Lothagam-Upper Nawata Mb (Miocene to of Kenya)

Also known as ETE Locality 1065, Lothagam 1C, Lothagam 1, Lothagam, Lothagam-Upper Nawata

Where: Kenya (2.9° N, 36.1° E: paleocoordinates 2.6° N, 35.5° E)

• coordinate stated in text

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Upper Nawata and Apak Member (Nawata or Nachukui Formation), Messinian to Messinian (7.2 - 3.6 Ma)

• K-Ar dating constrains the Upper Nawata Member to 6.54 +/- 0.04 Ma (Marker Tuff) and 4.22 +/- 0.03 Ma (pumice clasts from 35 m above the top of the Upper Nawata Purple Marker). Thus, top of the Upper Nawata is older than 4.2 Ma, and is estimated to be 5.0 Ma.

• member-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: fluvial; poorly lithified, graded, sandy sandstone and poorly lithified, tuffaceous mudstone

• Upper Nawata strata indicated that subsidence rates decreased dramatically, allowing the fluvial system to rework overbank deposits- recycling mud into clay to produce the characteristic multistoried sandstones. Probably decrased chanel flow, perhaps to a seasonal state. Environmental conditions suggested to be generally drier than previous or subsequent times.
• The Upper Nawata is characterized by thick, multistoried sandstone bodies, with subsidiary mudstones, and by a paucity of altered distal tephra. The type section consists of some 75% sandstones, 21% mudstones, and 4% altered tephra. The basal unit of the member is a tephra complex termed the Marker Tuff. This complex consists of a thin-bedded, relatively homogeneous lower interval (interpreted as airfall tuff), overlain by a massive, poorly sorted sandy tuff. Sandstones of the upper Nawata are typically characterized by well-developed epsilon cross-stratification and trough cross-beds in the coarser units, grading into small-scale troughs and ripple marks in the overlying finer intervals, with abrupt transitions back to coarser sands. Mudstones are subordinate, but where present they show characteristics of paleosol development. (ref # 8636 p. 22-23).

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils

Collection methods: bulk, surface (in situ), mechanical, sieve,

• Held at the Kenya National Museums, Nairobi (KNM-LT-). Surface collection.

Primary reference: M. G. Leakey and J. M. Harris. 2003. Lothagam: the dawn of humanity in eastern Africa. Lothagam: the dawn of humanity in eastern Africa 678 [A. Behrensmeyer/R. Bobe/R. Bobe]more details

Purpose of describing collection: paleoecologic analysis

PaleoDB collection 22242: authorized by Anna Behrensmeyer, entered by Anna Behrensmeyer on 30.06.1999, edited by Suzanne Cote and Philip Mannion

