Quseir Formation

The Quseir Formation is a geological formation in the vicinity of the Kharga Oasis in Egypt.^[1] It is Campanian in age.^[2] The lithology largely consists of soft shale with hard bands of sandstone, siltstone and phosphorite.^[3] 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 dinosaurs Mansourasaurus and Igai are known from the formation,^[4][5] as well as the proximal fibula of an indeterminate theropod^[6] and possible remains tentively assigned to Spinosaurus.^[7][8] Additionally the lungfish genera Lavocatodus and Protopterus,^[9] the crocodyliform Wahasuchus^[10] and the bothremydid turtle Khargachelys are also known.^[11]

Quseir Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian ~80–72 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Mut & El Hindaw Members
Underlies	Duwi Formation
Overlies	Unconformity with Taref Formation
Thickness	at least 250 metres (820 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Shale
Other	Sandstone, siltstone, phosphorite
Location
Location	Al Wadi al Jadid, New Valley
Coordinates	25.6°N 29.1°E / 25.6; 29.1
Approximate paleocoordinates	9.3°N 24.9°E / 9.3; 24.9
Region	Kharga Oasis
Country	Egypt
Quseir Formation (Egypt)

Fossil content

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.

Dinosaurs

Theropods including a proximal fibula and specimens tentatively assigned to Cenomanian theropod genera Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus are now classified as Theropoda indet.^[6][12]

Sauropods

Sauropods of the Quseir Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Mansourasaurus[13]	M. shahinae				A lithostrotian titanosaur
Igai[14]	I. semkhu				A saltasaurid titanosaur

Theropods

Theropods of the Quseir Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
cf.Abelisauridae[6]	Indeterminate			Proximal fibula (MUVP 187)[6]
Theropoda				Caudal vertebra (MUVP 199)[6]

Fish

Bony fish

Bony fish of the Quseir Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Lavocatodus[9]	L. giganteus				A lavocatodid lungfish
	L. humei
	L. protopteroides
Protopterus[9]	P. nigeriensis				A protopterid lungfish
Lepisosteoidea[7]	Indeterminate		Mut Member

Cartilaginous Fish

Cartilaginous Fishes of the Quseir Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Scapanorhynchus	S. rapax[7]		Mut Member	Teeth	A close relative of the living goblin shark

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorpha of the Quseir Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Dyrosauridae indet.	Indeterminate			Mandibular symphysis[15]
Wahasuchus[16]	W. egyptensis				A mesoeucrocodylian

Turtles

Turtles of the Quseir Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Khargachelys	K. caironensis				A bothremydid side-necked turtle