Tafraout Group
| Tafraout Group | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Toarcian-Middle Aalenian Polymorphum-Murchisonae | |
 The village of Zaouiat Ahançal (in the foreground) and the strata of the formations (in the background). | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Sub-units |
|
| Underlies | |
| Overlies | |
| Area | High Atlas[1][2] |
| Thickness | Aprox. 2000 m |
| Lithology | |
| Primary |
|
| Location | |
| Location | Central High Altas |
| Coordinates | 31°24′N 5°30′W / 31.4°N 5.5°W |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 26°36′N 3°24′W / 26.6°N 3.4°W |
| Region | High Atlas[3][4] |
| Country |  Morocco |
| Type section | |
| Named for | The Village of Tafraout near Jbel Tafraout |
| Named by | Abdellah Milhi |
| Location | 1 Km East of Jbel Tafraout |
| Year defined | 1992 |
| Thickness at type section | ~250 m (820 ft) |
  Tafraout Group (Morocco) | |
The Tafraout Group (Also "Tafraoute Group" or Zaouiat Ahançal Group) is a geological group of formations of Toarcian-Aalenian (Lower Jurassic-Middle Jurassic) age in the Azilal, Béni-Mellal, Imilchil, Zaouiat Ahansal, Ouarzazate, Tinerhir and Errachidia areas of the High Atlas of Morocco.[5] The Group represents the remnants of a local massive Siliciclastic-Carbonate platform ("Tafraout Platform"), best assigned to succession W-E of alluvial environment occasionally interrupted by shallow marine incursions (tidal flat setting) and inner platform to open marine settings, and marks a dramatic decrease of the carbonate productivity under increasing terrigenous sedimentation.[6] Fossils include large reef biotas with richness in "lithiotid" bivalves and coral mounts ("Patch reef", Tafraout Formation[7]), but also by remains of vertebrates such as the sauropod Tazoudasaurus and the basal ceratosaur Berberosaurus, along with several undescribed genera.[8] While there have been attributions of its lowermost layers to the Latest Pliensbachian, the current oldest properly measured are part of the Earliest Toarcian regression ("MRST10"), part of the Lower-Middle Palymorphum biozone.[5] This group is composed of the following units, which extend from west to east: the Azilal Formation (continental to subtidal, including its synonyms the "Wazzant Formation" and the "Continental Series of Toundoute"); the Amezraï Formation (intertidal environment); the Aguerd-nˈTazoult Formation (intertidal environment); the Tagoudite Formation (including the "Tamadout Formation", shallow subtidal to open pelagic) & the Trafraout Formation (deposited in a subtidal to inner platform environment).[7] They are connected with the offshore Ait Athmane Formation and the deeper shelf deposits of the Agoudim 1 Formation.[9] Overall, this group represents a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic system of several hundred meters thick, dominated by deposits of shallow marine platforms linked to a nearby hinterland dominated by conglomerates.[10] The strata of the group extend towards the central High Atlas, covering different anticlines and topographic features along the mountain range.[11]
The after-effects of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event are also very present in the marginal marine strata of the Tafraout Group, with the Toksine Section recording a dramatic collapse on the scale of the Tethys of the neritic carbonate system.[12]
Geology[edit]
The Central High Atlas of Morocco is part of a double-vergent mountain belt that originated due to Cenozoic shortening and inversion of a rift that developed between the Triassic-Jurassic periods.[13] Its geometry is distinctive due to the presence of several ENE–WSW narrow rift basins, derived from four major tectonic phases: pre-rift, that was linked with the Hercynian Orogeny and the union of Pangea in the Paleozoic; syn-rift, that was developed mostly between the Late Permian-Late Triassic with several NE–SW to ENE–WSW rift-basins, al derived from the almost coeval opening of the Atlantic Ocean and Tethys Sea.[14] This rift-derived basins ended filled with continental siliciclastic sediments, and latter towards the Rhaetian stage of the Triassic affected by emissions of the Central Atlantic magmatic province.[15] It was on the so-called Post-rift phase that the local tectonics had a thermal relaxation and allowed the deposition of the Jurassic-Cretaceous carbonate platforms.[14] The structure of the High Atlas can be defined by two main groups of faults, thrust and oblique-slip faults, that occur from W-E to NE-SW.[13] The presence of tectonic inversion in the Atlas Mountains has shown that are an intracontinental mountain belts that appeared from the uplift of pre-existing rift systems, where here is represented by a major rift system (~2000 km) originated on the Mesozoic, that was later uplifted and inverted in the Cenozoic.[13] The impact and convergence movements of the African-Iberian plates after the Mesozoic end with an inversion of the previous deposited strata, transporting the sediments of that and forming new low angle thrusts. Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous strata are confined within basins controlled by the extensional structures of the Mesozoic rift. The Jurassic basins can be grouped into two main provinces located on either side of an emerged Massif Ancien: west, where the basin was open to the Early Atlantic, being related to its passive margin, and east with several epicontinental troughs connected to the Tethys Ocean.[16] Across the Toarcian-Bajocian strata, there was a great deposition of marine shales as marls, calciturbidites and reefal limestones were accumulated in the E Central High Atlas, while on the west margin around the Massif Ancien terrestrial, specially fluvial sedimentation dominated.[16] The present Red Beds of Azilal and the yonger marls of Bin el Ouidane indicate various marine oscillations across the Toarcian-Bajocian boundary, ending its sedimentation with the major Bathonian redbeds.[17][16] A initial tectonic event on the Triassic-Jurassic boundary led to the formation of the Tigrinine-Taabast pull-apart basin, for example.[18] Following this event a major extensional tectonic activity (derived from the second Pangea rifting) occurred towards the end of the Pliensbachian and beginning of the Toarcian.[18] This second major tectonic event developed towards the E-W to NE-SW, reactivating trending normal faults, what led to the drowning of the Lower Liassic carbonate platform and the predominance of marls during the Middle Liassic to Toarcian.[18]
Rift Vulcanism[edit]
Along the High Atlas Triassic-Jurassic boundary, and until the Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic (then again in the Lower Cretaceous), there is a record on vulcanism locally on the succession of different local formations, such as the Guettioua Formation and others, but also absent on others such as the Pliensbachian Aganane Formation.[19] Mostly of the north-African Rhaetian-Bathonian volcanic events are related to the open of the Atlantic Ocean, with parallel records found on the North American coast.[20] On some locations, such as Haute Mouluya towards the Middle Central High Atlas, it is even possible to delimitate a transitions between the major CAMP event, linked with the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event and other posterior Hettangian and/or Sinemurian volcanic events, notorious due to be based around explosive vulcanism (Belonging to the Tizi-n-Ghachou Formation).[21] Mostly of the effects of the volcanism occur on the main emerged terrestrial deposits as can be seen in the presence of basaltic intrusions in the younger Bathonian layers of the Beni-Mellal zone, some of them cutting older strata.[19][22]
The origin of the Central Atlantic magmatic province volcanism is related with the Geography of the zone, and has been registered to last until the Early Sinemurian (196.3 + 1.2 Ma).[23] On the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian, the tethys flooded the area and a post-rift carbonate platform developed flooding CAMP basalts. On the Middle Toarcian, subsiding basins appeared which isolated the Mesetas and Precambrian and Paleozoic massifs.[24][25] On the Central High Atlas two sections of lava flows and dikes yielded ages between 188 and 153 M.a and 199-178 M.a respectively, whose age, if true, overlapped with the eruption of the Karoo-Ferrar igneous province.[26] Yet evidence of volcanism contemporaneous with the deposition of the Azilal Formation is almost nonexistent, and where volcanic rocks have been assigned, they have been repositioned as either younger or CAMP. The only possible record is found associated with the outcrops at Toundoute, with Trachyandesitic materials from an explosive source, like in the older Mouluya outcrops.[27]
