Wikipedia

Dakhla Formation

The Dakhla Formation is a Maastrichtian-Danian geologic formation in Egypt.[4] Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus.[5]

Dakhla Formation
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian
TypeGeological formation
Sub-units
  • Ammonite Hill Member[1]
  • Baris Oyster Mudstone Member[2]
  • Beida Shale Member[3]
  • Kharga Shale Member[2]
UnderliesTarawan Formation[4]
OverliesDuwi Formation[4]
Thickness230 meters[4]
Lithology
PrimaryShale[4]
OtherMarl, Phosphorite
Location
Country Egypt

Fossil content edit

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Reptiles edit

Dinosaurs edit

Dinosaurs reported from the Dakhla Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Sauropoda Ammonite Hill Member.[6] A left femur (Vb-646).[6] Most similar to femurs of Brachiosaurus or Saltasaurus.[6]

Mosasaurs edit

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.
 
Mosasaurinae Indeterminate Beris Oyster Mudstone Member.[2] A fragmentary small dentary with a single tooth (CUNV0012).[2] A mosasaurine.

Testudines edit

Testudines reported from the Dakhla Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Arenila A. krebsi Ammonite Hill Member.[7] Partial skull.[7] A bothremydid turtle.
?Cf. A. krebsi Ammonite Hill Member.[7] Partial dorsal shell & right pelvis.[7] A bothremydid turtle.
Bothremydidae Undetermined large forms Ammonite Hill Member.[7] Nuchal bone, left pleuron & partial plastron of one individual.[7] A large bothremydid turtle, with a shell length of 70 to 80 centimeters.[7]
Panchelonioidea Gen. et. sp. indet. Ammonite Hill Member.[8] Humerus (NVP010).[8] A giant marine turtle.
Taphrosphys T. cf. sulcatus Ammonite Hill Member.[7] Anterior part of dorsal shell & partial dorsal shell with partial anterior plastral lobe.[7] A bothremydid turtle.
Cf. T. sp. Ammonite Hill Member.[7] Left first pleural.[7] A bothremydid turtle.
?Aff. Tasbacka ?Aff. T. sp. Ammonite Hill Member.[7] Left humerus.[7] A chelonioid sea turtle.
 
Zolhafah Z. bella Ammonite Hill Member.[7] Skull.[7] A bothremydid turtle.

Fish edit

Fish reported from the Dakhla Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Anomoeodus A. aegypticus Lower Beris Member.[9] A single specimen (NVP023).[9] A pycnodont.
Diastemapycnodus D. tavernensis Beris Member.[10] "A single vomer with partial dentition".[10] A pycnodont.

Invertebrates edit

Bivalves edit

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 edit

Plants reported from the Dakhla Formation
Genus Species Presence Material Notes Images
Nypa N. burtinii Fruits & seed casts.[11] A mangrove palm
N. sp. Ammonite Hill Member.[1] Fruits with bivalve borings.[1] A mangrove palm.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517–607.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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. doi:10.1080/08912963.2021.2014482. S2CID 245051336.
  11. ^ 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 edit

  • 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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