Elrhaz Formation

Reconstructed skeleton of an anhanguerid from the formation

Gadoufaoua (Tuareg for "the place where camels fear to go") is a site within the Elrhaz Formation (located at 16°50′N 9°25′E) in the Tenere desert of Niger known for its extensive fossil graveyard. It is where remains of Sarcosuchus imperator, popularly known as SuperCroc, were found (by Paul Sereno in 1997, for example), including vertebrae, limb bones, armor plates, jaws, and a nearly complete 6 feet (1.8 m) skull.

Gadoufaoua is very hot and dry. However, it is supposed that millions of years ago, Gadoufaoua had trees, plants and wide rivers. The river covered the remains of dead animals, the fossilized remains of which were protected by the drying rivers over millions of years.[1]

Fossils of the turtles Laganemys tenerensis and Taquetochelys decorata were found in the formation.[2]

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes
Genus	Species	Material	Notes	Images
Araripesuchus[3]	A. wegeneri[3]	(1959) "nearly complete skull" - Sereno & Larsson (1999)	Pseudonym. Dog-Croc
Anatosuchus[3]	A. minor[3]	(2003) "nearly complete skull" - Sereno & Larsson (1999)	Pseudonym. Duck-Croc
Sarcosuchus[4]	S. imperator	"partial skeletons, numerous skulls"	(1966)

Ornithischians

Ornithischians
Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Lurdusaurus[3]	L. arenatus[3]	(1999)	"Partial skull, fragmentary postcranial skeleton."[5]
Ouranosaurus[3]	O. nigeriensis[3]	(1976)	"Skull and poscrania, second skeleton."[6]
Elrhazosaurus[3]	E. nigeriensis[3]	(2009)	"Femora."[7]	A dryosaurid

Theropods

Theropods
Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Afromimus	A. tenerensis	(2017)	"caudal vertebrae, chevrons and portions of the right hind limb"[8]	A Noasaurid
Eocarcharia[3]	E. dinops[9]	(2008)	"Partial skull and postcranial remains."[10]	Carcharodontosaurid
Suchomimus[3]	S. tenerensis[3]	(1998)	Partial skull and associated skeleton.[11]	A second, possible spinosaurid found in the formation, Cristatusaurus, is considered either a separate species or a synonym to Suchomimus[12]
Kryptops[3]	K. palaios[3]	(2008)	Postcranial skeleton and partial skull.[13]	Abelisaurid

Sauropods

		Sauropods
Genus	Species	Material	Images
Nigersaurus	N. taqueti	The limited understanding of the genus was the result of poor preservation of its remains, which arises from the delicate and highly pneumatic construction of the skull and skeleton, in turn causing disarticulation of the fossils. Some of the skull fossils were so thin that a strong light beam was visible through them. Therefore, no intact skulls or articulated skeletons have been found, and these specimens represent the most complete known rebbachisaurid remains.

• List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
• Crato Formation
• Romualdo Formation

• P. M. Galton and P. Taquet. 1982. Valdosaurus, a hypsilophodontid dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Africa. Géobios 15(2):147-159
• H. C. E. Larsson and B. Gado. 2000. A new Early Cretaceous crocodyliform from Niger. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen 217(1):131-141
• P. C. Sereno and S. J. ElShafie. 2013. A New Long-Necked Turtle, Laganemys tenerensis (Pleurodira: Araripemydidae), from the Elrhaz Formation (Aptian–Albian) of Niger. In D. B. Brinkman, P. A. Holroyd, J. D. Gardner (eds.), Morphology and Evolution of Turtles 215-250
• P. C. Sereno and H. C. E. Larsson. 2009. Cretaceous crocodyliformes from the Sahara. ZooKeys 28:1-143
• P. C. Sereno, A. L. Beck, D. B. Dutheil, B. Gado, H. C. E. Larsson, G. H. Lyon, J. D. Marcot, O. W. M. Rauhut, R. W. Sadleir, C. A. Sidor, D. D. Varricchio, G. P. Wilson, and J. A. Wilson. 1998. A long-snouted predatory dinosaur from Africa and the evolution of spinosaurids. Science 282:1298-1302