Anoual Formation

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 continental setting. 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.[1]

Anoual Formation
Stratigraphic range: Early Bathonian
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofAnoual Syncline
Sub-unitsLower Member, Upper Member
UnderliesUnconformity with Ksar Metlili Formation
OverliesPholadomya Marls and Limestones Formation
Thickness~500 m (1,600 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryMudstone (Lower), limestone (Upper)
OtherSandstone, limestone, marl (Lower)
Location
Coordinates32.5°N 3.1°W / 32.5; -3.1
Approximate paleocoordinates26.9°N 0.9°E / 26.9; 0.9
RegionFiguig Province
Country Morocco
ExtentHigh Atlas
Anoual Formation (Morocco)

Paleobiota

Fish

Fish
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Arganodus Indeterminate Isolated tooth plates Lungfish
Lepidotes/Scheenstia Indeterminate Isolated teeth and scales
cf. Ionoscopiformes Indeterminate Rhomboidal scales
Mawsoniidae Indeterminate Skull bones including a parasphenoid Coelacanth
Osteoglossiformes Indeterminate Squamules (small scales)

Amphibians

Amphibians
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Albanerpetontidae Indeterminate Incomplete premaxilla and incomplete frontal
? Caudata Indeterminate Fragment of a dentary
? Lissamphibia Indeterminate Fragment of a maxilla

Turtles

Turtles
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Testudinata Indeterminate Shell fragments Probably 4 distinct taxa

Lepidosaurs

Lepidosaurs
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
cf. Parviraptor Indeterminate Four vertebral centra
Rhynchocephalia Indeterminate One fragment of dentary bearing two incomplete teeth, one fragment of maxilla bearing the bases of two teeth.
Scincomorpha Indeterminate A fragment of bone bearing teeth, potentially a fragment of bone bearing one complete tooth
Squamata Indeterminate Incomplete maxilla, incomplete dorsal vertebra, one proximal part of femur

Choristoderes

Choristoderes
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Choristodera Indeterminate Fragmentary dentary, centrum of an anterior caudal vertebra, possibly centrum of a dorsal vertebra Similar to Cteniogenys

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Theropoda Indeterminate Several teeth
Ornithischia Indeterminate Tooth Similar to Alocodon
cf. Stegosauria Indeterminate Poorly preserved tooth

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Rhamphorhynchidae Indeterminate Teeth
Pterosauria Indeterminate Teeth Similar to wukongopterids

Crocodyliformes

Crocodyliformes
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
cf. Theriosuchus Indeterminate Teeth
Atoposauridae Indeterminate Teeth
Teleosauridae Indeterminate Teeth
Thalattosuchia Indeteminate Teeth, various skeletal elements probably belonging to a single individual

Mammals

Mammals
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Amphitheriidae Indeterminate Fragment of right dentary of a juvenile individual with an anterior lower premolar and a replacing posterior premolar, fragment of an edentulous right dentary, probably middle-posterior part. Both fragments probably belong to the same taxon
Dryolestida Indeterminate Fragment of a tooth bearing one cusp and one root

References

  1. 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. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2014.12.004. ISSN 1342-937X.
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