Quseir Formation
Geological formation in Egypt
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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 ~ | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Sub-units | Mut & El Hindaw Members |
| Underlies | Duwi Formation |
| Overlies | Unconformity with Taref Formation |
| Thickness | at least 250 metres (820 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Shale |
| Other | Sandstone, siltstone, phosphorite |
| Location | |
| Location | Al Wadi al Jadid, New Valley |
| Coordinates | 25.6°N 29.1°E |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 9.3°N 24.9°E |
| Region | Kharga Oasis |
| Country | Egypt |
  Quseir Formation (Egypt) | |
Fossil content
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Dinosaurs
Theropods including a proximal fibula and specimens tentatively assigned to Cenomanian theropod genera Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus are now classified as Theropoda indet.[6][12]
Sauropods
| Sauropods of the Quseir Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Mansourasaurus[13] | M. shahinae | A lithostrotian titanosaur |  | |||
| Igai[14] | I. semkhu | A saltasaurid titanosaur |  | |||
Theropods
| Theropods of the Quseir Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| cf.Abelisauridae[6] | Indeterminate | Proximal fibula (MUVP 187)[6] | ||||
| Theropoda | Caudal vertebra (MUVP 199)[6] | |||||
Fish
Bony fish
| Bony fish of the Quseir Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Lavocatodus[9] | L. giganteus | A lavocatodid lungfish | ||||
| L. humei | ||||||
| L. protopteroides | ||||||
| Protopterus[9] | P. nigeriensis | A protopterid lungfish | ||||
| Lepisosteoidea[7] | Indeterminate | Mut Member | ||||
Cartilaginous Fish
| Cartilaginous Fishes of the Quseir Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Scapanorhynchus | S. rapax[7] | Mut Member | Teeth | A close relative of the living goblin shark | ||
Crocodylomorphs
| Crocodylomorpha of the Quseir Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Dyrosauridae indet. | Indeterminate | Mandibular symphysis[15] | ||||
| Wahasuchus[16] | W. egyptensis | A mesoeucrocodylian | ||||
| Wadisuchus[17] | W. kassabi | Skulls | A dyrosaurid. | |||
Turtles
| Turtles of the Quseir Formation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Khargachelys | K. caironensis | A bothremydid side-necked turtle | ||||