Paleorrota

Geopark of Paleorrota. Source: UFSM

Paleorrota (Paleoroute in English), is a geopark located in the center of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The rocks and fossils found along the route date back to the times when there was only one supercontinent Pangaea.

The Geopark takes up a vast area underlain by bedrock from the Triassic (Late, Middle and Early) and Late Permian (270 to 210 million years ago). It comprises several paleontological sites within the rock formations Santa Maria, Caturrita, Sanga do Cabral, Rio do Rastro and Irati. These sites contain a diverse fossil assemblage of ancient vertebrates. In the southwestern part of the geopark are found fossils that date back to the Permian, 270 million years ago.

Staurikosaurus was the first Brazilian dinosaur discovery, made by the paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price in Santa Maria (Paleontological Site Jazigo Cinco).

The city of Mata, together with the cities of São Pedro do Sul and Santa Maria, are founded on paleobotanical deposits. Within an area of more than 70 km² are several sites with petrified trees.^[1]

At the end of the Permian, 95% of life on Earth disappeared at the Permian–Triassic extinction. In the Triassic, life underwent big changes, that affected all the following species. Fossil finds made in the region of Paleorrota have advanced the understanding of these transformations:

Brazil	Portuguese	Geoparque da Paleorrota
USA	English	Geopark of Paleoroute
Spain	Spanish	Geopark de Paleoruta
Germany	German	Geopark Paläoroute
Italy	Italian	Geoparco di Paleoroute
Macedonia	Macedonian	геопаркот палеорота
Russia	Russian	Геопарк из ПалеоДорога

• Staurikosaurus, one of the oldest saurischians.
• Sacisaurus, possibly the oldest ornithischian.
• Pelycosaurs. This group gave rise to the cynodonts, which in turn led to the mammals. The Geopark's fossils contribute greatly in the understanding of mammalian evolution.

Fauna and Flora found in Paleorrota

Currently have been collected over 60 different species of vertebrates. We found two skulls of defaced, which may belong to Chanaresuchus, but this needs confirmation.

The insect was found Sanctipaulus mendesi.

In paleobotany, the plants found here belong to the flora Dicroidium and Araucarioxylon. It was found conifer Kaokoxylon zalesskyi and Sommerxylon spiralosus.

During the Triassic the predominant vegetation included horsetails, ferns and cycads.

List of vertebrates collected in the region:

Aetosaur Bageherpeton longignathus Barberenachampsa nodosa Barberenasuchus brasiliensis Belesodon magnificus Brasilitherium Brasilodon Candelaria barbouri Cerritosaurus Chiniquodon Charruodon Tetracuspidatus Clevosaurus brasiliensis Dinocephalians Dinodontosaurus pedroanum Dinodontosaurus turpior Exaeretodon riograndensis Guaibasaurus Gomphodontosuchus Brasiliensis Irajatherium hernadezi Hyperodapedon huenei Hyperodapedon mariensis Hyperodapedon sanjuanensis Jachaleria candelariensis Karamuru vorax Luangwa Massetognathus Mesosaurus Pampadromaeus Pampaphoneus biccai Phytosaurs Prestosuchus chiniquensis Procerosuchus Procolophon brasiliensis Procolophon pricei Procolophon trigoniceps Proterochampsa nodosa Protheriodon estudianti Protorosaurus Protuberum cabralensis Provelosaurus brasilienses Prozostrodon brasiliensis Rauisuchus tiradentes Rhadinosuchus gracilis Riograndia Sacisaurus Sangaia lavinai Santacruzodon hopsoni Saturnalia Spondylosoma Soturnia caliodon Stahleckeria Staurikosaurus Streptospondyls Teyumbaita sulcognathus Teyuwasu Therioherpeton Cargnini Tiarajudens eccentricus Traversodon Stahleckeri Trucidocynodon Unaysaurus Unaysaurus. Proterochampsa nodosa. Exaeretodon. Staurikosaurus feeding on a rhynchosaur. Prestosuchus chiniquensis. Staurikosaurus. Provelosaurus brasiliensis - a pareiasaur. The rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon. The rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon. Stahleckeria. Exaeretodon. Dinodontosaurus turpior. Unaysaurus. Prestosuchus. Mesosaurus. The phytosaur Rutiodon. Dinocephalians. Stagonolepis - an aetosaur. Peltobatrachus - a stereospondyl. Procolophon pricei. Protorosaurus. Massetognathus.

