A new Oligocene site with terrestrial mammals and a selachian fauna from Minqar Tibaghbagh, the Western Desert of Egypt

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

A new fossil site at Minqar Tibaghbagh, east of Siwa, in the Egyptian Western Desert is described. This represents the first place in Egypt outside the Fayum Depression yielding Paleogene, terrestrial mammals. Initial studies indicate the presence of palaeomastodonts, hyracoids, and anthracotheres, presumably early Oligocene in age. As only surface prospecting has been performed, more taxa will almost certainly be discovered in future investigations here and probably also elsewhere in the surroundings. A comparison is made with the most important contemporaneous sites in Libya and Egypt that yield terrestrial mammal remains. The selachian fauna from a higher level in the section confirms the Paleogene age of the subjacent strata. It is compared with selachians faunas from the early Oligocene Eastern Tethys Ocean at other places (the Fayum Depression in Egypt, and sites in Oman and Pakistan), and differs from these sites in being fully marine. Contrary to earlier studies, the open marine mudstones of the Daba’a Formation at Minqar Tibaghbagh are overlain by Paleogene marine sediments of most probably early Oligocene age and not early Miocene marine sediments as previously reported. These strata represent not only a new site with great potential for future finds, but also allows for biostratigraphic correlation.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
• Rocznik: 2017
• Tom: 62
• Numer: 3
• Opis fizyczny: p.509-525,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

