Aïn el Guettar Formation

Aïn el Guettar Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Aptian-Late Albian
~115–100.5 Ma
TypeFormation
Sub-unitsChenini & Oum ed Diab Members
UnderliesZebbag Formation
OverliesDouiret Formation
Lithology
PrimarySandstone
OtherConglomerate, mudstone
Location
LocationSahara Desert
Coordinates33°12′N 10°18′E / 33.2°N 10.3°E / 33.2; 10.3
Approximate paleocoordinates15°54′N 10°18′E / 15.9°N 10.3°E / 15.9; 10.3
RegionTataouine
Country Tunisia
Type section
Named for'Aïn el Guettar
Aïn el Guettar Formation is located in Tunisia
Aïn el Guettar Formation
Aïn el Guettar Formation (Tunisia)

The Aïn el Guettar Formation is a geological formation in Tunisia, whose strata date back to the Late Aptian to Late Albian stages of the Cretaceous period.[1][2] The lithology consists of coarse sandstones with occasional conglomerates and mudstones.[3] Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[4]

Stratigraphy

The Aïn el Guettar Formation is divided into at least 3 members, which represent different depositional environments. In ascending order these are: the Chenini Member, the Oum ed Diab Member and the Jebel El Mra Member.

Vertebrate paleofauna

The Ain el Guettar Formation during the Early Cretaceous period was a marsh-like habitat with swamps and plenty of water. The most famous dinosaur discoveries made here include Carcharodontosaurus and Spinosaurus.

Dinosaurs
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Carcharodontosaurus C. saharicus[4] A Carcharodontosaurid Theropod Carcharodontosaurus (flipped, cropped)
Spinosaurus cf. S.aegyptiacus [5] A Spinosaurid theropod
Tataouinea T. hannibalis[6] A Nigersaurine Sauropod Tataouinea skeleton
Iguanodontidae[4] Iguanodontidae indet.
Sauropoda indet.[4] Sauropoda indet.
Abelisauridae Abelisauride indet.[7][8]
Carcharodontosauridae Carcharodontosauridae indet.[7][9][8]
Crocodylomorphs
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Sarcosuchus[6] cf. Sarchosuchus A Pholidosaurid Crocodylomorph Sarcosuchus Illustration
Araripesuchus[4][10] A.sp A notosuchian crocodylomorph Araripesuchus wegeneri
Crocodyliformes crocodyliformes indet.[8]
Pterosaurs
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Ornithocheiridae[11] Ornithocheiridae indet.
Fish
Genus Species Location Material Notes Images
Mawsonia[4] M.sp. A Coelacanth

Mawsonia scaling

Caturus C. sp.[7]
Onchopristis O. dunklei[7]
Hybodus H. sp.[7]
Lepidotes L.sp.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bateun el Hmaima at Fossilworks.org
  2. ^ Bir Miteur, RH 45 at Fossilworks.org
  3. ^ Benton, Michael J.; Bouaziz, Samir; Buffetaut, Eric; Martill, David; Ouaja, Mohamed; Soussi, Mohamed; Trueman, Clive (April 2000). "Dinosaurs and other fossil vertebrates from fluvial deposits in the Lower Cretaceous of southern Tunisia" (PDF). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 157 (3–4): 227–246. Bibcode:2000PPP...157..227B. doi:10.1016/s0031-0182(99)00167-4. ISSN 0031-0182.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 571-573. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
  5. ^ Buffetaut, E & Ouaja, M (2002) A new specimen of Spinosaurus (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous of Tunisia, with remarks on the evolutionary history of the Spinosauridae. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France 173: 415–421. doi:10.2113/173.5.415
  6. ^ a b Federico Fanti; Andrea Cau; Mohsen Hassine & Michela Contessi (2013). "A new sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Tunisia with extreme avian-like pneumatization". Nature Communications. 4 (2080): 1–7. Bibcode:2013NatCo...4.2080F. doi:10.1038/ncomms3080. PMID 23836048.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Fanti, Federico; Contessi, Michela; Franchi, Fulvio (September 2012). "The "Continental Intercalaire" of southern Tunisia: Stratigraphy, paleontology, and paleoecology". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 73–74: 1–23. Bibcode:2012JAfES..73....1F. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2012.07.006. ISSN 1464-343X.
  8. ^ a b c Dridi, Jihed (November 2018). "New fossils of the giant pholidosaurid genus Sarcosuchus from the Early Cretaceous of Tunisia". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 147: 268–280. Bibcode:2018JAfES.147..268D. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2018.06.023. ISSN 1464-343X.
  9. ^ Fanti, Federico; Cau, Andrea; Martinelli, Agnese; Contessi, Michela (September 2014). "Integrating palaeoecology and morphology in theropod diversity estimation: A case from the Aptian-Albian of Tunisia". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 410: 39–57. Bibcode:2014PPP...410...39F. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.05.033. ISSN 0031-0182.
  10. ^ G. Cuny, A. M. Cobbett, F. J. Meunier and M. J. Benton. 2010. Vertebrate microremains from the Early Cretaceous of southern Tunisia. Geobios 43:615-628
  11. ^ BENTON, M. J., BOUAZIZ, S., BUFFETAUT, E., MARTILL, D. M., OUAJA, M., SOUSSI, M. & TRUEMAN, C. (2000): Dinosaurs and other fossil vertebrates from fluvial deposits in the Lower Cretaceous of southern Tunisia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 157: 227–246.

Further reading

  • S. Bouaziz, É. Buffetaut, M. Ghanmi, J.-J. Jaeger, M. Martin, J.-M. Mazin, and H. Tong. 1988. Nouvelles découvertes de vertébrés fossiles dans l'Albien du sud tunisien [New discoveries of fossil vertebrates in the Albian of southern Tunisia]. Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, 8e série 4(2):335-339
  • J. Le Loeuff, É. Buffetaut, G. Cuny, Y. Laurent, M. Ouaja, C. Souillat, D. Srarfi and H. Tong. 2000. Mesozoic continental vertebrates of Tunisia. 5th European Workshop on Vertebrate Palaeontology, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Geowissenschaften Abteilung. Program. Abstracts. Excursion Guides 45

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