The Continental intercalaire, sometimes referred to as the Continental intercalaire Formation, is a term applied to Cretaceous strata in Northern Africa. It is the largest single stratum found in Africa to date, being between 30 and 800 metres (98 and 2,625 ft) thick in some places. Fossils, including dinosaurs, have been recovered from this formation.[1] The Continental intercalaire stretches from Algeria, Tunisia and Niger in the west to Egypt and Sudan in the east.[2][3]
| Continental intercalaire | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Thickness | 30 to 800 metres (98 to 2,625 ft) |
| Location | |
| Region | Northern Africa |
History
editThe Continental intercalaire was first identified during the course of several expeditions to the Sahara from 1946 to 1959 which were led by the French paleontologist Albert-Félix de Lapparent.[4]
Description
editThe Continental intercalaire is most often likened to the Kem Kem Group.[5]
Fossil content
editArchosaurs
edit- Aegyptosaurus baharijensis
- Bahariasaurus ingens
- "Brachiosaurus" nougaredi
- Carcharodontosaurus saharicus
- cf. Carcharodontosaurus sp.
- Iguanodontia indet.
- Inosaurus tedreftensis
- Nigersaurus taqueti
- Paralititan stromeri? (remains may instead represent Aegyptosaurus)
- Rebbachisaurus ?tamesnensis
- Ornithopoda indet. (multiple species)
- Sauropoda indet. (multiple species)
- Sarcosuchus imperator[4]
- Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
- cf. Spinosaurus
- Theropoda indet. (2-4 separate species)
- Theropoda indet. (=Elaphrosaurus iguidiensis)
Fish
edit- Mawsonia (several species)
- Onchopristis numidus
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 571-573. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
- ^ Paul E. Anderson, Michael J. Benton,⁎ Clive N. Trueman, Bruce A. Paterson, Gilles Cuny (2007). "Palaeoenvironments of vertebrates on the southern shore of Tethys: The nonmarine Early Cretaceous of Tunisia". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 243 (1–2). Elsevier: 118–131. Bibcode:2007PPP...243..118A. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.07.015.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)[dead link] - ^ Federico Fanti, Michela Contessi, Fulvio Franchi (2012). "The Continental Intercalaire of southern Tunisia: Stratigraphy, paleontology, and paleoecology". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 73 (73–74). Elsevier: 1–23. Bibcode:2012JAfES..73....1F. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2012.07.006.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)[dead link] - ^ a b De Broin, France; Taquet, Philippe (1966). "Découverte d'un Crocodilien nouveau dans le Crétacé inférieur du Sahara". C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris (in French). 262 (D).
- ^ a b c "Continental intercalaire." Weishampel, et al. (2004). Pg. 571-572.