BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS

NAPO GROUP IN THE SUBANDEAN ZONE OF ECUADOR.

Cristian Vallejo (1), Peter A. Hochuli (1,2) Wilfried Winkler (3)

(1) Department of Earth-Sciences, ETH Zrich, CH-8092 Zrich, Switzerland (cristian.vallejo@erdw.ethz.ch)

(2) Stratigraphic Consulting, Rue des Alpes 3, CH-1580 Avenches, Switzerland (peter.hochuli@erdw.ethz.ch)
(3) Department of Earth-Sciences, ETH Zrich, CH-8092 Zrich, Switzerland (wilfried.winkler@erdw.ethz.ch)

KEY WORDS: Napo Group, biostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy, Subandean Zone, Ecuador

INTRODUCTION

The Napo Group of the Oriente basin in eastern Ecuador (see location in Vallejo et al., 2002) represents a Late
Albian to Campanian sedimentary series, consisting of organic rich shales, limestones and sandstones. It was
deposited in a shallow marginal marine basin, which was bordered by the Guyana Shield in the east and an
incipient Andean uplift to the west. The Napo Group includes four formation: Napo Basal, Lower Napo, Middle
Napo and Upper Napo Formation (Jaillard, 1997). The formations are subdivided in several informal members
(Fig. 1). The study of spore-pollen, dinoflagellate cysts and calcareous nannofossils in core samples from the
Pungarayacu 30 well in the western part of the Oriente basin (Subandean Zone) led to a new biostratigraphic
framework. The palynological and palynofacies data, combined with other fossil and lithological evidence, is
used to define the sequence stratigraphic cycles.
BIOSTRATIGRAPHY
For constraining the age of the Napo Basal Formation, we use several first appearance events at the base of this
formation (Fig. 1) such as the dinoflagellate cysts Xenascus ceratioides and Dinopterygium cladoides which
are both known to have their first appearance datum (FAD) in the Late Albian. For the upper part of the Napo
Basal Formation, the last appearance datum (LAD) of the dinoflagellate cyst Palaeohystrichophora
infusorioides, and Odontochitina rhakodes and Odontochitina ancala, as well as the LAD of the pollen
Elaterosporites protensus, indicate a latest Albian age for the T Limestone-Sandstone Member.

Figure 1. Lithology, calcareous nannofossil and palynomorph biostratigraphy of the Pungarayacu 30 well.
In the Lower Napo Formation the FAD of the pollen species Triorites africaensis is located at 254 m (Fig. 1)
together with the regular occurrence of the Corollina group. At 225 m, the LAD of the elater group pollen
Elateroplicites africaensis occurs together with esporadic presence of Crybelosporites pannuceus and
Gnetaceaepollenites diversus. The FAD of Triorites africaensis is typical for the middle and upper part of the
Cenomanian, and the regular occurrence of the Corollina group have been observed up to the top of the
Cenomanian (Jardin & Magloire, 1965). Thus, a Late Albian to Cenomanian age can be interpreted for the
Lower Napo Formation.

Figure 2. Pungarayacu 30 well fauna and sedimentary structures (modified from Jaillard, 1997), ratio of
terrestrial and marine palynomorphs, and the sequence stratigraphic interpretation.
A distinct break in the calcareous nannofosil and palynomorphs assemblages is observed at the base of the
Middle Napo Formation (212 m). The first occurrence of the nannofossil Eiffellithus eximius, suggest a Middle
Turonian age for the base of this formation, implying that an Early Turonian section is missing. The
palynomorph assemblages are characterized by a dominance of dinoflagellate cysts at a relatively poor diversity
and are not age diagnostic. The spore-pollen assemblages are essentially composed of tricolpate, tricolporate
and a few polyporate angiosperm pollen grains. The palynological data is complemented by the LAD of the

calcareous nannofossil Eprolithus octopetalus at 187 m, a typical feature of the Middle Turonian. A clear turn
around in the calcareous nannofossils can be recognized at the base of the Upper A Limestone Member
(between 187 and 185 m). This includes the last occurrence of Eprolithus octopetalus at 187 m and the first
record of Micula staurophora near the base of the Upper A Limestone Member at 185 m. The presence of the
latter nannofossil species suggests a Coniacian or younger age for this unit. In the palynomorph association of
the Upper A Limestone Member, the most diagnostic events are the FAD of several representatives of the
Dinogymnium group together with several types of syncolporate pollen. The FADs of Dinogymnium eucalense
and Dinogymnium nelsonense observed at 185 m depth are typical for Santonian or younger sections. This
evidence combined with the presence of the calcareous nannofossil species Eprolithus moratus (177 m) restricts
the age of the interval between 185-177 m to the Santonian. The consistent occurrence of the calcareous
nannofossil Lithastrinus septenarius at the top of the upper M2 Limestone extends the Santonian succession up
to 139 m and suggests the presence of an important hiatus spanning the Late Turonian and Coniacian.
In the Upper Napo Formation, the continuous record of the dinoflagellate cysts Palaeohystrichophora
infusorioides and Odontochitina sp. indicates an age not younger than Campanian. In the M1 Shale Member at
127 and 126 m, the calcareous nannofossil Marthasterites furcatus occurs sporadically. Considering the
generally accepted LAD of the latter fossil in the Early Campanian, a Santonian to Early Campanian age can
be assigned to the Upper Napo Formation in the Pungarayacu 30 well.
SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY

For our reconstruction of the sequence stratigraphic succession (Fig. 2), we have used: palynofacies data
(Vallejo et al., 2002), primary sedimentary structures and faunal data (Jaillard, 1997), and the ratio of
terrestrial and marine palynomorphs (Fig. 2). Twelve stratigraphic sequences have been recognized within the
Napo Group in the Pungarayacu 30 well. These sequences are comprised in two large-scale sedimentary stages:
the first including the Napo Basal Formation and the Lower Napo Formation characterized by important input
of terrestrial pollen and spores, during well-developed LSTs. Whereas in the second stage (Middle and Upper
Napo Formations) the terrestrial input is reduced and a relative sea-level high prevailed.

REFERENCES
Jaillard, E. 1997. Sntesis Estratigrfica y Sedimentolgica del Cretcico y Palegeno de la Cuenca Oriental del
Ecuador. Informe final del convenio Orstom-Petroproduccin. 164 pp.
Jardin, S. & Magloire, L. 1965. Palynologie et stratigraphie du Crtac des Bassins du Senegal et de Cte
dIvoire. Mmoires du Bureau Recherches Gologiques et Minieres 32, 187-245.
Vallejo, C., Hochuli, P.A., Winkler, W. 2002. Particulate organic matter analyses and oil potential of the Napo
Group, Subandan Zone, Ecuador. 5th ISAG, 16-18 September 2002, Toulouse, France.
This work was supported by a Swiss Government Fellowship Grant provided to CV. We thank to
Petroproduction Ecuador for providing access to the Pungarayacu 30 cores and samples

Abstract
The study of spore-pollen, dinoflagellate cysts and calcareous nannofossils from a shallow well from the
Subandean Zone of Ecuador led to a new biostratigraphic frame which reveals the existence of several hiati for
this area. The palynological and palynofacies data are used together with other fossil and lithological evidence
to define the sequence stratigraphic framework. The distribution of palynomorphs indicates a strong terrestrial
input for the lower part of the Napo Group, whereas in the upper part marine production prevails.