The Quseir Formation is a
geological formation in the vicinity of the
Kharga Oasis in
Egypt.
[Quseir Formation]
at Fossilworks
Fossilworks is a portal which provides query, download, and analysis tools to facilitate access to the Paleobiology Database
The Paleobiology Database is an online resource for information on the distribution and classification of fossil animals ...
.org It is
Campanian In age. The lithology largely consists of soft shale with hard bands of
sandstone,
siltstone
Siltstone, also known as aleurolite, is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed mostly of silt. It is a form of mudrock with a low clay mineral content, which can be distinguished from shale by its lack of fissility.Blatt ''et al.'' 1980, p ...
and
phosphorite
Phosphorite, phosphate rock or rock phosphate is a non-detrital sedimentary rock that contains high amounts of phosphate minerals. The phosphate content of phosphorite (or grade of phosphate rock) varies greatly, from 4% to 20% phosphorus pentoxi ...
. 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 dinosaur ''
Mansourasaurus
''Mansourasaurus'' (" Mansoura lizard") is a genus of herbivorous lithostrotian sauropod dinosaur from the Quseir Formation of Egypt. The type and only species is ''Mansourasaurus shahinae''.
The discovery of ''Mansourasaurus'' was consider ...
'' is known from the formation, as well as the proximal fibula of an indeterminate theropod. Additionally the lungfish genera ''
Lavocatodus and
Protopterus'' and the Crocodyliform ''
Wahasuchus''
are also known.
References
{{reflist
Geologic formations of Egypt
Upper Cretaceous Series of Africa
Campanian Stage
Shale formations
Siltstone formations
Deltaic deposits
Fluvial deposits
Fossiliferous stratigraphic units of Africa
Paleontology in Egypt