Sannine Formation
Stratigraphic range: late Albian-Cenomanian ~
Type	Geological formation
Underlies	Maameltain Formation
Overlies	Hammana Formation
Thickness	Coastal: >2,000 m (6,600 ft) Mountains: 500–700 m (1,600–2,300 ft)
Lithology
Primary	Chalk, limestone
Other	Marl
Location
Coordinates	34°06′N 35°42′E / 34.1°N 35.7°E / 34.1; 35.7
Approximate paleocoordinates	12°54′N 30°24′E / 12.9°N 30.4°E / 12.9; 30.4
Region	Jabal Lubnan
Country	Lebanon
Type section
Named for	Mount Sannine
Sannine Formation (Lebanon)

The Sannine Formation, also called the Sannine Limestone, is a Cretaceous geologic formation in Lebanon.

Description

It is primarily Cenomanian in age. The formation laterally varies from east to west; the western lowland "coastal" sequence is over 2000 metres thick and primarily consists of deep water limestone and chalk, while the eastern "mountain" sequence is 500–700 metres thick and consists of shallow water limestone.^[1] Pterosaur fossils have been recovered from the formation, including those of Mimodactylus^[2] and Microtuban.^[3] The pythonomorphs Pontosaurus, Eupodophis and probably Aphanizocnemus are known from the formation.^[4] Insects are also known from compression fossils, including those of a dragonfly,^[5] enigmatic pond-skater like insect Chresmoda.^[6] and a mesoblattinid cockroach.^[7] Compression fossils of angiosperm Sapindopsis are also known.^[8] Numerous species of fossil fish are known,^[9] including Ionoscopid Spathiurus dorsalis^[10] and pycnodontid Flagellipinna rhomboides.^[11]

Fossil Content

Fish

Fish reported from the Sannine Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Notes	Images
Armigatus	A. alticorpus	Namoura[12] and Hakel[13]	A clupeomorph[13][12]
	A. brevissimus	Heckel and Hajula[13]	A clupeomorph[13]
	A. namourensis	Namoura[12]	A clupeomorph[13]
Belonostomus	B. sp., B. sp.	Namoura[12]	2 unnamed species awaiting better material[12]
Ctenodentelops	C. striatus	Namoura[12]	An elopid[12]
Cyclobatis	C. oligodactylus	Hjoula[14]	[15][14]
Enchodus	E. mecoanalis	Namoura[12]
Flagellipinna	F. rhomboides	Haqel	A pycodontid[11]
Gigapteryx	G. lebanonensis	Namoura[12]	A euacanthopterygiian[12]
Gladiopycnodus	G. byrnei	Hajoula	[16]
Hensodon	H. spinosus	Hakel	A pycnodont[17]
Lebonichthys	L. namourensis	Namoura[12]	An albulid[12]
Paracentrus	P. lebanonensis	Namoura[12]	A holocentroid[12]
Pseudocorax	P. kindlimmani	Haqel	[18]
Scombroclupea	S. diminuta	Namoura[12]	A clupeiforme[12]
Serrilepis	S. prymnostrigos, S. minor	Namoura[12]	A halecid[12]
Spathiurus	S. dorsalis	Haqel	[10]
Tethymyxine	T. tapirostrum	Hâdjoula	One of the earliest known definitive fossil hagfish.[19]
Trewavasia	T. carinata		[17]
Triplomystus	T. noorae, T. oligoscutatus	Namoura[12]	2 species known from the same site, of the paraclupeid family.[12]
Ypsiloichthys	Y. sibelleae	Haqel[20]	A teleost.

Amniotes

Amniotes reported from the Sannine Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Notes	Images
Aphanizocnemus	A. libanensis	Although the type locality is unknown, it is said to "almost certainly" originate from the Sannine Formation.	[4]
Enantiophoenix	E. electrophyla	Namoura	[21]
Eupodophis	E. descouensi		[4]
Microtuban	M. altivolans		[3]
Mimodactylus	M. libanensis		[2]
Pontosaurus	P. kornhuberi		[4]
Rhinochelys	R. nammourensis	Adult and multiple hatchling remains known, suggesting a nesting site was nearby.[22]	[22]

Invertebrates

Invertebrates reported from the Sannine Formation
Genus	Species	Presence	Notes	Images
Allocrioceras	A. cf. annulatum		[18][23]
Boreopeltis	B. smithi	Hâkel	[24]
Chresmoda	C. libanica		[6]
Dorateuthis	D. syriaca	Sâhel Aalma	[24]
Keuppia	K. levante, K. hyperbolaris, K. sp.	Hâdjoula	2 or 3 species known from the same locality[25]
Libanocordulia	L. debiei	Hjoula	A dragonfly[5]
Libanoliupanshania	L. mimi	Hjoula	A dragonfly[5]
Mantelliceras	M. mantelli	Haqel	"the occurrence of Mantelliceras mantelli is regarded doubtful, as this species has been used for various taxa within the family Acanthoceratidae de Grossouvre, 1894, and specimens have never been figured"[18][23]
Mieroblattina	M. pacis	Nammoura	[7]
Styletoctopus	S. annae	Hâqel	[25]

See also

• List of pterosaur-bearing stratigraphic units
• Paleontology in Lebanon

References