Timezgadiouine Formation

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Timezgadiouine Formation
Stratigraphic range: Triassic, Olenekian? to Carnian or early Norian
Type Geological formation
Unit of Argana Group
Sub-unitsTanamert Member (T3), Aglegal Member (T4), Irohalene Member (T5)
Underlies Bigoudine Formation
Overlies Ikakern Formation
Thickness1,000–2,000 metres (3,300–6,600 ft)
Lithology
Primary mudstone, siltstone, sandstone
Other claystone, conglomerate, oolitic limestone
Location
Region Marrakesh-Safi, Souss-Massa
CountryFlag of Morocco.svg  Morocco
Extent Argana Basin
Type section
Named for Timezgadiouine, Morocco
Morocco relief location map.jpg
Pink ff0080 pog.svg
Timezgadiouine Formation (Morocco)

The Timezgadiouine Formation, sometimes spelled as the Timesgadiouine Formation, is a Triassic geological formation in the Argana Basin of Morocco. It is a succession of red bed sediments spanning from the Olenekian to at least the Carnian, encompassing members T3 to T5 of the Argana Group. It is preceded by the Permian Ikakern Formation and succeeded by the Late Triassic Bigoudine Formation. [1]

Contents

The formation is split into three members. The Early Triassic Tanamert Member (T3) is a relatively thin band of volcaniclastic conglomerate, likely emplaced by braided rivers. The Middle Triassic Aglegal Member (T4) is a thick sequence of muddy and silty cyclical deposits interspersed with wide sandstone lenses. It would have been deposited within a semi-arid playa, mudflat, and ephemeral lake system cut by meandering streams or sheet floods. The late Carnian (or possibly early Norian) [2] Irohalene Member (T5) comprises bioturbated mudstone complemented by an increasing abundance of sandstone beds. This final member is likely equivalent to a more humid period with large permanent lakes or wide meandering rivers. [3] [4] The formation as a whole was deposited in a wide and tectonically stable basin, in contrast to the narrow rift basins which developed elsewhere along the present-day Central Atlantic margin during the Triassic. [1]

The Timezgadiouine Formation is quite fossiliferous; footprints and other trace fossils are found through the entire strata, [5] [6] [7] [8] while skeletal material is common in the Irohalene Member. The fossil content of the Irohalene Member includes phytosaurs, aetosaurs, metoposauroid amphibians, stahleckeriid dicynodonts, early dinosauromorphs, and other typical Carnian to early Norian animals. [9] [10] [2] Several animals are distinctive, such as the large herbivorous archosauromorph Azendohsaurus laaroussii , [11] [12] [13] and massive three-toed footprints ( Eubrontes sp.) emplaced by a Tyrannosaurus -sized archosaur. [8]

General geology

The Timezgadiouine Formation is part of the Argana Group, a long succession of red bed sediments deposited in the Argana Basin. The Argana Basin is a northeast-to-southwest oriented valley extending for about 85 km (53 miles) in the western part of the High Atlas. [3] [1] The Argana Group, sometimes known as the Argana Formation, includes most of the geological layers within the basin, separated into eight members, often labelled T1 to T8. Argana Group sediments generally have a shallow dip towards the west or northwest, though faulting can strongly alter this dip in some areas. [3] [1]

The Timezgadiouine Formation corresponds to members T3 (the Tanamert Member) T4 (the Aglegal Member) and T5 (the Irohalene member) of the Argana Group. The base of the Timezgadiouine Formation is separated from the underlying Permian-age Ikakern Formation (members T1-T2) via an angular unconformity. This unconformity may be a result of tectonic instability and erosion related to crustal thinning or post-orogenic collapse of the Variscan mountains. The end of the Timezgadiouine Formation appears to smoothly transition to the succeeding Late Triassic Bigoudine Formation (members T6-T8). [4] [1]

The Argana Basin is divided by a series of steep faults striking in an east-to-west direction. Early studies suggested that normal faults developed during several phases of north–south rifting in the Late Triassic, splitting up the basin into a series of uneven fault blocks. This was partially driven by the assumption that the entire Timezgadiouine Formation was Late Triassic in age, equivalent to rift basins in eastern North America and elsewhere in Morocco. [3] [14] [15] [16] These neighboring rift basins are typically characterized as half-grabens, associated with asymmetrical faulting and the breakup of Pangea. [3] [15] [16] [1]

