Shungura Formation

The Shungura Formation is a stratigraphic formation located in the Omo river basin in Ethiopia. It dates to the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene. Oldowan tools have been found in the formation, suggesting early use of stone tools by hominins. Among many others, fossils of Panthera were found in Member G of the formation.^[1][2]

Shungura Formation
Stratigraphic range: Piacenzian-Gelasian
Lower Omo Valley
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Omo Group
Underlies	Kalam Formation
Overlies	Mursi Formation
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone, siltstone
Other	Claystone, tuff
Location
Coordinates	5.1°N 36.0°E / 5.1; 36.0
Approximate paleocoordinates	5.8°N 36.1°E / 5.8; 36.1
Country	Ethiopia
Extent	Omo Subbasin  Turkana Basin
Shungura Formation (Ethiopia)

Geology

The formation comprises sandstones, siltstones, claystones and tuff, deposited in a fluvial to deltaic lacustrine environment.

Paleobiota

Fossil content

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Among many others, the following fossils have been reported from the formation:^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][2][10] [11]}

Mammals

Afrotheres

Hyracoidea

Hyraxes of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Gigantohyrax[12]	G. maguirei[13]	Member B.		A giant hyrax.

Proboscideans

Proboscideans of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Loxodonta	L. adaurora	Member O		Extinct subspecies of African elephants.
	L. exoptata	Member O
Palaeoloxodon recki	P. r. shungurensis	Member A, B, C, D, and E.		An extinct elephant species native to Africa.	Life restoration of Palaeoloxodon recki

Artiodactyls

Bovids

Bovids of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Aepyceros	A. shungurae	Members B, C, D, E, F, and G		Extinct relative of modern impala.
Antidorcas	A. recki	Members B, C, D, E, F, G, and H.		Extinct relative of modern springbok
Beatragus	B. antiquus	Member G.		Extinct relative of modern Hirola.
Gazella	G. praethomsoni	Members F, G, and H.		An early relative of gazelle.
Kobus	K. ancystrocera	Member B, C, E, G, and J.
	K. ellipsiprymnus	Member G, J, and K.		A waterbuck.
	K. oricornis			Extinct relatives of the Kobus family.
	K. sigmoidalis	Members D, E, F, and G.
Megalotragus	M. sp.			An alcelaphine.
Menelikia	M. lyrocera	Members C, E, F, G, H, I, and J.		An extinct reduncinae artiodactyl.
Pelorovis	P. sp.
Parmularius	P. altidens	Members G and H.		An extinct relative of alcelaphine.
Redunca	R. sp.			A reedbuck.
Syncerus	S. cf. acoelotus	Members B, C, D, E, F, and G.		A cape buffalo.
Tragelaphus	T. gaudryi	Member F.		Relative of spiral horned anterlope.
	T. nakuae

Camelids

Camels of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Camelus	C. grattardi[14]	Lower member G (G4-G13).	Distal humerus L1–68–76, maxilla fragment with heavily worn P4–M2 (Omo 75S-70–956); same individual as Omo 75–69–2222, M3.	Extinct relative of Camels.
Camelus	C. sp.

Giraffidae

Giraffids of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Giraffa	G. gracilis	Members D, E, F, and G.		Extinct relative of modern giraffe.
	G. pygmaea	Members G.
	G. jumae
Sivatherium	S. maurusium	Member F.		An extinct giraffid.

Hippopotamidae

Hippopotamids of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Hexaprotodon	H. protoamphibius			An extinct hippopotamid relative.
	H. shungurensis	Member C	A partial skull (calvarium and mandible)
Hippopotamus	H. protoamphibius

Suidae

Suidae of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Kolpochoerus	K. limnetes	Members E, D, G, F, and H.		An omnivorous pig.
Metridiochoerus	M. jacksoni	Members E, F, and G.		A giant warthog.
	M. modestus	Members G
Notochoerus	N. euilus	Members A, C.		A tetraconodontinae suid.
	N. scotti[15]	Members B, C, and H
Nyanzachoerus	N. kanamensis	Members A, B		A tetraconodontinae suid.
	N. jaegeri	Member A

Carnivora

Carnivorans of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Enhydriodon[16]	E. omoensis[17]	Member C.	Right femur (L 183–14), fragmented mandible, and lower dentition.	A lion-sized river otter.	Enhydriodon omoensis right femur faced at different sides.
Dinofelis	D. petteri	Member A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.[18]	Damaged cranium skull and dentition fragments, OMO 1–768–3.[18]	A sabertooth cat.
	D. sp.[18]	Member A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.[18]	Postcranial skulls (OMO 28-67-1075 from Member B), craniodental, and dentition fragments.[18]
Helogale	H. hirtula			Extinct species of Mongoose family.
	H. kitafe
Homotherium	H. aethiopicum	Members C and G.

