Dakhla Formation
Geological formation in Egypt
Dakhla Formation | |
---|---|
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian-Danian ~71–63 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
Type | Geological formation |
Sub-units |
|
Underlies | Tarawan Formation[4] |
Overlies | Duwi Formation[4] |
Thickness | 230 meters[4] |
Lithology | |
Primary | Shale[4] |
Other | Marl, Phosphorite |
Location | |
Country | Egypt |
The Dakhla Formation, also called the Dakhla Shale,[5] is a Maastrichtian-Danian geologic formation in the Western Desert, Egypt.[4][6] Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.[7]
Fossil content
Color key
| Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Reptiles
Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs reported from the Dakhla Formation | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
Sauropoda | Ammonite Hill Member[8] | A left femur (Vb-646).[8] | Most similar to femurs of Brachiosaurus or Saltasaurus.[8] |
Turtles
Turtles reported from the Dakhla Formation | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
Arenila | A. krebsi | Ammonite Hill Member[9] | Partial skull.[9] | A bothremydid turtle. | |
?Cf. A. krebsi | Ammonite Hill Member[9] | Partial dorsal shell & right pelvis.[9] | A bothremydid turtle. | ||
Bothremydidae | Undetermined large forms | Ammonite Hill Member[9] | Nuchal bone, left pleuron & partial plastron of one individual.[9] | A large bothremydid turtle, with a shell length of 70 to 80 centimeters.[9] | |
Panchelonioidea | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Ammonite Hill Member[10] | Humerus (NVP010).[10] | A giant marine turtle. | |
Taphrosphys | T. cf. sulcatus | Ammonite Hill Member[9] | Anterior part of dorsal shell & partial dorsal shell with partial anterior plastral lobe.[9] | A bothremydid turtle. | |
Cf. T. sp. | Ammonite Hill Member[9] | Left first pleural.[9] | A bothremydid turtle. | ||
?Aff. Tasbacka | ?Aff. T. sp. | Ammonite Hill Member[9] | Left humerus.[9] | A chelonioid sea turtle. | |
Zolhafah | Z. bella | Ammonite Hill Member[9] | Skull.[9] | A bothremydid turtle. |
Mosasaurs
Mosasaurs reported from the Dakhla Formation | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
Globidens | G. phosphaticus | Beris Oyster Mudstone Member[2] | A single tooth crown (CUNV0011).[2] | A mosasaurine. | |
Halisaurus | H. hebae | Beris Oyster Mudstone Member[11] | A halisaurine | ||
Mosasaurinae | Indeterminate | Beris Oyster Mudstone Member[2] | A fragmentary small dentary with a single tooth (CUNV0012).[2] | A mosasaurine. | |
Prognathodon | P. sp. | "Lower part" | Two tooth crowns, three cervical, nine dorsal, three caudal vertebrae, and ribs, found in association (NVP025).[5] | Most similar to P. overtoni, possibly a member of that species |
Fish
Fish reported from the Dakhla Formation | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
Anomoeodus | A. aegypticus | Lower Beris Member[12] | A single specimen (NVP023).[12] | A pycnodont. | |
Diastemapycnodus | D. tavernensis | Beris Member[13] | "A single vomer with partial dentition".[13] | A pycnodont. |
Invertebrates
Bivalves
Bivalves reported from the Dakhla Formation | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
Apectoichnus | A. longissimus | Ammonite Hill Member[1] | Borings in Nypa fruits.[1] | Bivalve borings. | |
Teredolites | T. clavatus | Ammonite Hill Member[1] | 32 moderately preserved borings (TBT02-33) & two badly preserved specimens (TBT44-45) in Nypa fruits.[1] | Bivalve borings. |
Plants
Plants reported from the Dakhla Formation | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
Nypa | N. burtinii | Fruits & seed casts.[14] | A mangrove palm | ||
N. sp. | Ammonite Hill Member[1] | Fruits with bivalve borings.[1] | A mangrove palm. |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g El Hedeny, M.; Kassab, W.; Rashwan, M.; Abu El-Kheir, G.; AbdelGawad, M. (2020-07-01). "Bivalve borings in Maastrichtian fossilNypafruits: Dakhla Formation, Bir Abu Minqar, South Western Desert, Egypt". Ichnos. 28 (1): 24–33. doi:10.1080/10420940.2020.1784158. ISSN 1042-0940. S2CID 225527064.