Description[edit]
Aguerd-nˈTazoult Formation[edit]
The Aguerd-n'Tazoult formation encompasses the most recent marginal marine strata within the Amezraï minibasin, ranging from the Upper Toarcian to Aalenian periods. This formation denotes a transitional environment from supratidal to intertidal, exhibiting facies development similar to the underlying Trafraout Formation.[28] Local tectonic activity, primarily triggered by seismic events in the Tethyan domain, played a pivotal role in the formation process. Consequently, emergent Paleozoic strata underwent erosion owing to prevailing local conditions.[29]
Amezraï Formation[edit]
This formation is predominantly exposed in the mini-basin bearing the same name, closely linked with the Tazoult Ridge, both showcasing significant evidence of diapirism during the late Lias period in the central Atlas region. The Amezraï Formation constitutes the earliest segment of this group, dated back to the Earliest Toarcian epochs, identified by its brachiopod fauna. Its outcrops, such as those in Jbel Azourki, consist of a mix of carbonates, sandstones, and marls, accompanied by conglomeratic facies containing Paleozoic basement elements. The vertical arrangement of these facies indicates a gradational decrease, with conglomerates, sandstones, and clays forming the lower part of the formation, transitioning to limestones, marls, and sandstones towards the top.[28] These variations signify the erosion of sandy layers within a shallow platform environment, as evidenced by multiple criteria.[30]
Azilal Formation[edit]
Levêque called this unit "Marnes chocolat" in the Azilal region, made up of red-brown marls, silts (microsandstones) and conglomerates with centimetric quartz dragees. Locations at Adoumaz, Ghnim and Jbel Taguendouft (Béni-Mellal Province) are composed by a succession of reddish-brown tints with terrigenous dominance: sandstone, clays with paleosols and sandstone limestones sometimes dolomitized, with marmorized levels in paleosols towards the northern region of Ghnim and Adoumaz.[2] The lowermost sections show a transition from sandstone limestone and/or sandstone to clay, with a thin level of green marls locally rich in ostracods. This initial layers are followed by a subtidal term, represented by an oolitic limestone, with fine lamellibranch bioclasts and variable percentages of quartz, that host also small sections of sandstone with calcareous cement and rare oolites, representing this last one is an oblique bedding, of metric dimensions, drawing on the surface mega-ripples of 3 to 5 m in wavelength.[31] The last major section represents a supratidal deposit, as shown by the presence of coarse sandstone gradually changing to red Marls with "fluer" structures and locally to paleosols. This section in Adoumaz has abundance of Paleozoic quartz grains, that are found organized in decametric channeling lenses evoking a predominantly fluvial dynamic.[31]
On the south-southwest edge of the basin towards west of Azilal (Jbel Til-Jbel Amersiaz basin and part of the M'Goun syncline), Guettioua, Demnate, Telouet, Toundoute & Marrakesh, under the Bajocian limestones (Tanant Formation) or directly under the Bajocian?-Bathonian Guettioua Formation, develops a thick a red detrital section in which pelites, sandstones and conglomerates with centimeter-sized quartz balls alternate and breccias (locally called " Wazzant Formation") with Liassic limestone elements, this last ones except near paleofaults, do not appear or have been dissolved.[32] This sector reaches 800 m thickess in the Wazzant subasin, being very reduced to the south of it in Aït-Toutline or Aït-Iouaridène, recovering a variation of the sedimentary process formed by a complex sedimentary unit, terrigenously dominated, composed by the abundance of conglomeratic channels with quartz dragees and Paleozoic basement elements, sandstones organized in bars channeled lenticulars and red clays, the whole part of the facies is organized in metric sequences of filling and alluvial channels.[17] In addition, exceptionally, at the Wazzant area it rests in this place directly on massive dolomites, having eroded the marno-limestones of the Pliensbachian, with transitional layers. A transition between marine and continental deposits, is seen through carbonate palustrine levels and horizons of caliche, being continental layers superimposed in stratigraphic continuity on the marine carbonates of the Aganane or older Imi-n-Ifri Formation.[27] The Wazzant area river system was driven by several minor freshwater currents, likely temporal and related to the rainy seasons. It has a notorious proximal character compared to the other sections of the Azilal formation.[33]
The lithology of the Azilal Formation recovers a Claystone-dominated interval, incised by metric dolomitized beds of Mudstones, Peloid-rich Packstones, Ooid-rich Grainstones, and Polymictic Conglomerates, all rich in Terrestrial plant debris, with faunal content very poor and mostly dominated by microbial facies. This unit brings together sandstones, sometimes coarse or conglomeratics, especially red silts and some irregularly bedding carbonate horizons (lacustrine limestones?) as well as rarer coal beds.[32]
At the west this unit consists of conglomerates, sandstones and red pelites. The sandstone and conglomeratic levels are lenticular with frequent oblique stratifications. While it can be complex to differentiate from the Guettioua Formation or the Oukaïmeden Sandstone, conglomerates with multicolored quartz balls of centimeter diameter are the major unique trait of the Azilal Formation.[32] This sequences record predominance of quartz grains (> 50), the rest is made up of fragments of rocks, often quartzose and schistosose with presence of vitreous rocks and spongy Glauconite; calcite cements the elements and fills vacuoles. The absence of heavy minerals and Plagioclase clearly indicate that these sandstones come from the dismantling of a non-granite base. Other proximal areas show Sieve-Conglomerate lenticular channels of ~5 m (16 ft) thickness (≤ 5 m (16 ft)), composed of several materials, such as volcanic products in Toundoute (blocks of sands composed of Feldspars, black ferruginous grains, siliceous green fragments of veins, microgeods, hummocky concretions), limestone debris with traces of roots and cracks, where in some parts traces of fine, dark brushy algal filaments are still visible, similar to blue-green algae of the genus Girvanella.[27] Finally, there are intercalations of fine, often laminated sandstone which mark the inondation facies of the channels during flood periods, being composed solely of feldspars plagioclase and to a lesser extent of orthoclase, as well as small ferruginous grains or fine silts of quartz.[27]
The layers at Azilal evolved along the central high Altas Toarcian-Aalenian Siliclastic-Carbonate Platform, and consist mostly on a succession of detritic rocks with Red Marls, deposited on an alluvial environment occasionally interrupted by shallow marine incursions, a Mudflat setting.[17] The unit represents a major sea regression measured in the central High Atlas, specially after the Lower Toarcian, proven by sections such as "Tarhia n’Dadès", where the Pliensbachian Choucht Formation marginal marine layers are overlain by one meter of red silt/bioclastic limestone alternations, that start a local paralic to continental environments, assigned to the Domerian Aganane Formation. Over this unit the limit with the Azilal formation is marked with a karstified subaerial exposure surface, that wears also great abundance of plant material, what overall implicates prograding terrestrial facies and a shrinking of the local carbonate platform width.[34] The base of the East Azilal Formation is not clear, there is a gradual passage between the underlying limestones of the Aganane Formation and the red pelites of the Azilal Formation. The upper limit is marked by a progressive transition to Bin-el-Ouidane limestones with the limit fixed at the base of the first massive limestones, generally “birds eyes”.
