The Oulad Abdoun Basin (also known as the Ouled Abdoun Basin or Khouribga Basin) is a phosphate sedimentary basin located in Morocco, near the city of Khouribga. It is the largest in Morocco, comprising 44% of Morocco's phosphate reserves, and at least 26.8 billion tons of phosphate. It is also known as an important site for vertebrate fossils, with deposits ranging from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to the Eocene epoch (Ypresian), a period of about 25 million years.
Geography
The Oulad Abdoun is located west of the Atlas Mountains, near the city of Khouribga. The Oulad Abdoun phosphate deposits encompass some 100 by 45 kilometres (62 by 28 mi), an area of 4,500 square kilometres (1,700 sq mi).4 The Oulad Abdoun is the largest and northernmost of Morocco's major phosphate basins, which from northeast to southwest, include the Ganntour, Meskala, and Oued Eddahab (Laayoune-Baa) basins.56
Paleobiota
Color key
| Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited. |
The Oulad Abdoun Basin stretches from the late Cretaceous to the Eocene and contains abundant marine vertebrate fossils, including sharks, bony fish, turtles, crocodilians, and other reptiles, as well as sea birds and a small number of terrestrial mammals.78
Molluscs
Mollusca from the Khouribga Phosphates9 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Cucullaea (Idonearca) | C. (I.) thevestensis | A false ark shell. | ||||
Heligmopsis | H. wegmanianus | Maastrichtian | A feather oyster also present in Ganntour basin. | |||
Venericardia | V. coquandi | Danian | A carditid clam also present in Ganntour basin. | |||
Baculites | B. sp. | Maastrichtian | A straight-shelled ammonite, also present in Ganntour basin. | |||
Cimomia | C. aff. sudanensis | Ypresian | A nautiloid also present in Ganntour basin. | |||
Ampullinopsis | A. crassatina | An ampullinid gastropod. | ||||
Hemithersitea | H. chouberti | Lutetian | A thersiteid gastropod. |
Fish
Bony fish
Bony fish from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Acipenseridae10 | Indeterminate | Maastrichtian | First record of a sturgeon on the continent of Africa. | |||
Enchodus | E. libycus | Maastrichtian | An enchodontid aulopiform. | |||
E. bursauxi | Maastrichtian | |||||
E. elegans | Maastrichtian | |||||
Eoserrasalmimus11 | E. cattoi | Maastrichtian | A pycnodontiform. | |||
Mawsoniidae12 | Indeterminate | Maastrichtian | A giant mawsoniid coelacanth measuring 3.65–5.52 metres (12.0–18.1 ft) long. | |||
Phacodus13 | P. punctatus var. africanus | Maastrichtian | A pycnodontiform. | |||
Plethodidae14 | Indeterminate | Maastrichtian | Youngest occurrence of plethodid fish. | |||
Pycnodontidae | Indeterminate | Maastrichtian | ||||
Pseudoegertonia | P. sp. | Maastrichtian | ||||
Serrasalmimus15 | S. secans | Thanetian | A carnivorous pycnodontiform. | |||
Stephanodus | S. libycus | Maastrichtian | ||||
Stratodus | S. apicalis | Maastrichtian | An alepisauroform. | |||
Macroprosopon | M. hiltoni16 | Ypresian | A marine osteoglossid. |
Sharks
Sharks from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Abdounia17 | A. africana | Selandian | A requiem shark. | |||
Brachycarcharias | B. atlasi18 | Ypresian | ||||
Casieria | C. maghrebiana | Selandian | ||||
Chiloscyllium | C. salvani. | Selandian | A carpet shark. | |||
Cretalamna | C. appendiculata | Maastrichtian | ||||
C. maroccana | Maastrichtian | |||||
Delpitoscyllium | D. africanum | Selandian | ||||
Eostegostoma | E. sp. | Selandian | A carpet shark. | |||
Foumtizia | F. abdouni | Selandian | ||||
Galeorhinus | G. mesetaensis | Selandian | ||||
Ginglymostoma | G. chenanei | Selandian | ||||
G. khouribgaense | Selandian | |||||