Bibliografia

• Adnet, S., Antoine, P.-O., Hassan Baqri, S.R., Crochet, J.-Y., Marivaux, L., Welcomme, J.-L., and Métais, G. 2007. New tropical carcharhinids (chondrichthyes, Carcharhiniformes) from the late Eocene–early Oligocene of Balochistan, Pakistan: Paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic implications. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 30: 303–323.
• Adnet, S., Cappetta, H., and Tabuce, R. 2010. A Middle–Late Eocene vertebrate fauna (marine fish and mammals) from southwestern Morocco; preliminary report: age and palaeobiogeographical implications. Geological Magazine 147: 860–870.
• Adnet, S., Cappetta, H., Elnahas, S., and Strougo, A. 2011. A new Priabonian Chondrichthyans assemblage from the Western desert, Egypt: Correlation with the Fayum oasis. Journal of African Earth Sciences 61: 27–37.
• Andrews, C.W. 1906. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Tertiary Vertebrata of the Fayûm, Egypt. 324 pp. British Museum of Natural History, London.
• Andrews, C.W. and Beadnell, H.J.L. 1902. A preliminary note on some new mammals from the Upper Eocene of Egypt. Survey Department, Public Works Ministry, Cairo 1902: 1–9.
• Antar, M.S.M. 2011. Paleo-environments of the Exposed Eocene Sediments Between Wadi El-Hitan and East Siwa in the Egyptian Western Desert Based on Their Faunal Content, Especially the Vertebrates. 186 pp. Zagazig University, Faculty of Science, Geology Department, Zagazig, Egypt.
• Arambourg, C. 1963. Continental vertebrate faunas of the Tertiary of North Africa. In: F.C. Howell and F. Bourliere (eds.), African Ecology and Human Evolution, 55–60. Aldine, Chicago.
• Arambourg, C. and Burollet, P.F. 1962. Reste de Vertébrés oligocènes en Tunisie centrale. Comptes Rendus Sommaire des Séances de la Société Géologique de France 2: 42–43.
• Bourdon, J. 2011. The Life and Times of Long Dead Sharks. Paleo-genera. Genera from the Fossil Record. www.Elasmo.com.
• Bown, T.M., Kraus, M.J., Wing, S.L., Fleagle, J.G., Tiffney, B.H., Simons, E.L., and Vondra, C.F. 1982. The Fayum Primate Forest Revisited. Journal of Human Evolution 11: 603–632.
• Cappetta, H. 2012. Handbook of Paleoichtyology. Volume 3E. Chondrichthyes, Mesozoic and Cenozoic Elasmobranchii: Teeth. 512 pp. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München.
• Case, G.R., Udovichenko, N.I., Nessov, L.A., Averianov, A.O., and Borodin, P.D. 1996. A Middle Eocene selachian fauna from the White Mountain Formation of the Kizylum Desert, Uzbekistan, C.I.S. Palaeontographica Abteiling A 242: 99–126.
• Coppens, Y., Maglio, V.J., Madden, C.T., and Beden, M. 1978. Proboscidea. In: V.J. Maglio and H.B.S. Cooke (eds.), Evolution of African Mammals, 336–367. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
• Coster, P.M.C., Beard, K.C., Salem, M.J., Chaimanee, Y., Brunet, M., and Jaeger, J.-J. 2015. A new early Oligocene mammal fauna from the Sirt Basin, central Libya: Biostratigraphic and paleobiographic implications. Journal of African Earth Sciences 104: 43–55.
• Diedrich, C. 2011. The world’s oldest fossil record. Natural Science 3: 914–920.
• Domning, D.P., Zalmout, I.S., and Gingerich, P.D. 2010. Sirenia. In: L. Werdelin and W.J. Sanders (eds.), Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, 147–160. University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Ducrocq, S., Benammi, M., Chavasseau, O., Chaimanee, Y., Suraprasit, K., Pha, P., Phuong, V., Phach, P., and Jaeger, J.-J. 2015. New anthracotheres (Cetartiodactyla, Mammalia) from the Paleogene of northeastern Vietnam: biochronological implications. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35: e929139.
• Gheerbrant, E., Sudre, J., Sen, S., Abrial, C., Marandat, B., Sigé, B., and Vianey-Liaud, M. 1998. Nouvelles données sur les mammifères du Thanétien et de l’Yprésien du Bassin d’Ouarzazate (Maroc) et leur contexte stratigraphique. Palaeovertebrata 27: 155–202.
• Gingerich, P.D. 1993. Oligocene age of the Gebel Qatrani Formation, Fayum, Egypt. Journal of Human Evolution 24: 207–218.
• Gutiérrez, M. 2011. Taxonomic and Ecological Characterization of a Late Oligocene Mammalian Fauna from Kenya. 368 pp. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis.
• Hantar, G. 1990. North Western Desert. In: R. Said (ed.), The Geology of Egypt, 293–319. A.A.Balkema, Rotterdam.
• Holroyd, P.A., Lihoreau, F., Gunnel, G.F., and Miller, E.R. 2010. Anthracotheriidae. In: L. Werdelin and W.J. Sanders (eds.), Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, 843–851, University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Holroyd, P.A., Simons, E.L., Bown, T.M., Polly P.D., and Kraus, M.J. 1996. New records of terrestrial mammals from the upper Eocene Qasr El Sagha Formation, Fayum Depression, Egypt. In: M. Godinot and P.D. Gingerich (eds.), Paleobiologie et Evolution des Mammifères du Paléogène: Volume Jubilaire en Hommage à Donald E. Russell. Palaeovertebrata 25: 175–192.
• Jaekel, O.1895. Unter-Tertiäre Selachier aus Südrussland. Mémoirs du Comité géologique de St. Pétersbourg 9: 19–35.
• King, C., Underwood, C.J., and Steurbaut, E. 2014. Eocene stratigraphy of the Wadi Al-Hitan World Heritage Site and adjacent areas (Fayum, Egypt). Stratigraphy 11: 185–234.
• Matsumoto, H. 1924. A revision of Palaeomastodon dividing it into two genera, and with descriptions of two new species. Bulletin of the Ameri can Museum of Natural History 50: 1–58.
• Murray, A.M., Argyriou, T., and Cook, T.D. 2014. Palaeobiogeographic relationships and palaeoenvironmental implications of an earliest Oligocene Tethyan ichthyofauna from Egypt. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 51: 909–918.
• Orabi, H., El Beshtawy, M., Osman, R., and Gadallah, M. 2015. Larger benthic foraminiferal turnover across the Eocene–Oligocene transition at Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Journal of African Earth Sciences 105: 85–92.