In the west it rests conformably and with progressive passage either on the Aït-Bazzi Formation, or on its lateral equivalent the Aganane, as can be seen at Ait Blal and Tacht where limestone banks are gradually interspersed in the red pelites. In other places is clearly discordant on the sediments of the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian which can be found barely blunted blocks in its conglomeratic levels, as can be seen in places like the N of Wazzant or Ait Bou Oulli. The western upper limit is marked by greenish clayey levels are interspersed between the red pelites, then limestone banks, gradually changuing into the Bajocian Tanant Formation, as can be seen at Tizi-n-Takiout on Aït-Blal.[32]
Tagoudite Formation[edit]
The Tagoudite Formation represents a significant shift in Liassic sedimentation, replacing the carbonate turbidites of the Ouchbis Formation with predominantly siliciclastic layers. These layers comprise an irregular alternation of gray and green limestone sandstones with sandy marls and siltstones, forming megasequences with thicknesses of 10–20 m, distinguished by a decrease in siliciclastic aggregate size and an increase in marl content from bottom to top, with gradations, laminations, and ripple marks present.[7] Microscopically, the thin-layered turbidites consist mainly of fine-grained silt, with variations in the percentage of siliciclastics and carbonate detritus over time and place. Siliciclastic portions include quartz grains, feldspar, and often glauconite, with micritic carbonate detritus ranging from 15% to 60% in a micritic matrix, with components indicating a distant source area. Pyrite can be enriched in nests or finely dispersed in individual layers.[7] The siliciclastic turbidites suggest an open marine depositional environment, with interruptions in sedimentation and evidence of carbonate portion supply from neighboring emersion zones. Gravel stratification, lateral variations in siliciclastic grain size, and thickness fluctuations suggest different source areas, likely due to movements along paleostèration zones, reactivated during the Toarcian. The Tagoudite Formation is widespread in the Central High Atlas, wedged against paleorelief slopes or Boutonnières, with a thicknesses range up to 320 m, with variations noted in different areas of the Atlas region, including Tounfite, Rich, and Beni Mellal. In the Central Middle Atlas, sedimentation interruptions indicate emersion area formation preceding the deposition of this formation, with complete wedge-out to the east, approximately in the Midelt-Errachidia strait area.[7]
Tafraout Formation[edit]
The Tafraout Formation comprises oolitic and biodetrital limestones exhibiting cross-stratifications, arranged in channels and bars ranging from decimetric to metric scale, alongside greenish to variegated silty marls topped with lenticular layers of micro-conglomerates. These deposits were laid down on a coastal platform.[7] The upper segment of the Tafraout Formation represents sedimentation resulting from terrigenous dispersal in the former "basin" of the upper Pliensbachian (Aganane Formation). The overall sedimentary trend indicates a progressive filling process. Initially, the presence of foraminifera assemblages, ammonite traces, and turbidite spits within the marls suggests sedimentation in an open marine environment with a circalittoral setting.[28] Sandstone turbidites observed at the basin's northern boundary indicate material transit across the Pliensbachian platform. On the other hand, carbonate turbidites observed farther south in the Taquat N'Agrd area are likely attributed to erosion in high intra-basin regions. Moving towards the upper sections, a vertical arrangement and gradual filling process led to the formation of a supratidal carbonate coastal plain, characterized by tropical conditions akin to those observed on Andros, Bahamas. These observed sequences, displaying a "coarsening up" pattern, illustrate the advancement of a sandy beach area (sandstone) over a shallow subtidal zone (marls). The gullied limestones at the sequence's base denote phases of flooding preceding the resurgence of subtidal sedimentation.[31]
Paleogeography[edit]
The Tafraout Group was deposited in the Moroccan Carbonate Platform, at a palaeolatitude between 19°-20°N, around the same latitude as modern Mauritania or Cuba, and developed along a major drowning episode linked with the Toarcian Anoxic event, that led to the eustatic sea–level rise on the Early Toarcian in Europe and Africa.[35] The Azilal Formation was bracketed between several major geologically older hinterlands: the West Moroccan Arch on the W-NW, the Anti-Atlas and the Sahara craton in the S-SE.[36]
Towards the west (Afourer and Azilal province maps) the local laguno-marine facies of the Aganane Formation are directly overlain by terrigenous deposits of the Azilal Formation after the initial major Toarcian regression: red clays, conglomerates with paleozoic elements.[5] This deposits fill many small basins in tearing in the Atlas of Afourer and Azilal, having the Demnat Accident as the major structural element in this last sector. While at Demnate, Telouet, Azilal, Skoura or Toundoute the conditions did become fully terrestrial, towards the east at Beni-Mellal the Lower Toarcian the ongoing sea regression happened latter, marked by oscillations between the Azilal Formation and the marly marine Tagoudite or the carbonate Tafraout, ending both fully overlain by the terrigenous layers towards the Middle-Late Toarcian.[5] The Amezraï minbasin evolved as an isolated lateral equivalent, composed of intertidal to open marine carbonate environments, hosting also layers of the Tagoudite Formation, that end first overlain by the Tafraout Formation, and then in the westernmost sectors by the Azilal Formation while remaining in the central East marine-based as marks the Aguerd-nˈTazoult Formation.[31]
The Tafraout Group co-evolved with several staggered sections from the southern edge of the Tilougguit Syncline in the north to the axis of the Aït Bouguemmez Basin in the south, showed that the depocenter zone corresponded to the disposal area located between the Talmest-Tazolt Ridge to the North and the North-Atlasic accident to the South. At Talmest-Tazoult ridge, the siliclastic-carbonate series of the Toarcian-Aalenian form a clear progressive unconformity above the carbonates of the Sinemurian-Pliensbachian, building an individualized ridge oriented NE-SW, limiting two local depressions to the South-East (Amezraï and Wahmane). The North Altas accident shows variations of thickness and facies, testifying a weak activity of the latter, in particular during the deposition of the Azilal Formation, with the reliefs created during the previous phase covered by the terrigenous layers of this last one.[31]
Two main stages can be then distinguished in the paleogeographic evolution of the western border of the High Atlas Basin during the Toarcian-Aalenian: during the Lower Toarcian, this sector presented the same paleogeographic characteristics as those seen during the uppermost Pliensbachian, being latter followed by a reduction in the deposition areas and a filling of the Pliensbachian basins by terrigenous material from the Tagoudite & Azilal Formations.[31] Then, with the Middle Toarcian- Aalenian, the Azilal Formation expanded towards the east as the sedimentation resumed throughout the region, where coeval layers in the Amezraï subsiding basin was filled by carbonates from the internal platform of the Tafraout and Aguerd n’Tazoult, being surrounded to the north, east and south by a coastal area with dominant terrigenous sedimentation of the own Azilal Formation. This period is marked by the individualization of the Talmest-Tazolt Ridge in the center of the basin and by a relative tectonic calm in the other coeval sectors.[31]
Despite being claimed to have Latest Pliensbachian layers, the Azilal Formation is measured in post Polymorphum (Earliest Toarcian) levels, and impacts in the sedimentation (especially of the Béni-Mellal Province, Zaouiat Ahansal, or the Dadès Gorges) in the Middle Toarcian-Lower Aalenian, marked by a notorious sea regression, distributed in at least 6 sequences, that overlie layers with the ammonite genus Eodactylioceras and Hildoceras bifrons allow a precise localization of this initial progradation of the terrestrial settings around the Bifrons substage of the Toarcian (that can be either considered the uppermost Lower Toarcian of the lower Middle Toarcian).[5] The layers are, at the oldest sections of this initial phase, represented by marly and silty marls and limestones as well as marginal-littoral sandstones testifying to the siltation of this sector by sandy sheets of deltaic origin. At the same time on the Amezraï basin the fauna is composed by brachiopod fauna such as Soaresirhynchia bouchardi, S. babtisrensis and Pseudogibbirhynchia jurensis that corroborate the Toarcian age and the connection between both locations.[31] Meanwhile, the presence of Aalenian (Bradfordernsis-Murchinsonae) Branchiopods in the Aguerd n’Tazoult Formation coeval with Ammonites of the same age in the easternmost Azilal formation at the Ikerzi Area confirms the marine delimitation in the last stages of deposition.[7]
