Capotes Formation

The Capotes Formation (Spanish: Formación Capotes, Kic) is a geological formation of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. The formation consists of calcareous black shales containing gypsum and ammonites and dates to the Early Cretaceous period; Early Albian epoch and has an approximate thickness at its type section of 550 metres (1,800 ft).

Capotes Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Albian ~112–108 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Villeta Group
Underlies	Hiló Formation
Overlies	El Peñón Fm., Socotá Fm.
Thickness	550 m (1,800 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Calcareous black shale
Other	Gypsum
Location
Coordinates	5°15′13″N 74°20′28″W
Region	Eastern Ranges, Andes
Country	Colombia
Type section
Named for	Hacienda Capotes, Viotá
Named by	Cáceres & Etayo
Location	Bituima-Guayabal
Year defined	1969
Coordinates	5°15′13″N 74°20′28″W
Region	Cundinamarca
Country	Colombia
Thickness at type section	550 m (1,800 ft)
Paleogeography of Northern South America 105 Ma, by Ron Blakey

Etymology

The formation was defined in 1969 by Cáceres and Etayo as a member of the Socotá Formation.^[1][2] The name is derived from Hacienda Capotes, southeast of Viotá.^[3]

Description

Lithologies

The Capotes Formation has a thickness at its type section of approximately 550 metres (1,800 ft), and is characterised by a sequence of organic rich calcareous shales with gypsum. Fossils of Douvilleiceras solitae, Neodeshayesites columbianus and Paracrioceras sp. have been found in the Capotes Formation.^[2][4]

Stratigraphy and depositional environment

The Capotes Formation, part of the Villeta Group, overlies the Socotá and El Peñón Formations, and is overlain by the Hiló Formation. The age has been estimated to be Early Albian. Stratigraphically, the formation is time equivalent with the Simití Formation.^[5] The formation has been deposited in a quiet enclosed shallow marine environment.^[2] In terms of sequence stratigraphy, the Albian of current central Colombia experienced a transgressive to highstand sequence.^[6]

Outcrops

Type locality of the Capotes Formation to the west of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense

The Capotes Formation is apart from its type locality along the road between Bituima and Guayabal,^[2] also found north and southeast of Viotá,^[7] and north and east of La Mesa.^[8]

See also

• Colombia portal
• Geology portal

Geology of the Eastern Hills

Geology of the Ocetá Páramo

Geology of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense