Dinosaurs and Ancient Life
Niger’s paleontological record begins in earnest in the Permian Period some 250 million years ago before the dawn of the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs emerged as the dominant land animals. The best known reptiles and amphibians that lived in Niger during the pre-dinosaur era, Bunostegos, Nigerpeton and Saharastega, were initially discovered on the 2003 Expedition to Niger.
The dinosaurs of Niger come from a thick stack of flat-lying sediments eroding and outcropping in a succession as one moves east, south and west away from Agadez and the Aïr highlands. Those rocks span most of the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, a duration of nearly 100 million years (from ~175 to 90 million years ago). Six discrete chapters have emerged, three in the Jurassic and three in the Cretaceous Period.
The richest three levels, known world-wide from mounted skeletons, include:
- Touraren Formation (~160 mya) at the foot of the Falaise de Tiguidit;
- Elrhaz Formation (~110 mya) broadly exposed in an area known as Gadoufaoua;
- Echkar Formation (~95 mya) exposed near InAbangharit and Égaro.
Best known herbivorus and carnivorous dinosaurs from Niger
Dinosaurs of Niger
The dinosaurs of Niger that have already been described or mentioned are summarized below.
Ornithischians, Billed Plant-eaters
1. Small armored dinosaur
Mostly disarticulated skeletons from the Irhazer Plain.
An ilium of a small ornithopod close to Dryosaurus from Gadoufaoua.
Partial articulated skeletons of a large heavy-boned iguanodontian from Gadoufaoua.
Multiple partial skeletons and partial skulls from Gadoufaoua.
An intact sail of Ouranosaurus
Sauropodomorphs, Long-necked Titans
Articulated skeleton from the Irhazer Plain.
Multiple partial skeletons from the foot of the Falaise de Tiguidit.
Partial skulls and skeleton from Gadoufaoua.
Theropods, Two-legged Predators
Original bones from In Tedreft in northcentral Niger; partial trunk skeleton from the Falaise de Tiguidit.
Maxilla from Gadoufaoua.
10. Rugops primus
Partial cranium from Iguidi near InAbangharit.
11. Noasaurid
Articulated skeleton from Gadoufaoua.
Partial skull and skeleton from the foot of the Falaise de Tiguidit.
Maxilla from Gadoufaoua.
Skull and vertebrae from Iguidi near InAbangharit.
Partial skulls and skeletons from Gadoufaoua.
16. Spinosaurus sp.
Partial skull, isolated teeth and vertebrae from Iguidi near InAbangharit and Égaro.
Hind limb and tail bones from Gadoufaoua.
Spinosaurus skeleton
Carcharodontosaurus skull
Other Extinct Reptiles of Niger
Other extinct reptiles of Niger include a pterosaurs, crocodylians and turtles, some of which have been described.
Crocodylians
A growth series of skulls from 1 to 2 m; partial trunk skeleton, isolated limb bones from Gadoufaoua.
Single cranium and most of lower jaws from Gadoufaoua.
Skull and most of the skeleton and a juvenile skull from Gadoufaoua.
Complete cranium from Iguidi near InAbangharit.
Hoop-shaped lower jaws from a 1-m long skull from Iguidi near InAbangharit.
Lower jaws from Iguidi near InAbangharit.
Skull of modern croc in jaws of Sarcosuchus
Turtles
Complete skull and skeleton from Gadoufaoua.
Complete shell (carapace and plastron) from Gadoufaoua.
Large skull (~20cm) from end-Cretaceous near Kao in central Niger.
Skull (~10cm) from end-Cretaceous near Kao in central Niger.
Popular Articles on Niger Paleontology
1995
Sereno, P. C. Dinosaurs and drifting continents.
Natural History
104: 40-47
1996
Sereno, P. C. Africa's dinosaur castaways.
National Geographic Magazine
(June), pp. 106-119.
2001
Sereno, P. C. SuperCroc.
National Geographic Magazine
(Dec), pp. 84-89.
2007
Sereno, P. C., and N. Lunis.
SuperCroc: Paul Sereno’s Dinosaur Eater.
Bearport Publishing, pp. 1-36.
2009
Sereno, P. C. Strange crocs of the Sahara.
National Geographic Magazine
(Nov), pp. 140-141.
Paleontology Research Reports
1994
Sereno, P. C., J. A. Wilson, H. C. E. Larsson, D. B. Dutheil, H.-D. Sues. Early Cretaceous dinosaurs from the Sahara. Science 266:267-271.
1996
Sereno, P. C., D. B. Dutheil, M. Iarochene, H. C. E. Larsson, G. H. Lyon, P. M. Magwene, C. A. Sidor, D. J. Varricchio, J. A. Wilson. Predatory dinosaurs from the Sahara and Late Cretaceous faunal differentiation. Science 272:986-991.
1998
Sereno, P. C., A. L. Beck, D. B. Dutheil, B. Gado, H. C. E. Larsson, G. H. Lyon, J. D. Marcot, O. W. M. Rauhut, R. W. Sadlier, C. A. Sidor, D. J. Varricchio, G. P. Wilson, J. A. Wilson. A long-snouted predatory dinosaur from Africa and the evolution of spinosaurids. Science 282:1298-1302.
1999
Sereno, P. C., A. L. Beck, D. B. Dutheil, H. C. E. Larsson, G. H. Lyon, B. Moussa, R. W. Sadlier, C. A. Sidor, D. J. Varricchio, G. P. Wilson, J. A. Wilson. Cretaceous sauropods from the Sahara and the uneven rate of skeletal evolution among dinosaurs. Science 286:1342-1347.