However, later work argued that the Timezgadiouine Formation was deposited in a broad and tectonically stable basin, with subsidence controlled by gradual sediment loading throughout the Triassic, rather than local faulting or rifting in the Late Triassic specifically. The major east–west faults only affect Permian sediments, so they were likely emplaced during the unconformity between the Ikakern and Timezgadiouine formations. The Timezgadiouine Formation is affected by a few northeast–southwest striking faults, but they appear to have been emplaced after deposition. These later faults were likely a result of tectonic activity related to the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province. Both the east–west and northeast–southwest faults have been reactivated by recent mountain building. Once faulting has been accounted for, the depth of the Timezgadiouine Formation can be reconstructed as fairly uniform and symmetrical during its time of deposition. [4] [1]

Sub-units

Tanamert Member (T3)

The Tanamert (or Tanameurt) Member, T3, is a quite thin section, only about 10 meters (33 feet) thick. This member consists of volcaniclastic conglomerate arranged into shallow, indistinct cross-beds. Rhyolite is the most common clast type, with smaller proportions of quartz, limestone, phyllite, and fine-grained sedimentary rocks. This conglomerate would have been deposited by braided rivers eroding older volcanic and sedimentary rocks from the Variscan orogeny. [3] The only fossils known from the Tanamert Member are tetrapod footprints consistent with an Early Triassic (Olenekian?) age. [17] [5] [18]

Aglegal Member (T4)

The Tanamert Member is overlain by the much thicker and more widespread Aglegal Member, T4, which consists of 800–1500 meters (2625–4921 feet) of finer sediments. Most of the Aglegal Member by bulk is arranged into cyclical sequences of fine-grained sediments such as siltstone, mudstone, and clay. Each sequence is about two meters (6.6 feet) thick on average. They sometimes begin with a layer of oolitic limestone, laced with ripple marks, micrite pellets and quartz grains. The limestone is followed by thinly laminated and ripple-marked silty shale, consisting of mud pellets, silt, and fine sand. Laminated sediments are eventually broken up by mudcracks, giving way to a thick section of massive and warped paleosols with randomly dispersed calcareous nodules. Paleosols range from illite-rich claystone with wedge-shaped deformational structures, to mudcracked mudstone with a granular fabric. [3] [4]

Fine-grained sequences likely represent cycles of climate fluctuations. Periods of increasing humidity emplaced shallow, semi-ephemeral lakes (represented by limestone), later replaced with somewhat deeper bodies of water (represented by silty shale). Subsequent drying exposed and fractured the lakebeds, and the area transitioned into a system of semi-arid mudflats and playas which were occasionally supplied with water carrying fine sediments. As the clay and mud was frequently soaked and dried, it would have been processed and deformed into vertisols. Brackish water, seeping through the soil, deposited analcime and calcite, minerals which helped to preserve granular structures in mudstone. The mudcracked mudstone at the top of a sequence corresponds to a final drop in the water table, ending a period of sediment processing until humidity increases once more. [3] [4] It is assumed that the cycles are linked to axial precession during a tectonically stable time frame. [4]

These fine cyclical sequences are randomly interrupted by tabular lenses of coarse sandstone, which can be continuous for up to 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). The sandstone can be identified as a lithic arenite, with a high amount of feldspar, mud pellets, and reprocessed rock alongside quartz grains. Trough cross-bedding and ripple laminations are common, as are burrows. The sandstone lenses may correspond to lag deposits from sheet floods or meandering streams. [3] [4] Both body fossils and ichnofossils occur, though they are rare. Ichnofossils include tetrapod tracks typical of the Middle Triassic, [6] while body fossils include rare fragments of fish and capitosaurian amphibians. [9] Ostracods and charophytes support a Middle Triassic age. [19]

Irohalene Member (T5)

