Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks

World Heritage Research

Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.

• Osteohistological insight into the growth dynamics of early dinosaurs and their contemporaries

  Early dinosaurs from the Ischigualasto Formation exhibited elevated growth rates, comparable to or exceeding those of later Mesozoic sauropodomorphs and theropods. Unlike later dinosaurs, these early species grew more continuously rather than in rapid bursts. This suggests that high growth rates were an ancestral trait for Dinosauria and played a key role in their ecological success, though they did not uniquely set them apart from contemporaries like crocodylomorphs and pseudosuchians.

  Curry Rogers, K., Martínez, R. N., Colombi, C., Rogers, R. R., & Alcober, O. (2024). Osteohistological insight into the growth dynamics of early dinosaurs and their contemporaries. Plos One, 19(4), e0298242. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298242

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• Rhexoxylon piatnitzkyi and its ancient adversaries: deciphering plant-beetle interactions and its palaeoecological significance in the Ischigualasto Formation (Upper Triassic, Argentina)

  Fossilized evidence from the Ischigualasto Formation reveals ancient interactions between the corystosperm plant Rhexoxylon piatnitzkyi and wood-boring beetles, likely early cerambycids. CT scans and thin sections exposed abundant galleries in branches, targeting secondary phloem and pith, while trunks showed fewer borings. The presence of fungal decay and tracheid fragments in frass suggests the beetle fed on both living and decayed wood. Anatomical features indicate the plant may have deployed defenses against both fungi and insects. This is the first record of insect galleries in corystosperm axes, offering insights into Triassic Gondwanan ecosystems.

  Sagasti, A. J., Hernández Del Pino, S., & Bodnar, J. (2024). Rhexoxylon piatnitzkyi and its ancient adversaries: deciphering plant-beetle interactions and its palaeoecological significance in the Ischigualasto Formation (Upper Triassic, Argentina). Historical Biology, 37(4), 1078–1093. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2024.2354962

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• Primer registro de Oxyrhopus rhombifer bachmanni (Squamata: Dipsadidae) en el Parque Provincial Ischigualasto, San Juan, Argentina

  Researchers report the first recorded presence of Oxyrhopus rhombifer bachmanni, a snake species from the Dipsadidae family, within Ischigualasto Provincial Park (PPI), Argentina. This discovery increases the known reptile diversity in the PPI to six snake species and 26 total herpetofauna species. The study builds on prior surveys of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles in this UNESCO-listed site, contributing critical data for conservation and management decisions. By mapping herpetofauna distribution, the research provides actionable insights to protect biodiversity in one of Argentina's most significant natural heritage areas.

  Valdez Ovallez, F. M., Rodríguez Muñoz, M. J., Gómez Alés, R., Díaz, P. R., Villafañe, W. F., Pereyra Ontivero, G. R. d. M., & Martínez, T. A. (2024). Primer registro de Oxyrhopus rhombifer bachmanni (Squamata: Dipsadidae) en el Parque Provincial Ischigualasto, San Juan, Argentina. Acta Zoológica Lilloana, 259–265. https://doi.org/10.30550/j.azl/1952

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• Paleoneurology and neuroanatomical notes on the South American “rauisuchian” Saurosuchus galilei from the Ischigualasto formation, San Juan, Argentina

  A groundbreaking paleoneurological study of Saurosuchus galilei, a large Triassic predator from Argentina's Ischigualasto Formation, reveals that this 'rauisuchian' possessed an exceptionally acute sense of smell, surpassing expectations for its body size. This enhanced olfactory ability, akin to modern crocodilians and tyrannosaurid dinosaurs, suggests it relied on scent to track prey over long distances, compensating for weaker vision and balance. Researchers identified unique pharyngotympanic pneumaticity in the braincase and detailed structures like cranial nerves (V-XII), olfactory bulbs, blood vessels, and inner ear using natural casts and digital endocasts. The study challenges traditional views of rauisuchian sensory capabilities and provides insights into their ecological role before the rise of theropod dinosaurs.

  von Baczko, M. B., Cardillo, A. F., Ulloa‐Guaiquin, K., Desojo, J. B., & Paulina‐Carabajal, A. (2023). Paleoneurology and neuroanatomical notes on the South American “rauisuchian” Saurosuchus galilei from the Ischigualasto formation, San Juan, Argentina. The Anatomical Record, 307(4), 1239–1253. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25362

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• Araucariaceous fossil woods from the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation (San Juan Province, Argentina): paleofloristic and paleoclimatic implications

  A new species of fossil wood, Agathoxylon argentinum, has been identified from the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation in Argentina. This discovery, preserved as silica permineralization, reveals unique anatomical features distinct from other Mesozoic Gondwanan species, linking it to the conifer family Araucariaceae. The study also documents fungal-mediated wood decay and spherical structures interpreted as holocarpic chytrid fungi, providing insights into paleoecological processes. Analysis of growth rings suggests that A. argentinum was an evergreen gymnosperm, thriving in humid conditions. Additionally, the research highlights a significant floristic change in the Ischigualasto Formation, marked by the decline of corystosperm genera and increased humidity, offering new paleoclimatic implications for this UNESCO-listed site.

  Bodnar, J., Sagasti, A. J., Correa, G. A., Miranda, V., & Medina, F. (2022). Araucariaceous fossil woods from the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation (San Juan Province, Argentina): paleofloristic and paleoclimatic implications. Journal of Paleontology, 96(6), 1354–1378. https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2022.45

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• An enigmatic new archosauriform from the Carnian-Norian Ischigualasto Formation of Northwestern Argentina

  Researchers have uncovered Incertovenator longicollum, an enigmatic new archosauriform from the Carnian-Norian Ischigualasto Formation in northwestern Argentina. This discovery sheds light on the evolutionary diversity of Late Triassic archosaurs, with its elongated cervical vertebrae presenting a unique combination of traits found in early avemetatarsalian and pseudosuchian clades. Phylogenetic analyses place Incertovenator within Archosauria, either as an early diverging avemetatarsalian or loricatan, closely related to Aphanosauria, Ornithodira, or Mandasuchus tanyauchen. The study highlights convergent evolution in neck elongation across multiple Triassic archosauriform clades, providing new insights into the morphological and phylogenetic complexity of this pivotal period in vertebrate history.

  Yáñez, I., Pol, D., Leardi, J., Alcober, O., & Martinez, R. (2021). An enigmatic new archosauriform from the Carnian-Norian Ischigualasto Formation of Northwestern Argentina. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 66. https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00806.2020

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• Anatomical Details of Aetosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) as Revealed by an Articulated Posterior Skeleton from the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation, San Juan Province, Argentina

  Researchers have uncovered significant anatomical details of Aetosauria, a group of early-diverging 'crocodile-line' archosaurs, through the study of an articulated posterior skeleton from the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation in Argentina. The specimen, resembling but not definitively assignable to the genus Aetosauroides, reveals unique features such as robust body structure and a distinct tail morphology. Notably, it displays extensive appendicular armor and a well-preserved caudal ventral carapace, which consists of only two columns of ventral osteoderms and includes a large cloacal vent. The study also identifies a fusion of posterior ventral paramedian osteoderms into a single element, a previously undocumented characteristic in aetosaurs. These findings challenge existing understanding of aetosaur anatomy and paleobiology.

  Heckert, A. B., Martínez, R. N., & Celeskey, M. D. (2021). Anatomical Details of Aetosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) as Revealed by an Articulated Posterior Skeleton from the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation, San Juan Province, Argentina. Ameghiniana, 58(6). https://doi.org/10.5710/amgh.05.09.2021.3426

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