# 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.

## 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:

### Mammals
#### Afrotheres
##### Hyracoidea

Hyraxes of the Shungura Formation :
| Taxa | Species | Locality | Material | Notes | Images |
| Gigantohyrax | G. maguirei | Member B. | | A giant hyrax. | |

##### Proboscideans

Proboscideans of the Shungura Formation :
| Taxa | Species | Locality | Notes | Images |
| Loxodonta | L. adaurora | Member O | Extinct subspecies of African elephants. | |
| Loxodonta | L. exoptata | Member O | Extinct subspecies of African elephants. | |
| 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 | Notes |
| 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. | |
| Kobus | K. ellipsiprymnus | Member G, J, and K. | A waterbuck. |
| Kobus | K. oricornis | | Extinct relatives of the Kobus family. |
| Kobus | K. sigmoidalis | Members D, E, F, and G. | Extinct relatives of the Kobus family. |
| 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. |
| Tragelaphus | T. nakuae | Member F. | Relative of spiral horned anterlope. |

##### Camelids

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

##### Hippopotamidae

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

##### Suidae

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

#### Carnivora

Carnivorans of the Shungura Formation :
| Taxa | Species | Locality | Material | Notes | Images |
| Enhydriodon | E. omoensis | 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. | Damaged cranium skull and dentition fragments, OMO 1–768–3. | A sabertooth cat. | |
| Dinofelis | D. sp. | Member A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. | Postcranial skulls (OMO 28-67-1075 from Member B), craniodental, and dentition fragments. | A sabertooth cat. | |
| Helogale | H. hirtula | | | Extinct species of Mongoose family. | |
| Helogale | H. kitafe | | | Extinct species of Mongoose family. | |
| 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 | Notes |
| Crocidura | C. aithiops | |
| Suncus | S. haesaertsi | Relatives of Shrews |
| Suncus | S. cf. lixus | Relatives of Shrews |
| Suncus | S. shungurensis | Relatives of Shrews |

#### 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 | Members D and G. | 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 |
| Equus | E. oldowayensis | 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 | 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 |
| Dinopithecus | D. sp. | | | |
| Paracolobus | P. mutiwa | Member C, E, and G. | A skull, humerus and femur bone. | An early Colobinae monkey. |
| Rhinocolobus | R. turkanaensis | Member C, E, and G. | 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. |
| Theropithecus | T. oswaldi | Members D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L. | A skull | Extinct relative of Gelada Baboons. |

##### 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). | Extinct relative of greater galago. | |

##### Hominins

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

#### Rodents

Rodents of the Shungura Formation :
| Taxa | Species | Notes |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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. |
| Sindacharax | 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. | Relatives of African tetras. |
| Synodontis | S. frontosus | | | relatives of Mochokid catfishes |
| Synodontis | S. schall | | | relatives of Mochokid catfishes |