Schech-Abd-el-Ourun, Thebes (Eocene of Egypt)

Also known as Sheikh Abd el-Qurna

Where: Egypt (25.4° N, 32.4° E: paleocoordinates 15.5° N, 27.0° E)

• coordinate estimated from map

When: Esna Formation, Ypresian (56.0 - 47.8 Ma)

• From the "Cinquième Etage" of Delanoue, according to Oppenheim. Stenzel (1935) and Miller (1947) attributed the specimen to the Esneh Shale (now called Esna Formation). Lowest member of Esna Formation is Thanetian, but upper three are Ypresian age.

Environment/lithology: offshore; lithified shale

• Described primarily as deep middle shelf pelagic shale to outer shelf pelagic shale by El-Azabi & Farouk (2011), suggesting offshore environment.

Size class: macrofossils

Preservation: replaced with pyrite, replaced with limonite

Collected by Blanckenhorn, Schweinfurth in 1902-1903; reposited in the BSP, TMM

• Some material sent by Oppenheim to H. B. Stenzel (BEG specimens at University of Texas)

Primary reference: P. Oppenheim. 1902. Ueber die Fossilien der Blättermergel von Theben. Sitzungsberichte der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Physikalische Klasse 32:435-456 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham/M. Clapham]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 169302: authorized by Matthew Clapham, entered by Kristina Okamoto on 15.05.2015, edited by Matthew Clapham

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Anthozoa
 Scleractinia - Guyniidae
"Palaeopsammia zitteli" = Palaeopsammia zitteli, "Pattalophyllia aegyptiaca" = Palaeopsammia zitteli
"Palaeopsammia zitteli" = Palaeopsammia zitteli Vaughan 1900 stony coral
"Pattalophyllia aegyptiaca" = Palaeopsammia zitteli Vaughan 1900 stony coral
Cephalopoda
 Nautilida - Aturiidae
Aturia praeziczac n. sp. Oppenheim 1902 nautiloid
 Nautilida - Hercoglossidae
"Nautilus desertorum" = Cimomia desertora
"Nautilus desertorum" = Cimomia desertora Quaas 1902 nautiloid
Gastropoda
 Trochoidea - Trochidae
Trochus aff. margaritifer Böhm 1891 top snail
 Pleurotomarioidea - Pleurotomariidae
Pleurotomaria thebensis n. sp. Oppenheim 1902 snail
 Vanikoroidea - Eulimidae
Eulima wanneri n. sp. Oppenheim 1902 snail
 Cerithioidea - Cerithiidae
Cerithium abietiforme Wanner 1902 cerith snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Aporrhaidae
"Alaria sp." = Dicroloma
"Alaria sp." = Dicroloma Gabb 1868 snail
 Neogastropoda - Volutidae
"Voluta (Scaphella) aegyptiaca" = Scaphella aegyptiaca
"Voluta (Scaphella) aegyptiaca" = Scaphella aegyptiaca Wanner 1902 volute
 Sorbeoconcha - Naticidae
Natica farafrensis Wanner 1902 moon snail
 Heterostropha - Ringiculidae
Cinulia ptahis Wanner 1902 snail
Cinulia cretacea Quaas 1902 snail
Bivalvia
 Pectinida - Limidae
Limea delanouei Oppenheim 1902 file clam
 Lucinida - Thyasiridae
Axinus cretaceus Wanner 1902 clam
 Lucinida - Lucinidae
? Lucina sp. Bruguière 1797 clam
 Poromyida - Cuspidariidae
Neaera aegyptiaca n. sp. Oppenheim 1902 clam
 Cardiida - Trapezidae
? Cypricardia sp. Lamarck 1819 clam
 Nuculida - Nuculidae
Nucula cf. chargensis Quaas 1902 nut clam
 Nuculanida - Nuculanidae
Leda leia Wanner 1902 pointed nut clam
Leda zitteli Böhm 1891 pointed nut clam
Rhynchonellata
 Terebratulida - Cancellothyrididae
Terebratulina chrysalis Schlotheim 1813
Crinoidea
 Isocrinida - Isselicrinidae
"Pentacrinus (Balanocrinus) africanus" = Isselicrinus africanus
"Pentacrinus (Balanocrinus) africanus" = Isselicrinus africanus Peron 1889 Sea lily
Echinoidea
 Cidaroida - Cidaridae
Porocidaris prior n. sp. Oppenheim 1902 pencil urchin
Chondrichthyes
 Lamniformes - Lamnidae
? Lamna aff. vincenti Winkler 1878 mackerel shark