{{Infobox rockunit | name = Continental intercalaire | image = Outcrops of the "Continental intercalaire infracenomanien" in the Kem Kem.jpg | caption = Outcrops of the "Continental intercalaire infracenomanien" in the Kem Kem | period = Cretaceous | type = Geological formation | age = {{fossilrange|Albian|Cenomanian|earliest=Aalenian|latest=66}} | prilithology = Sandstone, claystone, conglomerate | otherlithology = | namedfor = | namedby = | region = Northern Africa | country = | coordinates = | unitof = | subunits = | underlies = | overlies = Paleozoic rocks (often Carboniferous in age) | thickness = {{convert|30|to|800|m|ft|-2}} | extent = | area = | map = | map_caption = }} The '''Continental intercalaire''', sometimes referred to as the '''Continental intercalaire Formation''', is a term applied to Cretaceous strata in Northern Africa.<ref name=":2">A. F. de Lapparent, (1960), "Les Dinosauriens du "Continental intercalaire" du Sahara central", ''Mémoires de la Société géologique de France, nouvelle série'' '''39'''(88A): 1-57</ref> It is the largest single stratum found in Africa to date, being between {{convert|30|and|800|m|ft|-2}} thick in some places. Fossils, including dinosaurs, have been recovered from this formation.<ref name="cretaceousdistribution">Weishampel, David B; et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution (Early Cretaceous, Africa)." In: Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. Pp. 571-573. {{ISBN|0-520-24209-2}}.</ref> The Continental intercalaire stretches from Algeria, Tunisia and Niger in the west to Egypt and Sudan in the east.<ref name="Anderson">{{cite journal|title=Palaeoenvironments of vertebrates on the southern shore of Tethys: The nonmarine Early Cretaceous of Tunisia |author= Paul E. Anderson, Michael J. Benton,⁎ Clive N. Trueman, Bruce A. Paterson, Gilles Cuny |date=2007|journal= Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=243 |publisher=Elsevier |issue=1–2|pages=118–131|doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.07.015 |bibcode=2007PPP...243..118A }}{{dead link|date=May 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="Fanti">{{cite journal|title= The ''Continental Intercalaire'' of southern Tunisia: Stratigraphy, paleontology, and paleoecology |author= Federico Fanti, Michela Contessi, Fulvio Franchi |date=2012|journal= Journal of African Earth Sciences |volume= 73 |issue=73–74 |publisher=Elsevier |pages=1–23|doi= 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2012.07.006 |bibcode= 2012JAfES..73....1F }}{{dead link|date=May 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
== History == Fernand Foureau was the first to excavate fossils from the Continental intercalaire in Djoua, Algeria in 1893,<ref name=":2" /> and Léon Pervinquière studied the Continental intercalaire in Tataouine, Tunisia in 1912.<ref>''Rapport sur une mission scientifique dans l'extrême-sud tunisien (frontière tuniso tripolitaine)'', (1912) - Discussion on the scientific mission to extreme southern Tunisia (Frontier Tunisia-Tripolitania).</ref><ref>''Études de paléontologie tunisienne 2, Gastropodes et lamellibranches des terrains crétacés'', (1912) - Studies of Tunisian paleontology II, Cretaceous gastropods and lamellibranchs.</ref>
The Continental intercalaire was later identified during the course of several expeditions to the Sahara from 1946 to 1959 which were led by the French paleontologist Albert-Félix de Lapparent.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0">De Broin, France; Taquet, Philippe (1966). "Découverte d'un Crocodilien nouveau dans le Crétacé inférieur du Sahara". ''C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris'' (in French). '''262''' (D).</ref>
== Description == The Continental intercalaire is most often likened to the Kem Kem Group in Morocco.<ref name="ci">"Continental intercalaire." Weishampel, et al. (2004). Pg. 571-572.</ref> It likely represents fluviatile facies, suggesting an environment with many rivers and streams.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Benyoucef |first=Madani |last2=Läng |first2=Emilie |last3=Cavin |first3=Lionel |last4=Mebarki |first4=Kaddour |last5=Adaci |first5=Mohammed |last6=Bensalah |first6=Mustapha |date=2015 |title=Overabundance of piscivorous dinosaurs (Theropoda: Spinosauridae) in the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa: The Algerian dilemma |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2015.02.002 |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=55 |pages=44–55 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2015.02.002 |issn=0195-6671|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==Fossil content== ===Archosaurs=== ====Dinosaurs==== {| class="wikitable" align="center" |+Dinosaurs of the Continental intercalaire ! