The Dam Formation is an Early Miocene formation located in southwestern Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Description The formation was first described in a report in 1935 by Steineke and Kock. However, this report was unpublished. It was first described in published material by Powers in 1968 in Saudi Arabia, and by Cavelier in 1970 in Qatar.
The formation in Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. was deposited in a terrestrial environment, while the formation in Qatar was deposited in a marine habitat as evidenced by the multiple marine animals found in the formation.
Fossil content Mammals from the Dam formation Genus Species Material Notes Member Images SalwasirenS. qataernsisARC.2023.23.008, one associated skeleton including an incomplete cranium, mandible, left upper molar (M2), sternum, both scapulae and humeri, a partial vertebral column and ilium. ARC.2023.28.014, an incomplete left incisorA dugongid sireanianLower Al-Kharrara MemberOdontocetiIndeterminateA tooth among other remainsLower Al-Kharrara Member
Fish from the Dam formation Genus Species Material Notes Member Images TeleostIndeterminateLower Al-Kharrara MemberCarcharhiniformesIndeterminatePhysodon/ScoliodonP./S.sp.AetobatusA.arcuatusA species of Eagle rayDiodonD.sp.A species of porcupine fish
Reptiles from the Dam formation Genus Species Material Notes Member Images TestudinesIndeterminateLower Al-Kharrara MemberReptillia?IndeterminateLower/Middle Al-Kharrara Member Molluscs from the Dam formation Genus Species Material Notes Member Images OstreaO.latimarginataBivalveLower & Middle Al-Kharrara MembersPectinidaeIndeterminateScallopAnomiaIndeterminateBivalveSpondylusAviculaClementiaC.papayracea"Impressions and molds"Lower, Middle & Upper Al-Kharrara Members & Abu Samrah memberChamaC. gryphoidesClausinellaC.eriscaBivalveC. persicaHydrobiidaeIndeterminateA family of fresh to brackish water snailsChlamysC.senatoriaBivalveUpper Al-Kharrara Member & Abu Samrah memberFissurellaIndeterminateGastropodNaticaXenophoraTurritellaCerithiidaeConusBullaHydrobiaGastropod "Very locally" foundPotamidesCapsaC. lacunosacf. C. fragilis TellinaT. bipartitaBivalveDiplodontaD.cf. rotundataBarbatiaB. barbataBivalveAnadaraA.cf. turonicaCardiocarditaC.cf. monoliferaC.aff. turonicaSolecurtusS. basterotiTimocleaT. subspadiceaMusculusM.sp.BivalveEastoniaIndeterminatePanopeaGastropodTapesBivalveMactraLucinaCardium?OlivellaRemains of "Internal molds"VolutaFasciolariaCassisCypraea
Echinoderms from the Dam formation Genus Species Material Notes Member Images FibulariaF. damensisA Sand DollarAgassiziaA. aff. persicaSea urchinCidarisC.sp.Spines
Bryozoans from the Dam formation Genus Species Material Notes Member Images ?CupuladriaC. gr. haidingeri Crustacean remains have also been found in the formation
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