The Quseir Formation is a geological formation in the vicinity of the Kharga Oasis in Egypt.[1] It is Campanian In age.[2] The lithology largely consists of soft shale with hard bands of sandstone, siltstone and phosphorite.[3] The environment of deposition was nearshore to freshwater fluvio-lacustrine characterized by moist and aquatic habitats with a tropical warm-humid climate. It is conformably overlain by the marine late Campanian-Maastrichtian Duwi Formation, and unconformably overlies the Turonian Taref Formation. The sauropod dinosaurs Mansourasaurus and Igai are known from the formation,[4][5] as well as the proximal fibula of an indeterminate theropod[6] and possible remains tentively assigned to spinosaurus.[7][8] Additionally the lungfish genera Lavocatodus and Protopterus,[9] the crocodyliform Wahasuchus[10] and the bothremydid turtle Khargachelys are also known.[11]

Quseir Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian
~80–72 Ma
TypeGeological formation
Sub-unitsMut & El Hindaw Members
UnderliesDuwi Formation
OverliesUnconformity with Taref Formation
Thicknessat least 250 metres (820 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryShale
OtherSandstone, siltstone, phosphorite
Location
LocationAl Wadi al Jadid, New Valley
Coordinates25°36′N 29°06′E / 25.6°N 29.1°E / 25.6; 29.1
Approximate paleocoordinates9°18′N 24°54′E / 9.3°N 24.9°E / 9.3; 24.9
RegionKharga Oasis
Country Egypt
Quseir Formation is located in Egypt
Quseir Formation
Quseir Formation (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.

Dinosaurs

edit

Sauropods

edit
Sauropods of the Quseir Formation
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Mansourasaurus[12] M. shahinae a fragment of the skull roof, a part of the lower braincase, the dentaries of the lower jaws, three neck vertebrae, two back vertebrae, eight ribs, the right scapula, the right coracoid, both humeri, a radius, a third metacarpal, three metatarsals, and parts of osteoderms. A lithostrotian sauropod
 
Igai[13] I. semkhu A saltosaurid titanosaur
 

Theropods

edit
Theropods of the Quseir formation
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
cf. Spinosaurus[14][15] cf. S. sp.
 
Spinosaurus_UDL
Theropoda Indet.[6] Indeterminate A proximal fibula

Fish

edit

Boney Fish

edit
Fish of the Quseir Formation
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Lavocatodus[9]
Protopterus[9]
 
Protopterus_dolloi_Boulenger2
A modern Protopterus species

Cartilaginous Fish

edit

Crocodyliformes

edit
Crocodyliformes of the Quseir Formation
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Wahasuchus[16] W. egyptensis Fossils of skull and jaw fragments, dorsal vertebrae, and fragmentary appendicular remains A mesoeucrocodylian

Turtles

edit
Turtles of the Quseir Formation
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Khargachelys[11] K. caironensis A bothremydid turtle