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Material !! Notes !! Images |- |''Aegyptosaurus''<ref name="ci" /> |''A. baharijensis'' | * Egypt * Iguallala, Niger |Vertebrae, thoracic rib fragment, and two metatarsals (Niger); caudal vertebrae (Egypt)<ref name=":2" /> | | |- |''Bahariasaurus''<ref name="ci" /><ref name=":2" /> |''B.ingens'' |Niger |Six vertebrae | | |- |"''Brachiosaurus''"<ref name="ci" /> |''"B" nougaredi'' |Taouratine, Algeria |Partial sacrum and left forelimb | Previously believed to be discovered from the Late Jurassic-age Taouratine Series. Likely does not belong as a species of ''Brachiosaurus'' and may represent multiple sauropod species. | |- | rowspan="2" |''Carcharodontosaurus''<ref name="ci" /> |''C. saharicus'' | * Timimoun, Algeria * El Rhaz, Niger * In Abangarit, Niger * Guermessa, Tunisia |164 teeth, several vertebrae, partial humerus, and a metatarsal<ref name=":2" /> | rowspan = 2|Collection of multiple specimens with teeth found at all four localities. | rowspan = 2| |- |cf.''C''.sp | |Fragmentary remains<ref name="cretaceousdistribution" /> |- | rowspan="3" |Coelurosauria<ref name=":2" /> | rowspan="3" |Coelurosauria indet. |Morocco |Left tibia and a "large" femur |Similar to ''cf. Elaphrosaurus'' from Egypt. | |- | * In Abangarit, Niger * In Tedreft, Niger |16 vertebrae, left humerus, right ulna, left pubis, femur, right tibia (In Abangarit material); 3 damaged vertebrae, sacrum, 3 hand claws, right tibia, isolated tibia, metatarsal, 4 phalanges (In Tedreft material) |Previously known as ''Elaphrosaurus gautieri'' and is a collection of multiple specimens. | |- | * Ebrechko, Niger * El Rhaz, Niger * Ifayen Ignère, Niger * In Abangarit, Niger |49 teeth, 8 caudal vertebrae, a hand claw, a damaged right femur, and a tibia |Previously known as ''Elaphrosaurus iguidensis'' and is a collection of multiple specimens. | |- |Dinosauria<ref name=":4">W., R. DeC., Foureau, F. (1904) Documents scientifiques de la Mission Saharienne. Mission Foureau-Lamy d'Alger au Congo par le Tchad. ''Bulletin of the American Geographical Society'', 36 (9). 566pp. doi:10.2307/198160</ref> | rowspan="2" |Dinosauria indet. |Djoua, Algeria |Fragments |Discovered by Fernand Foureau in 1893. | |- |Dinosauria<ref>Bourcart, J. (1932). Le Sahara algérien, in La Géologie, et les Mines de la France d'outre-mer, p. 181-204.</ref> |Tilemsi, Mali |"Large bones" |Only ever mentioned in passing. | |- |Iguanodontia<ref name="ci" /> |Iguanodontia indet. |Kanboute, Tunisia |Upper right maxillary tooth<ref name=":2" /> |Previously described as belonging to ''Iguanodon mantelli''. Discovered on 15 January 1951. | |- |''Inosaurus<ref>A. F. d. Lapparent. (1953). Gisements de Dinosauriens dans le "Continental intercalaire" d'In Abangarit (Sahara méridional) [Dinosaur localities in the "Continental Intercalaire" of In Abangarit (southern Sahara)]. ''Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences à Paris'' 236:1905-1906</ref>''<ref name="Lapparent1960">A. F. de Lapparent, (1960), "Les Dinosauriens du "Continental intercalaire" du Sahara central", ''Mémoires de la Société géologique de France, nouvelle série'' '''39'''(88A): 1-57</ref> |''I. tedreftensis'' |In Tedreft, Niger |Two dorso-lumbar vertebrae, two smaller vertebrae, two fused sacral vertebrae, five middle or posterior caudal vertebrae, seven caudal vertebra fragments, left proximal tibia. |Includes the holotype specimen. | |- |Megalosauroidea<ref>Depéret, C. & Savornin, J. (1925). ''Sur la découverte d'une faune de vertébrés albiens a Timimoun (Sahara occidental)'', Comptes Rendus, Académie des Sciences, Paris, volume 181, pp. 1108–1111.</ref><ref>Depéret, C. & Savornin, J. (1927). ''La Faune de reptiles et de poissons albiens de Timimoun (Sahara algérien)'', Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, volume 27, pp. 257–265.</ref> |Megalosauroidea indet. |Timimoun, Algeria |Two teeth |Discovered by Captain Burté. | |- |''Nigersaurus''{{citation needed|date=November 2025}} |''N. taqueti'' | | | | |- |''Paralititan''?<ref name="ci" /> |''P. stromeri''? | | |May instead be ''Aegyptosaurus'' | |- |''Rebbachisaurus''?