Hologinglymostoma | H. jaegeri | Selandian | ||||
Khouribgaleus | K. gomphorhiza | Selandian | ||||
Metlaouia | M. delpiti | Selandian | ||||
Microscyliorhinus | M. simplex | Selandian | ||||
Palaeogaleus | P. larachei | Selandian | ||||
Palaeorhincodon | P. daouii | Selandian | A carpet shark. | |||
Porodermoides | P. spanios | Selandian | ||||
Premontreia | P. peypouqueti | Selandian | ||||
P. subulidens | Selandian | |||||
Scyliorhinus | S. ptychtus | Selandian | ||||
S. entomodon | Selandian | |||||
S. sulcidens | Selandian | |||||
Serratolamna | S. serrata | Maastrichtian | ||||
S. khderii | Maastrichtian | |||||
Squalicorax | S. pristodontus | Maastrichtian | ||||
S. bassanii | Maastrichtian | |||||
S. africanus | Maastrichtian | |||||
S. microserratus | Maastrichtian | |||||
S. benguerirensis | Maastrichtian | |||||
Triakis | T. antunesi | Selandian |
Other cartilaginous fish
Other cartilaginous cish from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Archaemanta | A. priemi | Selandian | A ray. | |||
Burnhamia | B. cf. davisi | Selandian | A devil ray | |||
Coupatezia | C. larivei | Selandian | A ray. | |||
C. fallax | Maastrichtian | |||||
C. elevata | Maastrichtian | |||||
Dasyatis | D. ponsi | Selandian | A stingray. An indeterminate species found in Maastrichtian deposits of Ganntour Basin. | |||
Delpitia | D. reticulata | Selandian | A ray. | |||
Gymnura | G. delpiti | Selandian | A ray. | |||
Heterobatis | H. talbaouii | Selandian | A ray. | |||
Heterotorpedo | H. brahimi | Selandian | A ray. | |||
Hypolophodon | H. sp. | Selandian | A ray. | |||
Rhombodus | R. binkhorsti | Maastrichtian | A ray. | |||
R. microdus | Maastrichtian | |||||
R. meridionalis | Maastrichtian | |||||
Schizorhiza | S. stromeri | Maastrichtian | A sclerorhynchoid skate which resembled a sawfish. |
Reptiles
Crocodylomorphs
Crocodylomorphs from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Arambourgisuchus19 | A. khouribgaensis | Thanetian | A dyrosaurid. | |||
Atlantosuchus | A. coupatezi | Danian | A dyrosaurid. | |||
Chenanisuchus | C. lateroculi | Thanetian | The most basal known dyrosaurid. | |||
Dyrosaurus | P. maghribensis | Ypresian | A dyrosaur. | |||
Maroccosuchus20 | M. zennaroi | Ypresian | A tomistomine crocodylian. | |||
Ocepesuchus21 | O. eoafricanus | Maastrichtian | A gavialoid crocodylian. |
Lepidosaurs
Mosasaurs
Mosasaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Carinodens2223 | C. acrodon | Maastrichtian | A small mosasaurine mosasaur with crushing teeth. | |||
C. belgicus | ||||||
C. minalmamar | ||||||
Eremiasaurus | E. heterodontus | Maastrichtian | A mosasaurine mosasaur with unusual cutting dentition. | |||
Gavialimimus24 | G. almaghribensis | Maastrichtian | An unusual longirostrine plioplatecarpine mosasaur. | |||
Globidens | G. phosphaticus | Maastrichtian | A mosasaurine mosasaur with specialized crushing teeth. | |||
G. simplex | Maastrichtian | |||||
G. aegyptiacus | Maastrichtian | Now referred to its own genus, Igdamanosaurus. | ||||
Halisaurus | H. arambourgi | Maastrichtian | A halisaurine mosasaur. | |||
Igdamanosaurus | I. aegyptiacus | Maastrichtian | ||||
Khinjaria25 | K. acuta |
| Maastrichtian |
| A plioplatecarpine mosasaur. | |
Mosasaurus | M. beaugei | Maastrichtian | A large mosasaurine mosasaur. | |||
Pachyvaranus | P. crassispondylus | Maastrichtian | A pachyvaranid | |||
Platecarpus | P. ptychodon | Maastrichtian | Possibly a senior synonym of Gavialimimus. | |||
Pluridens26 | P. serpentis | Maastrichtian | A large halisaurine mosasaur, also known from Niger and Nigeria. | |||
Prognathodon | P. currii | Maastrichtian | A large mosasaurine mosasaur. | |||