Chiroptera

Bats of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Hipposideros	H. kaumbului	Member F.		A Roundleaf bat.
Taphozous	T. abitus	Member F.		Extinct relative of tomb bats and sheath-tailed bats.

Eulipotyphla

Eulipotyphlas of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Crocidura	C. aithiops
Suncus	S. haesaertsi			Relatives of Shrews
	S. cf. lixus
	S. shungurensis

Lagomorphs

Lagomorphs of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Lepus	L. capensis	Member E, and lower Members F and G.

Perissodactyls

Chalicotheres

Chalicotheres of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Ancylotherium	A. hennigi[19]	Members D and G.[19]	Several tooth fragments and postcranial skeleton	A chalicothere.

Rhinocerotidae

Rhinocerotidaes of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Ceratotherium	C. simum	Member A, B, C, D, E, J, K, L, and O.	Multiple dentition, cranium, and postcranial skeletion.	A white rhinoceros.
Diceros	D. bicornis	Member A, B, D, L, K, and O.	Complete Skull and Molars.	A black rhinoceros.

Equidae

Equids of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Equus	E. oldowayensis[20]	Members F, G, H, I, and J.	Jawbone mandible with complete dentition.	An Olduvai zebra.
Eurygnathohippus	E. libycum	Members C, E, F, G, and L.		A Hipparionine horse.
Hipparion	H. sitifense[21]	Members A, B, C, D, E, F, and G	Multiple cheek teeth and fragmented dentition.	Relatives of early horses.

Primates

Cercopithecidae

Cercopithecids of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Dinopithecus	D. sp.[22][23]
Paracolobus	P. mutiwa[23]	Member C, E, and G.[24] [11]	A skull, humerus and femur bone.	An early Colobinae monkey.
Rhinocolobus	R. turkanaensis[23] [11]	Member C, E, and G.[24]	A skull humerus and femur bone.	An early Colobinae monkey.
Theropithecus	T. brumpti	Members B, C, D, E, F, and G.	A skull	Extinct relative of Gelada Baboons.
	T. oswaldi	Members D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L.	A skull

Galagidae

Galagids of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Otolemur	O. howelli	Member B.	L. 1-378 (right m2), L. 1-377 (holotype, left maxillary fragment) with P4-M1, and Omo 229-73-4018 (right mandibular fragment).[25]	Extinct relative of greater galago.

Hominins

Homonids of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Australopithecus	A. sp.
Paranthropus	P. aethiopicus	Members C, D, E, and F.
	P. boisei	Members G and K.

Rodents

Rodents of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Aethomys	A. deheinzelini			a rock mouse.
Arvicanthis	A. sp.
Acomys	A. sp.
Gerbillus	G. sp.
Heterocephalus	H. atikoi
Jaculus	J. orientalis
Mastomys	M. minor
Paraxerus	P. ochraceus
Pelomys	P. sp.
Saidomys	S. sp.
Tatera	T. sp.
Xerus	X. sp.

Reptiles

Reptiles of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Euthecodon[26]	E. brumpti	Member H.	Complete partial skull.	A giant African long-snouted crocodile, formally named Tomistoma brumpti.

Fish

Fish of the Shungura Formation
Taxa	Species	Locality	Material	Notes	Images
Auchenoglanis	A. sp.	Members F3 and G24.	Omo 199 1973-1278 and Omo 215 1973–2556, two pectoral spines, the former lacking the distalmost tip.
Clarias	C. sp.
Gymnarchus	G. sp.
Polypterus	P. bichir	Upper Member A.	An association of several rows of rhombic ganoid scales, Omo 40–4343.	A Nile Bichir.
Sindacharax	S. greenwoodi			Relatives of African tetras.
	S. omoensis	Upper Member A.	Omo 128–72–22, Partial premaxilla (right) broken off lateral to the third outer tooth and second inner tooth, with first and second inner teeth in situ, and tooth bases visible of the first, second, and third outer teeth.
Synodontis	S. frontosus			relatives of Mochokid catfishes
	S. schall