The youngest and most fossiliferous member of the Timezgadiouine Formation is the 200-500 meter (656–1640 feet) thick Irohalene Member, T5. The lower part of this member is mainly silty mudstone arranged into even, continuous layers. Bioturbation is prominent, lending the mudstone a homogenous character without sedimentary structures or graded bedding. Further up in the member, sandstone beds become prevalent, starting with fine, calcite-rich sandstone with common ripple marks. These transition to coarser, evenly-bedded quartz sandstone with broader cross bedding. The relative thickness of mudstone-dominated and sandstone-dominated layers is strongly variable within the basin. [3] The Irohalene Member likely corresponds to a lacustrine environment, dotted with brackish permanent lakes. The deepest lakes developed the thickest mud deposits, while shallower lakes or areas closer to shorelines developed sandbars. [3] Alternating muddy and sandy intervals may also correspond to a floodplain and meandering river system. [4]

Fossils are common near the base and top of the Irohalene Member. These include a diverse assortment of trace fossils and body fossils from both terrestrial and aquatic animals. [3] [9] [10] [2] The age of the Irohalene Member is universally considered to be within the Late Triassic. It has been labelled as “Otischalkian” (Late Carnian?) under the Land Vertebrate Faunachron system of Triassic tetrapod biostratigraphy. This was justified by the supposed presence of proposed Otischalkian index fossils such as Paleorhinus , Angistorhinus , Longosuchus , Placerias , and Metoposaurus . [9] [10] Ichnofossils and general sedimentological comparisons to other formations support this general age assessment. [4] [16] [20] [7] [8]

However, the presence of clear Otischalkian index fossils in the Irohalene Member is debatable, as multiple Irohalene tetrapod species have been reclassified into endemic genera. For example, putative Moroccan species of Metoposaurus are now known as Arganasaurus and Dutuitosaurus , while Moroccan remains of Placerias may be placed into their own genus, Moghreberia . Supposed fossils of Longosuchus are now considered an indeterminate species of African aetosaur. Several proposed Otischalkian index fossils (namely Parasuchus and Angistorhinus) are paraphyletic or have a long temporal range extending into the early Norian in other regions. As a result, the Irohalene Member may be as young as the early Norian. [2]

Paleobiota

Reptiles

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Reptiles of the Timezgadiouine Formation
Genus / TaxonSpeciesSubunitNotesImages
Angistorhinus A. talainti [21] upper Irohalene Member [10] A basal mystriosuchine phytosaur [21] [22]
Arganasuchus dutuiti Arganasuchus dutuiti hemimandible left.jpg
Arganasuchus dutuiti
Diodorus scytobrachion Diodorus.jpg
Diodorus scytobrachion
Arganasuchus [23] A. dutuitilower Irohalene Member [23] A "rauisuchian" (basal loricatan) archosaur
Azendohsaurus [24] A. laaroussiilower Irohalene Member [10] An azendohsaurid allokotosaur, [12] [13] originally misidentified as an ornithischian [24] or "prosauropod" dinosaur. [11] [10]
Diodorus [2] D. scytobrachionlower Irohalene MemberA silesaurid dinosauriform [2]
Parasuchus P. magnoculus [21] lower Irohalene Member [10] A basal (" Paleorhinus -grade") phytosaur based on a juvenile specimen. [25] [22] Previously placed into the genus Paleorhinus [21] [9] [26] or given its own genus, Arganarhinus . [27]
Paratypothoracisini indet.lower Irohalene Member [10] An indeterminate aetosaur with blade-like spines on its lateral scutes. Originally referred to Longosuchus meadei , [9] though later considered an indeterminate paratypothoracisine. [28]
Phytosauria indet.upper Irohalene Member [10] An indeterminate large phytosaur. [9]
Procolophonidae indet.lower Irohalene MemberIndeterminate procolophonid parareptiles. [11]
"Prolacertiformes" indet.lower Irohalene MemberIndeterminate "prolacertiforms" (basal archosauromorphs). [2]

Synapsids

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Synapsids of the Timezgadiouine Formation
Genus / TaxonSpeciesSubunitNotesImages
AzarifeneriaA. barratilower Irohalene Member [10] A dubious dicynodont, likely synonymous with Moghreberia. [29]
Moghreberia nmachouensis Moghreberia.jpg
Moghreberia nmachouensis
A. robustuslower Irohalene Member [10] A dubious dicynodont, likely synonymous with Moghreberia. [29]
Moghreberia M. nmachouensislower Irohalene Member [10] A stahleckeriid dicynodont closely related to, and sometimes considered to be a species of, Placerias . [29]

