Lapurr Sandstone
Geological formation in Kenya
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The Lapurr Sandstone, also spelled Lapur Sandstone, previously considered part of the informal "Turkana Grits", is a geological formation in Kenya (Turkana County). It is the oldest unit in the Turkana Basin. The strata date back to the Late Cretaceous, likely Campanian to Maastrichtian, based on palynology and the presence of dyrosaurs and mosasaurs, the upper part of the unit likely extends into the Palaeogene, based on zircon dating.[1] It predominantly consists of fine-coarse arkosic sandstone, which has been interpreted as either been deposited in fluvial or shallow marine conditions.[2][1] Dinosaur remains among other vertebrates have been recovered from it around Lokitaung Gorge, though these mostly consist of heavily abraded, isolated bones of robust morphology like sauropod limb bones and caudal vertebrae.[3][1]
| Lapurr Sandstone | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Campanian-Paleocene ~ | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Underlies | Oligocene basalt |
| Overlies | Precambrian metamorphic basement |
| Thickness | 400–610 m (1,310–2,000 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 4.3°N 35.8°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 13.8°S 27.8°E |
| Region | Rift Valley Province |
| Country | Kenya |
| Extent | Turkana Basin, Great Rift Valley, Kenya |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Lake Turkana |
  Lapurr Sandstone (Kenya) | |
Vertebrate paleofauna
| Dinosaurs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxa | Presence | Notes | Images | |
| Sauropoda[4][5] | Rift Valley Province, Kenya | At least 3 distinct taxa,[5] at least some of which represents titanosaurs with affinities to Saltasauria,[4] while others represent more basal Titanosauriformes[6] Giant titanosaurs are also represented by dermal elements. [7] | ||
| Iguanodontia indet[5] | Two distinct taxa[5] | |||
| ?Ornithopoda indet.[3] | Rift Valley Province, Kenya[3] | |||
| Abelisauridae[5][8] | Rift Valley Province, Kenya | An unnamed giant abelisaurid, known from partial cranial and post cranial remains.[5] Another smaller abelisaurid is also known.[8][6] | ||
| Theropoda indet[5] | Distinct from the abelisaurid, suggested to be large in size.[5] | |||
| Other reptiles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxa | Presence | Notes | Images | |
| Mosasauria indet[1] | Caudal vertebra, initially misidentified as the vertebra of a pterosaur[9][1] | |||
| Neosuchia | Known from skull and lower jaw material showing large crushing teeth, initially misidentified as a spinosaur[6] | |||
| Dyrosauridae[1] | Abundant remains | |||
| Testudines[1] | ||||