Mishash Formation

Mishash Formation
Stratigraphic range: Campanian-Maastrichtian ~75–66  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Outcrop of the Mishash Formation (dark upper part) overlying the Menuha Formation (light lower part) near Arad, Israel
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Phosphate Member Phosphorite Unit Porcelanite Unit Phosphatic Carbonate Unit Chert Member
Underlies	Ghareb Formation
Overlies	Menuha Formation
Lithology
Primary	Limestone
Other	Phosphorite
Location
Coordinates	30°12′N35°00′E / 30.2°N 35.0°E / 30.2; 35.0
Approximate paleocoordinates	13°06′N30°12′E / 13.1°N 30.2°E / 13.1; 30.2
Country	Israel
Mishash Formation (Israel)

The Mishash Formation is a Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) geologic formation in Israel. The formation is correlated with the Duwi Formation of Egypt and the Amman and Ruseifa Formations of Jordan. ^[1] Mosasaur fossils assigned to Prognathodon currii and pterosaur fossils have been recovered from the formation.

Stratigraphy

The lower boundary of the Mishash Formation lies atop the top of the underlying Menuha Formation, while the upper boundary is covered by the overlying Ghareb Formation. ^{[2] [3]} The Mishash Formation is divided into two members known as the Chert Member and Phosphate Member, with the latter overlying the former. ^[4] Massive chert beds comprise the Chert Member, while the Phosphate Member is made up of cherts, phosphorites, porcellanites and organic-rich carbonates. ^[2] The Phosphate Member is further divided into three units; the Phosphatic Carbonate Unit lies at the bottom of the member, followed by the Porcelanite Unit in the middle, and finally the Phosphorite Unit at the top. ^[3]

Fossil content

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Reptiles

Reptiles reported from the Mishash Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Stratigraphic member	Material	Notes	Images
Arambourgiania [3]	A. sp.	Nahal Qazra & Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Endocranium & bone casts	An azhdarchid pterosaur, originally reported as Titanopteryx.
Liodon [5]	L. asiaticum	Near Jerusalem		Numerous bones	A dubious mosasaur, remains now assigned to Mosasaurinae indet. & Mosasaurini incertae sedis
Mosasaurinae indet. [5]	Indeterminate	Northeastern Jerusalem		Caudal vertebrae	Mosasaur remains originally assigned to Liodon asiaticum
Mosasaurini [5]	Incertae sedis	Northeastern Jerusalem		30 bones	A mosasaur related to Mosasaurus and Plotosaurus , remains originally assigned to Liodon asiaticum
Prognathodon [6]	P. currii	Oron	Phosphate Member	Skull & 8 vertebrae	A large mosasaur
Reptilia indet. [3]	Indeterminate	Nahal Qazra	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Endocranium	Remains of an indeterminate reptile.
Titanopteryx [3]	T. sp.	Nahal Qazra & Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Endocranium & bone casts	Junior synonym of Arambourgiania .

Bony fish

Bony fish reported from the Mishash Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Stratigraphic member	Material	Notes	Images
Enchodus [3]	E. faujasi	Nahal Qazra & Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Endocranial casts	An aulopiform.
	E. sp.	Nahal Qazra, Nahal Zin, Nahal Ashosh & Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite, Porcelanite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Endocranial casts & bones	An aulopiform.
Micropycnodon [3]	M. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	3 endocranial casts	A pycnodont.
Polymixiidae [3]	Indeterminate	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	3 complete & a fragmentary endocranial cast	A beardfish.
Prionolepis [3]	P. sp.	Nahal Ashosh	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Endocranial cast	An aulopiform.
Stratodus [3]	S. sp.	Nahal Qazra, Nahal Zin, Nahal Ashosh & Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Endocranial casts & bones	An aulopiform.

