Coordinates: 30°00′N 31°18′E / 30.0°N 31.3°E / 30.0; 31.3

Mokattam Formation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Mokattam Formation
Stratigraphic range: Middle Eocene (Late Lutetian to Bartonian)
↓
A limestone quarry in the Mokattam Hills
TypeSedimentary
Sub-unitsBuilding Stone Member, Giushi Member
UnderliesMaadi Formation
OverliesMinia Formation
Lithology
PrimaryLimestone
Location
CoordinatesLua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Approximate paleocoordinatesLua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.
CountryEgypt
Type section
Named forMokattam Hills
Mokattam Formation is located in Egypt
Mokattam Formation
Mokattam Formation (Egypt)

The Mokattam Formation[1][2] is a Middle Eocene-aged geological formation in northern Egypt. Consisting of nummulitic marine limestone outcropping across the Mokattam Hills, it has been extensively quarried from Ancient Egypt to the present day, and represents the source material for most of the famous archeological sites of Greater Cairo, most notably the Giza pyramid complex, the Great Sphinx, and much of Historic Cairo.[3]

The Great Sphinx was carved entirely out of the Mokattam Formation[4]

The age of the formation is thought to span from the late Lutetian to the Bartonian, depending on the member (Building Stone or Giushi). However, some authors treat the Giushi Member as its own geologic formation, which would restrict the Mokattam to just the Lutetian.[2][5][6][7]

Numerous fossil fishes are known from this formation.[5][8] Sirenian bones have been reported. This formation is the type locality of the early whales Protocetus atavus, and the sirenians Eotheroides aegyptiacus and Protosiren fraasi.[7][9]

Paleobiota

[edit | edit source]

Cartilaginous fish

[edit | edit source]

Based on Leriche (1921):[10]

Genus Species Member Locality Notes Image
Galeocerdo G. latidens Gebel Mokattam A relative of the tiger shark.[11] File:Galeocerdo cuvier01.jpg
Isurus I. desori A mako shark.[12] File:Isurus oxyrinchus.jpg
Myliobatis M. goniopleurus An eagle ray.[13] File:Myliobatis aquila sasrája.jpg
Nebrius N. blanckenhorni A relative of the tawny nurse shark.[14] File:Nebrius ferrugineus Day.jpg
Otodus O. obliquus A megatooth shark.[15] File:Otodus obliquus.jpg
Physogaleus P. alabamensis (=Galeocerdo aegyptiacus) A ground shark.[16] File:Tiger Shark to Galeocerdo alabamensis edit.jpg

Bony fish

[edit | edit source]
Genus Species Member Locality Material Notes Image
Arius A. fraasi A sea catfish.[17] File:Arius falcarius Mintern 106.jpg
Blabe B. crawleyi Tura Full specimen A percomorph of uncertain affinities, possibly a serranid.[18] File:Blabe crawleyi.jpg
Cylindracanthus C. gigas Spine A ray-finned fish of uncertain affinities. Identified from the rocks of the Great Sphinx.[19] File:Cylindracanthus rectus.jpg
Eobuglossus E. eocenicus Tura Full specimen A sole.[20][21]
Mylomyrus M. frangens Tura Full specimen An eel.[20]
"Perca" (Smerdis?) "P." lorenti Incomplete specimen A percomorph of uncertain affinities.[22]
Pomadasys P. sadeki (=Kemticthys sadeki) Tura Full specimen A grunt.[18]
Pycnodus P. mokattamensis[10] Tooth plate A pycnodont. File:Pycnodus platessus 4554.jpg
Trigonodon T. laevis Pharyngeal teeth A wrasse, taxonomic assignment uncertain.[23]
Turahbuglossus T. cuvillieri Tura Full specimen A sole.[21]

Reptiles

[edit | edit source]
Genus Species Member Locality Material Notes Image
'Tomistoma' T. cairense Skull A gavialoid crocodilian.[24]

Mammals

[edit | edit source]
Genus Species Member Locality Material Notes Image
Eotheroides E. aegyptiacus A sirenian.[9][25] File:Eotheroides sp.JPG
Protocetus P. atavus Gebel Mokattam A protocetid whale.[7] File:Protocetus atavus.png
Protosiren P. fraasi Gebel Mokattam A sirenian.[7][25] File:Protosiren remains.png

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ a b c d Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  20. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  21. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  22. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  23. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  24. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Mokattam_Formation&oldid=21278674"