Maastrichtian ostracods from the Dakhla Formation at the Kharga Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt: Systematics and biostratigraphic significance

Abstract

Investigation of the Maastrichtian part of the Dakhla Formation in five stratigraphic sections exposed at the Kharga Oasis yielded well-preserved ostracod fauna from the Baris Oyster Mudstone Member. The recorded fauna consists of 15 species assigned to 11 genera belonging to 7 families. Of these, ten species are already known in previous literature and five are either conferred to near species or, owing to scarcity of available material or inconvenient state of preservation, left in open nomenclature. Seven of the known species, Cytherella bassiogeri, Paraschizocythere bifaciefera, Aegyptiana abutarturensis, Aegyptiana anguloreticulata, Cristaeleberis fornicata, Rushdisaidina supracretacea and Brachcythere dakhlaensis, have all their records restricted to the Maastrichtian and can hence be used as biostratigraphic markers and relative age indicators for this time interval.