A study of Different Classes and Genera of Macrofossils of the An Naggazah Member, the Al Khums Formation, North-West Libya

Abstract

This study investigates the paleontological characteristics of Miocene deposits exposed in the Al Khums area, northwestern Libya, with particular emphasis on the An Naggazah Member of the Al Khums Formation. The primary objective is the systematic classification, detailed description, and taxonomic evaluation of selected fossil assemblages. A total of fourteen rock samples were collected from a well-defined stratigraphic section and subjected to comprehensive paleontological analysis. The examined fauna from the lower to middle Miocene comprises two species belonging to the class Echinozoa, ten species of the class Bivalvia, and two species of the class Gastropoda. Notably, several of the identified taxa have been rarely documented within the Al Khums Formation or in Libya more broadly. These include Echinolampas amplus Fuchs, Lima (Lima) Linnaeus, Chlamys varia (Linnaeus), Chlamys scabrella Lamarck, Pecten subarcuatus Taurnouer, and Turritella (Torquesia) cold Abbass, among others. The findings contribute new paleontological data that enhance the understanding of Miocene marine biodiversity and faunal distribution in northwestern Libya.