Lothagam-Muruongori Mb (Pliocene of Kenya)

Also known as Nachukui Formation, Muruongori Member

Where: Kenya (2.9° N, 36.1° E: paleocoordinates 2.7° N, 35.6° E)

• coordinate stated in text

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Muruongori Member (Nachukui Formation), Zanclean (5.3 - 3.6 Ma)

• K-Ar dating of the Lothagam basalt places the base of the Muruongori Mb at 4.20+/- 0.03 Ma. The top of the Muruongori is not radiometrically dated, but is estimated to be 3.9 Ma (ref 8636, p. 58).

• member-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: fluvial-lacustrine; poorly lithified, diatomaceous, sandy claystone

• The Muruongori member represents the Lonyumun Lake, and deposits are very similar to Lonyumun Lake strats throughout the Turkana basin.
• Muruongori Mb is composed primarliy of claystones and recrystallized diatomites, with some sands and molluscan coquinas. (ref 8636, p. 24).

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils

Collection methods: bulk, surface (in situ), mechanical, sieve,

• Held at the Kenya National Museums, Nairobi. Many fish specimens not yet accessioned nd are organized by original field numbers.

Primary reference: M. G. Leakey and J. M. Harris. 2003. Lothagam: the dawn of humanity in eastern Africa. Lothagam: the dawn of humanity in eastern Africa 678 [A. Behrensmeyer/R. Bobe/R. Bobe]more details

Purpose of describing collection: paleoecologic analysis

PaleoDB collection 22240: authorized by Anna Behrensmeyer, entered by Anna Behrensmeyer on 30.06.1999, edited by Suzanne Cote

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

unclassified
  -
Actinopteri
 Osteoglossiformes - Gymnarchidae
Gymnarchus sp. Cuvier 1829 aba knifefish
 Osteoglossiformes - Osteoglossidae
Heterotis sp. Rüppell 1828 African arowana
 Tetraodontiformes - Tetraodontidae
Tetraodon sp. n. sp. Linnaeus 1758
 Teleostei -
Perciformes indet. Bleeker 1859 perch-like fish
 Perciformes -
Percoidei indet. Bleeker 1859 perch-like fish
 Cichliformes - Cichlidae
Tilapiini indet. Carnevale et al. 2003 tilapiine
 Cypriniformes - Cyprinidae
Cyprinidae indet. Rafinesque 1815 carp-like fish
 Characiformes - Alestidae
Hydrocynus sp. Cuvier 1816
 Characiformes - Characidae
 Teleostei -
 Siluriformes - Mochokidae
Synodontis sp. Cuvier 1816 upside down catfish
Cladistia
 Polypteriformes - Polypteridae
Polypterus sp. Lacépède 1803 bichir