Environment[edit]
The Tafraout Group covers most of the W High Atlas, surrounded by highlands that probably hosted dry cool (10.6 °C) to humid climate (12.30 °C), with a succession rain tundra to wet forest environments, as proven by samples from coeval layers in the External Rif Chain.[37] It was the emerged part of a Siliciclastic-Carbonate platform and represented a variety of settings, including continental river/palustrine-dominated, paralic-tidal deposits, and tidal mudflat shorelines.[36] The terrigenous-dominated deposits of the Azilal Formation were deposited in a coastal environment with continental influence. On this facies, the fauna (composed of rare Brachiopods, poorly diversified black Bivalves or vertebrates) and the sedimentary figures (impacts of raindrops, soft pebbles, crisscrossed stratifications and "ripplemarks") reflect a confined to continental/marine deposition environment, with temporary emersions, where conditions met in a deltaic environment with saltwater/brackish influences. This terrigenous deposition can be seen from north to south as a lateral transition from a coastal facies to a fluvial facies (at Adoumaz) to a foreshore facies (Ghnim "fining up" type sequences) to a beach facies (Jbel Taguendouft "coarsening up" type sequences). The relatively small thicknesses found at the Jbel Taguendouft section would testify to the tectonic activity of the Jbel Abbadine ridge.[31]
The flow of the fluvial-washed sediments take place in a E-NE direction, being moved to the layers of the Tafraout Formation and other coeval marine units, as well are found on fluviatile channels inside the own rocks of this unit.
The depositional environment of the Azilal formation was dominantly fluvial or alluvial, with large sandstone channels cutting through detrital conglomerate deposits. The high abundance of plant remains, either as fossil wood, cuticles, charcoal or Rhizoliths, reveals the presence of vegetated soils in the vicinity. There is also evidence ephemeral Palustrine (Sabkhas, Chotts) episodes in the form of carbonate bodies (Caliche or Calcrete levels), intercalated with conglomerate under an arid environment, as marks the development of gypsum.[38] This is recorded specially in the Telouet and Demnate-Wazzant area, but also seen in more detail at Toundoute: the deposits present a channel/floodplain type fluvial system, with sand-filled channels abundant in plant roots (mostly located in fine limestone, probably from the channel margins), developed in the near E-W direction of transit. The channel lithology shows notable enrichment of material from the Paleozoic basement and Triassic cover, with interbedded volcanic material (sand to pebbles), generally constituting more than half of the detrital components, showing clear carbonate recrystallization, suggesting that these fragments were still at high temperature during deposition and, therefore, contemporaneous with the sedimentation.[27] Lithic elements or isolated crystals found locally show no evidence of prolonged transport, probably from relatively nearby Springs, being these collected and transported by a poorly developed river system during episodic floods.[27]
.jpg)
The overall local climate was warm with alternating wet and dry periods have generated soils with differentiated calcareous profiles (pedogenetic nodules, Caliche), hosting active erosion on sparsely vegetated soils.[27]
.jpg)
The environment of the Azilal Formation becomes notorious after the Middle Toarcian, with a clear major regression that ends with a slowdown of the local sedimentary filling. The paralic deposits of this phase contain clay intervals rich in continental organic matter such as wood debris, but a rare fossil fauna consisting of abundant algae, benthic foraminifera, common oncoids, gastropods, and bivalve bioclasts.[36] As the Lower Toarcian started, over the region, the carbonate platform was abruptly replaced by siliciclastic deposits fed by a greater surrounding hinterland weathering, measured thanks to increased plant debris and the absence of evaporite-rich intervals and semi-arid paleosols, with alternating shoreline-forest depositional contexts.[36] This initial layers are overlied by storm-dominated deposits, with a depauperate fauna and very common occurrence of plant debris, which with the increase in ooid-rich facies suggest deposition on a warm, wet climate belt.[36] Some of these areas, particularly the more coastal ones located in the Azilal region, have an appearance similar to that of modern Sebkhas, for example those of found in the modern Persian Gulf. These intervals have increased nutrient levels locally, as evidenced by the high amount of Phosphorus along the entire Atlas Basin.[39] These siliciclastic beds have abundant pebbles of metamorphic and igneous rocks, implying that the material must have been derived from the Paleozoic or Proterozoic, implying a hinterland that is frequently emerged and subject to erosion and the effects of diagenesis. The only ones of this nature in Morocco, that on the Atlas are located to the south in the Anti-Atlas, to the west in the Ancient Massif and the Jebilet, and to the north in the Central Meseta, all places that were subaerially exposed during the Jurassic.[39][40] Specifically, the Anti-Atlas shows processes of tectonic uplift, overburden erosion, which, combined with the concentration of coarse siliciclastic material in the western part of the central High Atlas (absent in the east), suggest that this area was the source of the altered Lower Toarcian sediments, allowing the tracing of the fluvial channels that developed towards the Azilal Formation.[36]
At the same time towards the South-East the Tafraout Formation in the Amezraï basin represents a marginal marine environment, with wave ripples, cross-bedding, the Amphipoda ichnofossil Arenicolites isp. and the calcareous algae Cayeuxia sp., all deposited on diagenetic mudstone.[36] Concretely, on Taguendouft, towards the Middle Toarcian the carbonate producers recovered locally, with the ooid grainstone replaced by wackestone to packstone beds, where heterotrophic faunal bioclasts increase, such as cephalopods, brachiopods, echinoderms, and gastropods, with occasional coral patch reefs.[36]
Within the Trafraout Formation, facies comprising "lithiotids" (Plicatostylidae aberrant reef-forming bivalves), which are known from the Sinemurian to the Toarcian of Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and also in Morocco, indicate the return of carbonate activity in the Central Atlas.[5] These Reefs showed strong zonation, starting with the bivalves Gervilleioperna and Mytiloperna, restricted to intertidal and shallow-subtidal facies.[41] Lithioperna are limited to subtidal lagoon facies and even to certain poorly oxygenated environments. Finally, Cochlearites are found in the subtidal facies, building accumulations. At Jebel Toksine in the Dades Valley, the Tafraout Formation develops a local lagoon-subtidal ecosystem in arid and humid conditions. The Jebel Toksine layers represent one of the most complete records of this type of ecosystem in Morocco, recording several generations of lithiotic growth over ~1 km of exposure (consisting of the genera Gervilleioperna, Mytiloperna, Lithioperna and Cochlearites), as well as a diverse associated fauna.[41]
The Tagoudite & Tafraout formations recover, as seen on worldwide units an increase of weathering due to the Pl/To and T-OAE events, with increase of the siliciclastic sediment supply and increased dissolved material to the oceans. This occurred along an intensification of tropical storm events (as well Hurricane action) on the T-OAE, destroying the older carbonate platform organisms locally.[36] This allowed to set the Azilal Formation environments, that range from a series of continental settings with river influence, increased during the T-AOE with more amounts of flora being washed, to nearshore deposits, paralic and subtidal, subject of storm and tropical storm events, all set on a warm humid climate.[36]
