Anoual Formation

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Anoual Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Bathonian
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Type Geological formation
Unit of Anoual Syncline
Sub-unitsLower Member, Upper Member
Underlies Unconformity with Ksar Metlili Formation
Overlies Pholadomya Marls and Limestones Formation
Thickness~500 m (1,600 ft)
Lithology
Primary Mudstone (Lower), limestone (Upper)
Other Sandstone, limestone, marl (Lower)
Location
Coordinates 32°30′N3°06′W / 32.5°N 3.1°W / 32.5; -3.1
Approximate paleocoordinates 26°54′N0°54′E / 26.9°N 0.9°E / 26.9; 0.9
Region Figuig Province
Country Morocco
Extent High Atlas
Type section
Named for Anoual
Morocco relief location map.jpg
Blue pog.svg
Anoual Formation (Morocco)

The Anoual Formation is a geological formation in the High Atlas of Morocco. It is early Bathonian in age. It consists of two members. The lower member is several hundred metres thick, and consists largely of mudstone with lens beds of cross bedded sandstone, with thin intercalations of limestone that was deposited in a freshwater continental setting, likely lacustrine or palustrine, with small marine influences. [1] The upper member is several tens of metres thick and consists of limestone deposited in a shallow marine setting. The formation is fossiliferous, with several of the limestone intercalations yielding a diverse fauna, including amphibians, reptiles, dinosaurs and mammals. [2]

Contents

Paleobiota

Brachiopoda

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Burmirhynchia [3]
  • B. gr. termierae-athiaensis
AnoualLower MemberIsolated shellsA brachiopod of the family Tetrarhynchiidae
Kallirhynchia [3]
  • K. oranensis
AnoualLower MemberIsolated shellsA brachiopod of the family Tetrarhynchiidae
Kallirhynchia specimen Tetrarhynchiidae - Kallirhynchia major cropped.jpg
Kallirhynchia specimen

Crustacea

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Asciocythere [3]
  • A. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the family Schulerideidae.
Bythocypris [3]
  • B. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the family Bythocyprididae
Asciocythere [3]
  • A. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the family Schulerideidae.
Cypridea [3]
  • C. cf. postelongata
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae
Cypris [3]
  • C. spp.
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae
Darwinula [3]
  • D. magna
  • D. cf. leguminella
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater Ostracod of the family Darwinulidae
Fabanella [3]
  • F. bathonica
  • F. sp.
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater Ostracod of the order Podocopida
Fastigocythere [3]
  • F. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the order Podocopida
Klieana [1]
  • K. levis
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater Ostracod of the order Cytherideidae
Kinkelinella [1]
  • K. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater/Brackish Ostracod of the family Protocytheridae
Mantelliana [1]
  • M. sp.
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae
Metacypris [3]
  • M. sp.
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater/Brackish Ostracod of the family Limnocytheridae
Paracypris [3]
  • P. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the family Candonidae. Dominant marine taxon
Pneumatocythere [3]
  • P.? juglandiformis
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the order Podocopida
Praeschuleridea [3]
  • P. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the family Candonidae.
Procytheridea [1]
  • P. sp.
AnoualLower MemberIsolated ValvesA Marine Ostracod of the order Podocopida
Scabriculocypris [1]
  • S. sp.
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae
Theriosynoecum [1]
  • T. sp.
AnoualUpper MemberIsolated ValvesA Freshwater/Brackish Ostracod of the family Limnocytheridae

Mollusca

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Lymnaeidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberIsolated shellsFreshwater snails
Nerineidae [1] IndeterminateAnoualLower MemberIsolated shellsMarine snails
Planorbidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberIsolated shellsFreshwater snails
Provalvata [1] P. sp.AnoualUpper MemberIsolated shellsFreshwater snail of the family Provalvatidae
Valvatidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberIsolated shellsFreshwater snails

Fish

Abundant osteichthyan ichthyoliths are known. An isolated spine displaying characters seen in extant cypriniform or siluriform fishes has been recovered, alternatively can belong to a member of Myriacanthidae. [2]

