Multi-proxy approach of the mixed carbonate-siliciclast Crato Formation: sedimentary evolution, paleogeography and tectonics

• Grant number: 16/13214-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2017
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Lucas Verissimo Warren
• Grantee: Filipe Giovanini Varejão
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas (IGCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The evolution of the hinterland and marginal basins of Brazil is related to the tectonic events that originated the South Atlantic Ocean. The transitional post-rift sequence of aptian-albian age is the last preserved stage of the sedimentary record in the evolution of the Brazilian Northeast rift systems. In this context, the Crato Formation of the Araripe Basin characterized by apparent monotonous laminated limestones interbedded with terrigenous deposits, are unique for its exceptional fossiliferous preservation. Punctual sedimentological and paleontological analyses of this unit provided innumerous conflicting data of paleoenvironmental interpretation. The recent discovery of microbial activity in the limestones, interpreted before as originated by purely chemical precipitatation, promotes new research based in this new approach. In addition to its occurrence in the Araripe Basin, the Crato Formation also occurs in the Jatobá and Tucano basins, as discontinuous relicts of the largest extension occupied by its original deposits. Despite some sedimentological data provided, the developed works in the area failed in present more discerning data as isotopic and magnetic susceptibility correlation curves of the different occurrence sites. In that manner, the here proposed multi-proxy analyses is necessary to support paleoenvironmental interpretations, since traditional sedimentary methods were not enough to solve problems concerning origin, stratigraphic positioning and definition of the mechanism of preservation of fossils in this worldwide renown Fossil Konservat Lagerstätte of the Cretaceous. The integration of macro, micro and ultrastructural description of limestones and siliciclastics allied with geochemical, stratigraphical and structural data will be fundamental to regional correlations as well as in the definition of the paleogeographic scenario. The definition of extent and positioning of the first marine ingression in the interior of the Brazilian northeast during Gondwana fragmentation is also intended.

Scientific publications

(15)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VAREJAO, F. G.; WARREN, L., V; SIMOES, M. G.; CERRI, R., I; ALESSANDRETTI, L.; SANTOS, M. G. M.; ASSINE, M. L.. Evaluation of distinct soft-sediment deformation triggers in mixed carbonate-siliciclastic systems: Lessons from the Brazilian Pre-Salt analogue Crato Formation (Araripe Basin, NE Brazil). MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, v. 140, p. 21-pg., 2022-06-01. (16/13214-7, 14/00519-9)

RODRIGUES, M. G.; VAREJAO, F. G.; MATOS, S. A.; FUERSICH, F. T.; WARREN, L. V.; ASSINE, M. L.; SIMOES, M. G.. High-resolution taphonomy and sequence stratigraphy of internally complex, bakevelliid-dominated coquinas from the Aptian Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin, NE Brazil. MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, v. 143, p. 22-pg., 2022-07-06. (18/01750-7, 17/20803-1, 16/13214-7, 14/00519-9)

DA SILVA, VICTOR R.; VAREJAO, FILIPE G.; MATOS, SUZANA A.; FUERSICH, FRANZ T.; SKAWINA, ALEKSANDRA; SCHNEIDER, SIMON; WARREN, LUCAS V.; ASSINE, MARIO L.; SIMOES, MARCELLO G.. Cratonaia novaolindensis gen. et sp. nov. (Unionida, Silesunionoidea) from the Aptian of Brazil (Araripe Basin), and its implications for the early evolution of freshwater mussels. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 107, MAR 2020. (14/00519-9, 16/13214-7, 17/20803-1, 17/22036-8)

FILIPE GIOVANINI VAREJÃO; VICTOR RIBEIRO SILVA; MARIO LUIS ASSINE; LUCAS VERÍSSIMO WARREN; SUZANA APARECIDA MATOS; MARIZA GOMES RODRIGUES; FRANZ THEODOR FÜRSICH; MARCELLO GUIMARÃES SIMÕES. Marine or freshwater? Accessing the paleoenvironmental parameters of the Caldas Bed, a key marker bed in the Crato Formation (Araripe Basin, NE Brazil). BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY, v. 51, n. 1, 2020-12-21. (18/01750-7, 17/20803-1, 17/22036-8, 14/00519-9, 16/13214-7)

VAREJAO, FILIPE GIOVANINI; WARREN, LUCAS VERISSIMO; RODRIGUES, MARIZA GOMES; ASSINE, MARIO LUIS; SIMOES, MARCELLO GUIMARAES. Origin and significance of macroscopic organic aggregates from the lacustrine Aptian Crato Konservat-Lagerstiitte. SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY, v. 470, p. 16-pg., 2024-06-22. (16/13214-7)

SIMOES, MARCELLO G.; GUERRINI, VITOR B.; SILVA, VICTOR R.; VAREJAO, FILIPE G.; MATOS, SUZANA A.; RODRIGUES, MARIZA G.; WARREN, LUCAS, V; ASSINE, MARIO L.; FUERSICH, FRANZ T.. Tides of rebirth: A stratigraphic perspective on the Lazarus effect in freshwater bivalves in the Aptian-Albian Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin, Brazil. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 175, p. 16-pg., 2025-11-01. (16/13214-7, 14/00519-9, 18/01750-7, 20/15609-4, 17/20803-1)