The aftermath of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event is also highly present on the marginal marine strata of the formation, with the so-called Toksine Section, a succession of near shore marine strata disposed along the Toarcian boundary, where its last 40 m belong to the lower part of the Azilal Formation and are composed of dolomitized Mudstones and ooidal Grainstones, that show a slowly recovering a low-depth nearshore marine environment after in the Pliensbachian-Toarcian boundary a dramatic Tethys-wide collapse of the Neritic Carbonate System happened.[12]
There is also a local record of a Middle Toarcian Cold Snap at Jbel Akenzoud, and shows that after cold event that affect the local waters, related to the Karoo & the Atlantic Rift volcanism the present Brachiopods, based on their preserved oxygen isotope data show that warm seawater temperatures re-established during the early Late Toarcian.[42]
In the Middle Toarcian the eastern and north-eastern part of High Atlas of Todrha-Dadès, sedimentation carbonate with bioconstructions (patch-reef), develops with a thickening towards the East and a still thinning towards the West in the direction of the reef of Jbel Akenzoud, where the dew marine fossils of the formation are recovered.[29] The Coralline faunas suffered a significant collapse visible in the locality of Ouguerd Zegzaoune, showing that sedimentation at this time took place in a distensive tectonic context.[29] Then, towards the Late Toarcian-Aalenian boundary, the series corresponds to detrital deposits with carbonate intercalations with neritic fauna. The structural analysis shows that the sedimentation during the upper Toarcian was controlled by a tectonic game, always distensive, causing the tilting of blocks along the transverse fault of NW-SE direction, which leads to the creation of available space with openings always towards E and NE.[29]
Coeval Diapirism[edit]
The central High Atlas region harbors a cluster of elongated diapirs and minibasins formed during the Lower Jurassic rifting of the Atlas basin, with the Tazoult Ridge being one such diapiric sector spanning approximately 20 km. Oriented NE-SW, it slightly deviates from the dominant ENE-WSW structural trend of the central High Atlas, flanked by the Amezraï minibasin to the south and the Tiloughite minibasin to the north. Within the Amezraï minibasin, the Tafraout group, stretching about 1500 m, is exposed.[43] These deposits, interpreted as mixed Toarcian-Aalenian sediments, led to the extrusion of the diapir on its flank and the adjacent seabed, positioning the Alenian facies of the Aguerd-nˈTazoult Formation in a sub-horizontal orientation beyond the allochthonous body. The sharp transition between the gently SE-dipping Zaouiat Ahançal Group and the steeply NW-dipping Late Aalenian-Bajocian carbonates of the Bin el Ouidane Formation is seen as a weld formed by the closure of the salt wall.[44] This period coincides with the peak of passive diapiric growth, driven by the reactivation of the central High Atlas synrift from the Pliensbachian to the Aalenian, triggering salt withdrawal and swelling of adjacent salt walls, forming the Talmest allochthonous salt sheet at its SE end. In terms of paleoenvironment, the elongated carbonate platforms of Tazoult, formed by rifts, resemble those found in the shallow waters of the Red Sea's edges, particularly in Egypt's Strait of Gubal and Saudi Arabia's Farasan Banks.[44]
Examining local diapirism in the Upper Liassic has provided valuable insights into climate and deposition in the coexisting marine Amellago Formation. Intervals devoid of ooids indicate a wetter climate, supported by an increase in continental particles—a sign of heightened Saharan Craton weathering. Additionally, the presence of small amounts of charcoal or charred wood remnants suggests the existence of coastal forests or mangroves in the carbonate ramp of the Zaouiat Ahançal group during periods of increased local humidity.[45]
Biota[edit]
Foraminifera[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Habitat | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammobaculites[10] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Ammomarginulininae. | |
| Dentalina[10] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Nodosariinae. | |
| Everticyclammina[10] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the Everticyclamminidae family. It represents a species related to E. virguliana, known from the Middle Jurassic of Morocco | |
| Citharina[31] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Vaginulininae. It represents a species related to E. virguliana, known from the Middle Jurassic of Morocco | |
| Ichtyolaria[10] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Ichthyolariinae. | |
| Lenticulina[31] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | Un foraminifère de la famille des Lenticulininae. | |
| Lingulina[31] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Lenticulininae. | |
| Marginulina[31] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Marginulininae. | |
| Nodosaria[31] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Nodosariinae. | |
| Ophtalmidium[31] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Ophthalmidiidae. | |
| Orbitopsella[46] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Orbitopsellinae. | |
| Pseudocyclammina[10] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Hauraniidae. | |
| Pseudonodosaria[31] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Nodosariinae. | |
| Reinholdella[10] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A foraminifer of the family Ceratobuliminidae. |
Marine Palynomorphs[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Material | Notes | Images | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carinolithus[47] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeletons | Member of the family Calyculaceae inside Parhabdolithaceae. | |
| Luehndea[47] |
|
|
|
Cysts | A Dinoflagellate cyst, type member of Luehndeoideae. Constitutes an excellent marker of
the Pliensbachian-Toarcian interval. |
|
| Mancodinium[47] |
|
|
|
Cysts | A Dinoflagellate cyst, type member of Mancodiniaceae. Dominant genera on some layers of the Lias Delta Stage. | |
| Mendicodinium[47] |
|
|
|
Cysts | A Dinoflagellate cyst, member of Dinophyceae. | |
|
|
|
Cysts |
A member of Prasinophyceae. The presence of this genus indicates fresh or brackish water inputs in the depositional environment |
Algae[edit]
| Genre | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Habitat | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayeuxia[41] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | An algae of the Halimedaceae family. | |
| Sestrosphera[41] |
|
|
|
Calcareous Skeleton | Shallow Marine/Lagoonal | A red algae of the Solenoporaceae family. This genus is the dominant type of fossil algae found in biozone A (Lituosepta recoarensis). |
Invertebrates[edit]
In the Tafraout Group, the fossil record of units like the Azilal Formation is very restrictive compared to the marine coeval/underliying units like the Amezraï or Tafraout Formations. In the Dadés area Coral patch reefs rarely occur in the middle of the unit with associated echinodems (Sea urchin spines, Crinoid fragments) lamellibranchs, gastropods, solitary corals and algae.[7] Plant remains are very abundant in places such as the north of Jbel Akenzoud and partly impregnated and/or carbonized by malachite.[7] Gastropods have been discovered in several places, but none of the specimens have been studied nor identified.[48] Beds with large accumulations of unidentified Ostracod valves on an endemic thin level of green marl are found at the Beni-Mellal area (Adoumaz & Col de Ghnim outcrops).[49][50] The tubes of serpulid worms are known from Jbel Toksine, in relation to the bivalve pavements.[41]
Color key
|
Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; |
Ichnofossils[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Type | Made by | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arenicolites[36][51] |
|
|
|
Traces of habitation | Domichnia |
|
 |
| Chondrites[51] |
|
|
|
Tubular Fodinichnia | Fodinichnia |
|
 |
| Rhizocorallium[42][51] |
|
|
|
Tubular Fodinichnia | Domichnia or fodinichnia |
|
 |
| Scolicia[36] |
|
|
|
Locomotion or feeding trace | Fodinichnia |
|
|
| Skolithos[51] |
|
|
|
Cylindrical to subcylindrical burrows | Domichnia |
|
 |
| Thalassinoides[36][51] |
|
|
|
Tubular Fodinichnia | Fodinichnia |
|
 |
| Zoophycos[36][51] |
|
|
|
Traces of habitation | Domichnia & Fodinichnia |
|
 |
Anthozoa[edit]
The platform patch reefs in the Tafraout area are notable for their biodiversity, with some reaching heights of up to 40 m and lengths of up to 80 m, representing massive biostromes with a varied associated fossil assemblage, including bivalves, gastropods, echinoderm fragments, solitary corals, and bryozoans, found among the coral patchs.[7]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actinaraea?[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Actinacididae. |  |
