Modern and early Holocene mollusc fauna of the Ounianga lakes (northern Chad): implications for the palaeohydrology of the central Sahara

A rich early Holocene mollusc fauna, including a new species (Gabbiella ouniangaensis), was discovered at the Ounianga lakes in northern Chad, suggesting these lakes were hydrologically isolated during that period. The modern mollusc community is impoverished and likely resulted from recent colonization events after the eradication of the early Holocene fauna due to high salinity or desiccation. The study analyzed fossil molluscs from diatomaceous limestone outcrops at Ounianga Serir, comparing them with other Saharan lake sites to infer past hydrological conditions in the central Sahara.

Van Bocxlaer, B., Verschuren, D., Schettler, G., & Kröpelin, S. (2011). Modern and early Holocene mollusc fauna of the Ounianga lakes (northern Chad): implications for the palaeohydrology of the central Sahara. Journal of Quaternary Science, 26(4), 433–447. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.1469