Temnospondyls

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Temnospondyls of the Timezgadiouine Formation
Genus / TaxonSpeciesSubunitNotesImages
Almasaurus A. habbazilower Irohalene Member [10] A latiscopid temnospondyl
Dutuitosaurus ouazzoui Dutuitosaurus ouazzoui skull.JPG
Dutuitosaurus ouazzoui
Arganasaurus [30] A. azerouali [31] upper Irohalene Member [10] A metoposaurid temnospondyl, [30] originally considered a species of Metoposaurus . [31]
A. lyazidi [31] upper Irohalene Member [10] A metoposaurid temnospondyl, [32] originally considered a species of Metoposaurus. [31]
Capitosauria indet.upper Aglegal Member [10] An indeterminate Cyclotosaurus -like temnospondyl. [9] [17]
Dutuitosaurus [30] D. oazzoui [31] lower Irohalene Member [10] A metoposaurid temnospondyl, [30] [33] originally considered a species of Metoposaurus. [31]

Fish

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Fish of the Timezgadiouine Formation
Genus / TaxonSpeciesSubunitNotesImages
Actinopterygii indet.lower Irohalene Member [10] Indeterminate actinoptergyians previously referred to Atopocephala , Perleidus , and Procheirichthys. [34]
Arganodus A. atlantislower Irohalene Member [10] A ceratodontid lungfish, [35] sometimes considered a species of Asiatoceratodus. [36] [10]
Ceratodus C. arganensislower Irohalene MemberA ceratodontid lungfish, [35] sometimes considered a species of Asiatoceratodus. [36]
Coelacanthidae indet.lower Irohalene MemberAn indeterminate coelacanth [35]
Dipteronotus D. gibbosus [37] Aglegal Member, [9] lower Irohalene Member [10] A deep-bodied "perleidiform" neopterygian [34]
Mauritanichthys M. rugosuslower Irohalene Member [10] A redfieldiiform actinopterygian [34]
Redfieldiiformes indet.lower Irohalene Member [10] An indeterminate redfieldiiform previously referred to Ischnolepis. [34]

Trace fossils

Apart from the following named ichnotaxa, complex tetrapod burrow systems have been described from the Aglegal Member. These burrows were likely created by small and gregarious procolophonids or therapsids, which also may have been the trackmakers responsible for Procolophonichnium tracks. [38]

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Ichnotaxa of the Timezgadiouine Formation
Ichnogenus / IchnotaxonIchnospeciesSubunit(s)NotesImages
Apatopus A. lineatusIrohalene MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by phytosaurs. [20] [7] [39]
Atreipus - Grallator Aglegal Member, [6] Irohalene Member [20] Manus-pes track pairs likely created by small quadrupedal or facultatively bipedal dinosauromorphs, such as silesaurids. [6] [20] [7]
Brachychirotherium Irohalene MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by large pseudosuchians, such as paracrocodylomorphs or aetosaurs. [7] [8]
Chirotherium C. barthiiAglegal MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by euparkeriids or early archosaurs. [6]
Diplopodichnus Irohalene MemberTrails likely created by multi-legged arthropods crawling over soft mud. [39]
Eubrontes Irohalene MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by large to very large (" Tyrannosaurus size") bipedal archosaurs, such as theropods, sauropodomorphs, or poposauroids. [20] [39] [8]
Grallator Irohalene MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by small to medium-sized bipedal archosaurs, such as theropods or poposauroids. [8]
cf. Helminthoidichnites Irohalene MemberShallow burrows likely created by worms or insect larvae moving near the surface through soft mud. [39]
Isochirotherium I. coureliAglegal MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by archosauriforms such as proterochampsians or small pseudosuchians. [6]
Labyrintichnus L. terrerensisIrohalene MemberA maze-like system of burrows likely created by insect larvae. [39]
Parachirotherium P. cf. postchirotheroidesIrohalene MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by facultatively bipedal dinosauromorphs. [20] [7] [39] [8]
Procolophonichnium P. haarmuehlensisAglegal MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by procolophonids, therapsids, or other small amniotes. [6] [40]
Protochirotherium Tanamert MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by early pseudosuchians or other archosauriforms. [5] [18]
Rhynchosauroides Tanamert Member, [5] Aglegal Member, [9] [6] Irohalene Member [20] [7] [39] [8] Footprints and tracks likely created by sprawling lepidosauromorphs or archosauromorphs. [9] [5] [6] [20] [7] [39] [8]
Rotodactylus Aglegal MemberFootprints and tracks likely created by early dinosauromorphs, lagerpetids, or lepidosauromorphs. [6]
Scoyenia S. gracilisIrohalene MemberStriated burrows likely created by specialized arthropods or polychaete worms. [20] [39]
Spongeliomorpha S. cf. carlsbergiIrohalene MemberBurrows likely created by arthropods tunneling through firm ground. [39]
Synaptichnium Tanamert Member, [5] [18] Aglegal Member, [6] Irohalene Member [20] [39] Footprints and tracks likely created by early pseudosuchians or other archosauriforms. [5] [6] [20] [18] [39]
Taenidium T. barrettiIrohalene MemberBurrows likely created by freshwater arthropods or worms. [39]