<ref name=":2" /> |''R''.? ''tamesnensis'' | * Aoulef, Algeria * Djoua, Algeria * In Salah, Algeria * Timimoun, Algeria * Ebrechko, Niger * El Rhaz, Niger * Ifayen Ignère, Niger * Iguallala, Niger * In-Gall, Niger * Tébéhic, Niger * Ténéré, Niger * Tiguidi, Niger * Guermessa, Tunisia |Two humeri and two femora, and a second specimen composed of four isolated teeth, a dentary fragment with three teeth, over 100 vertebrae, six chevrons, 12 ribs, 5 scapulae, an ilium, two ischia, and numerous limb elements |May not belong to ''Rebbachisaurus''. | |- |Ornithopoda<ref name="ci" /> |Ornithopoda indet. | | |Multiple species | |- |Sauropoda<ref name=":2" /><ref name="ci" /> | rowspan="2" |Sauropoda indet. |In Gall, Niger |Two vertebrae |Previously referred to ''Astrodon''. | |- |Sauropoda<ref>Pérébaskine, V. (1933). Contribution à l'étude géologique du Soudan oriental. Bull. Agence gén. des Col., n° 286, p. 19-54 ; n° 287, p. 246-281 ; n° 288, p. 448-483 ; 11 fig., 9 pl., 1 carte h. t. (Tirage à part : 1 volume in-8, 125 p., 11 fig. 9 pl., 1 carte h. t.) (Thèse).</ref> |Ibelrane, Mali |Vertebra | | |- |Stegosauria<ref name=":2" /> |Stegosauria indet. |In Abangarit, Niger |Dermal plate | | |- | rowspan="2" |''Spinosaurus''<ref name="ci" /> |''S. aegyptiacus'' | * Egypt * Morocco |Abundant teeth and postcranial remains | rowspan="2" |Used to help date the age of the Continental intercalaire; 94% of theropod teeth in the Continental intercalaire belong to ''Spinosaurus''. Relatively rare in Algerian strata.<ref name=":3" /> | rowspan="2" | |- |cf. ''S''. sp | * Kénadsa, Algeria * Menaguir, Algeria * Egypt * Morocco * Tunisia |Abundant teeth and postcranial remains |- |Theropoda<ref name="ci" /><ref name=":2" /> |Theropoda indet. |Zarzaïtine, Algeria |Two teeth |Previously placed within ''Teratosaurus''. May be referrable to ?Megalosauridae. | |- |Titanosauria<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=O'Leary |first=A |last2=Roberts |first2=M |last3=Head |first3=J |last4=Sissoko |first4=S |last5=Boare |first5=B |date=2016 |title=Titanosaurian (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) remains from the "Continental Intercalaire" of Mali [X23707] (matrix) |url=https://doi.org/10.7934/x23707 |access-date=2025-11-12 |website=MorphoBank datasets}}</ref> |Titanosauria indet. |Mali | |Represents a distinct species current found only in Mali.<ref name=":1" /> | |}
====Reptiles==== {| class="wikitable" align="center" |+Reptiles of the Continental intercalaire ! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Material !! Notes !! Images |- |Reptilia<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chudeau |first=René |date=1908 |title=Etudes sur le Sahara et le Soudan |url=https://doi.org/10.3406/geo.1908.18206 |journal=Annales de Géographie |volume=17 |issue=91 |pages=34–55 |doi=10.3406/geo.1908.18206 |issn=0003-4010|url-access=subscription }}</ref> |Reptilia indet. |Marandet, Niger |Indeterminate remains | | |}
====Crocodylomorphs==== {| class="wikitable" align="center" |+Crocodylomorphs of the Continental intercalaire ! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Material !! Notes !! Images |- |''Sarcosuchus''<ref name="ci" /> |''S. imperator''<ref name=":0" /> | | | | |- |''Sissokosuchus<ref name="W25">{{Cite journal |last1=Wilberg |first1=E. |last2=Hill |first2=R. V. |last3=Pascucci |first3=T. R. |last4=Roberts |first4=E. M. |last5=Bouaré |first5=M. L. |last6=O'Leary |first6=M. A. |year=2025 |title=A new itasuchid (Crocodyliformes, Notosuchia) from the Early Cretaceous of Mali and the ancient Paleo-Tegama river system of Gondwana |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |at=e2505473 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2025.2505473}}</ref>'' |''S. maliensis'' | | A partial dentary tip, parts of the maxilla, and several cranial elements. | A sebecian notosuchian. | |- |}
===Fish=== {| class="wikitable" align="center" |+Fish of the Continental intercalaire ! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Material !! Notes !! Images |- |Hybodontidae<ref name=":3" /> |Hybodontidae indet. |Menaguir, Tunisia |Fin spine fragment<ref name=":3" /> | | |- |''Mawsonia<ref name="FWMawsonia">[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=68074 ''Mawsonia''] at Fossilworks.org</ref>'' | | * Algeria * Tunisia | |(several species)''<ref name="FWMawsonia" />'' | |- |''Onchopristis''<ref name="ci" /> |''O. numida'' (or ''numidus'') |Algeria<ref name="ci" /> | |Includes specimens previously known as ''Gigantichthys numidus''.<ref name=":4" /> | |}
=== Trace fossils === {| class="wikitable" align="center" |+Trace fossils of the Continental intercalaire ! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Material !! Notes !! Images |- |''Ophiomorpha''<ref name=":3" /> |''Ophiomorpha'' sp. |Menaguir, Tunisia | | | |- |''Skolithos''<ref name=":3" /> |''Skolithos'' sp. |Menaguir, Tunisia | | | |- |''Thalassinoides''<ref name=":3" /> |''Thalassinoides'' sp. |Menaguir, Tunisia | | | |}
==See also== {{portal|Paleontology}} * List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
==References== {{Reflist}}
|}
Category:Cretaceous paleontological sites of Africa Category:Geologic groups of Africa Category:Cretaceous Africa