History

Sources: UFSM (Romeu Beltrão) and UFRGS.

The research began with fossils in Santa Maria with the geographer and professor Antero de Almeida, in 1901, when the first fossils found in the Sanga da Alemoa. Antero de Almeida, also found the Paleontological Site Chiniquá, later visited by German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene.

In 1902, Dr. Jango Fischer, born in Santa Maria, collected fossils in the Sanga da Alemoa and sent to Prof. Dr. Hermann von Ihering, then director of the Museu Paulista in São Paulo. Three vertebral bodies were nearly complete, a fragment of a vertebra, one finger and four phalanges and ungual phalanx alone. The material was sent to Arthur Smith Woodward, the eminent paleontologist of the British Museum in London to study, which resulted in the determination of the first terrestrial reptile fossil in South America, the Rhynchosaur was given the name Scaphonyx fischeri, in honor of Jango Fischer.

So the international scientific attention has focused on Santa Maria, leading to a series of scientific expeditions.

In the years 1915 to 1917, Dr. Guilherme Rau, a German who now reside in Santa Maria in 1900, helped the German scientist Dr. H. Lotz of the Geological Survey of Berlin, and collected 200 fossils in the Sanga da Alemoa. This material was sent to Von Huene in Germany in 1924. During this time a boy of 14 years, Atílio Munari, who lived near the Sanga da Alemoa, began to live with the scientist H. Lotz, who taught him to collect and prepare the fossils. Many of the fossils collected by him, are now in Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre and Santa Maria.

Llewellyn Ivor Price, was born in Santa Maria, and completed his studies at Harvard University, USA. He returned to Santa Maria in 1936, bringing along his colleague Theodore E. White. Both contacted Munari that helped them in their excavations of fossils.

In 1925, Santa Maria and São Pedro do Sul, were visited by the German paleontologist Dr. Bruno von Freyberg, University of Halle-Wittenberg. That same year Dr. G. Florence and Pacheco, members of the Commission geological and geographical, of São Paulo were in Paleorrota. Everything that happened this season influenced Vicentino Prestes de Almeida, born Chiniquá (1900), to become a paleontologist. A jaw discovered by him, and sent to Germany, it influenced Von Huene to make a visit to Brazil. Prestosuchus is named after a Vicentino Prestes de Almeida.

In 1927, the geologists Paulino Franco de Carvalho and Nero Passos, come to Santa Maria. This year also comes the geologist Alex Löfgren, who came here a year and a half helped by Munari.

In 1928 comes the German Friedrich von Huene, accompanied by Dr. Rudolf Stahlecker. They were six months collecting in the Sanga da Alemoa and then stayed two months in Chiniquá. In the ten month period made several stratigraphic observations of many municipalities. They returned to Germany with many tons of fossils. Many fossils collected by Friedrich von Huene are at the University of Tübingen, Germany.

During this period, Tupi Caldas describes the Dinodontosaurus pedroanum e Hyperodapedon mariensis.

Cerritosaurus was collected in 1941 by Jesuit Antonio Binsfeld, in the Sanga da Alemoa in Santa Maria.

In the 1940s and 50’s various expeditions organized by Llewellyn Ivor Price, of the Department of Palaeontology of the National Department of Mineral Production in Rio de Janeiro, arriving in the region. Price has worked in the area along with Edwin Harris Colbert, Carlos de Paula Couto, Mackenzie Gondon, Fausto Luís de Souza Cunha and Theodore E. White. In Santa Maria, Price was staying at Colégio Centenário.

In 1947, Ney Vidal and Carlos de Paula Couto, working at the National Museum of Brazil, were collecting fossils in the region. In 1955 prof. Irajá Damiani Pinto (UFRGS), made collections of fossils in Paleorrota.

Friedrich von Huene (left) with a Stahleckeria dicynodont skeleton at University of Tübingen.

Dr. Romeu Beltrão, who in 1951 collected material was sent to the National Museum of Brazil. Subsequently the fossils was studied by Carlos de Paula Couto.

From the year 1956 Father Daniel Cargnin, which has enriched many museums, such as Museum Vincente Pallotti, Museum Daniel Cargnin, UFRGS and PUCRS. He worked with Mário Costa Barberena (UFRGS) and he collected more than 50 skulls. He was a paleontologist, who collected about 80% of the fossils that are in museums in the region.

From the 1960s, with the creation of the School of Geology (UFRGS), and subsequently their postgraduate courses, the geological mapping of Paleorrota received large increase, as well as paleontological knowledge of sedimentary rocks found there.