P. giganteus | Maastrichtian | |||||
Stelladens27 | S. mysteriosus | Maastrichtian | A medium-sized mosasaurine with distinct, unique teeth structure. | |||
Thalassotitan28 | T. atrox | Maastrichtian | A large-bodied mosasaurine with powerful jaws, similar to P. currii. | |||
Xenodens29 | X. calminechari | Maastrichtian | A small mosasaurine mosasaur with unusual, shark-like teeth. The holotype is a forged specimen and is potentially a nomen dubium and a chimera.30 |
Serpentes
Snakes from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Palaeophis31 | P. maghrebianus | Maastrichtian?–Ypresian | Multiple fossilized vertebrae. | A palaeophiid marine snake. |
Plesiosaurs
Plesiosaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Zarafasaura | Z. oceanis | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | Paratype specimens with complete skull and partial postcranial skeleton. | An elasmosaurid plesiosaur with an unusually short skull. |
Turtles
Turtles from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Alienochelys32 | A. selloumi | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | A sea turtle with crushing jaws. | ||
Araiochelys33 | A. hirayamai | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | A skull, lower jaws, partial disarticulated shell, including a few carapace fragments (left first and fifth costals, left third, seventh, and eighth peripherals and other fragments), nearly complete plastron and limb bones. | A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle. | |
Argillochelys34 | A. africana | Ypresian | A pancheloniid sea turtle. | |||
Bothremys35 | B. kellyi | Danian-Thanetian | A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle. | |||
B. maghrebiana | ||||||
Brachyopsemys | B. tingitana | Danian | A sandownid sea turtle | |||
Euclastes | E. acutirostris | Danian-Thanetian | A pancheloniid sea turtle. An indeterminate species also present in the Maastrichtian deposits of Ganntour Basin.36 | |||
E. wielandi | Danian | |||||
Labrostochelys37 | L. galkini | Oued Zem | Danian | A nearly complete skull. | A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle | |
Ocepechelon38 | O. bouyai | Sidi Chennane | Maastrichtian | A complete but isolated 70-cm-long skull. | A giant protostegid sea turtle with an unusual pipette-like snout. | |
Puppigerus | P. camperi | Ypresian | A Pancheloniidae sea turtle. | |||
Rhothonemys39 | R. brinkmani | Danian | A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle. | |||
Tasbacka | T. ouledabdounensis | Danian | A Cheloniidae sea turtle. | |||
Taphrosphys | T. ippolitoi | Danian | A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle. | |||
Ummulisani | U. rutgersensis | Mrah Iaresh | Ypresian | A skull without a palate. | A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle. |
Pterosaurs
Pterosaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Alcione | A. elainus40 | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | A nyctosaurid which shows possible adaptations towards diving behaviour. | ||
Barbaridactylus | B. grandis41 | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | A nyctosaurid. | ||
Simurghia | S. robusta42 | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | A nyctosaurid related to Alcione. | ||
Phosphatodraco | P. mauritanicus43 | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | An azhdarchid. | ||
cf Arambourgiania44 | A. sp? | Sidi Chennane | Maastrichtian | A giant azhdarchid, may belong to the Jordanian taxon Arambourgiania. | ||
aff. Quetzalcoatlus45 | indet. | Maastrichtian | ||||
Tethydraco | T. regalis46 | Sidi Daoui | Maastrichtian | A pterosaur of debated affinity; may be an azhdarchid47 or a pteranodontid.48 |