| Ampakabastraea[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Stylinidae. | |
| Archaeosmilia[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Zardinophyllidae. These solitary corals were observed throughout the lower unit biostromes. | |
| Archaeosmiliopsis[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Archaeosmiliidae. | |
| Enallhelia?[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Stylinidae. |  |
| Haimeicyclus[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Oppelismiliidae. | |
| Hispaniastraea[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Hispaniastraeidae. | |
| Lophelia?[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Carophylliidae. |  |
| Myriophyllum[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Oppelismiliidae. | |
| Phacelostylophyllum[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Stylophyllidae. | |
| Phacelophyllia[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Dermosmiliidae. | |
| Periseris[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Latomeandridae. | |
| Spongiocoenia[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Stylophyllidae. | |
| Thecactinastraea[41] |
|
|
|
Calcified Skeletal Pieces | A coral of the family Oppelismiliidae. |
Brachiopoda[edit]
| Genre | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtirhynchia[31] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Tetrarhynchiidae (Brachiopod) | |
| Gibbirhynchia[52] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Tetrarhynchiidae (Brachiopod) | |
| Globirhynchia[31] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Rhynchonellidae (Brachiopod) | |
| Quadratirhynchia[52] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Tetrarhynchiidae (Brachiopod) | |
| Homoeorhynchia[29] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Rhynchonellinae (Brachiopod). Homoeorhynchia meridionalis indicates the Toarcian Serpentinus zone and base of the Bifrons zone | |
| Liospiriferina[12] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Spiriferinidae (Brachiopod) |  |
| Pseudogibbirhynchia[53][52] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Pamirorhynchiinae (Brachiopod). | |
| Soaresirhynchia[31][52] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Basiliolinae (Brachiopod) | |
| Sphaeroidothyris[29] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Lobothyrididae (Brachiopod) | |
| Stroudithyris[42][29] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A Brackish/marine Lissajousithyrididae (Brachiopod). Mostly benthonic specimens are known. The presence of this species indicates an upper Toarcian-Aalenian age for the layers where was discovered. | |
| Telothyris[29] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Lobothyrididae (Brachiopod). Relatively abundant on seashore deposits. Includes juvenile forms of Telothyris jauberti, present on benthic deposit strata. |
Bivalves[edit]
"Dwarf black bivalves (Lucinidae?)" in great abundance where reported from the Azilal Formation at its type section.[32]
| Genre | Espèce | Position stratigraphique | Formation et âge | Matériel | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceratomya[7] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A marine Ceratomyidae (Bivalve) | |
| Cochlearites[41] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Plicatostylidae (Bivalve). A large bivalve, with a subequivalent shell, reaching 60–70 cm high. It is one of the three main bivalves found on the Lithiotis Facies, whose accumulations generally cover megalodontid coquinas. | |
| Gervillioperna[41] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Plicatostylidae (Bivalve). Abundant along rootlets, indicating a very shallow and restricted lagoon or marsh environment | |
| Hinnites[7] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A marine Pectinidae (Bivalve) | |
| Inoperna[7] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A marine Mytilidae (Bivalve) | |
| Lithioperna[41] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Plicatostylidae (Bivalve). This genus was founded to be a bivalve with a byssate juvenile stage that developed different lifestyles as adults depending on the density of the individuals and the firmness of the bottom | |
| Pachygervillia[41][54] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish/marine Plicatostylidae (Bivalve). | |
| Opisoma[41] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish Astartidae (Bivalve). Is considered a genus that evolved from shallow-burrowing ancestors, secondarily becoming an edge-prone semi-fauna adapted to photosymbiosis. | |
| Trichites[45] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A marine Pinnidae (Bivalve) | |
| Pholadomya[45] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A marine Pholadomyidae (Bivalve) |
Gastropoda[edit]
Multiple Gasteropodan faunas are know, specially associated with coral patch reefs, but lack proper studies.[7]
| Genre | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nerinea[41] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish Nerineidae (Snail). Local specimens appear to have algal material on the shells, indicating restricted lagoon environments. | .JPG) |
| Scurriopsis[41] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | A brackish Acmaeidae (Patellogastropoda). |  |
Ammonites[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calliphylloceras[55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Calliphylloceratinae | |
| Canavaria[55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hildoceratidae. | |
| Dactylioceras[7][31][55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Dactylioceratidae. The basis of this series is based on a regional discontinuity marked by a remarkable abundance of Eodactylites from the Lower Toarcian |  |
| Eleganticeras[12][55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hildoceratidae. | |
| Harpoceras[12][55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hildoceratidae. | |
| Hildaites[55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hildoceratidae. | |
| Hildoceras[7][31] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hildoceratidae. Characteristics of the base of the area in Bifrons |  |
| Lytoceras[55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Lytoceratidae. | |
| Neolioceratoides[55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hildoceratidae. | |
| Planammatoceras[7] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hammatoceratidae. Indicator of a Middle Aalenian age for the uppermost layers, as is found also on the Middle Atlas. As well evidence of greater marine influx in the easternmost outcrops. | |
| Praepolyplectus[55] |
|
|
|
Isolated shells | An Ammonite of the family Hildoceratidae. |
Crustacea[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polycope[10] |
|
|
|
Isolated Valves | A marine/brackish Polycopidae (Ostracoda). Present with large accumulations of specimens |
Echinodermata[edit]
Multiple echinoderm remains, including Crinoid articulated and fragmentary specimens and indeterminate echinoid fragment, are know from several localities, usually associated with large coral bioherms or sea trangressions.[7][10][30][31]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arbacioida[41] | Indeterminate |
|
|
Complete specimens and isolated parts of the exoskeleton | A marine Arbacioida (Echinoidean). These sea urchins are the most abundant echinoderms on local lithiolid reefs. | .JPG) |
Vertebrates[edit]
Several scales & teeth of fishes (Lepidotes?) are know from several locations, coming from freshwater/lagoonal layers.[32] Indeterminate dinosaurian & other vertebrates are know from Mizaguène Hill, Taouja Ougourane, Aït Ouaridène, Oued Rzef & Jbel Remuai in the Azilal Province. Some of them are recovered in a "Bone bed" and others are associated with abundant plant remains.[56]
Actinopteri[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leptolepis[7][10] |
|
|
|
|
Marine, brackish or freshwater bony fish of the family Leptolepidae. Recovered from the Tagoudite Formation, represents a genus of cosmopolitan fish, common in the Toarcian Mediterranean area. Most specimens appear to come from lagoonal facies. |
 |
| Leptolepididae[7] |
Indeterminate |
|
|
|
Marine or brackish bony fish of the family Leptolepidae. |
Theropoda[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berberosaurus[57][58] | B. liassicus |
|
|
Described originally as a basal representative of the Abelisauroidea, it was recovered as a basal ceratosaur in later studies.[59] It was a medium-sized theropod, measuring 5.1 m (17 ft) long, with a weight of 200 kg (440 lb). |  | |
