FIRST RECORD OF PALEOGENE FRESHWATER ALGAE FROM NIRIHUAU BASIN, ARGENTINA. SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS AND PALYNOFACIES ANALYSIS.

FIRST RECORD OF PALEOGENE FRESHWATER ALGAE FROM NIRIHUAU BASIN, ARGENTINA. SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS AND PALYNOFACIES ANALYSIS. The first record of Paleogene freshwater algae from Nirihau Basin is presented. The microflora was recovered from the Salto del Macho Formation (Middle Eocene - Early Oligocene). Palynological and palynofacial analysis were carried out in order to establish the characteristics of the depositional environment. Thirteen taxa of Chlorophyta and Charophyta belonging to Botryococcaceae (Botryococcus sp. cf. B. braunii), Hydrodictyaceae (Pediastrum sp. cf. P. boryanum), Oedogoniaceae (Oedogonium sp. cf. O. cretaceum) and Zygnemataceae (seven species of Spirogyra, Lecaniella irregularis, Schizosporis sp. cf. S. reticulatus and gen. et sp. indet.) are described and illustrated. The palynological association suggests a freshwater, mesotrophic, shallow, probably stagnant and temporary body with neutral to slightly alkaline pH, under seasonally intense evaporation and temperate climatic conditions reaching, temperatures over 20 degrees C. The palynofacies is dominated by amorphous organic matter of algal origin suggesting a reducing (at least temporarily disoxic-anoxic) environment under stagnant conditions. The low fluorescence suggests that the prevalent depositional conditions were not adecuate for kerogen preservation. The present data confirm the wider environmental variability of the Salto del Macho Formation, which varies from freshwater bodies (this contribution) to marginal-marine environments (previous record).