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Amphisauropus is an amphibian ichnogenus commonly found in assemblages of ichnofossils dating to the Permian to Triassic. It has been found in Europe, Morocco, and North America.

<i>Hyloidichnus</i> Trace fossil

Hyloidichnus is a reptile ichnogenus commonly found in assemblages of ichnofossils dating to the Permian to Triassic in North America, Africa, South America, and Europe.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Baudon, Catherine; Redfern, Jonathan; Van Den Driessche, Jean (2012-04-09). "Permo-Triassic structural evolution of the Argana Valley, impact of the Atlantic rifting in the High Atlas, Morocco". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 65: 91–104. Bibcode:2012JAfES..65...91B. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2012.02.002. ISSN   1464-343X.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kammerer, Christian F.; Nesbitt, Sterling J.; Shubin, Neil H. (2012). "The First Silesaurid Dinosauriform from the Late Triassic of Morocco" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 57 (2): 277–284. doi: 10.4202/app.2011.0015 . ISSN   0567-7920. S2CID   55015883.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Brown, Roy H. (1980-07-01). "Triassic Rocks of Argana Valley, Southern Morocco, and Their Regional Structural Implications". AAPG Bulletin. 64 (7): 988–1003. doi:10.1306/2F919418-16CE-11D7-8645000102C1865D. ISSN   0149-1423.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hofmann, Axel; Tourani, Abdelilah; Gaupp, Reinhard (2000). "Cyclicity of Triassic to Lower Jurassic continental red beds of the Argana Valley, Morocco: implications for palaeoclimate and basin evolution". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 161 (1–2): 229–266. Bibcode:2000PPP...161..229H. doi:10.1016/s0031-0182(00)00125-5. ISSN   0031-0182.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Klein, Hendrik; Voigt, Sebastian; Hminna, Abdelkbir; Saber, Hafid; Schneider, Jörg; Hmich, Driss (2010-08-31). "Early Triassic Archosaur-Dominated Footprint Assemblage from the Argana Basin (Western High Atlas, Morocco)". Ichnos. 17 (3): 215–227. doi:10.1080/10420940.2010.510030. ISSN   1042-0940. S2CID   140685089.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Klein, Hendrik; Voigt, Sebastian; Saber, Hafid; Schneider, Jörg W.; Hminna, Abdelkbir; Fischer, Jan; Lagnaoui, Abdelouahed; Brosig, Andreas (2011-07-01). "First occurrence of a Middle Triassic tetrapod ichnofauna from the Argana Basin (Western High Atlas, Morocco)". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 307 (1): 218–231. Bibcode:2011PPP...307..218K. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.05.021. ISSN   0031-0182. S2CID   128396482.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lagnaoui, Abdelouahed; Klein, Hendrik; Saber, Hafid; Fekkak, Abdelilah; Belahmira, Abouchouaïb; Schneider, Joerg W. (2016-07-01). "New discoveries of archosaur and other tetrapod footprints from the Timezgadiouine Formation (Irohalene Member, Upper Triassic) of the Argana Basin, western High Atlas, Morocco – Ichnotaxonomic implications". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 453: 1–9. Bibcode:2016PPP...453....1L. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.03.022. ISSN   0031-0182.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Zouheir, Tariq; Hminna, Abdelkbir; Klein, Hendrik; Lagnaoui, Abdelouahed; Saber, Hafid; Schneider, Joerg W. (2020-05-27). "Unusual archosaur trackway and associated tetrapod ichnofauna from Irohalene member (Timezgadiouine formation, late Triassic, Carnian) of the Argana Basin, Western High Atlas, Morocco". Historical Biology. 