Paleontology of the Paleozoic Rocks of the Llanos Orientales Basin, Colombia   

Hernando DUEÑAS–JIMÉNEZ, Victoria Elena CORREDOR–BOHÓRQUEZ, and Jorge MONTALVO–JÓNSSON

https://doi.org/10.32685/pub.esp.35.2019.07

ISBN impreso obra completa: 978-958-52959-1-9

ISBN digital obra completa: 978-958-52959-6-4

ISBN impreso Vol. 1: 978-958-52959-2-6

ISBN digital Vol. 1: 978-958-52959-7-1​

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Dueñas–Jiménez, H., Corredor–Bohórquez, V.E. & Montalvo–Jónsson, J. 2020. Paleontology of the Paleozoic rocks of the Llanos Orientales Basin, Colombia. In: Gómez, J. & Mateus–Zabala, D. (editors), The Geology of Colombia, Volume 1 Proterozoic – Paleozoic. Servicio Geológico Colombiano, Publicaciones Geológicas Especiales 35, p. 133–148. Bogotá. https://doi.org/10.32685/pub.esp.35.2019.07​

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Abstract 

Paleontological data on Paleozoic fossils in the Llanos Orientales Basin of Colombia are presented here. Some of these data have not been published previously and come from technical reports prepared for Oil Operators that now form part of the Servicio Geológico Colombiano library. These data contribute to a better understanding of the Paleozoic Era in Colombia. During the Devonian Period, some organisms managed to occupy terrestrial environments. Before that, life occurred exclusively in marine environments. This progression of life included terrestrial plants that produced fern spores. In the principal depocenters of the Llanos Orientales Basin, up to 6000 m of Paleozoic sedimentites are present. They include (1) Cambrian strata, determined by associations of acritarchs; (2) Ordovician strata, identified in many wells by the presence of acritarchs, chitinozoans, very well–preserved trilobites (Jujuyaspis spp., Helieranella negritoensis, and Triarthus sp.), and graptolites (Janagraptus sp., Didymograptus extensus, and Dictyonema spp.); (3) Silurian by the presence of acritarchs Domasia bispinosa, Dactylofusa spp. and Eupoikilofusa spp.; and finally, (4) Devonian and Carboniferous strata, which are erosional remnants that contain characteristic associations of trilete spores and acritarchs. Sedimentites from the Permian have not been in the basin, most likely because they were periods of erosion or nondeposition. The good preservation of the palynomorphs is evidence that the Paleozoic rocks in the Llanos Orientales Basin are not metamorphosed and should not be considered as the economic basement of the basin.

Keywords: Paleozoic, palynomorphs, acritarchs, trilobites, Llanos Basin.​

Resumen

Se presenta información paleontológica sobre los fósiles paleozoicos del subsuelo de la Cuenca de los Llanos Orientales de Colombia. Parte de esta información no ha sido publicada previamente y proviene de reportes técnicos preparados para Operadores Petroleros que hoy en día forman parte de la biblioteca del Servicio Geológico Colombiano. Estos datos contribuyen a comprender mejor la era paleozoica en Colombia. Durante el Devónico, algunos organismos lograron ocupar el medio terrestre. Antes de eso, la vida ocurría exclusivamente en ambientes marinos. Esta progresión de la vida incluyó plantas terrestres que producían esporas de helechos. En los principales depocentros de la Cuenca de los Llanos Orientales se presentan hasta 6000 m de rocas sedimentarias de edad paleozoica. Estas incluyen (1) estratos cámbricos, determinados con base en asociaciones de acritarcos; (2) estratos ordovícicos, identificados en un gran número de pozos por la presencia de acritarcos, quitinozoarios, trilobites muy bien conservados (Jujuyaspis spp., Helieranella negritoensis y Triarthus sp.) y graptolites (Janagraptus sp., Didymograptus extensus y Dictyonema spp.); (3) sedimentitas silúricas caracterizadas por la presencia de los acritarcos Domasia bispinosa, Dactylofusa spp., y Eupoikilofusa spp.; y finalmente, (4) estratos devónicos y carboníferos, que se presentan como pequeños remanentes erosionales y contienen asociaciones características de esporas triletes y acritarcos. Sedimentitas del Pérmico no han sido reportadas en la cuenca, muy probablemente porque fueron periodos de erosión o no depósito de sedimentos. El buen estado de conservación de los palinomorfos permite determinar que las rocas paleozoicas en la Cuenca de los Llanos Orientales no se encuentran metamorfizadas y por ello no deben ser consideradas como el basamento económico de la cuenca.

Palabras clave: Paleozoico, palinomorfos, acritarcos, trilobites, Cuenca de los Llanos.

Abbreviations

BP                                Before present

Ft                                  Feet

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