In the 70 and 80, in São Pedro do Sul, Walter Ilha, a paleontologist has collected fossils in the region. Collected bibliographies, books and magazines on the subject. He fought to build a museum in his hometown. In 1987 he died, and the museum acquired the name of Museum Paleontologic and Archaeological Walter Ilha.

In Paleorrota, paleontology began with amateur paleontologists. Later we had the arrival of several foreign paleontologists, who contributed with their research and teaching of paleontology drove in our universities and schools. Throughout this period the research of the amateurs were usually made with their own financial resources.

Research and Teaching

Institutions.

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Federal University of Santa Maria. Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul. University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos. Lutheran University of Brazil. Zoobotanical Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul. Federal University of Pampa. Centro Universitário Franciscano (Tourism).

In the early 1960s, started the first university courses in geology in Brazil, due to the incentive to search for oil. Among the first universities were UFRGS, which began with the direction of prof. Irajá Damiani Pinto. The teaching of paleontology occurs today at UFRGS, UFSM, PUCRS and UNISINOS. Currently UFRGS produces replicas of fossils that are sold or exchanged with other research institutions, museums and businesses.^[2]

It has also intensified the Paleontological Tourism in the region, and the UNIFRA has prepared for tourism professionals.

In October 2009, began free distribution of one thousand copies of the book Vertebrados Fósseis de Santa Maria e Região (Vertebrate Fossils of Santa Maria and surrounding regions in English). The book will be delivered to institutions, schools and libraries in Santa Maria, in order to spread the teaching of this subject in the region. The book was published by the council of the city.^[3]

Already published two comic books with titles Xiru Lautério e Os Dinossauros I and II, in order to disclose the paleontology and gaucho culture among children.

It is available in the Book Paleorrota of Wikibooks, with the main pages linked to the Paleorrota.

Tourism

Museums of Paleorrota.

Museum of Paleontology Irajá Damiani Pinto Museum of Natural Sciences Foundation Zoo Botanical Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Science and Technology (PUCRS) Museum of Geological History of Rio Grande do Sul Educational Museum Gama D'Eça. Museum Vincente Pallotti. Museum Aristides Carlos Rodrigues. Paleontological and Archeological Museum Walter Ilha. Museum Daniel Cargnin.

The tourist who arrives in Porto Alegre have several options for visits to museums in the city. A visit to the Porto Alegre Botanical Garden, also visits the Museum of Natural Sciences Foundation Zoo Botanical Rio Grande do Sul, which is inside and has an exhibition of fossils. Two kilometers away is the Museum of Science and Technology (PUCRS), which has several specimens of fossils, plus an exhibition of science and technology. Seven kilometers of PUCRS, we arrived at the campus of UFRGS, where is located the Museum of Paleontology Irajá Damiani Pinto next to the building and has a Geosciences Laboratory of Paleontology.

The Museum of Geological History of Rio Grande do Sul is located in the city of São Leopoldo, in the UNISINOS and is thirty kilometers from Porto Alegre. UNISINOS has emerged in surveys of Paleobotany.

To know Paleorrota, starting the trip in Porto Alegre, should go through the BR-287 toward Santa Maria, which is 300 kilometers away. Following the path we passed the town of Venâncio Aires, which is the start of the area with fossils. In Candelária town, we visit the Museum Aristides Carlos Rodrigues.

Arriving in Santa Maria, you can visit the campus of UFSM, the Museum Vincente Pallotti and the Educational Museum Gama D'Eça. In Santa Maria, was where the history of paleontology of Paleorrota began. The city itself is under a large deposit of fossils. The city has many hotels, shoppings and restaurants.

The Plaza São Rafael Hotel performs paleontological tourism routes.

Over 40 kilometers of travel, and arrive to São Pedro do Sul, where is the Museum Paleontologic and Archaeological Walter Ilha. More than 40 kilometers and we reached the town of Mata, where the museum is the Museum Daniel Cargnin. Here there are a lot of petrified wood that are found throughout the city. In Mata end our trip.

From Porto Alegre to Mata, is about 400 kilometers is better down the road of Paleorrota with a car. If you prefer to go by bus to Santa Maria.

Day of Paleorrota

On 21 and 22 May 2011, was held the first day of Paleorrota, where the museums of palaeontology at Porto Alegre, Candelária, Santa Maria, São Pedro do Sul and Mata, opened their doors to visits from tourists. The day of Paleorrota should occur every year in May during the week's national museum. Earlier this week, on May 17 is the anniversary of Santa Maria city.

