Tiourarén Formation
# Tiourarén Formation

The Tiourarén Formation is a geological formation in the Agadez Region of Niger whose strata were originally thought to be Early Cretaceous. However, re-interpretation of the sediments showed that they are probably Middle-Late Jurassic (Bathonian-Oxfordian) in age. It is the uppermost unit of the Irhazer Group. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.

## Description

The formation comprises reddish, almost solid mudstones, which also shows grey and white streaks, probably caused by alternating oxidative and reducing environments. The depositional environment has been interpreted as swampy with seasonal flooding in braided river systems.

## Fossil content

Dinosaurs :

| Genus | Species | Material |
| - | - | - |
| Afrovenator | A. abakensis | Partial skull and associated postcranial remains. |
| Jobaria | J. tiguidensis | "Skull [and] several skeletons." |
| "Rebbachisaurus" | "R." tamesnensis | "Fragmentary remains". |
| Spinostropheus | S. gautieri | "Partial post-cranial skeletons". |
| Basal Thyreophoran | Unnamed | "associated, but disarticulated, bones, teeth, and abundant scutes from many individuals ranging in maturity from subadult to adult" |
