Cenozoic

Cretaceous

Jurassic

Triassic

Permian

Paleozoic

Compiled by: Jacques LeBlanc (2022), Stratigraphic Lexicon: The Sedimentary Formations of The Republic of Niger, Africa. Colnes Publishing (Tallin, Estonia), 365 pp. For more information see "About"

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Echkar Formation

Echkar Fm

Period:

Cretaceous

Age Interval:

Albian) to possibly earliest Cenomanian (1)

Province:
Iullemmeden Basin

Type Locality and Naming

Gadoufaoua paleontological site. Mount Echkar about 100 km south of Elrhas. Tégama Gr.

References: de Lapparent, 1960; Faure, 1966; Taquet, 1976; Buffetaut & Taquet, 1977; de Lapparent de Broin, 1980; Taquet, 1982; Fabre et al., 1983; Wenz, 1999; de Lapparent de Broin, 2002; Sereno et al., 2003, 2004; Brusatte & Sereno, 2007; Sereno & Larsson, 2009; Le Loeuff et al., 2012; Young et al., 2016.

Synonym: Top part of the Mohra Fm, Tim Anasin, Ekisman, and Borak formations of Molinas (1965). Equivalent(s): Tanguérat Fm (part of the Téfidet Gr) in Téfidet Sub-Basin. According to Le Loeuff et al. (2012), it belongs to the Bahariya Fm (Egypt) and Kem Kem Fm (Morocco) assemblage.

Lithology and Thickness

Corresponds to the highest unit of the Tégama Gr (See this term). Mainly variations in sandstone. Fig. 1. Its thickness is 240 to 320 m

[Figure 1: Section of the Echkar Fm south of In Assamed; cliff east of Takourousset, as drawn by Faure (1966, p. 127)]

Lithology Pattern:

Sandstone

Relationships and Distribution

Lower contact

Underlying unit is the Elrhaz Fm (Taquet, 1976)

Upper contact

Overlying unit is the continental Farak Fm (Taquet, 1976; Moody & Sutcliffe, 1991)

Regional extent

GeoJSON

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Fossils

Dinosaurs (Theropods Carcharodontosaurus saharicus; C. iguidensis; Rugops primus; Spinosaurid teeth (Spinosaurus sp.); Sauropods rebbachisaurid and titanosaurian), Fish (Onchopristis numidus; Pliodetes nigeriensis (Fig. 72), Crocodilian (Laganosuchus thaumastos; Mesoeucrocodylia; Kaprosuchus saharicus (Fig. 3); Anatosuchus minor; Elosuchus felixi); baurusuchid and araripesuchid); Turtles: Platycheloides cf. nyasae

[Figure 2: Fish (Pliodetes nigeriensis) from GAD 5 (Echkar Fm / Elrhaz Fm) (Source: Wenz, 1999)]

[Figure 3: Skull of the crocodilian Kaprosuchus saharicus (Source: Sereno & Larsson, 2009)]

Age

Early Cretaceous (Albian) to possibly earliest Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous). The exact age of the Echkar Fm remains controversial. Taquet (1976) assigns it as Late Albian Age based on its position above the Elrhaz Fm while others (de Lapparent, 1960; Sereno et al., 2004; Brusatte & Sereno, 2007; Sereno & Larsson, 2009; Young et al., 2016) assign it an Albian to earliest Cenomanian age.

Age Span:

Beginning stage:

Albian

Fraction up in beginning stage:

0.0

Beginning date (Ma):

113.20

Ending stage:

Cenomanian

Fraction up in the ending stage:

0.05

Ending date (Ma):

100.17

Depositional setting

Continental

Depositional pattern:

Additional Information

Compiler:

Jacques LeBlanc (2022), Stratigraphic Lexicon: The Sedimentary Formations of The Republic of Niger, Africa. Colnes Publishing (Tallin, Estonia), 365 pp. https://doi.org/10.47909/978-9916-9760-6-7 (or via https://sites.google.com/site/leblancjacques)