See also

• Geology portal
• Paleontology portal

• List of fossil sites
• List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Ethiopia
• Geology of Ethiopia

References

1. Sabol, 2011, p.230
2. Boaz, N. T., Howell, F. C., & McCrossin, M. L. (1982). Faunal age of the Usno, Shungura B and Hadar Formations, Ethiopia. Nature, 300(5893), 633–635. https://doi.org/10.1038/300633A0
3. ETE Locality 807, Omo - member G at Fossilworks.org
4. ETE Locality 860, Omo - member C at Fossilworks.org
5. ETE Locality 486, Omo - O.75 at Fossilworks.org
6. ETE Locality 452, Omo - O.81, P.928 at Fossilworks.org
7. ETE Locality 363, Omo - L.28 at Fossilworks.org
8. ETE Locality 835, Omo - member G5 at Fossilworks.org
9. Stewart, Kathlyn & Murray, Alison. (2008). Fish remains from the Plio-Pleistocene Shungura Formation, Omo River basin, Ethiopia. Geobios - GEOBIOS-LYON. 41. 283-295. 10.1016/j.geobios.2007.06.004.
10. Sillen, A. (1986). Biogenic and Diagenetic Sr/Ca in Plio-Pleistocene Fossils of the Omo Shungura Formation. Paleobiology, 12(3), 311–323. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2400437
11. Pallas, L., Daver, G., Merceron, G., & Boisserie, J. (2023, February 3). Postcranial anatomy of the long bones of colobines (Mammalia, Primates) from the Plio-Pleistocene Omo Group deposits (Shungura Formation and Usno Formation, 1967-2018 field campaigns, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia). https://doi.org/10.31233/osf.io/bwegt
12. Wesselman H. B. (1984) The Omo Micromammals: Systematics and Paleoecology of Early Man Sites from Ethiopia, Contributions to Vertebrate Evolution 17
13. Skinner, J. D.; Chimimba, Christian T. (2005). The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region. Cambridge University Press. p. 41. ISBN 9781107394056. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
14. John Rowan, Pietro Martini, Likius Andossa, Gildas Merceron, Jean-Renaud Boisserie. New Pliocene remains of Camelus grattardi (Mammalia, Camelidae) from the Shungura Formation, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, and the evolution of African camels. Historical Biology, 2018, 31 (9), pp.1123-1134. ⟨10.1080/08912963.2017.1423485⟩. ⟨hal-02100346⟩
15. White, T. D., & Suwa, G. (2004). A New Species of Notochoerus (Artiodactyla, Suidae) from the Pliocene of Ethiopia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 24(2), 474–480. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4524733
16. GROHÉ C., UNO K. & BOISSERIE J.-R. 2022. — Lutrinae Bonaparte, 1838 (Carnivora, Mustelidae) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Lower Omo Valley, southwestern Ethiopia: systematics and new insights into the paleoecology and paleobiogeography of the Turkana otters. Comptes Rendus Palevol 2022 (30): 681-705. https://doi.org/10.5852/cr-palevol2022v21a30
17. Grohé, Camille & Uno, Kevin & Boisserie, Jean-Renaud. (2022). Lutrinae Bonaparte, 1838 (Carnivora, Mustelidae) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Lower Omo Valley, southwestern Ethiopia: systematics and new insights into the paleoecology and paleobiogeography of the Turkana otters. 21. 681-705. 10.5852/cr-palevol2022v21a30.
18. Werdelin, Lars & Lewis, Margaret. (2001). A revision of the genus Dinofelis (Mammalia, Felidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 132. 147 - 258. 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2001.tb02465.x.
19. Denis Geraads. Faunal Change in Eastern Africa at the Oldowan – Acheulean Transition. The Emergence of the Acheulean in East Africa and Beyond: Contributions in Honor of Jean Chavaillon, In press. ffhalshs-01819105
20. Gilbert, William & Bernor, Raymond. (2009). Equidae. 10.1525/california/9780520251205.003.0006.
21. Eisenmann, Véra. (1976). Equidae from the Shungura formation. Earliest Man and Environments in the Lake Rudolf Basin. 225-233.
22. Jablonski, Nina & Leakey, Meave & Anton, Mauricio. (2008). Systematic paleontology of the cercopithecines. The Fossil Monkeys. 6. 103-300.
23. Gilbert, C. C. (2013). Cladistic analysis of extant and fossil African papionins using craniodental data. Journal of Human Evolution, 64(5), 399–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JHEVOL.2013.01.013
24. Pallas, L., Daver, G., Merceron, G., & Boisserie, J. (2023, February 3). Postcranial anatomy of colobines (Mammalia, Primates) from the Plio-Pleistocene Omo Group deposits (Shungura Formation and Usno Formation, 1967-2018 field campaigns, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia). https://doi.org/10.31233/osf.io/bwegt
25. Werdelin, Lars & Partridge, Timothy & Seiffert, Erik & Feakins, Sarah & Demenocal, Peter & Jacobs, Bonnie & Gunnell, Gregg & Holroyd, Patricia & Asher, Robert & Sanders, William & Rasmussen, David & Gutiérrez, Mercedes & Domning, Daryl & Winkler, Alisa & Avery, D. Margaret & Godinot, Marc & Harrison, Terry & Godfrey, Laurie & Jablonski, Nina & Cerling, Thure. (2010). Cenozoic Mammals of Africa. 10.1525/california/9780520257214.001.0001. Page: 344-345
26. Joleaud ML (1920) On the presence of a Gavialide of the genus Tomistoma in the freshwater Pliocene of Ethiopia, Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences 70, 816-818