| Coelophysidae[60][61][62][58] | Indeterminate |
|
Two adults and one recently hatched juvenile. At least the posterior half of the skeleton is present: caudal, sacral, dorsal vertebrae, pelvis and both hind legs | A coelophysid coelophysoid. According to Mickey Mortimer: "Assigned to Coelophysidae based on the apparent fusion between distal tarsal III and metatarsal III". It has been also proposed as a possible tetanuran.[63] That was dismissed by Benson in 2010.[64] Includes at least three different individuals that have been collected in Wazzant: two adults and a newly hatched juvenile. The former foot material resembles the Cretaceous Australian genus Kakuru, that has been proposed as a basal tyrannoraptoran. Mortimer said that "I really don't see much resemblance to Kakuru in the astragalus" and labeled it as a possible dilophosaurid or coelophysoid.[65] |  | |
| Theropoda[57][58][66][67] | Indeterminate |
|
|
Phalanges and several non mentioned remains.[57][67] | Described as a "Large theropod of uncertain affinities"[57] and as an "enigmatic theropod".[66] To quote Allain: "Two theropods have been found on Toundoute. The first theropod hasn't been described but shows a size larger than any of the know theropods of the Triassic-Early Jurassic know by now, indicating that Toarcian theropods had sizes rivaling that of late Jurassic allosaurs".[68] |
Sauropodomorpha[edit]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravisauria[56][68] | Indeterminate |
|
|
Pubis and other indeterminate remains | A gravisaurian sauropod. Quoted to resemble Tazoudasaurus | |
| Eusauropoda[60][56][58] | Indeterminate |
|
5 dorsal & caudal vertebrae, fragmentary ribs, chevrons and several large badly determinable debris.[56][61][62] | A eusauropodan sauropod maybe related with Spinophorosaurus. Was collected on a freshwater lagoonal depositional setting.[56] | ||
| Sauropoda[60][61][62][58][67] | Indeterminate |
|
Left ilium, a humerus and three vertebrae.[61][62] | A possible basal sauropod of uncertain affinities. Remains recovered represent a Juvenile | ||
| Sauropodomorpha[60][69] | Indeterminate |
|
|
One or more vertebrae and other unidentified remains | A possible Sauropodomorpha of uncertain affinities. P. Lévêque brought these bones back from a hill which he placed in Cretaceous strata, but more recent work has shown that the deposit is in fact in Toarcian layers. | |
| Tazoudasaurus[70] | T. naimi |
|
Around 10 different specimens:Partially articulated skeleton and cranial material including complete left mandible with teeth, quadrate, jugal, postorbital, parietal, frontal and exoccipital. Associated remains of a juvenile skeleton. | A gravisaurian sauropod related to Vulcanodon. The most complete sauropod from the Lower Jurassic Found, with adult, sub adult and juvenile specimens.[57][66][67][58] |  |
Plantae[edit]
The Major Vegetational distribution was compared with the modern inland of the Isle of Pines.[71] In the Beni Mellal-Azilal areas paleosols show abundance of Rhizoliths of plants associated with heavily bioturbated layers.[72] While there is a great amount of plant remains in the form of coal, foliar debris, cuticles, woody roots, rhizolith and ghost roots, fossil wood and unidentified macrofoliar remains the only flora with some work on it was recovered at Toundoute, as abundant infra-centimeter plant debris composed mostly by Leaflets from ferns and, less frequently, cycad pinnulae, with common cuticles and no palynomorphs.[70] Wood debris from the same locality showed affinity within the coniferophytes, resembling the abietoid Pinaceae or towards the Taxaceae.[27] By quantity of material the vegetation was apparently dominated by ferns, maybe concentrated in punctual wetlands (spring tuffs), followed by cycads and conifers.[27] A possible correlative flora if found in the same age layers of the Mashabba Formation (North Sinai, Egypt) and is composed by the genera Equisetites (Equisetales), Phlebopteris and Piazopteris branneri (Matoniaceae).[73] Other coeval flora includes the plants recovered on the Budoš Limestone and specially the Rotzo Formation.[74][75]
At Jebel Toksine, lithiotid biostromes are interbedded by recessive and marly levels with woody charcoal debris (including entire trunks of wood, abundant woody plant debris preserved in the form of jet or charcoal), which suggests the presence of vegetation marginal marine that has developed a stabilizing role, which is common in relatively humid environments conducive to the development of marginal marine plants and has the propensity to develop meandering channel morphologies.[41]
At Jebel Azourki, several marine lithofacies were recorded, from 1 to 5, but with an additional 6th of medium gray to black laminated shales with coal streaks and abundant plant fragments, the attribution of which is n is not clear, since it may be Pliensbachian or Toarcian, as may also belong to the Aganane Formation.[76] These black lithofacies shales are interpreted to represent a supratidal marsh developed at the edges of an intertidal zone and a lagoon.[30]
Palynology[edit]
Phytoclasts, spores, pollen and Tasmanites algae indicate that the palaeoenvironment of the lower Toarcian Amellago area was likely proximal continental shelf with a high terrestrial input, and notorious influence of brackish water in the depositional environment.[47]
| Genus | Species | Location | Material | Notes | Images | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alisporites[47] |
|
|
|
Pollen | Affinities with the families Peltaspermaceae, Corystospermaceae or Umkomasiaceae inside Peltaspermales. |  |
| Callialasporites[47] |
|
|
|
Pollen | Affinities with Araucariaceae inside Coniferae. |  |
| Classopollis[47] |
|
|
|
Pollen | Affinities with Cheirolepidiaceae inside Coniferae. This interval is numerically dominated by Classopollis, which usuallyaccounts for more than 60.95% of the palynomorphs present | |
| Kraeuselisporites[47] |
|
|
|
Spores | Affinities with Selaginellaceae and probably Lycopsida. Age indicator, also present on nearby regions | |
| Ischyosporites[47] |
|
|
|
Spores | Affinities with Incertade sedis Pteridopsida or alternatively with Schizaeaceae/Anemiaceae. |  |
| Quadraeculina[47] |
|
|
|
Pollen | Affinities with Podocarpaceae or Pinaceae inside Coniferophyta. |
Fossil Wood[edit]
At the top of the formation at the Idemrane geosite, unidentified pieces of wood fossils of variable sizes were recovered (largest over 20 cm in length) showing traces of iron oxides. This woody pieces are considered root fragments.[77]
| Genus | Species | Location | Formation & Age | Material | Habit | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metapodocarpoxylon[78][79] |
|
|
|
|
Arboreal, high canopy, linked with floodplain margins yet high aridity tolerant | Conifer fossil wood related with Podocarpaceae inside Pinales. Probably built evergreen tropophilous forests in alluvial plains together with Agathoxylon. A genus closely related with Dacrydium and Dacrycarpus.[80] |  |
See also[edit]
- Marne di Monte Serrone, Italy
- Calcare di Sogno, Italy
- Cañadón Asfalto Formation, Argentina
- Los Molles Formation, Argentina
- Mawson Formation, Antarctica
- Kandreho Formation, Madagascar
- Kota Formation, India
- Cattamarra Coal Measures, Australia
References[edit]
- ^ Jenny, J. (1985). "Carte Géologique du Maroc au 1: 100.000, feuille Azilal". Notes et Mémoires du Service Géologique du Maroc. 339 (2): 1–104. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b Jenny, J. (1988). "Carte géologique du Maroc au 1/100 000: feuille Azilal (Haut Atlas central). Mémoire explicatif". Notes et Mémoires du Service géologique. 378 (1): 1–122. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Peleogeographiques, C. E. R. (2002). "Les formations lithostratigraphiques jurassiques du Haut Atlas central (Maroc) : corrélations et reconstitutions paléogéographiques". Documents des laboratoires de géologie Lyon. 156 (1): 163. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ El Bchari, F.; Ibouh, H.; Souhel, A.; Taj-Eddine, K.; Canérot, J.; Bouabdelli, M. (2001). "Cadre stratigraphique et étapes de structuration de la plate-forme liasique d'Aït Bou Guemmez (Haut-Atlas central, Maroc)". Revista de Geociências. 16 (3): 163–172. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Krencker, F.-N.; Fantasia, A.; El Ouali, M.; Kabiri, L.; Bodin, S. (2022). "The effects of strong sediment-supply variability on the sequence stratigraphic architecture: Insights from early Toarcian carbonate factory collapses". Marine and Petroleum Geology. 136: 105469. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2021.105469. ISSN 0264-8172.