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Arganodus [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberIsolated tooth plates Lungfish
Arganodus reconstruction Chinle fish Arganodus cropped cropped.png
Arganodus reconstruction
Lepidotes / Scheenstia [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberIsolated teeth and scales Lepidotidae bony fish
Lepidotes reconstruction Lepidotes 1904.png
Lepidotes reconstruction
cf. Ionoscopiformes [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberRhomboidal scalesTentatively assigned to Ophiopsidae
Mawsoniidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberSkull bones including a parasphenoid Coelacanth
Osteoglossiformes [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberSquamules (small scales)The oldest record of the group

Amphibians

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Albanerpetontidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberIncomplete premaxilla and incomplete frontalLikely represents a new taxon
Caudata? [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberFragment of a dentary
Lissamphibia? [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberFragment of a maxilla

Turtles

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Testudinata [2] "Morphotype 1"Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberFifty plate fragmentsSimilar to Solemydidae and Pleurosternidae turtles
"Morphotype 2"Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberSingle neural platePlate slightly longer than wide
"Morphotype 3"Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberMultiple platesBy far the most abundant, maybe a larger taxon with smooth plates
"Morphotype 4"Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberTwo costal platesSimilar to Araripemys and some Trionychidae

Lepidosaurs

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Parviraptor [2] Cf.P.sp.Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberFour vertebral centra Squamatan, previously identified as a stem-snake
Rhynchocephalia [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberOne fragment of dentary bearing two incomplete teeth; one fragment of maxilla bearing the bases of two teeth.Similar to the co-regional but younger genus Tingitana , but also to Clevosaurus .
Scincomorpha [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberA fragment of bone bearing teeth; potentially a fragment of bone bearing one complete tooth Squamatan
Squamata [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberIncomplete maxilla, incomplete dorsal vertebra, one proximal part of femur

Choristoderes

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Choristodera [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberFragmentary dentary, centrum of an anterior caudal vertebra, possibly centrum of a dorsal vertebraSimilar to Cteniogenys

Dinosaurs

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Ornithischia [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberToothSimilar to Alocodon
Illustration of a fossil of Alocodon Alocodon.jpg
Illustration of a fossil of Alocodon
cf.Stegosauria [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberPoorly preserved tooth
Theropoda [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberSeveral teeth

Pterosaurs

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Pterosauria [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberTeethSimilar to wukongopterids
Rhamphorhynchidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberTeeth

Crocodyliformes

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Atoposauridae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberTeeth
Teleosauridae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberTeeth
Thalattosuchia [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberTeeth, various skeletal elements probably belonging to a single individual
Theriosuchus [2] Cf.T. sp.Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberTeethAn Atoposaurid

Mammals

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Amphitheriidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberFragment of juvenile right dentary; fragment of an edentulous right dentary, probably middle-posterior part.If true is the 1st Gondwanic member of the family
Cf.Dryolestida/Donodontidae [2] IndeterminateGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberFragment of a tooth bearing one cusp and one rootSimilar to Donodon

Charophyta

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Aclistochara [4] A. africanaGuelb el AhmarUpper MemberGyrogonitesA Characean algae of the family Characeae
Porochara [3] P. hiansAnoualUpper Member Oogonia A characean algae of the family Porocharaceae

