirio East | Endocarps | A member of Anacardiaceae | |
| Guazumaoxylon[21] | G. miocenica | Hodges Hill | Wood | A member of Malvaceae, similar to Guazuma | |
| Mammea[22] | M. paramericana | Northern Lirio East | Stem | A member of Calophyllaceae | |
| Oreomunnea[23] | O. grahamii | Lirio East | Nuts | A member of Juglandaceae | |
| Panascleroticoxylon[24] | P. crystallosa | Hodges Hill | Wood | A member of Malpighiales | |
| Parinari[25] | P. panamensis | Lirio East, Gold Hill & Empire sites | Endocarps | A member of Chrysobalanaceae | |
| Parinarioxylon[25] | P. panamensis | Lirio East | Wood | A member of Chrysobalanaceae | |
| Periplanetoxylon[21] | P. panamense | Hodges Hill | Wood | A member of Malvaceae | |
| Prioria[26] | P. canalensis | Hodges Hill | Wood | A legume | |
| P. hodgesii | Hodges Hill | Wood | A legume | ||
| Rourea[27] | R. blatta | Northern Lirio East site | Wood | A liana belonging to the Connaraceae | |
| Spondias[20] | S. rothwellii | Lirio East | Endocarps | A member of Anacardiaceae | |