Birket Qarun Formation

Birket Qarun Formation
Birket Qarun Formation
Stratigraphic range: Eocene; ~41.2–33.9 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Sedimentary
Overlies	Gehannam Formation
Thickness	up to 50 metres (160 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone, claystone, shale,limestone
Location
Region	Faiyum Governorate
Country	Egypt

The Birket Qarun Formation is an Eocene aged formation in Egypt. It is part of the famous Wadi al Hitan.^[2] Notable fossils include the ancient whales Basilosaurus and Dorudon as well as sirenians Eotheroides and Eosiren. It also contains the teeth of various sharks and reptiles. The area was likely a mix of both marine and freshwater area with many freshwater deposits being found alongside a marine influence from the Tethys Sea.^[3] Fossils here also preserve a shallow marine nursery for the whale Dorudon and it seems that this area would have also been the site of active predation from Basilosaurus as it attacked the newly born Dorudon calves. ^[4]

Paleobiota

Mammals

Afrotheres

Afrotheres
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Eotheroides^[5]	clavigerum
Dilambdogale	gheerbranti
Eosiren	libyca
Dimaitherium	patnaiki
Barytherium	sp.
Moeritherium^[1]	lyonsi

Bats

Bats
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Witwatia^[6]	schlosseri, eremicus
Qarunycteris	moerisae
Aegyptonycteris	knightae

Primates

Primates
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Karanisia	clarki
Afradapis	longicristatus
Nosmips	aenigmaticus
Masradapis	tahai
Saharagalago	misrensis
Biretia	fayumensis, megalopsis

Cetaceans

Cetaceans
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Dorudon	atrox
Basilosaurus	isis, cetoides
Masracetus	markgrafi
Ancalecetus	simonsi

Reptiles

Birds

Birds
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Eopelecanus	aegyptiacus

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorphs
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Tomistoma	kerunense
Crocodyliformes	indeterminate

Testudines

Testudines
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Dacquemys	paleomorpha
Cordichelys	antiqua

Squamates

Squamates
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Gigantophis	garstini
Pterosphenus	schweinfurthi
Tropidophiid	indeterminate
Russellophiid	indeterminate
Procerophis	sp.
Varanus	sp.
Booid	indeterminate
Caenophidia	indeterminate
Serpentes	indeterminate
Amphisbaenia	indeterminate

Fish

Actinopterygians

Actinopterygians
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Qarmoutus	hitanensis
Hydrocynus	sp.
Polypterus	sp.
Perciformes	indeterminate
Gymnarchus	sp.
Mochokidae	indeterminate

Dipnomorphs

Dipnomorpha
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Protopterus	elongus

Chondrichthyes

Selachimorpha
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Rhizoprionodon	sp.
Macrorhizodus	praecursor
Negaprion	frequens, amekiensis
Nebrius	sp.
Alopias	sp.
Hemipristis	sp.
Triakidae
Otodus^[7]	sokolovi
Hexanchus	sp.
Squatina	sp.
Leptocharias	sp.
Carcharias	sp.
Physogaleus	sp.
Abdounia	sp.
Crassescyliorhinus	sp.
Galeocerdo	sp.
Brachycarcharias	cf.twiggsensis

Batoidea
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Torpedo	sp.
Narcine	sp.
Coupatezia	wousteri, attiai
Propristis	schweinfurthi
Anoxypristis	mucrodens

Molluscs

Molluscs
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Carolia	placunoides
Ostrea	reili
Cubitostrea	multicostata
Claibornicardia	pharaonum
Acanthocardia (Schedocardia)	gehannamensis
Turritella	pharaonica
Amaea	niloatica

Plants

Plants
Genus	Species	Member	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Thalassodendron ^[5]	sp.

