Abstract

CZAJA, Alexander; ESTRADA-RODRIGUEZ, José Luís  and  ROMERO MENDEZ, Ulises. Freshwater mollusks of the Valley of Sobaco, Coahuila, Northeastern Mexico - a subfossil ecosystem similar to Cuatrociénegas. Bol. Soc. Geol. Mex [online]. 2014, vol.66, n.3, pp.459-469. ISSN 1405-3322.

In the Valley of Sobaco located in Coahuila, Mexico, were found the remains of an aquatic ecosystem with a Holocene malacofauna showing similarities to modern aquatic communities of the internationally famous site of Cuatrociénegas, located in the state of Coahuila and known as the "Mexican Galapagos", as it hosts a large number of endemic species. In addition of ostracods, algae, foraminifera, diatoms and remains of vascular plants, the Sobaco paleo-pools (pozas) also contain the gastropods Juturnia coahuilae, Pyrgulopsis manantiali, Coahuilix hubbsi, Coahuilix cf. landyei and Assiminea cienegensis, which are endemic species of Cuatrociénegas Valley. Additional discoveries include sub-recent lacustrine microbial tufas (microbialites, stromatolites), as well a pool that still contains water hosting bacterial communities similar to those from Cuatrociénegas. In this paper we present the taxonomic description of the mollusks from the Sobaco paleo-lake system and a first reconstruction of the paleoenvironment. A comparison of this paleoecosystem with modern aquatic communities of the Cuatrociénegas Valley is also included.

Keywords : Sobaco Valley; Cuatrociénegas Valley; lacustrine ecosystems; Holocene.

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