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Show authors, comments, and common names
unclassified
  -
Sindacharax lothagamensis n. sp., ? Schilbe sp., "Clarias/Heterobranchus" sp., Semlikiichthys cf. rhachirhinchus, Eupodotis sp., Abudhabia sp.
Osteichthyes
 Ceratodontiformes - Lepidosirenidae
Protopterus sp.
Protopterus sp. Agassiz 1843 african lungfish
Mammalia
 Tubulidentata - Orycteropodidae
Orycteropus sp.
Orycteropus sp. Geoffroy 1791 aardvark
 Proboscidea - Gomphotheriidae
Gomphotheriidae indet., Anancus kenyensis
Gomphotheriidae indet. Hay 1922 gomphothere
Anancus kenyensis MacInnes 1942 gomphothere
 Proboscidea - Deinotheriidae
Deinotherium bozasi
Deinotherium bozasi Arambourg 1934 deinothere
 Proboscidea - Elephantidae
Elephantidae indet., Elephas nawataensis n. sp., Stegotetrabelodon orbus
Elephantidae indet. Gray 1821 elephant
Elephas nawataensis n. sp. Tassy 2003 elephant
Stegotetrabelodon orbus Maglio 1970 elephant
 Carnivora - Hyaenidae
Hyaenictitherium cf. parvum, cf. Hyaenictis sp.
Hyaenictitherium cf. parvum Khomenko 1914 hyaena
cf. Hyaenictis sp. Gaudry 1861 hyaena
 Carnivora - Viverridae
Viverridae indet., cf. Genetta sp.
Viverridae indet. Gray 1821 civet
large sp.
cf. Genetta sp. Cuvier 1816 civet
sp. B
 Carnivora - Felidae
cf. Metailurus sp., Lokotunjailurus emageritus n. gen. n. sp., Dinofelis sp.
cf. Metailurus sp. Zdansky 1924 cat
Lokotunjailurus emageritus n. gen. n. sp. Werdelin 2003 cat
Dinofelis sp. Zdansky 1924 cat
 Carnivora - Amphicyonidae
Amphicyonidae indet.
Amphicyonidae indet. Haeckel 1886 bear-dog
sp. B
 Carnivora - Mustelidae
Mellivorinae indet., Erokomellivora lothagamensis n. gen. n. sp.
Mellivorinae indet. Gray 1865 ratel
Erokomellivora lothagamensis n. gen. n. sp. mustelid carnivore
 Artiodactyla - Hippopotamidae
Hexaprotodon sp., "Hexaprotodon harvardi" = Archaeopotamus harvardi, "Hexaprotodon lothagamensis n. sp." = Archaeopotamus lothagamensis
Hexaprotodon sp. Falconer and Cautley 1836 pygmy hippo
"Hexaprotodon harvardi" = Archaeopotamus harvardi Coryndon 1977 hippopotamus
"Hexaprotodon lothagamensis n. sp." = Archaeopotamus lothagamensis Weston 2000 hippopotamus
 Artiodactyla - Suidae
"Nyanzachoerus cf. syrticus" = Sivachoerus syrticus, Nyanzachoerus syrticus tulotus, Nyanzachoerus cf. australis, Potamochoerus sp., "Nyanzachoerus devauxi" = Propotamochoerus devauxi
"Nyanzachoerus cf. syrticus" = Sivachoerus syrticus Leonardi 1954 pig
Potamochoerus sp. Gray 1854 pig
"Nyanzachoerus devauxi" = Propotamochoerus devauxi Arambourg 1968 pig
 Artiodactyla - Tayassuidae
"Cainochoerus cf. africanus" = Pecarichoerus africanus
"Cainochoerus cf. africanus" = Pecarichoerus africanus Hendy 1976 peccary
 Artiodactyla - Bovidae
Bovini indet., Boselaphini indet., Tragelaphini indet., Tragelaphus kyaloae, Aepyceros premelampus n. sp., Alcelaphini indet., Damalacra sp., Reduncini indet., Menelikia leakeyi, Kobus laticornis n. sp., Kobus presigmoidalis n. sp., Hippotragini indet., ? Praedamalis sp., Hippotragus sp., Madoqua sp., Tragoportax sp., Tragoportax aff. cyrenaicus, Gazella sp.
Bovini indet. Gray 1821 antelope
Boselaphini indet. Knottnerus-Meyer 1997 antelope
Tragelaphini indet. Blyth 1863 antelope
Tragelaphus kyaloae Harris 1991 antelope
Aepyceros premelampus n. sp. Harris 2003 impala
Alcelaphini indet. Brookes 1876 antelope
Damalacra sp. Gentry 1980 antelope
sp. A
Reduncini indet. Knottnerus-Meyer 1907 antelope
Menelikia leakeyi Harris 1991 antelope
Kobus laticornis n. sp. Harris 2003 antelope
Kobus presigmoidalis n. sp. Harris 2003 antelope
Hippotragini indet. Sundevall 1845 antelope
? Praedamalis sp. Dietrich 1950 antelope
