The Lipeón Formation is a Telychian to Pridoli geologic formation of southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. The formation comprises sandstones and siltstones. Plant fossils comprising rhyniophytes (specifically Aberlemnia, Steganotheca, Tarrantia, Hostinella and Cooksonia) are scattered throughout, with some abundant concentrations on micaceous bedding plains. The fossil flora is the oldest of South America. Also present were quite diverse small, irregularly branching fragments possibly the tips of algae such as Buthotrephis or Hungerfordia.
Correlations
The Lipeón Formation is laterally equivalent to the Kirusillas Formation. The formation is a potential source rock for shale oil and shale gas.
Fossil content
The formation has provided the following fossils:
Ornatosinuitina reyesi
Slimonia boliviana
Styliolina sp. Lingulata indet. Flora Aberlemnia Cooksonia Hostinella Steganotheca Tarrantia
See also
List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Bolivia
Kirusillas Formation
Llallagua Formation
References
Bibliography
Further reading
B. Petriella and R. Suarez Soruco. 1989. Presencia de plantas terrestres, probablemente vosculares, en las formaciones Kirusillas y Tarabuco (Lampayano-Silurico Superior) de Bolivia. Revista Tecnica de YPFB 10:119-121 C. J. Fischer. 1969. Deux bellerophontacées nouveaux de Bolive. Bulletin de Societé géologique, France 7:605-608