Tourist Routes

In Porto Alegre, daily from the Plaza São Rafael Hotel a start a palaeontological tour, with visits to the Museum of Paleontology at Institute of Geosciences of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul and Museum of Science and Technology (PUCRS).^[4]

Cities

The Geopark of Paleorrota comprises 21 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul
City	Information
Porto Alegre	Although Porto Alegre is not located within the area of the Triassic rocks, it has the highest number of paleontologists of Rio Grande do Sul and possesses a large number of museums, institutions and universities : The UFRGS has a large number of paleontologists specializing in vertebrates and houses the Museum of Paleontology Irajá Damiani Pinto. In 1998 the first Brazilian Symposium on Vertebrate Paleontology was held at UFRGS. The PUCRS has contributed to the paleorrota. Its important Museum of Science and Technology displays fossils of the region. The UNISINOS has a team specializing in paleobotany. At the Museum of Natural Sciences, incorporated into the Porto Alegre Botanical Garden, is an exhibition of fossils found in the geopark.
Santa Maria	Exaeretodon Santa Maria has been built on large fossil deposits featuring 22 outcrops within the city limits. Several of its museums have dinosaurs on display. In 2006, the University UFSM held the fifth Brazilian Symposium on Vertebrate Paleontology.[5] It was in Santa Maria that Staurikosaurus (amongst many other fossils) was first found. Within the city limits are the following paleontological sites: Paleontological Site Arroio Cancela. Paleontological Site Largo Padre Daniel Cargnin. Paleontological Site Bela Vista. Paleontological Site Jazigo Cinco. Paleontological Site Sanga of Alemoa. Municipal museums with fossils on display: Educational Museum Gama D'Eça. Museum Vincente Pallotti.
Candelária	The dicynodont Dinodontosaurus. Candelária has also been an area where fossil vertebrates have been discovered. The thecodont Karamuru was collected here in 2000. In the city alone are 17 outcrops. Municipal museum with fossils on display: Museum Aristides Carlos Rodrigues.
São Pedro do Sul	Dicynodont São Pedro do Sul has a large reserve of petrified trees and a museum with dinosaur fossils. The city is located 40 km from Santa Maria. In 1938 the paleontologist Friedrich von Huene collected here the thecodont Prestosuchus chiniquensis. Paleontological Site Chiniquá. Municipal museum with fossils on display: Paleontological and Archeological Museum Walter Ilha.
Mata	In the city of Mata are large deposits of petrified trees. Municipal museum with fossils on display: Museum Daniel Cargnin.
São João do Polêsine	São João do Polêsine is situated approximately 50 kilometers from Santa Maria. Within the city are outcrops with fossils. The CAPPA (Support Center for Research on Palaeontology) is under construction in this city.
Agudo	Sacisaurus was found in Agudo. It was discovered in 2010 the fossil of a Trucidocynodon.[6]
São Martinho da Serra	Here Unaysaurus was discovered, 13 kilometers from Santa Maria. Paleontological Site of Agua Negra.
Dona Francisca	Near the city of Santa Maria. Dona Francisca likewise has fossil-bearing outcrops. In 2008 a 240 million year old cynodont (Luangwa) was found here. Researchers at the Lutheran University of Brazil in April 2010 found a complete fossil of a thecodont Prestosuchus.[7]
Faxinal do Soturno	Close to Santa Maria. Faxinal do Soturno has outcrops with fossils.
Cachoeira do Sul	The fossil-bearing outcrops are to the north of the city. In Agudo, near Cachoeira do Sul, the ULBRA of Cachoeira do Sul discovered the fossil remnants of Sacisaurus.
São Gabriel	In São Gabriel the fossil remains of an ancient amphibian appeared that date back to the Permian (270 million years ago).[8] Here three geological formations crop out: Irati Formation (Passo São Borja). Age: Late Permian. Rio do Rastro Formation (Posto Queimado). Age: Late Permian. Sanga do Cabral Formation (Abandoned railroad between Dilermando de Aguiar and São Gabriel). Age: Late Triassic.
Aceguá	In the Aceguá area the outcrops are located between the City of Aceguá and Bagé, along the highway BR-153. They belong to the Rio do Rastro Formation and are Late Permian in age.
Bagé	In the Bagé area the outcrops are located between the City of Aceguá and Bagé, along the highway BR-153. They belong to the Rio do Rastro Formation and are Late Permian in age.
Dilermando de Aguiar	In Dilermando de Aguiar the Sanga do Cabral Formation crops out along the abandoned railroad between Dilermando de Aguiar and São Gabriel). Early Triassic age.
Santa Cruz do Sul	Here the fossil of a cynodont was found.[9]

UNESCO Geopark

UNESCO.