Dinosaurs
Bird fossils are common in the Basin, which includes the oldest birds in Africa.49 At least three orders and several families of sea birds are represented, including Procellariiformes (albatrosses and petrels, fossils assignable to Diomedeidae and Procellariidae), Pelecaniformes (pelicans and allies, fossils assignable to Phaethontidae, Prophaethontidae, Fregatidae and Pelagornithidae), and Anseriformes (waterfowl, including fossil Presbyornithidae).50
Ornithischians
Ornithischians from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Ajnabia51 | A. odysseus |
| Maastrichtian |
| A small lambeosaurine hadrosaur; the first known from Africa | |
Lambeosaurinae52 | Indeterminate |
| Maastrichtian |
| A lambeosaurine larger than Ajnabia and Minqaria | |
Lambeosaurinae53 | Indeterminate |
| Maastrichtian |
| A lambeosaurine larger than Ajnabia and Minqaria | |
Minqaria54 | M. bata |
| Maastrichtian |
| A lambeosaurine hadrosaur | |
Taleta55 | T. Taleta |
| Maastrichtian |
| A lambeosaurine hadrosaur |
Saurischians
Sauropods
Sauropods from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Titanosauria56 | Indeterminate |
| Maastrichtian |
| A new titanosaurian taxon, currently unnamed. |
Theropods
Abelisaurs
Abelisaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Abelisauridae58 | Indeterminate |
| Maastrichtian | right tibia | Probably distinct from Chenanisaurus due to its smaller size (about 5 m (16 ft) long) despite being mature. Similar to South American abelisaurids. Possibly a member of Furileusauria.59 | |
Abelisauridae60 | Indeterminate |
| Maastrichtian | right metatarsal II | A mature specimen but very small for an abelisaurid, about 2.6 m (8.5 ft) long | |
Chenanisaurus61 | C. barbaricus |
| Maastrichtian |
| A large abelisaurid theropod. |
Birds
Birds from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Dasornis62 | D. abdoun | Sidi Daoui | Ypresian | A holotype specimens consists of carpometacarpus, ulna, radius, tibiotarsus, and humerus. | A pelagornithid, or pseudotooth bird. | |
D. emuinus | Sidi Daoui | Ypresian | A partial skeleton with incomplete cranium. | |||
D. tolapica | Selandian | A parital skeleton. | ||||
Lithoptila63 | L. abdounensis | Sidi Daoui | Thanetian | A neurocranium. | A seabird related to modern tropicbirds. |
Mammals
Afrotheres
Afrotheres from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Abdounodus64 | A. hamdii | Thanetian-Ypresian | A lower jaw. | An early afrotherian mammal. | ||
Daouitherium65 | D. rebouli | Ypresian | lower jaws and associated cheek teeth | An early proboscidean. | ||
Eritherium66 | E. azzouzorum | Thanetian | An early proboscidean. | |||
Hadrogeneios67 | H. phosphaticus | Selandian-Thanetian | An early afrotherian mammal. | |||
Ocepeia68 | O. daouiensis | Selandian | Partial skull consists of an upper jaw and dental fragments | An early afrotherian mammal. | ||
O. grandis | Thanetian | Lower jaw and teeth. | ||||
Phosphatherium | P. escuilliei | Selandian | An early proboscidean. | |||
Stylolophus69 | S. minor | Ypresian | An embrithopod. | |||
S. major | Ypresian |
Hyaenodonts
Hyaenodonts from the Khouribga Phosphates | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Genus | Species | Location | Time | Material | Notes | Images |
Boualitomus | B. marocanensis | Selandian | A hyaenodont. | |||
Lahimia70 | L. selloumi | Selandian | A hyaenodont. |
See also
- Paleontology portal
- Earth sciences portal
- Morocco portal
External links
- Fossil Vertebrates from the Phosphate Basins of Morocco, paleontological research from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.
References
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