• Pickford, M. 2015a. Bothriogenys (Anthracotheriidae) from the Bartonian of Eoridge, Namibia. Communications of the Geological Survey of Namibia 16: 215–222.
• Pickford, M. 2015b. Large ungulates from the basal Oligocene of Oman. 3 Anthracotheriidae. Spanish Journal of Palaeontology 30: 257–264.
• Rasmussen, D.T. and Simons, E.L. 2000. Ecomorphological diversity among Paleogene hyracoids (Mammalia): a new cursorial browser form the Fayum, Egypt. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20: 167–176.
• Rasmussen, D.T. and Guetiérrez, M. 2010. Hyracoidea. In: L. Werdelin and W.J. Sanders (eds.), Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, 123–145. University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London.
• Rasmussen, D.T., Gagnon, M., and Simons, E.L. 1990. Taxeopody in the carpus and tarsus of Oligocene Pliohyracidae (Mammalia: Hyracoidea) and the phyletic position of Hyraxes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 87: 4688–4691.
• Rasmussen, D.T., Tshakreen, S.O., Abugares, M.M., and Smith, J.B. 2008. Return to Dor al-Talha. Paleontological Reconnaissance of the Early Tertiary of Libya. In: J.G. Fleagle and C.C. Gilbert (eds.), Elwyn Simons: A Search for Origins, 181–196. Springer Press, New York.
• Rose, K.D. 2006. The Beginning of the Age of Mammals. 428 pp. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
• Sanders, J.W., Gheerbrant, E., Harris, J.M., Saegusa, H., and Delmer, C. 2010a. Proboscidea. In: L. Werdelin and W.J. Sanders (eds.), Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, 161–251. University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Sanders, J.W., Kappelman, J., and Rasmussen, D.T. 2004. New large-bodied mammals from the late Oligocene site of Chilga, Ethiopia. Acta Paleontologica Polonica 49: 365–392.
• Sanders, J.W., Rasmussen, T.B., and Kappelman, J. 2010b. Embrithopoda. In: L. Werdelin and W.J. Sanders (eds.), Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, 161–251. University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Seiffert, E.R. 2010. Chronology of Paleogene mammal localities. In: L. Werdelin and W.J. Sanders (eds.), Cenozoic Mammals of Africa, 19–43. University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Seiffert, E.R., Bown, T.M., Clyde, W.C., and Simons, E.L. 2008. Geology, paleoenvironment, and age of Birket Qarun locality 2 (BQ-2), Fayum Depression, Egypt. In: J.G. Fleagle and C.C. Gilbert (eds.), Elwyn Simons: A Search for Origins, 71–86. Springer Press, New York.
• Shata, A.A. 1953. An account of the geology of el Hemeimat area lying between the Qattar and Sewa Depressions, Western Desert of Egypt. Bulletin de l’Institut du Désert d’Egypte 3: 108–113.
• Sileem, A.H. and Hewaidy, A.G.A. 2015. New postcranial specimens of the Anthracotheriidae (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) from the Paleogene of Fayum Depression, Egypt. International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Applied Science (USEAS) 1: 376–391.
• Simons, E.L. and Rasmussen, D.T. 1990. Vertebrate paleontology of Fayum: History of research, faunal review and future prospects. In: R. Said (ed.), The Geology of Egypt, 627–638. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam.
• Tabuce, R., Marivaux, L., Adaci, M., Bensalah, M., Hartenberger, J.-L., Mahboubi, M., Mebrouk, F., Tafforeau, P., and Jaeger, J.-J. 2007. Early Tertiary mammals from North Africa reinforce the molecular Afrotheria clade. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 274: 1159–1166.
• Tawadros, E.E. 2001. Geology of Egypt and Libya. 468 pp. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam.
• Tobien, H. 1978. The structure of the mastodont molar (Proboscidea, Mammalia) Part 3: The Oligocene mastodont genera Palaeomastodon, Phiomia and the Eo/Oligocene paenungulate Moeritherium. Mainzer geowissenschafftliche Mitteilungen 6: 177–208.
• Tsubamoto, T. and Tsogtbaatar, K. 2008. New specimens of anthracotheriid artiodactyls from the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation of Mongolia. Paleontological Research 12: 371–386.
• Tsubamoto, T., Koda, Y., Hasegawa, Y., Nabana, S., and Tomida, Y. 2015. Paleogene mammals from the Iwaki Formation in Japan: Their implications for the geologic age and paleobiography of this formation. Journal of African Sciences 108: 18–32.
• Underwood, C.J., King, C., and Steurbaut, E. 2013. Eocene initiation of Nile drainage due to East African uplift. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeooecology 392: 138–145.
• Underwood, C.J., Ward, D.J., King, C., Antar, S.M., Zalmout, I.S., and Gingerich, P.D. 2011. Shark and ray faunas in the Middle and Late Eocene of the Fayum Area, Egypt. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association 122: 47–66.
• Van Vliet, H.J. and El-Kheir, G.A. 2010. A new Eocene marine mammal site in the Qattara depression (Egypt). Cainozoic Research 7: 73–77.
• Zalmout, I.S. 2008. Late Eocene Sea Cows (Mammalia, Sirenia) from Wadi Al Hitan in the Fayum Basin, Egypt. 382 pp. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Michigan, Michigan.
• Zalmout, I.S., Antar, M.S.M., Shafy, E.A., Metwally, M.H., Hatab, E., and Gingerich, P.D. 2012. Priabonan sharks and rays (Late Eocene: Neoselachii) from Minqar Tabaghbagh in the Western Qattara Depression, Egypt. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan 32: 71–90.
• Zalmout, I.S., Sanders, W.J., MacLatchy, L.M., Gunnell, G.F., Al-Mufarreh, Y.A., Ali, M.A., Nasser, A.-A.H., Al-Masari, A.M., Al-Sobhi, S.A., Nadhra, A.O., Matari, A.H., Wilson, J.A., and Gingerich, P.D. 2010. New Oligocene primate from Saudi Arabia and the divergence of apes and Old World monkeys. Nature 466: 360–364.

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.4202/app.00341.2017