La Quinta Formation is a geologic formation in Mexico. It is the oldest formation where

Mexican amber Mexican amber, also known as Chiapas Amber is amber found in Mexico, created during the Early Miocene and middle Miocene epochs of the Cenozoic Era in southwestern North America. As with other ambers, a wide variety of taxa have been found as inc ...

can be found. It is from

Late Oligocene The Chattian is, in the geologic timescale, the younger of two ages or upper of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch/Series. It spans the time between . The Chattian is preceded by the Rupelian and is followed by the Aquitanian (the lowest stage ...

early Miocene The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages. The sub-epoch lasted from 23.03 ± 0.05 Ma to 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma (million years ago). It was prece ...

. It is located at

Simojovel Simojovel is one of the 119 municipalities of Chiapas, in southern Mexico. As of 2010, the municipality had a total population of 40,297, up from 31,615 as of 2005. It covers an area of 446.99 km2. The municipality had 145 localities, the ...

Chiapas Chiapas (; Tzotzil language, Tzotzil and Tzeltal language, Tzeltal: ''Chyapas'' ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas), is one of the states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, ...

, Mexico.An Oligo-Miocene Palynoflora from Simojovel (Chiapas, Mexico). Alan Keith Graham, American Journal of Botany, 86(1), pages 17-31, January 1999, It underlies the Mazantic Shale. The

Simojovel Group The Simojovel Group is a Group (geology), geologic group in Mexico. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene Period (geology), period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Mexico References

* Geologic groups of N ...

is from the

Neogene The Neogene ( ), informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary, is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Mya. ...

and

Paleogene The Paleogene ( ; British English, also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene; informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is a geologic period, geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period million yea ...

Fossils recovered from the formation

; Insects * ''

Hyptia deansi ''Hyptia deansi'' is an extinct species of ensign wasp in the family Evaniidae known from a solitary Late Oligocene to Early Miocene fossil found in Mexico. ''H. deansi'' is the only species in the genus '' Hyptia'' to have been described ...

'', a wasp * '' Schwenckfeldina archoica'', a fungus gnat * ''

Mastotermes electromexicus ''Mastotermes electromexicus'' is an extinct species of termite in the family Mastotermitidae known from a group of Late Oligocene to Early Miocene fossils found in Mexico. ''M. electromexicus'' is the only species in the genus '' Mastotermes'' ...

'', a termite * '' Termitaradus protera'', a termite bug * ''

Aphaenogaster praerelicta ''Aphaenogaster praerelicta'' is an extinct species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae known from a solitary Late Oligocene to Early Miocene fossil found in Mexico. At the time of description ''A. praerelicta'' was one of three ''Aphaenogaster ...

'', an ant * ''

Dicromantispa electromexicana ''Dicromantispa electromexicana'' is an extinct species of mantidfly in the neuropteran family Mantispidae known from a fossil found in North America. History and classification ''Dicromantispa electromexicana'' was described from a solitary f ...

'', a mantifly * ''

Leptopharsa tacanae ''Leptopharsa tacanae'' is an extinct species of lace bug in the family Tingidae. The species is solely known from the Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene Mexican amber deposits. The species is the first lace bug described from Mexican amber. His ...

'', a lace bug ; Plants * '' Hymenaea mexicana'', a legume * ''

Hymenaea allendis ''Hymenaea allendis'' is an extinct legume species in the family Fabaceae described from a single isolated fossil flower in amber. The species is known from a Late Oligocene to Early Miocene location in southern Mexico. Unlike the coeval extinc ...

'', a legume

References

Geologic formations of Mexico Oligocene paleontological sites of North America Miocene paleontological sites of North America Natural history of Chiapas {{Mexico-geologic-formation-stub