32 (5): 589–601. doi:10.1080/08912963.2018.1513506. ISSN   0891-2963. S2CID   91315646.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Lucas, Spencer G. (1998-04-01). "The aetosaur Longosuchus from the Triassic of Morocco and its biochronological significance". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série IIA. 326 (8): 589–594. Bibcode:1998CRASE.326..589L. doi:10.1016/S1251-8050(98)80211-5. ISSN   1251-8050.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Jalil, N. -E. (1999-07-01). "Continental Permian and Triassic vertebrate localities from Algeria and Morocco and their stratigraphical correlations". Journal of African Earth Sciences. Gondwana-10: Event Stratigraphy of Gondwana, Proceedings volume 1. 29 (1): 219–226. Bibcode:1999JAfES..29..219J. doi:10.1016/S0899-5362(99)00091-3. ISSN   1464-343X.
  11. 1 2 3 Gauffre, F. X. (1993). "The prosauropod dinosaur Azendohsaurus laaroussii from the Upper Triassic of Morocco" (PDF). Palaeontology. 36 (4): 897–908 – via The Palaeontological Association.
  12. 1 2 Flynn, J.J.; Nesbitt, S.J.; Parrish, J.M.; Ranivoharimanana, L.; Wyss, A.R. (2010). "A new species of Azendohsaurus (Diapsida: Archosauromorpha) from the Triassic Isalo Group of southwestern Madagascar: cranium and mandible". Palaeontology. 53 (3): 669–688. Bibcode:2010Palgy..53..669F. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.00954.x . S2CID   82341339.
  13. 1 2 Nesbitt, S.J.; Flynn, J.J.; Pritchard, A.C.; Parrish, M.J.; Ranivoharimanana, L.; Wyss, A.R. (2015). "Postcranial osteology of Azendohsaurus madagaskarensis (?Middle to Upper Triassic, Isalo Group, Madagascar) and its systematic position among stem archosaur reptiles". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 398 (398): 1–126. doi:10.1206/amnb-899-00-1-126.1. hdl: 2246/6624 . ISSN   0003-0090. S2CID   86289421.
  14. ↑ Medina, Fida (1991). "Superimposed extensional tectonics in the Argana Triassic formations (Morocco), related to the early rifting of the Central Atlantic". Geological Magazine. 128 (5): 525–536. Bibcode:1991GeoM..128..525M. doi:10.1017/S0016756800018665. ISSN   1469-5081. S2CID   129710224.
  15. 1 2 Medina, Fida (1995-09-01). "Syn- and postrift evolution of the El Jadida – Agadir basin (Morocco): constraints for the rifting models of the central Atlantic". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 32 (9): 1273–1291. Bibcode:1995CaJES..32.1273M. doi:10.1139/e95-104. ISSN   0008-4077.
  16. 1 2 3 Olsen, Paul E.; Kent, Dennis V.; Fowell, Sarah J.; Schlische, Roy W.; Withjack, Martha O.; LeTourneau, Peter M. (2000). "Implications of a comparison of the stratigraphy and depositional environments of the Argana (Morocco) and Fundy (Nova Scotia, Canada) Permian-Jurassic basins" (PDF). Actes de la Première Réunion du Groupe Marocain du Permien et du Trias: 165–183. doi:10.7916/D86Q26MF.
  17. 1 2 Tourani, Abdelilah; Benaouiss, Naima; Gand, Georges; Bourquin, Sylvie; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Broutin, Jean; Battail, Bernard; Germain, Damien; Khaldoune, Fatima; Sebban, Soumaya; Steyer, Jean-Sébastien (2010-07-01). "Evidence of an Early Triassic age (Olenekian) in Argana Basin (High Atlas, Morocco) based on new chirotherioid traces". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 9 (5): 201–208. Bibcode:2010CRPal...9..201T. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2010.05.001. ISSN   1631-0683.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Klein, Hendrik; Niedźwiedzki, Grzegorz; Voigt, Sebastian; Lagnaoui, Abdelouahed; Hminna, Abdelkbir; Saber, Hafid; Schneider, Jörg W. (2013-03-01). "The Tetrapod Ichnogenus Protochirotherium Fichter and Kunz 2004, a Characteristic Early Triassic Morphotype of Central Pangea". Ichnos. 20 (1): 24–30. doi:10.1080/10420940.2012.757699. ISSN   1042-0940. S2CID   129046322.