Cartilaginous fish

Cartilaginous fish reported from the Mishash Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Stratigraphic member	Material	Notes	Images
Anomotodon [7]	A. plicatus	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A goblin shark
	A. sp.	Nahal Zinim	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A goblin shark
Centroscymnus [7]	cf. C. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A sleeper shark
Centrosqualus [7]	C. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A dogfish shark
Chiloscyllium [7]	C. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth	A carpet shark
Cretalamna [7]	C. appendiculata	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A megatooth shark
	C. caraibaea	Oron & Nahal Zinim	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	Species reassigned to Serratolamna
	C. maroccana	Oron & Nahal Zinim	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A megatooth shark
	C. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth	A megatooth shark
Cretascymnus [7]	C. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A sleeper shark
Cretodus [7]	C. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth	A pseudoscapanorhynchid shark, small-sized member of the genus
Echinorhinidae indet. [7]	Indeterminate	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	An echinorhinid shark
Ganopristis [7]	G. leptodon	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	Genus now deemed a junior synonym of Sclerorhynchus
	G. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth
Heterodontus [7]	H. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A bullhead shark
Hexanchus [7]	H. microdon	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Numerous teeth	A cow shark
Paraorthacodus [7]	P. aff. nerviensis	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Tooth	A paraorthacodontid shark
Pristiophorus [7]	P. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A sawshark
Pseudocorax [7]	P. aff. affinis	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Many teeth	A pseudocoracid shark
Pteroscyllium [7]	P. sp. 1	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A catshark
	P. sp. 2	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth	A catshark
Rhinobatoidei n. gen. [7]		Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth	A guitarfish
Rhinobatos [7]	R. sp. 1	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A guitarfish
	R. sp. 2	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A guitarfish
	R. sp. 3	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth	A guitarfish
Rhombodus [7]	R. binkhorsti	Nahal Zinim	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A myliobatiform ray
Scapanorhynchus [7]	S. cf. raphiodon	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A goblin shark
Sclerorhynchus [7]	S. leptodon	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Teeth	A sawskate originally reported as Ganopristis leptodon
	S. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphatic Carbonate Unit)	Teeth	A sawskate, some material originally reported as Ganopristis sp., also found in the Menuha Formation
Scyliorhinus [7]	S. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Teeth	A catshark
Serratolamna [7]	S. caraibaea	Oron & Nahal Zinim	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A serratolamnid shark
Squalicorax [7]	S. bassanii	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	An anacoracid shark
	S. pristodontus	Oron & Nahal Zinim	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Teeth	An anacoracid shark
	S. sp.	Oron & Nahal Zinim	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite & Phosphatic Carbonate units)	Teeth	An anacoracid shark
Squalus [7]	S. sp.	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A dogfish shark
Squatina [7]	S. hassei	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	An angelshark
Triakidae [7]	Triakid 1	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A houndshark
	Triakid 2	Oron	Phosphate Member (Phosphorite Unit)	Teeth	A houndshark

See also

• List of pterosaur-bearing stratigraphic units

References

1. Mishash Formation at Fossilworks.org
2. Soudry, David; Nathan, Yaacov; Ehrlich, Sarah (2013). "Geochemical diagenetic trends during phosphorite formation – economic implications: The case of the Negev Campanian phosphorites, Southern Israel" . Sedimentology. 60 (3): 800–819. Bibcode:2013Sedim..60..800S. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3091.2012.01361.x. ISSN   0037-0746.
3. Lewy, Zeev (1995). "Upper Campanian natural endocranial casts of fish and of a pterosaur" (PDF). Geological Survey of Israel Technical Report: 1–21.
4. Soudry, D.; Nathan, Y.; Roded, R. (1985). "The Ashosh-Haroz facies and their significance for the Mishash palae-ogeography and phosphorite accumulation in the northernand central Negev". Israel Journal of Earth Sciences. 34: 211–220.
5. Bardet, Nathalie; Desmares, Delphine; SáNchez-Pellicer, Raquel; Gardin, Silvia (2021-05-10). "Rediscovery of "Liodon" asiaticum Répelin, 1915, a Mosasaurini (Squamata, Mosasauridae, Mosasaurinae) from the Upper Cretaceous of the vicinity of Jerusalem – Biostratigraphical insights from microfossils". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 20 (20): 351–372. doi:10.5852/cr-palevol2021v20a20. ISSN   1777-571X.
6. Christiansen, Per; Bonde, Niels (2002). "A New Species of Gigantic Mosasaur from the Late Cretaceous of Israel" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 22 (3): 629–644. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022[0629:ANSOGM]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0272-4634. JSTOR   4524254.
7. Lewy, Zeev; Cappetta, Henri (1989-04-01). "Senonian Elasmobranch teeth from Israel Biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental implications" (PDF). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Monatshefte (4): 212–222. doi:10.1127/njgpm/1989/1989/212.

Further reading

• Y. Edelman-Furstenberg. 2008. Macrobenthic community structure in a high-productivity region: Upper Campanian Mishash Formation (Israel). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 261:58-77
• P. Christiansen and N. Bonde. 2002. A new species of gigantic mosasaur from the Late Cretaceous of Israel. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(3):629-644
• Z. Lewy and H. Cappetta. 1989. Senonian Elasmobranch teeth from Israel, biostratigraphic an paleoenvironmental implications. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Monatshefte 1989(4):212-222