2001
Sereno, P. C., H. C. E. Larsson, C. A. Sidor, and B. Gado. The giant crocodyliform Sarcosuchus from the Cretaceous of Africa. Science 294:1516-1519.
2003
Sereno, P. C., C. A. Sidor, H. C. E. Larsson, and B. Gado. A new notosuchian from the Early Cretaceous of Niger. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23:477-482.
2004
Sereno, P. C., J. A. Wilson, and J. L. Conrad. New dinosaurs link southern landmasses in the Mid-Cretaceous. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 271:1325-1330.
2005
Sidor, C. A., R. F. O’Keefe, R. Damiani, J. S. Steyer, R. M. H. Smith, H. C. E. Larsson, P. C. Sereno, O. Idé, and A. Maga. Permian tetrapods from the Sahara show climate-controlled endemism in Pangaea. Nature 434:886-889.
Sereno, P. C., J. Wilson. Structure and evolution of a sauropod tooth battery. Chpt. 5, pp.157-177 in C. A. Curry Rogers and J. A. Wilson (eds.) The Sauropods: Evolution and Paleobiology. University of California Press, Berkeley.
2007
Sereno, P. C., J. A. Wilson, L. M. Witmer, J. A. Whitlock, A. Maga, O. Ide, and T. A. Rowe. Structural extremes in a Cretaceous dinosaur. PLoS ONE 2:1-9 (e1230). Brusatte, S. L. and P. C. Sereno. A new species of Carcharodontosaurus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Cenomanian of Niger and a revision of the genus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27:902-916.
Brusatte, S. L. and P. C. Sereno. A new species of Carcharodontosaurus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Cenomanian of Niger and a revision of the genus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27:902-916.
2009
Sereno, P. C. and H. C. E. Larsson. Cretaceous crocodyliforms from the Sahara. ZooKeys 28:1-143.
2013
Sereno, P. C. and S. J. ElShafie. A new long-necked turtle, Laganemys tenerensis (Pleurodira: Araripemydidae) from the Elrhaz Formation (Aptian-Albian) of Niger. pp. 1-66, in Morphology and Evolution of Turtles: Origin and Early Diversification, D. B. Brinkman, P. A. Holroyd, and J. D. Gardiner (eds.), Springer, Dordrecht.
Documentary Films on Niger Paleontology
1994
Skeletons in the Sand (New Explorers, PBS one-hour documentary)
On the 1993 Expedition to Niger, its fossil discoveries and the adventure and science of a large scale paleontological expedition.
On the 1993 Expedition to Niger, its fossil discoveries and the adventure and science of a large scale paleontological expedition.
1995
African Graveyard, Part I: Hunting Dinosaurs and African Graveyard, Part II: The Discovery (The Learning Channel, two half-hour documentaries)
On the 1995 Expedition to Morocco, its fossil discoveries and the adventure and science of working in the Sahara. Part II won a National Educational Media Award.
On the 1995 Expedition to Morocco, its fossil discoveries and the adventure and science of working in the Sahara. Part II won a National Educational Media Award.
1998
Colossal Claw (National Geographic Explorer, half-hour documentary)
Highlights the discovery and development of the predatory dinosaur Suchomimus, following the work from the Sahara Desert to the finished skeletons and flesh model.
Highlights the discovery and development of the predatory dinosaur Suchomimus, following the work from the Sahara Desert to the finished skeletons and flesh model.
Dinosaur Fever (National Geographic Explorer, half-hour documentary)
Highlights the discovery and excavation of a graveyard of huge sauropod dinosaurs in the Sahara during the 1997 Expedition to Niger.
Highlights the discovery and excavation of a graveyard of huge sauropod dinosaurs in the Sahara during the 1997 Expedition to Niger.
1999
Africa’s Dinosaur Giants (National Geographic Explorer, one-hour documentary)
Highlights the discovery and excavation of a graveyard of huge sauropod dinosaurs in the Sahara during the 1997 Expedition to Niger and the steps involved in reconstructing their skeletons.
Highlights the discovery and excavation of a graveyard of huge sauropod dinosaurs in the Sahara during the 1997 Expedition to Niger and the steps involved in reconstructing their skeletons.
2001
SuperCroc (NBC/NGC 2-hour special)
Documents the discovery and development of Sarcosuchus, the world's largest fossil crocodile.
Documents the discovery and development of Sarcosuchus, the world's largest fossil crocodile.
2006
Sky Monsters (NGC 2 hour special)
Featuring the pterosaur discovery from Niger, its reconstruction and the attempt to make a life-size flying model.
Featuring the pterosaur discovery from Niger, its reconstruction and the attempt to make a life-size flying model.
2009
Bizarre Dinos (NGC 1 hour special)
Featuring recent dinosaur discoveries in the lab including Nigersaurus, Raptorex, and Mykocephale.
Featuring recent dinosaur discoveries in the lab including Nigersaurus, Raptorex, and Mykocephale.
When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs (NGC 1 hour special)
Featuring a series of new croc discoveries from the Sahara (BoarCroc, PancakeCroc, DuckCroc, DogCroc, RatCroc) and tracking live crocs in Australia.
Featuring a series of new croc discoveries from the Sahara (BoarCroc, PancakeCroc, DuckCroc, DogCroc, RatCroc) and tracking live crocs in Australia.
2014
Bigger Than T. Rex (NOVA/NGC 1 hour special)
A team of palaeontologists search for Spinosaurus in the Saharan desert, a giant meat eater believed to be even larger than Tyrannosaurus rex.
A team of palaeontologists search for Spinosaurus in the Saharan desert, a giant meat eater believed to be even larger than Tyrannosaurus rex.