Hippotragus sp. Sundevall 1845 antelope
Madoqua sp. Ogilby 1837 dikdik
Tragoportax sp. Pilgrim 1937 antelope
sp. A
Tragoportax aff. cyrenaicus Thomas 1979 antelope
Gazella sp. Blaineville 1816 gazelle
 Artiodactyla - Giraffidae
Palaeotragus sp., Palaeotragus germaini
Palaeotragus sp. Gaudry 1861 giraffe
Palaeotragus germaini Arambourg 1959 giraffe
 Perissodactyla - Rhinocerotidae
Diceros bicornis, Ceratotherium praecox, Brachypotherium lewisi
Diceros bicornis Linnaeus 1758 black rhinoceros
 Perissodactyla - Equidae
Eurygnathohippus feibeli n. sp., Eurygnathohippus turkanense
Eurygnathohippus feibeli n. sp. hipparionine horse
Eurygnathohippus turkanense Hooijer and Maglio 1974 hipparionine horse
 Rodentia - Thryonomyidae
Thryonomys sp.
Thryonomys sp. Fitzinger 1867 cane rat
small sp.
 Rodentia - Muridae
Saidomys sp.
Saidomys sp. James and Slaughter 1974 mouse
 Primates - Hominidae
Hominidae indet.
Hominidae indet. Gray 1825 ape
 Primates - Cercopithecidae
Cercopithecidae indet., Colobinae indet., Colobinae indet., Colobinae indet., Parapapio lothagamensis n. sp.
Cercopithecidae indet. Gray 1821 monkey
Colobinae indet. Blyth 1875 monkey
sp. A
Colobinae indet. Blyth 1875 monkey
sp. B
Colobinae indet. Blyth 1875 monkey
small sp.
Parapapio lothagamensis n. sp. Leakey et al. 2003 monkey
Reptilia
 Crocodylia - Crocodylidae
Euthecodon brumpti, Crocodylus sp., Crocodylus checchiai
Euthecodon brumpti Joleaud 1920 crocodile
Crocodylus sp. Laurenti 1768 crocodile
Crocodylus checchiai Maccagno 1947 crocodile
Aves
  -
Aves indet.
Aves indet. Linnaeus 1758 bird
 Struthioniformes - Struthionidae
cf. Struthio indet.
cf. Struthio indet. Linnaeus 1758 ostrich
 Gruiformes - Rallidae
Rallidae indet.
Rallidae indet. Vigors 1825 rail
 Anseriformes - Anatidae
Anatidae indet.
Anatidae indet. Vigors 1825 waterfowl
 Ciconiiformes - Ciconiidae
Leptoptilos cf. crumeniferus
 Suliformes - Anhingidae
Anhinga cf. rufa
Anhinga cf. rufa Daudin 1802 African darter
 Pelecaniformes - Pelecanidae
Pelecanus sp.
Pelecanus sp. Linnaeus 1758 pelican
 Pelecaniformes - Ardeidae
Ardeidae indet.
Ardeidae indet. Leach 1820 heron
Reptilia
 Testudines - Podocnemididae
Turkanemys pattersoni n. gen. n. sp.
Turkanemys pattersoni n. gen. n. sp. Wood 2003 sideneck turtle
 Testudines - Testudinidae
cf. Geochelone indet.
cf. Geochelone indet. Fitzinger 1835 turtle
 Testudines - Trionychidae
Trionychidae indet., Cycloderma debrionae, Cycloderma frenatum
Trionychidae indet. Gray 1825 softshell turtle
Cycloderma debrionae softshell turtle
Cycloderma frenatum Peters 1854 softshell turtle
Cladistia
 Polypteriformes - Polypteridae
Polypterus sp.
Polypterus sp. Lacépède 1803 bichir
Actinopteri
 Osteoglossiformes - Osteoglossidae
Heterotis sp.
Heterotis sp. Rüppell 1828 African arowana
 Osteoglossiformes - Gymnarchidae
Gymnarchus sp.
Gymnarchus sp. Cuvier 1829 aba knifefish
 Characiformes - Alestidae
Hydrocynus sp.
Hydrocynus sp. Cuvier 1816
 Teleostei -
Siluriformes indet.
 Siluriformes - Bagridae
Bagridae indet., Bagrus aff. sp.
Bagridae indet. Bleeker 1852 naked catfish
Bagrus aff. sp. Bosc 1816 naked catfish
 Siluriformes - Mochokidae
Synodontis sp.
Synodontis sp. Cuvier 1816 upside down catfish
 Siluriformes - Claroteidae
Clarotes sp.
Clarotes sp. Kner 1855 catfish
 Acanthomorphata - Centropomidae
Lates niloticus
Lates niloticus Linnaeus 1758 Nile perch
 Teleostei -
Perciformes indet.
Perciformes indet. Bleeker 1859 perch-like fish
 Perciformes -
Percoidei indet.
Percoidei indet. Bleeker 1859 perch-like fish
Malacostraca
 Decapoda - Potamonautidae
Potamonautidae indet.
Potamonautidae indet. Bott 1970 crab