References

edit
  1. ^ Quseir Formation at Fossilworks.org
  2. ^ Mahmoud, Magdy S. (April 2003). "Palynology and palaeoenvironment of the Quseir Formation (Campanian) from central Egypt". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 36 (3): 135–148. Bibcode:2003JAfES..36..135M. doi:10.1016/s0899-5362(03)00047-2. ISSN 1464-343X.
  3. ^ Sallam, Hesham M.; O'Connor, Patrick M.; Kora, Mahmoud; Sertich, Joseph J.W.; Seiffert, Erik R.; Faris, Mahmoud; Ouda, Khaled; El-Dawoudi, Iman; Saber, Sara (May 2016). "Vertebrate paleontological exploration of the Upper Cretaceous succession in the Dakhla and Kharga Oases, Western Desert, Egypt". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 117: 223–234. Bibcode:2016JAfES.117..223S. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2016.01.022. ISSN 1464-343X.
  4. ^ Sallam, Hesham M.; Gorscak, Eric; O’Connor, Patrick M.; El-Dawoudi, Iman A.; El-Sayed, Sanaa; Saber, Sara; Kora, Mahmoud A.; Sertich, Joseph J. W.; Seiffert, Erik R. (2018-01-29). "New Egyptian sauropod reveals Late Cretaceous dinosaur dispersal between Europe and Africa". Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2 (3): 445–451. Bibcode:2018NatEE...2..445S. doi:10.1038/s41559-017-0455-5. ISSN 2397-334X. PMID 29379183. S2CID 3375335.
  5. ^ Gorscak, Eric; Lamanna, Matthew C.; Schwarz, Daniela; Díaz, Verónica díez; Salem, Belal S.; Sallam, Hesham M.; Wiechmann, Marc Filip (2023-07-20). "A new titanosaurian (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Quseir Formation of the Kharga Oasis, Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 42 (6). doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2199810. ISSN 0272-4634.
  6. ^ a b Salem, Belal S.; O'Connor, Patrick M.; Gorscak, Eric; El-Sayed, Sanaa; Sertich, Joseph J.W.; Seiffert, Erik; Sallam, Hesham M. (2021-07-01). "Dinosaur remains from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) of the Western Desert, Egypt". Cretaceous Research. 123: 104783. Bibcode:2021CrRes.12304783S. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104783. ISSN 0195-6671. S2CID 233900405.
  7. ^ Churcher, C. S.; De iuliis, G. (2001). "A new species of Protopterus and a revision of Ceratodus humei (Dipnoi: Ceratodontiformes) from the Late Cretaceous Mut Formation of eastern Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt". Palaeontology. 44 (2): 305–323. Bibcode:2001Palgy..44..305C. doi:10.1111/1475-4983.00181. ISSN 0031-0239.
  8. ^ Augustin, Felix J.; Hartung, Josephina; Kampouridis, Panagiotis (2023), Hamimi, Zakaria; Khozyem, Hassan; Adatte, Thierry; Nader, Fadi H. (eds.), "Dinosaur Faunas of Egypt—The Terrestrial Late Cretaceous Vertebrate Record", The Phanerozoic Geology and Natural Resources of Egypt, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 253–284, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-95637-0_9, ISBN 978-3-030-95636-3, retrieved 2024-11-26
  9. ^ a b c Claeson, Kerin M; Sallam, Hesham M; O'Connor, Patrick M.; Sertich, Joseph J. W. (2014). "A revision of the Upper Cretaceous lepidosirenid lungfishes from the Quseir Formation, Western Desert, central Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 34 (4): 760–766. Bibcode:2014JVPal..34..760C. doi:10.1080/02724634.2014.838574. S2CID 17120150.
  10. ^ Saber, Sara; Sertich, Joseph J.W.; Sallam, Hesham M.; Ouda, Khaled A.; O'Connor, Patrick M.; Seiffert, Erik R. (October 2018). "An enigmatic crocodyliform from the Upper Cretaceous Quseir Formation, central Egypt". Cretaceous Research. 90: 174–184. Bibcode:2018CrRes..90..174S. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2018.04.004. ISSN 0195-6671.
  11. ^ a b AbdelGawad, Mohamed; Pérez-García, Adán; Hirayama, Ren; Mohesn, Sara; Tantawy, Abdel-Aziz; Abu El-Kheir, Gebely (February 2023). "The First Side-Necked Turtle (Pleurodira, Bothremydidae) from the Campanian (Late Cretaceous) of Egypt". Diversity. 15 (2): 284. doi:10.3390/d15020284. ISSN 1424-2818.
  12. ^ Sallam, Hesham M.; Gorscak, Eric; O’Connor, Patrick M.; El-Dawoudi, Iman A.; El-Sayed, Sanaa; Saber, Sara; Kora, Mahmoud A.; Sertich, Joseph J. W.; Seiffert, Erik R.; Lamanna, Matthew C. (2018-01-29). "New Egyptian sauropod reveals Late Cretaceous dinosaur dispersal between Europe and Africa". Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2 (3): 445–451. Bibcode:2018NatEE...2..445S. doi:10.1038/s41559-017-0455-5. ISSN 2397-334X. PMID 29379183.
  13. ^ Gorscak, Eric; Lamanna, Matthew C.; Schwarz, Daniela; Díaz, Verónica Díez; Salem, Belal S.; Sallam, Hesham M.; Wiechmann, Marc Filip (2022-12-14). "A new titanosaurian (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Quseir Formation of the Kharga Oasis, Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 42 (6). doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2199810. ISSN 0272-4634.
  14. ^ Churcher, C. S.; De iuliis, G. (2001). "A new species of Protopterus and a revision of Ceratodus humei (Dipnoi: Ceratodontiformes) from the Late Cretaceous Mut Formation of eastern Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt". Palaeontology. 44 (2): 305–323. Bibcode:2001Palgy..44..305C. doi:10.1111/1475-4983.00181. ISSN 0031-0239.
  15. ^ Augustin, Felix J.; Hartung, Josephina; Kampouridis, Panagiotis (2023), Hamimi, Zakaria; Khozyem, Hassan; Adatte, Thierry; Nader, Fadi H. (eds.), "Dinosaur Faunas of Egypt—The Terrestrial Late Cretaceous Vertebrate Record", The Phanerozoic Geology and Natural Resources of Egypt, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 253–284, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-95637-0_9, ISBN 978-3-030-95636-3, retrieved 2024-10-18
  16. ^ Saber, Sara; Sertich, Joseph J.W.; Sallam, Hesham M.; Ouda, Khaled A.; O'Connor, Patrick M.; Seiffert, Erik R. (2018). "An enigmatic crocodyliform from the Upper Cretaceous Quseir Formation, central Egypt". Cretaceous Research. 90: 174–184. Bibcode:2018CrRes..90..174S. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2018.04.004.