  19. ↑ Medina, Fida; Vachard, Daniel; Colin, Jean-Paul; Oarhache, Driss; Ahmamou, M'Fedal (2001). "Charophytes et ostracodes du niveau carbonaté de Taourirt Imzilen (Membre d'Aglegal, Trias d'Argana) ; implications stratigraphiques" (PDF). Bulletin de l'Institut scientifique. 23: 21–26.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Lagnaoui, Abdelouahed; Klein, Hendrik; Voigt, Sebastian; Hminna, Abdelkbir; Saber, Hafid; Schneider, Jörg W.; Werneburg, Ralf (2012-12-01). "Late Triassic Tetrapod-Dominated Ichnoassemblages from the Argana Basin (Western High Atlas, Morocco)". Ichnos. 19 (4): 238–253. doi:10.1080/10420940.2012.718014. ISSN   1042-0940. S2CID   128885921.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Dutuit, J. M. (1977) Description of the skull of Angistorhinus talainti n. sp: a new phytosaur from the Triassic of the Moroccan Atlas. Bulletin du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle: Sciences de la Terre 3(66):297-337
  22. 1 2 Jones, Andrew S.; Butler, Richard J. (2018-12-10). "A new phylogenetic analysis of Phytosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) with the application of continuous and geometric morphometric character coding". PeerJ. 6: e5901. doi:10.7717/peerj.5901. ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   6292387 . PMID   30581656.
  23. 1 2 Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Peyer, Karin (2007). "A new rauisuchian (Archosauria, Suchia) from the Upper Triassic of the Argana Basin, Morocco". Palaeontology. 50 (2): 417–430. Bibcode:2007Palgy..50..417J. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2007.00640.x .
  24. 1 2 Dutuit, J. M. (1972). "Decouverte d'un dinosaure ornithischien dans le Trias superieur de l'Atlas occidental marocain". Comptes rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris. 275: 2841–2844.
  25. ↑ Kammerer, Christian F.; Butler, Richard J.; Bandyopadhyay, Saswati; Stocker, Michelle R. (2016). "Relationships of the Indian phytosaur Parasuchus hislopi Lydekker, 1885". Papers in Palaeontology. 2 (1): 1–23. doi:10.1002/spp2.1022. ISSN   2056-2802. S2CID   83780331.
  26. ↑ Fara, Emmanuel; Hungerbühler, Axel (2000-12-30). "Paleorhinus magnoculus from the Upper Triassic of Morocco: a juvenile primitive phytosaur (Archosauria)". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série IIA. 331 (12): 831–836. Bibcode:2000CRASE.331..831F. doi:10.1016/S1251-8050(00)01481-6. ISSN   1251-8050.
  27. ↑ Long, R. A. & Murry, P. A. (1995). "Late Triassic (Carnian and Norian) tetrapods from the southwestern United States". Bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. 4: 1–254.
  28. ↑ Parker, William G.; Martz, Jeffrey W. (2010-07-14). "Using positional homology in aetosaur (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) osteoderms to evaluate the taxonomic status of Lucasuchus hunti". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30 (4): 1100–1108. Bibcode:2010JVPal..30.1100P. doi:10.1080/02724634.2010.483536. ISSN   0272-4634. S2CID   83713904.
  29. 1 2 3 Fröbisch, Jörg (2009-08-01). "Composition and similarity of global anomodont-bearing tetrapod faunas". Earth-Science Reviews. 95 (3): 119–157. Bibcode:2009ESRv...95..119F. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2009.04.001. ISSN   0012-8252.
