The Dukamaje Formation is a geological formation in Niger and Nigeria whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Late Cretaceous, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 604-605. . A wealth of Mosasaur fossils have also been recovered from this formation, particularly from the area around Mt. Igdaman.
Fossil content Dinosaurs of the Dukamaje Formation Taxa Presence Description ImagesGenus: ?Bahariasaurus ?B. ingens. Geographically present in Département De Tahoua, Niger. Mosasaurs of the Dukamaje FormationTaxaPresenceDescriptionImagesGenus: Igdamanosaurus I. aegyptiacus Geographically present on Mt. Igdaman, near the village of Igdaman (or In Daman).Mid-sized globidensine mosasaur. Originally described as a plioplatecarpine. Durophagous.Genus: Goronyosaurus G. nigeriensis G. sp. Type locality unknown. From the portion of the Dukamaje Formation located in Nigeria. Geographically present on Mt. Igdaman. From the portion of the Dukamaje Formation located in Niger.Large mosasaur of uncertain affiliations. High number of foramina on the snout and small eyes indicate a murky-water hunter.Genus: ?Angolasaurus ?A. sp. Geographically present on Mt. Igdaman.Represented here by four vertebrae, one from a juvenile. Fragmentary state makes identification difficult.Genus: Halisaurus H. sp. Geographically present on Mt. Igdaman.Mid-sized mosasaur. Represented here by four vertebrae.Genus: Plioplatecarpus P. sp. Geographically present on Mt. Igdaman.Mid-sized plioplatecarpine mosasaur. Represented here by several vertebrae.Genus: Platecarpus P. sp. Geographically present on Mt. Igdaman.Mid-sized plioplatecarpine mosasaur. Represented here by a single fragmentary vertebrae.Genus: Mosasaurus cf. M. hoffmannii Geographically present on Mt. Igdaman.Massive mosasaurine mosasaur. Represented here by a fragmentary tooth crown. The first example of Mosasaurus from Niger and Nigeria.
Other reptiles
Sokotosuchus ianwilsoniGilbedi Hills, Rima River at Fossilworks.org Palaeophis sp.Mont Igdaman (bed 25) at Fossilworks.org Podocnemis sp. Trematochampsa taqueti Libycosuchus sp.
Fishes
Asteracanthus aegyptiacusIn Touhout (bed 4) at Fossilworks.org Igdabatis sigmodon Lamna nigeriana Schizorhiza stromeri Stephanodus lybicus Stratodus apicalis Ischyrhiza nigeriensis Ceratodus sp. Ginglymostoma sp. Pycnodus sp.
See also List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations Lists of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Africa List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Niger Geology of Niger Geology of Nigeria
References
Further reading R. T. J. Moody and P. J. C. Suttcliffe. 1991. The Cretaceous deposits of the Iullemmeden Basin of Niger, central West Africa. Cretaceous Research 12:137-157