Adaffa Formation

Adaffa Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian ~72  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Suqah Group
Underlies	Unconformity with Lower Miocene Al Wajh Formation
Overlies	Proterozoic granite basement
Thickness	Up to 200 m (660 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone, siltstone, marl
Other	Conglomerate
Location
Location	Midyan Peninsula, Tabuk Region
Coordinates	27°18′N35°42′E / 27.3°N 35.7°E / 27.3; 35.7
Approximate paleocoordinates	9°42′N29°12′E / 9.7°N 29.2°E / 9.7; 29.2
Region	Arabian Peninsula
Country	Saudi Arabia
Adaffa Formation (Saudi Arabia)

The Adaffa Formation is a geological formation in Saudi Arabia, and the lowermost unit of the Suqah Group. It dates back to the Campanian of the Late Cretaceous. The lithology consists of sandstone, siltstone and marl, with a basal granitic conglomerate with phosphatic nodules. Also present are ferricrete horizons. It was deposited in marginal marine conditions close to land. Fish, ^[1] marine reptile ^[2] and dinosaur ^[3] remains have been recovered from the formation.

Vertebrate paleofauna

Fish

Fish of the Adaffa Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Ceratodus	Indeterminate			Toothplates	Lungfish
cf. Enchodus	Indeterminate			Teeth
cf. Protosphyraena	Indeterminate			Teeth	Pachycormid
?Anacoracidae	Indeterminate			Vertebrae
Lepisosteidae	Indeterminate			Vertebral centra
Pycnodontiformes	Indeterminate			Teeth

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes of the Adaffa Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Dyrosauridae	Indeterminate			Two vertebrae
Crocodyliformes	Indeterminate			Cranial fragment

Plesiosaurians

Plesiosaurians of the Adaffa Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Elasmosauridae	Indeterminate			Rostral portion of a skull

Squamates

Squamates of the Adaffa Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Prognathodon	Indeterminate			Teeth	Mosasaur
cf. Pachyvaranus	Indeterminate			Vertebrae	Aquatic varanoid
Mosasauridae				Pygal vertebra
Plioplatecarpinae	Indeterminate			Dorsal vertebra

Turtles

Turtles of the Adaffa Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Bothremydidae	Indeterminate			Shell fragments and a femur

Non-avian Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs of the Adaffa Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Abundance	Notes	Images
Abelisauridae	Indeterminate			Two teeth
Titanosauria	Indeterminate			Seven caudal vertebrae, seemingly from the same individual

References

1. Kear, Benjamin P.; Rich, Thomas H.; Ali, Mohammed A.; Al-Mufarrih, Yahya A.; Matiri, Adel H.; Al-Masary, Abdu M.; Attia, Yousry (October 2009). "An Upper Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) actinopterygian fish assemblage from the marginal marine Adaffa Formation of Saudi Arabia". Cretaceous Research. 30 (5): 1164–1168. Bibcode:2009CrRes..30.1164K. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2009.05.002. ISSN   0195-6671.
2. Kear, B. P.; Rich, T. H.; Ali, M. A.; Al-Mufarrih, Y. A.; Matiri, A. H.; Masary, A. M.; Attia, Y. (September 2008). "Late Cretaceous (Campanian—Maastrichtian) marine reptiles from the Adaffa Formation, NW Saudi Arabia". Geological Magazine. 145 (5): 648–654. Bibcode:2008GeoM..145..648K. doi:10.1017/S0016756808005062. ISSN   1469-5081. S2CID   128412516.
3. Kear, Benjamin P.; Rich, Thomas H.; Vickers-Rich, Patricia; Ali, Mohammed A.; Al-Mufarreh, Yahya A.; Matari, Adel H.; Al-Massari, Abdu M.; Nasser, Abdulaziz H.; Attia, Yousry (2013-12-26). "First Dinosaurs from Saudi Arabia". PLOS ONE. 8 (12): e84041. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...884041K. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084041 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   3873419 . PMID   24386326.