Echkar Formation

Echkar Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Albian-Cenomanian ~
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Tegama Group
Underlies	Farak Formation
Overlies	Elrhaz Formation
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Other	Claystone
Location
Coordinates	17.9°N 5.6°E / 17.9; 5.6
Approximate paleocoordinates	2.8°N 0.4°E / 2.8; 0.4
Region	Agadez Region
Country	Niger
Extent	Iullemmeden Basin
Type section
Named for	Echkar, Aderbissinat
Echkar Formation (Niger)

The Echkar Formation is a geological formation comprising sandstones and claystones in the Agadez Region of Niger, central Africa.

Description

Its strata date back to the Late Albian to Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian stages, about 100-95 million years ago). Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

Fossil content

Fish

Fish of the Echkar Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Ceratodus	C. sp.
Lepidotes	L. sp.
Onchopristis	O. numida
Platyspondylus	P. foureaui

Dinosaurs

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.

Ornithischians

Ornithischians of the Echkar Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
?Stegosauria indet.			No genus given. May not actually belong to Stegosauria.

Sauropods

Sauropods of the Echkar Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Aegyptosaurus	A. baharijensis
Rebbachisaurus	R. tamesnensis R. sp.

Theropods

Theropods of the Echkar Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Bahariasaurus	B. ingens
Elaphrosaurus	E. iguidiensis (=Theropoda indet.)		Likely an indeterminate theropod.
Inosaurus	I. tedreftensis
Rugops	R. primus

Reptiles

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.

Reptiles of the Echkar Formation
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Araripesuchus	A. rattoides
Elosuchus	E. sp.
Fortignathus	F. felixi
Kaprosuchus	K. saharicus
Laganosuchus	L. thaumastos
Testudines indet.			No genus given.

See also

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
• Lists of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Africa
  • List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Niger
• Geology of Niger

References

Bibliography

• Young, Mark T.; Hastings, Alexander K.; Allain, Ronan; Smith, Thomas J. (2017), "Revision of the enigmatic crocodyliform Elosuchus felixi de Lapparent de Broin, 2002 from the Lower–Upper Cretaceous boundary of Niger: potential evidence for an early origin of the clade Dyrosauridae", Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 179: 377–403

Further reading

• A. F. d. Lapparent. 1953. Gisements de Dinosauriens dans le "Continental intercalaire" d'In Abangarit (Sahara méridional) [Dinosaur localities in the "Continental Intercalaire" of In Abangarit (southern Sahara)]. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences à Paris 236:1905-1906
• P. C. Sereno, J. A. Wilson, and J. L. Conrad. 2004. New dinosaurs link southern landmasses in the mid-Cretaceous. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271(1546):1325-1330