References

^ ^a ^b Seiffert, Erik R.; Bown, Thomas M.; Clyde, William C.; Simons, Elwyn (2008), Fleagle, John G.; Gilbert, Christopher C. (eds.), "Geology, Paleoenvironment, and Age of Birket Qarun Locality 2 (BQ-2), Fayum Depression, Egypt", Elwyn Simons: A Search for Origins, New York, NY: Springer New York, pp. 71–86, doi:10.1007/978-0-387-73896-3_8, ISBN 978-0-387-73895-6, retrieved 2024-09-16
^ "Birket Qarun Formation". PBDB.org.
^ Murray, Alison M.; Cook, Todd D.; Attia, Yousry S.; Chatrath, Prithijit; Simons, Elwyn L. (2010-05-18). "A freshwater ichthyofauna from the late Eocene Birket Qarun Formation, Fayum, Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30 (3): 665–680. doi:10.1080/02724631003758060. ISSN 0272-4634.
^ Naturkunde~julia.fahlke@mfn-berlin.de, Julia M. Fahlke~Museum für (2012-11-15). "Bite marks revisited – evidence for middle-to-late Eocene Basilosaurus isis predation on Dorudon atrox (both Cetacea, Basilosauridae)". Palaeontologia Electronica. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
^ ^a ^b Zalmout, Iyad S.; Gingerich, Philip D. "LATE EOCENE SEA COWS (MAMMALIA, SIRENIA) FROM WADI AL HITAN IN THE WESTERN DESERT OF FAYUM, EGYPT". Univeristy of Michigan PAPERS ON PALEONTOLOGY. 37.
^ Gunnell, Gregg F.; Simons, Elwyn L.; Seiffert, Erik R. (2008-03-12). "New bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the late Eocene and early Oligocene, Fayum Depression, Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[1:NBMCFT]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.
^ Underwood, Charlie J.; Ward, David J.; King, Christopher; Antar, Sameh M.; Zalmout, Iyad S.; Gingerich, Philip D. (2011-01-01). "Shark and ray faunas in the Middle and Late Eocene of the Fayum Area, Egypt". Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. Environmental Change in sub-Saharan Africa. 122 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2010.09.004. ISSN 0016-7878.

[:1-1] Seiffert, Erik R.; Bown, Thomas M.; Clyde, William C.; Simons, Elwyn (2008), Fleagle, John G.; Gilbert, Christopher C. (eds.), "Geology, Paleoenvironment, and Age of Birket Qarun Locality 2 (BQ-2), Fayum Depression, Egypt", Elwyn Simons: A Search for Origins, New York, NY: Springer New York, pp. 71–86, doi:10.1007/978-0-387-73896-3_8, ISBN 978-0-387-73895-6, retrieved 2024-09-16

[2] "Birket Qarun Formation". PBDB.org.

[3] Murray, Alison M.; Cook, Todd D.; Attia, Yousry S.; Chatrath, Prithijit; Simons, Elwyn L. (2010-05-18). "A freshwater ichthyofauna from the late Eocene Birket Qarun Formation, Fayum, Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30 (3): 665–680. doi:10.1080/02724631003758060. ISSN 0272-4634.

[4] Naturkunde~julia.fahlke@mfn-berlin.de, Julia M. Fahlke~Museum für (2012-11-15). "Bite marks revisited – evidence for middle-to-late Eocene Basilosaurus isis predation on Dorudon atrox (both Cetacea, Basilosauridae)". Palaeontologia Electronica. Retrieved 2024-09-16.

[:0-5] Zalmout, Iyad S.; Gingerich, Philip D. "LATE EOCENE SEA COWS (MAMMALIA, SIRENIA) FROM WADI AL HITAN IN THE WESTERN DESERT OF FAYUM, EGYPT". Univeristy of Michigan PAPERS ON PALEONTOLOGY. 37.

[6] Gunnell, Gregg F.; Simons, Elwyn L.; Seiffert, Erik R. (2008-03-12). "New bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the late Eocene and early Oligocene, Fayum Depression, Egypt". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[1:NBMCFT]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.

[7] Underwood, Charlie J.; Ward, David J.; King, Christopher; Antar, Sameh M.; Zalmout, Iyad S.; Gingerich, Philip D. (2011-01-01). "Shark and ray faunas in the Middle and Late Eocene of the Fayum Area, Egypt". Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. Environmental Change in sub-Saharan Africa. 122 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2010.09.004. ISSN 0016-7878.

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