RODRIGUES, M. G.; MATOS, S. A.; VAREJAO, F. G.; FUERSICH, F. T.; WARREN, L. V.; ASSINE, M. L.; SIMOES, M. G.. Short-lived ``Bakevelliid-Sea{''} in the Aptian Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 115, NOV 2020. (14/00519-9, 16/13214-7, 17/20803-1, 18/01750-7)

RIBEIRO, ALEXANDRE CUNHA; JOSE POYATO-ARIZA, FRANCISCO; VAREJAO, FILIPE GIOVANINI; BOCKMANN, FLAVIO ALICINO. The branchial skeleton in Aptian chanid fishes (Gonorynchiformes) from the Araripe Basin (Brazil): Autecology and paleoecological implications. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 112, AUG 2020. (16/13214-7)

VAREJAO, F. G.; FUERSICH, F. T.; WARREN, V, L.; MATOS, S. A.; RODRIGUES, M. G.; ASSINE, M. L.; SALES, A. M. F.; SIMOES, M. G.. Microbialite fields developed in a protected rocky coastline: The shallow carbonate ramp of the Aptian Romualdo Formation (Araripe Basin, NE Brazil). SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY, v. 389, p. 103-120, JUL 1 2019. (14/00519-9, 16/13214-7, 17/20803-1, 18/01750-7)

DA SILVA, VICTOR R.; VAREJAO, FILIPE G.; MATOS, SUZANA A.; RODRIGUES, MARIZA G.; FURSICH, FRANZ T.; SKAWINA, ALEKSANDRA; SCHNEIDER, SIMON; WARREN, V, LUCAS; ASSINE, MARIO L.; SIMOES, MARCELLO G.. New freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) with potential trigonioidid and hyriid affinities from the Early Cretaceous of Brazil. GEOBIOS, v. 61, p. 41-54, AUG 2020. (14/00519-9, 17/22036-8, 16/13214-7, 18/01750-7, 17/20803-1)

GUERRINI, VITOR B.; MATOS, SUZANA A.; FUERSICH, FRANZ T.; RODRIGUES, MARIZA G.; VAREJAO, FILIPE G.; WARREN, LUCAS, V; ASSINE, MARIO L.; SIMOES, MARCELLO G.. Early Cretaceous bivalves of the Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 161, p. 29-pg., 2024-05-10. (17/20803-1, 18/01750-7, 16/13214-7, 14/00519-9)

DA SILVA, VICTOR R.; VAREJAO, FILIPE G.; MATOS, SUZANA A.; RODRIGUES, MARIZA G.; WARREN, LUCAS V.; ASSINE, MARIO L.; FURSICH, FRANZ T.; SIMOES, MARCELLO G.. A new condensed freshwater-brackish water bivalve-dominated assemblage in the Aptian Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, NE Brazil and its paleoenvironmental significance. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 154, p. 13-pg., 2023-10-31. (17/22036-8, 18/01750-7, 20/15609-4, 16/13214-7, 17/20803-1, 14/00519-9)

RODRIGUES, M. G.; MATOS, S. A.; VAREJAO, F. G.; FUERSICH, F. T.; WARREN, L. V.; ASSINE, M. L.; SIMOES, M. G.. Short-lived "Bakevelliid-Sea" in the Aptian Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. CRETACEOUS RESEARCH, v. 115, p. 20-pg., 2020-11-01. (18/01750-7, 17/20803-1, 16/13214-7, 14/00519-9)

VAREJAO, FILIPE GIOVANINI; WARREN, LUCAS VERISSIMO; ASSINE, MARIO LUIS; RODRIGUES, MARIZA GOMES; FUERSICH, FRANZ THEODOR; FAUTH, GERSON; MATOS, SUZANA APARECIDA; RIBEIRO, ALEXANDRE CUNHA; SIMOES, MARCELLO GUIMARAES. Fossil wonders of anoxic worlds: Linking marine ingressions to early cretaceous Konservat-Lagerstatten from Brazil. GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE, v. 253, p. 19-pg., 2025-10-25. (18/01750-7, 16/13214-7, 14/00519-9, 17/20803-1)

VAREJAO, FILIPE G.; WARREN, LUCAS V.; SIMOES, MARCELLO G.; BUATOIS, LUIS A.; MANGANO, M. GABRIELA; BAHNIUK RUMBELSPERGER, ANELIZE M.; ASSINE, MARIO L.. Mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sedimentation in an evolving epicontinental sea: Aptian record of marginal marine settings in the interior basins of north-eastern Brazil. SEDIMENTOLOGY, v. 68, n. 5, p. 2125-2164, AUG 2021. (14/00519-9, 16/13214-7)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

VAREJÃO, Filipe Giovanini. Multi-proxy approach of the mixed carbonate-siliciclast Crato Formation: sedimentary evolution, paleogeography and tectonics. 2019. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas. Rio Claro Rio Claro.