New Discoveries in Cuban Paleontology: Insights from NAPC 2024

I am excited to share the highlights of our recent presentation at the 12th North American Paleontological Convention (NAPC) held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Our research has unveiled fascinating insights into the late Pliocene to early Pleistocene terrestrial vertebrate diversity in Cuba, with a special focus on the El Abra Formation in Matanzas.

Groundbreaking Discoveries

Our study marks the first documentation of capromyid rodents from this period, alongside an associated biota including plants, manta rays, sharks, barracudas, and bony fishes. These findings significantly enhance the Cuban terrestrial vertebrate fossil record, contributing to our understanding of the region's paleoecology and biogeography.

A Multidisciplinary Approach

By integrating stratigraphy, geochronology, and comparative anatomy, we aim to place these findings within a broader evolutionary and paleoecological context. Our multidisciplinary approach sheds light on patterns of vertebrate dispersal and diversification, revealing a dynamic ecosystem during this transitional epoch.

The Future of Paleontological Research in Cuba

The discoveries at El Abra underscore its potential as a crucial site for future paleontological research. This study not only fills a significant gap in the fossil record but also sets a new trajectory for paleontological exploration in the region, highlighting the complexity of Caribbean faunal history.

Gratitude and Future Collaborations

A special shout-out to my amazing coauthors and collaborators: Logel Lorenzo, Lazaro Lopez, Alberto Clark, and Yasmani Ceballos. Their hard work and dedication made this research possible. 

I also extend my heartfelt thanks to all the organizers and attendees who made the NAPC an unforgettable event. It was an honor to reconnect with old friends and forge new connections. Your enthusiasm and support are invaluable, and I eagerly look forward to future collaborations to further our understanding of Caribbean paleontology.

Stay tuned for more updates and photos from the convention!

Unveiling the Past: Latest Insights into Cretaceous OAEs and Extinct Caribbean Mammals

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since my last post, and I'm excited to share an update on my recent research and findings.

My latest work has been focused on studying the sedimentary records throughout the Cretaceous period, particularly those that show intermittent intervals of organic-rich strata due to severe oxygen depletion in the ocean, known as Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs). These deposits, which generated large amounts of hydrocarbons, indicate significant changes in the global carbon cycle (Weissert et al., 1979; Weissert, 1989). Although such records are well-documented in the Americas, they have not been well-characterized in the Antilles until now.

Using high-resolution chemostratigraphy, we conducted an assessment of Lower Cretaceous, organic-rich limestones from Sierra de los Órganos, Western Cuba. This succession, accumulated along the passive margin of the Maya Block due to the expansion of the Proto-Caribbean Seaway in the middle Mesozoic, became part of Cuba during the Eocene and now comprises the Guaniguanico Terrain.

The occurrence of calpionellids Tintinopsella cf. carpathica and Calpionellites cf. darderi supports the chronostratigraphic correlation up to the earliest Hauterivian (Pszczółkowski, 1999; Mutterlose et al., 2021; Giraldo-Gómez et al., 2022). Our results reveal that the widespread oxygen-deficient conditions associated with the Valanginian "Weissert" oceanic anoxic event are also recorded in the Proto-Caribbean Basin.

I presented these findings at the 14th Romanian Symposium on Paleontology in Bucharest in September 2023 and at the SEPM International Sedimentary Geosciences Congress in Flagstaff, Arizona in May 2024.

In addition to my work on OAEs, I have also been researching the extinct, shrew-like mammal Nesophontes, endemic to the Greater Antilles. The Cuban taxa within this genus have a challenging taxonomic history due to the ample size variation observed in skeletal remains. My detailed systematic revision of Cuban species through multivariate morphometric and qualitative analyses, including discrete osteological characteristics and stable isotope analysis, supports the presence of three species divided into two morphotypes. These findings were published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences in August 2023 and are available here.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore the fascinating history of the Caribbean's paleontological and geological past.

Idealized reconstruction of Nesophontes micrus based on sketches and augmented

using AI (DALL-E) software. Image copyright of J. Orihuela.