Ammonoids (Crioceratitinae, Hauterivian) from the Austral Basin, Chile

The low diversity of the Austral Basin ammonoid faunas was traditionally associated with a high degree of endemism. However, as reported herein, the ammonoids belonging to the Family Ancyloceratidae, Subfamily Crioceratitinae have affinities with European forms. Therefore, the Hauterivian ammonoids of the Austral Basin represent a mixture of endemic (Favrella Douvillé), with typical Tethyan examples (Hemihoplites Spath, Crioceratites Lé veillé), and faunas that are characteristic of Northwestern Europe on the margins of the Boreal realm (Protaconeceras Casey, Aegocrioceras Spath), although the endemic forms dominate in number of specimens. The following species are described here: Aegocrioceras patagonicum sp. nov. Aguirre-Urreta, Crioceratites (C.) apricum (Giovine) and Crioceratites sp. aff. C. (C.) schlagintweiti (Giovine). This rare and localized appearance of taxa of the Northern Hemisphere suggests periods of sea level rise that permitted widespread migration from this region to peripheral basins.