For Paleorrota to be included in the network of UNESCO geoparks, several steps must be fulfilled. The Society of Mineral Resources Research is developing a project for the creation of a geopark. 246 outcrops were described and a geological map of the area was prepared by the Regional Superintendent of Porto Alegre.^[10]

CAPPA - Support Center for Paleontological Research

CAPPA (Support Center for Paleontological Research) or (Centro de Apoio a Pesquisa Paleontológica), in Portuguese. Maximiliano Vizzotto street, 598. Seated in the city of São João do Polêsine in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, not far from the Monument of Nossa Senhora da Salete close to highway RS 149.

The center will have a museum, research facilities, laboratories, auditorium, classroom, accommodations, restaurant and various services to be offered to visitors, researchers and students of paleontology. It will be a support center for paleontological research in Paleorrota.

The facility will occupy 2.649 m² and its construction is divided into three stages with the first was completed in early 2009. Also at this time began to define the goals and purposes intitucionais.^[11]

This venture has the sponsorship of Petrobras and Eletrobras.^[12]

Fossils of the region

Guaibasaurus.

The vertebrate fossils are found in reddish soil-like bedrock. Depending on the process of fossilization, they will have certain characteristics:

• Without Calcium carbonate the fossils will take on a white color and are easily dissolved in water.
• With Calcium carbonate the fossils will show the color of brown rust, and have the form of concrete because of the calcium carbonate. When a fossil has the ideal amount of carbonate, the fossil is undeformed, and does not dissolve in water. But excess of carbonate will deform the fossil, giving it a swollen appearance. If there is a very large quantity of carbonate, the fossil takes on a dusty outer surface which dissolves in water.

Another important feature is caused by slow creep. During the millions of years that the fossils have been embedded in the ground the slow creeping movement of the ground has created ripples in the fossils and given them a wavy appearance.

Most of the bedrock in the region is covered by soil. Only one percent of the bedrock is exposed in creeks, streams, lakes and roads.

Geological formations and biozone

The region has many Paleorrota formations such as Santa Maria Formation, Caturrita Formation, Sanga do Cabral Formation, Rio do Rastro Formation and the Irati Formation. These are the main formations with the principles kinds of animals found in them:^[13]

• Wood: This biozone is characterized by the presence of a lot of petrified wood.
• Mammals: This biozone is where they begin to appear modern mammals (Procolophon, Temnospondyli, dicynodonts, cynodonts and archosaurs).
• Rhynchosauria: biozone with a predominance of Rhynchosaurs (Rhynchosaurs, archosaurs and Cynodonts).
• Traversodontidae: biozone with traversodonts cynodonts (cynodonts and archosaurs).
• Therapsids: Prevalence of Dinodontosaurus and Massetognathus. (Procolophon, dicynodonts, cynodonts, archosaurs and Rhynchosaurs)
• Procolophon: Predominant Procolophon. Much material is fragmented and often difficult to classify. (Temnospondyli, Procolophon, non-mammalian Cynodonts indeterminate and Prolacertiformes indeterminate).
• Pareiasaurus: biozone of Pareiasaurus.
• Mesosaurus: biozone of Mesosaurus.

Legislation

Since the 1940s, federal legislation has protected the fossils as property of the Union. In 2001, state legislation was passed to protect the fossils of Paleorrota. In general, it states:

• The fossils are a cultural heritage of the state.
• The fossils can only be collected by paleontologists or technicians who are working for officially recognized institutions.
• Foreign institutions are only to support an institution's research endeavour.
• A visit to Paleontological Sites can only be performed in the company of someone authorized.
• Transport of fossils can only be done under authorization with a return guarantee.
• The only economic activities to be carried out are tours with authorized guides.

The complete legislation is found with the Brazilian Society of Paleontology.^[14]

Notes and references

See also

	Paleontology portal
	Dinosaurs portal
	Geology portal
	Earth sciences portal

Animation of the movement of continents from Pangea.

• Book:Paleorrota
• Fossil collecting
• List of synapsids
• Paleobiology
• History of paleontology
• Ichnology
• Bioerosion
• Taphonomy

External links