- ^ a b c d e f AbdelGawad, Mohamed K.; Abu El-Kheir, Gebely A.; Kassab, Walid G. (September 2021). "The youngest records of mosasaurid reptiles from the Upper Cretaceous of the South-Western Desert in Egypt". Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. 132 (5): 556–562. Bibcode:2021PrGA..132..556A. doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2021.07.004. ISSN 0016-7878.
- ^ "UPPER DAKHLA FORMATION ( BEIDA SHALE MEMBER) AT G. DUWI, RED SEA, EGYPT: MINERALOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL ASPECTS | Faculty of Science". www.aun.edu.eg. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
- ^ a b c d e Anan, Tarek I.; Abd El-Wahed, Ahmed G. (2017-12-15). "The Maastrichtian-Danian Dakhla Formation, Eastern Desert, Egypt: Utilization in manufacturing lightweight aggregates". Applied Clay Science. 150: 10–15. Bibcode:2017ApCS..150...10A. doi:10.1016/j.clay.2017.08.027. ISSN 0169-1317.
- ^ a b El-Kheir, Gebely A. Abu; Shaker, Ahmed A.; Street, Hallie P.; Longrich, Nicholas R.; Strougo, Amin; Asan, Anhar; AbdelGawad, Mohamed (9 November 2023). "A Prognathodontin Mosasaur from the Maastrichtian of the Dakhla Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt". Fossil Studies. 1 (1): 60–75. doi:10.3390/fossils1010007. ISSN 2813-6284.
- ^ Tantawy, A. A.; Keller, G.; Adatte, T.; Stinnesbeck, W.; Kassab, A.; Schulte, P. (2001-12-01). "Maastrichtian to Paleocene depositional environment of the Dakhla Formation, Western Desert, Egypt: sedimentology, mineralogy, and integrated micro- and macrofossil biostratigraphies". Cretaceous Research. 22 (6): 795–827. Bibcode:2001CrRes..22..795T. doi:10.1006/cres.2001.0291. ISSN 0195-6671.
- ^ Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517–607.
- ^ a b c Rauhut, Oliver W M; Werner, Christa (January 1997). "First record of a Maastrichtian sauropod dinosaur from Egypt". Palaeontolgia Africana. 34: 63–67.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o de Lapparent, France; Werner, Christa (April 1998). "New Late Cretaceous turtles from the Western Desert, Egypt". Annales de Paléontologie. 84 (2): 131–214. Bibcode:1998AnPal..84..131D. doi:10.1016/S0753-3969(98)80005-0.
- ^ a b Abu El-Kheir, G. A.-M.; AbdelGawad, M. K.; Kassab, W. G. (2021). "First known gigantic sea turtle from the Maastrichtian deposits in Egypt". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 66 (2): 349–355.
- ^ Shaker, A. A.; Longrich, N. R.; Strougo, A.; Asan, A.; Bardet, N.; Mousa, M. K.; Tantawy, A. A.; Abu El-Kheir, G. A. (2023). "A new species of Halisaurus (Mosasauridae: Halisaurinae) from the lower Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of the Western Desert, Egypt". Cretaceous Research. 154. 105719. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105719.
- ^ a b Capasso, Luigi; Abu El-kheir, Gebely Abdelmaksoud; Mousa, Mohamed Kamel; Tantawy, Abdel Aziz (December 2021). "ANOMOEODUS AEGYPTICUS N. SP. (PISCES, †PYCNODONTIFORMES) FROM THE LATE CRETACEOUS OF THE DAKHLA FORMATION, WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT". Thalassia Salentina (43): 89–104.
- ^ a b Abu El-Kheir; Tantawy; Mousa; Wahba; Capasso (2022-12-02). "Diastemapycnodus tavernensis gen. et sp. nov. (Actinopterygii, †Pycnodontiformes) from the marine Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of the Dakhla Formation, Western Desert, Egypt". Historical Biology: A Journal of Paleobiology. 34 (12): 2324–2331. Bibcode:2022HBio...34.2324A. doi:10.1080/08912963.2021.2014482. S2CID 245051336.
- ^ El-Soughier, Maher I.; Mehrotra, R.C.; Zhou, Zhi-Yan; Shi, Gong-Le (January 2011). "Nypa fruits and seeds from the Maastrichtian–Danian sediments of Bir Abu Minqar, South Western Desert, Egypt". Palaeoworld. 20 (1): 75–83. doi:10.1016/j.palwor.2010.09.016. ISSN 1871-174X.
Bibliography
- Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. 861 pp. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
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