South American land mammal age

The South American land mammal ages (SALMA) establish a geologic timescale for prehistoric South American fauna beginning 64.5 Ma during the Paleocene and continuing through to the Late Pleistocene (0.011 Ma). These periods are referred to as ages, stages, or intervals and were established using geographic place names where fossil materials where obtained.

The basic unit of measurement is the first/last boundary statement. This shows that the first appearance event of one taxon is known to predate the last appearance event of another. If two taxa are found in the same fossil quarry or at the same stratigraphic horizon, then their age-range zones overlap.

Background
South America was an island continent for much of the Cenozoic, or the "Age of Mammals". As a result, its mammals evolved in their own unique directions, as Australia and Madagascar still have today.

Paleogeographic timeline
A simplified paleogeographic timeline of South America:
 * 66 Ma – South America was connected to both North America and Antarctica. Soon after this point, it lost its connection to North America.
 * 66–50 Ma – Tiupampan to Casamayoran - South America was connected to Antarctica which, in turn, was connected to Australia. The Antarctica–Australia connection was lost around the end of this interval or perhaps as much as 15 million years later.
 * 50–34 Ma – Casamayoran to Tinguirirican - South America was connected to Antarctica, which was not yet covered by ice.
 * 34 Ma – Tinguirirican - South America and Antarctica became detached and glaciations started to form in Antarctica.
 * 34–9 Ma – Tinguirirican to Chasicoan - South America had no land connections to any other continent.
 * 9–3 Ma – Huayquerian to Chapadmalalan - islands formed between South and North America. A complete Isthmus of Panama most likely formed near the end of this interval, leading to the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI).
 * 3 Ma to present – Uquian to Holocene - the land connection between South and North America is established and migration between the formerly separated continents occurs. Significantly higher rates of extinction due to climatic changes occur in South America compared to North America, resulting in an asymmetrical exchange of species between the continents. North American originating taxa diversify significantly in South America during this period. It was previously believed this asymmetry was due to the main migrational route being from north to south, rather than the opposite way.
 * Pleistocene – the glacials and interglacials of the Pleistocene caused drastic eustatic sea level changes, widening and narrowing the land bridge at the 'bottleneck' of Panama. As a side-effect, the vegetation changed during this period of strong climatic changes.
 * Late Pleistocene – the earliest humans arrived in South America and settled in various parts of the continent. Evidence for cohabitation with the latest Pleistocene megafauna has been found at multiple locations, such as Monte Verde in coastal Chile and Tibitó on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense in Colombia.

Cenozoic fossiliferous stratigraphic units in South America
The following formations have provided vertebrate, insect or plant fossils, formations with other invertebrates are excluded:

