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Elrhaz Formation

Geological formation in Niger, West Africa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elrhaz Formationmap
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The Elrhaz Formation is a geological formation in Niger, West Africa.

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Its strata date back to the Early Cretaceous, about 125 to 112 million years ago. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, alongside those of multiple species of crocodyliformes.

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Gadoufaoua

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Reconstructed skeleton of an anhanguerid from the formation

Gadoufaoua (Tuareg for "the place where camels fear to go") is a site within the Elrhaz Formation (located at 16°50′N 9°25′E) in the Tenere desert of Niger known for its extensive fossil graveyard. It is where remains of Sarcosuchus imperator, popularly known as SuperCroc, were found (by Paul Sereno in 1997, for example), including vertebrae, limb bones, armor plates, jaws, and a nearly complete 6 feet (1.8 m) skull.

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Dinosaurs of Elrhaz formation
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A spinosaurid claw from the Elrhaz formation

Gadoufaoua is very hot and dry. Based on the sedimentary and fossil record, Gadoufaoua had trees, plants, and wide rivers 112 million years ago. The river covered the remains of dead animals, the fossilized remains of which were protected by the drying rivers over millions of years.[1]

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Vertebrate paleofauna

Chondrichthyes

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Sarcopterygii

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Actinopterygii

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Testudines

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Crocodyliformes

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Dinosaurs

Ornithischians

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Theropods

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Sauropods

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Flora

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See also

References

Further reading

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