Gebel Rascal (Dor-et-Talha) (Eocene to of Libya)

Also known as Gebel Coquin; Dur At-Talah

Where: Libya (25.8° N, 18.5° E: paleocoordinates 21.1° N, 14.4° E)

When: Bartonian to Bartonian (41.3 - 33.9 Ma)

• Fossils occur in two layers within a 50 m section exposed at Dor-et-Talha cliffs. Pterosphenus and squalidid remains are from lower layer, all other taxa are from upper layer.

Environment/lithology: marine; lithified, ferruginous, gypsiferous, gray, green claystone

• "D’après C. Arambourg & Ph. Magnier (1961), la couche fossilifère comprend, dans la partie médiane de la falaise, 50 m. d’argiles gris-vert avec intercalations gypseuses et ferrugineuses; la stratification est entre-croisée (pgs. 326-327)."

Size class: macrofossils

Collection methods: surface (float), mechanical,

Primary reference: R. Hoffstetter. 1961. Nouvelles récoltes de serpents fossiles dans l’Éocène Supérieur du désert Libyque. Bulletin du Muséum National Histoire Naturelle, Paris 33(3):326-331 [J. Head/J. Head/J. Head]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 48077: authorized by Jason Head, entered by Jason Head on 12.03.2005, edited by Mark Uhen and John Alroy

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Chondrichthyes
 Myliobatiformes - Myliobatidae
Myliobatis sp. Cuvier 1816 eagle ray
[entered as Mylobatis sp.]
 Myliobatiformes - Aetobatidae
"Aetobatis sp." = Aetobatus
"Aetobatis sp." = Aetobatus Blainville 1816 stingray
 Rhinopristiformes - Pristidae
Pristis sp. Linck 1790 sawfish
Mammalia
 Proboscidea - Moeritheriidae
Moeritherium lyonsi Andrews 1901 proboscidean
 Proboscidea - Barytheriidae
Barytherium grave Andrews 1901 proboscidean
Reptilia
 Testudines -
Testudines indet. Batsch 1788 turtle
 Squamata - Palaeophiidae
Pterosphenus schweinfurthi Andrews 1901 snake
 Squamata - Madtsoiidae
Gigantophis garstini Andrews 1901 snake
 Loricata -
Crocodylia indet.1 crocodilian
 Crocodylia - Gavialidae
Tomistoma sp. Müller 1846 false gharial
 Loricata - Dyrosauridae
Dyrosaurus sp. Pomel 1894 crocodilian
Actinopteri
 Acanthomorphata - Centropomidae
Lates sp. Cuvier 1828 lates
 Siluriformes - Siluridae
Siluridae indet. Cuvier 1816 catfish
 Siluriformes - Bagridae
Fajumia sp.2 Stromer 1904 naked catfish
Cladistia
 Polypteriformes - Polypteridae
Polypterus sp. Lacépède 1803 bichir