SALMA



 * Paleogene

Argentina

 * Paleogene


 * Pleistocene


 * Austral Basin


 * Santa María-Hualfín Basin


 * Santa Fe Province


 * Aconquija Formation


 * Agua de la Piedra Formation


 * Aisol Formation


 * Andalhuala Formation


 * Andesitas Huancache Formation


 * Arroyo Chasicó Formation


 * Belgrano Formation


 * Bororó Formation


 * Brochero Formation


 * Casamayor Formation


 * Cerro Azul Formation


 * Cerro Bandera Formation


 * Chapadmalal Formation


 * Chichinales Formation


 * Chiquimil Formation


 * Collón Curá Formation


 * Deseado Formation


 * Divisadero Largo Formation


 * La Ensenada Formation


 * Las Flores Formation, Sierra del Tontal


 * Las Flores Formation, Golfo San Jorge Basin


 * Fortín Tres Pozos Formation


 * Gaiman Formation


 * Geste Formation


 * Gran Bajo del Gualicho Formation


 * Hernandarias Formation


 * Huayquerías Formation


 * Huitrera Formation


 * India Muerta Formation


 * La Invernada Formation


 * Ituzaingó Formation


 * Koluel Kaike Formation


 * Laguna Brava Formation


 * Laguna del Hunco Formation


 * Lefipán Formation


 * Leticia Formation


 * Loma de Las Tapias Formation


 * Luján Formation


 * Lumbrera Formation


 * Maimará Formation


 * Maíz Gordo Formation


 * Mariño Formation


 * Mealla Formation


 * Miramar & San Andrés Formations


 * Monte Hermoso Formation


 * Monte León Formation


 * El Morterito Formation


 * Palo Pintado Formation


 * Paraná Formation


 * Peñas Coloradas Formation


 * Pinturas Formation


 * Piquete Formation


 * Playa de Los Lobos Allo Formation


 * Puerta del Diablo Formation


 * Puerto Madryn Formation


 * Quebrada de Los Colorados Formation


 * Río Chico Group


 * Río Foyel Formation


 * Río Loro Formation


 * Río Mayo Formation


 * Río Negro Formation


 * Río Quinto Formation


 * Saladillo Formation


 * Salamanca Formation


 * Saldungaray Formation


 * Salicas Formation


 * Santa Cruz Formation


 * Sarmiento Formation & Colhué Huapí Member


 * Toro Negro Formation


 * Uquía Formation


 * Vaca Mahuida Formation


 * Ventana Formation


 * Vorohué Formation


 * Yupoí Formation

Bolivia



 * Casira Formation


 * Cerdas beds


 * Honda Group


 * Lacayani fauna


 * Ñuapua Formation


 * Quehua Formation


 * Salla Formation


 * Santa Lucía Formation


 * Tarija Formation


 * Umala Formation


 * Yecua & Petaca Formations

Brazil



 * Entre-Corrégos Formation


 * Fonseca Formation


 * Graxaim Formation


 * Guabirotuba Formation


 * Içá Formation


 * Itaboraí Formation


 * Maria Farinha Formation


 * Pirabas Formation


 * Rio Madeira Formation


 * Santa Vitória Formation


 * Solimões Formation


 * Touro Passo Formation


 * Tremembé Formation

Chile

 * Abanico Formation


 * Bahía Inglesa Formation


 * Caleta Herradura Formation


 * Chíu-Chíu Formation


 * Chucal Formation


 * Coquimbo Formation


 * Cura-Mallín Group


 * Horcón Formation


 * Huaylas Formation


 * Loreto Formation


 * Navidad Formation


 * La Portada Formation


 * Río Baguales Formation


 * Río Frías Formation

Colombia

 * Altiplano Cundiboyacense


 * Cesar-Ranchería Basin


 * Cocinetas Basin


 * Barzalosa Formation


 * Gualanday Group


 * Honda Group


 * Los Hoyos beds


 * Mugrosa Formation


 * Rotinet Formation


 * Sincelejo Formation

Ecuador

 * Biblián Formation


 * Dos Bocas Formation


 * Letrero Formation


 * Onzole Formation


 * Seca Formation

Paraguay

 * Chaco Formation

Peru

 * Peruvian Amazon


 * Sechura Basin


 * Chambira Formation


 * Chilcatay Formation


 * Chota Formation


 * Iñapari Formation


 * Madre de Dios Formation


 * Mogollón Formation


 * Moquegua Formation


 * Muñani Formation


 * Paracas Formation


 * Pisco Formation


 * Pozo Formation


 * Soncco Formation


 * Yahuarango Formation


 * Yumaque Formation

Uruguay

 * Pleistocene


 * Camacho Formation


 * Dolores Formation


 * Fray Bentos Formation


 * Raigón Formation


 * San José Formation


 * Sopas Formation

Venezuela

 * Chaguaramas Formation


 * Parángula Formation


 * Falcón Basin
 * Cantaure & Paraguaná Formations


 * Capadare Formation


 * Castillo Formation


 * Mesa Formation


 * Río Yuca Formation


 * San Gregorio Formation


 * Santa Inés Formation


 * Urumaco, Socorro & Codore Formations