Bibliography

• Sabol, Martin (2011), "Masters of the lost world: a hypothetical look at the temporal and spatial distribution of lion-like felids", Quaternaire, 4: 229–236, retrieved 2018-09-02

Further reading

• L. Bobe and M. Mabela. 1997. Incidence of four gastrointestinal parasite worms in the group of cricetomas, Lukaya-Democratic Republic of Congo. Tropicultura 15(3):132-135
• C. S. Churcher and D. A. Hooijer. 1980. The Olduvai Zebra (Equus oldowayensis) from the later Omo beds, Ethiopia. Zoologische Mededelingen 55(22):265-280
• Y. Coppens and F. C. Howell. 1985. Les Faunes Plio-Pleistocenes de las Basse Vallee de l'Omo (Ethiopie), Tome 1: Perissodactyls, Artiodactyls (Bovidae). Cahiers de Paleontologie, Editions du CNRS, Paris
• G. Eck. 1977. Diversity and frequency distributions of Omo Group Cercopithecidae. Journal of Human Evolution 6:55-63
• C. S. Feibel, F.H. Brown, and I. McDougall. 1989. Stratigraphic Context of Fossil hominids from the Omo Group Deposits: Northern Turkana Basin, Kenya and Ethiopia. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 78:595-622
• J. de Heinzelin. 1983. The Omo Group: Archives of the International Omo Research Expedition. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Annales Series 8, Tervuren, Belgique 85
• F. C. Howell and Y. Coppens. 1973. Inventory of remains of Hominidae from Pliocene and Pleistocene formations of the lower Omo Basin, Ethiopia (1967–1972). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 40:1-16
• M. G. Leakey. 1982. Extinct large Colobines from the Plio-Pleistocene of Africa. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 58:153-172
• 2015 - Thomas W. Plummer, Joseph V. Ferraro, Julien Louys, Fritz Hertel, Zeresenay Alemseged, René Bobe, L. C. Bishop - Bovid ecomorphology and hominin paleoenvironments of the Shungura Formation, lower Omo River Valley, Ethiopia
• 1979 - Robert J. Rogers & Francis H. Brown - Authigenic mitridatite from the Shungura Formation, southwestern Ethiopia
• G. Suwa, T. D. White, and F. Clark Howell. 1996. Mandibular postcanine dentition from the Shungura Formation, Ethiopia: Crown morphology, taxonomic allocations and Plio-Pleistocene Hominid Evolution. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 101:247-282
• Vickers-Rich, Patricia & Rich, Thomas Hewett (1993); Wildlife of Gondwana. Reed. ISBN 0-7301-0315-3
• H. B. Wesselman. 1984. The Omo Micromammals: Systematics and Paleoecology of Early Man Sites from Ethiopia. Contributions to Vertebrate Evolution 17