Palynology

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Alisporites [2]
  • A. spp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberPollenAffinities with the families Peltaspermaceae or Corystospermaceae
Araucariacites [2]
  • A. australis
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberPollenAffinities with Araucariaceae inside Coniferae.
Example of extant Araucaria cones Araucaria cunninghamii cones.jpg
Example of extant Araucaria cones
Callialasporites [2]
  • C. spp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberPollenAffinities with Araucariaceae inside Coniferae.
Classopollis [2]
  • C. spp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberPollenAffinities with Cheirolepidiaceae inside Coniferae.
Cyathidites [2]
  • C. sp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberSporesAffinities with the family Cyatheaceae inside Cyatheales. Arboreal Fern Spores
Modern Cyathea, Cyathidites come probably from similar genera Cyathea arborea.JPG
Modern Cyathea , Cyathidites come probably from similar genera
Cycadopites [2]
  • C. spp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberPollenAffinities with the Cycadopsida inside Cycadales. Pollen related with modern Cycas
Encephalartos, Cycadopites come probably from similar genera Encephalartos arenarius 4zz.jpg
Encephalartos , Cycadopites come probably from similar genera
Inaperturopollenites [2]
  • I. spp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberPollenAffinities with the Pinidae inside Coniferae.
Extant Pinus Cone. Inaperturopollenites is similar to the pollen found on this genus Pinus halepensis cone, Sete, Herault 01.jpg
Extant Pinus Cone. Inaperturopollenites is similar to the pollen found on this genus
Ischyosporites [2]
  • I. cf. variegatus
  • I. sp
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberSporesAffinities with Pteridopsida, likely derived from a member of Anemiaceae
Extant Anemia specimens; Ischyosporites probably comes from similar genera Anemia phyllitidis kz05.jpg
Extant Anemia specimens; Ischyosporites probably comes from similar genera
Leptolepidites [2]
  • L. spp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberSporesAffinities with the family Dennstaedtiaceae in the Polypodiales. Forest fern spores.
Extant Dennstaedtia specimens; Leptolepidites probably comes from similar genera Fern Path (9540302241).jpg
Extant Dennstaedtia specimens; Leptolepidites probably comes from similar genera
Pityosporites [2]
  • P. sp.
Guelb el AhmarUpper MemberPollenAffinities with the Pinidae inside Coniferae.

Fossil Wood

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic PositionMaterialNotesImages
Agathoxylon [2]
  • A. aff. sahariense
  • Guelb el Ahmar
  • Oued Metlili
Upper MemberFossil WoodConifer fossil wood of the family Araucariaceae
Metapodocarpoxylon [2]
  • M. libanoticum
  • Guelb el Ahmar
  • Oued Metlili
Upper MemberFossil WoodConifer fossil wood of the family Podocarpaceae
Protopodocarpoxylon [2]
  • P. subrochii
  • P. teixeirae
  • Guelb el Ahmar
  • Oued Metlili
Upper MemberFossil WoodConifer fossil wood of the family Hirmeriellaceae
Phyllocladoxylon [2]
  • P. atlasicum
  • Guelb el Ahmar
  • Oued Metlili
Upper MemberFossil WoodConifer fossil wood of the family Podocarpaceae

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Haddoumi, Hamid; Charrière, André; Andreu, Bernard; Mojon, Pierre-Olivier (2008). "Les dépôts continentaux du Jurassique moyen au Crétacé inférieur dans le Haut Atlas oriental (Maroc) : paléoenvironnements successifs et signification paléogéographique". Carnets de Géologie / Notebooks on Geology. CG2008 (A06): 1–29.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 Haddoumi, Hamid; Allain, Ronan; Meslouh, Said; Metais, Grégoire; Monbaron, Michel; Pons, Denise; Rage, Jean-Claude; Vullo, Romain; Zouhri, Samir (January 2016). "Guelb el Ahmar (Bathonian, Anoual Syncline, eastern Morocco): First continental flora and fauna including mammals from the Middle Jurassic of Africa" (PDF). Gondwana Research. 29 (1): 290–319. Bibcode:2016GondR..29..290H. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2014.12.004. ISSN   1342-937X.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Haddoumi, Hamid; Aiméras, Yves; Bodergat, Anne-Marie; Charrière, André; Mangold, Charles; Benshili, Khadija (1998-07-01). "Âges et environnements des Couches rouges d'Anoual (Jurassique moyen et Crétacé inférieur, Haut-Atlas oriental, Maroc)" . Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science. 327 (2): 127–133. doi:10.1016/S1251-8050(98)80043-8. ISSN   1251-8050.
  4. MOJON, Pierre-Olivier; HADDOUMI, Hamid; CHARRIÈRE, André (2009). "Nouvelles données sur les Charophytes et Ostracodes du Jurassique moyen-supérieur - Crétacé inférieur de l'Atlas marocain" . Carnets de géologie (Notebooks on geology) (Mémoires). doi: 10.4267/2042/29781 . ISSN   1634-0744.