  30. 1 2 3 4 Hunt, Adrian (1993). "A revision of the Metoposauridae (Amphibia: Temnospondyli) and description of a new genus from western North America". In Morales, Michael (ed.). Aspects of Mesozoic Geology and Paleontology of the Colorado Plateau. Flagstaff: Museum of Northern Arizona. pp. 67–97.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dutuit, Jean-Michel (1976). "Introduction à l'étude paléontologique du Trias continental marocain. Description des premiers stegocephales recueillis dans le couloir d'Argana (Atlas occidental)". Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Série C. 36: 1–253.
  32. ↑ Buffa, Valentin; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Steyer, J.-Sebastien (2019). "Redescription of Arganasaurus (Metoposaurus) azerouali (Dutuit) comb. nov. from the Upper Triassic of the Argana Basin (Morocco), and the first phylogenetic analysis of the Metoposauridae (Amphibia, Temnospondyli)". Papers in Palaeontology. 5 (4): 699–717. doi:10.1002/spp2.1259. ISSN   2056-2802. S2CID   195580152.
  33. ↑ Sébastien Steyer, J.; Laurin, Michel; Castanet, Jacques; de Ricqlès, Armand (2004-04-30). "First histological and skeletochronological data on temnospondyl growth: palaeoecological and palaeoclimatological implications". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Incremental Growth in Vertebrate Skeletal Tissues: Paleobiological and Paleoenvironmental Implications. 206 (3): 193–201. Bibcode:2004PPP...206..193S. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2004.01.003. ISSN   0031-0182.
  34. 1 2 3 4 Khalloufi, Bouziane; Jalil, Nour-Eddine (2020). "Overview of the Late Triassic (Carnian) actinopterygian fauna from the Argana Basin (Morocco)". Comptes Rendus Geoscience. 352 (6–7): 495–513. doi: 10.5802/crgeos.34 . S2CID   233280496.
  35. 1 2 3 Martin, Michel (1981). "Les Dipneustes et Actinistiens du Trias supérieur continental marocain". Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie B (Geologie und Paläontologie). 69: 1–29.
  36. 1 2 Kemp, A. (1998-04-10). "Skull structure in post-Paleozoic lungfish". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 18 (1): 43–63. Bibcode:1998JVPal..18...43K. doi:10.1080/02724634.1998.10011033. ISSN   0272-4634.
  37. ↑ Martin, Michel (1980-01-01). "Dipteronotus gibbosus (Actinopterygi, chondrostei) nouveau colobodontide du trias superieur continental marocain". Geobios (in French). 13 (3): 445–449. Bibcode:1980Geobi..13..445M. doi:10.1016/S0016-6995(80)80080-5. ISSN   0016-6995.
  38. ↑ VOIGT, SEBASTIAN; SCHNEIDER, JÖRG W.; SABER, HAFID; HMINNA, ABDELKBIR; LAGNAOUI, ABDELOUAHED; KLEIN, HENDRIK; BROSIG, ANDREAS; FISCHER, JAN (2011-09-01). "Complex Tetrapod Burrows from Middle Triassic Red Beds of the Argana Basin (Western High Atlas, Morocco)". PALAIOS. 26 (9): 555–566. Bibcode:2011Palai..26..555V. doi:10.2110/palo.2011.p11-014r. ISSN   0883-1351. S2CID   129863137.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Uchman, Alfred; Lagnaoui, Abdelouahed; Saber, Hafid (2017-08-01). "The invertebrate trace fossil Labyrintichnus in the Late Triassic red beds of the Argana Basin (Western High Atlas Mountains, Morocco)". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 132: 127–138. Bibcode:2017JAfES.132..127U. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.04.028. ISSN   1464-343X.
  40. ↑ Klein, Hendrik; Lucas, Spencer G.; Voigt, Sebastian (2015-10-02). "Revision of the ?Permian-Triassic Tetrapod Ichnogenus Procolophonichnium Nopcsa 1923 with Description of the New Ichnospecies P. lockleyi". Ichnos. 22 (3–4): 155–176. doi:10.1080/10420940.2015.1063490. ISSN   1042-0940. S2CID   129649829.
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