- ^ Ettaki, M; Ouahhabi, B.; Dommergues, J. L.; Meister, C.; Chellaï, E. H. (2011). "Analyses biostratigraphiques dans le Lias de la bordure sud de la Téthys méditerranéenne: l'exemple de la frange méridionale du Haut-Atlas central (Maroc)". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 182 (6): 521–532. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.182.6.521. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Milhi, Abdellah (1992). Stratigraphie, Fazies und Paläogeographie des Jura am Südrand des zentralen Hohen Atlas (Marokko). Selbstverlag Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, FU Berlin. OCLC 763029903.
- ^ a b Ibrahim, N.; Sereno, P. C.; Zouhri, S.; Zouhri, S. (2017). "Les dinosaures du Maroc–aperçu historique et travaux récents" (PDF). Mémoires de la Société Géologique de France. 180 (4): 249–284. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
- ^ Stüder, M.; du Dresnay, R. (1980). "Deformations synsedimentaires en compression pendant le Lias superieur et le Dogger, au Tizi n'Irhil (Haut Atlas central de Midelt, Maroc)". Bull. Soc. Géol. Fr. 34 (3): 391–397. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.S7-XXII.3.391. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Ettaki, Mohammed; Chellaï, El Hassane (2005-07-01). "Le Toarcien inférieur du Haut Atlas de Todrha–Dadès (Maroc) : sédimentologie et lithostratigraphie". Comptes Rendus Geoscience. 337 (9): 814–823. doi:10.1016/j.crte.2005.04.007. ISSN 1631-0713.
- ^ Dresnay, Renaud du (1971-01-01). "Extension et developpement des phenomenes recifaux jurassiques dans le domaine atlasique marocain, particulierement au Lias moyen". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. S7-XIII (1–2): 46–56. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.s7-xiii.1-2.46. ISSN 1777-5817.
- ^ a b c d e Bodin, S.; Krencker, F. N.; Kothe, T.; Hoffmann, R.; Mattioli, E.; Heimhofer, U.; Kabiri, L. (2016). "Perturbation of the carbon cycle during the late Pliensbachian–early Toarcian: New insight from high-resolution carbon isotope records in Morocco". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 116 (2): 89–104. Bibcode:2016JAfES.116...89B. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2015.12.018.
- ^ a b c Beauchamp, W. (2004). "Superposed folding resulting from inversion of a synrift accommodation zone, Atlas Mountains, Morocco". AAPG Memoir. 82 (82): 635–646. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b Manspeizer, W. (1988). Triassic–Jurassic rifting, Continental Breakup and the Origin of the Atlantic Ocean and Passive Margins. Amsterdam: Elsevier. pp. 41–79. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ Font, E.; Youbi, N.; Fernandes, S.; El Hachimi, H.; Kratinova, Z.; Hamim, Y. (2011). "Revisiting the magnetostratigraphy of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province from Morocco". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 309 (4): 302–317. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2011.07.007.
- ^ a b c Teixell, A.; Arboleya, M. L.; Julivert, M.; Charroud, M. (2003). "Tectonic shortening and topography in the central High Atlas (Morocco)". Tectonics. 22 (5): 6–14. Bibcode:2003Tecto..22.1051T. doi:10.1029/2002TC001460. S2CID 55571408. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Ibouh, H.; El Bchari, F.; Bouabdelli, M.; Souhel, A.; Youbi, N. (2001). "L'accident tizal-azourki haut atlas central du maroc: déformations synsedimentaires liasiques en extension et conséquences du serrage atlasique". Estudios Geológicos. 57 (2): 15–30. doi:10.3989/egeol.01571-2124. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Duval-Arnould, A.; Schröder, S.; Charton, R.; Joussiaume, R.; Razin, P.; Redfern, J. (2021). "Early post-rift depositional systems of the Central Atlantic: Lower and Middle Jurassic of the Essaouira-Agadir Basin, Morocco" (PDF). Journal of African Earth Sciences. 178 (1): 104–164. Bibcode:2021JAfES.17804164D. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2021.104164. S2CID 233818813.
- ^ a b Guezal, Jaouad; El Baghdadi, Mohamed; Barakat, Ahmed (2014-01-05). "The Jurassic–Cretaceous volcanism of the Atlas of Beni-Mellal (Central High Atlas, Morocco): evidence from clinopyroxene composition". Arabian Journal of Geosciences. 8 (2): 977–986. doi:10.1007/s12517-013-1256-z. ISSN 1866-7511. S2CID 128404922.
- ^ Aït Chayeb, E. H.; Youbi, N.; El-Boukhari, A.; Bouabdelli, M.; Amrhar, M. (1998). "Le volcanisme permien et mésozoïque inférieur du bassin d'Argana (Haut-Atlas occidental, Maroc): un magmatisme intraplaque associé à l'ouverture de l'Atlantique central". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 26 (1): 499–519. Bibcode:1998JAfES..26..499A. doi:10.1016/S0899-5362(98)00029-3.
- ^ Ouarhache, D.; Charriere, A.; Chalot-Prat, F.; El-Wartiti, M. (2000). "Sedimentation detritique continentale synchrone d'un volcanisme explosif dans le Trias terminal a infra-Lias du domaine atlasique (Haute Moulouya, Maroc)(Late Triassic to infra-Liassic continental detrital sedimentation synchronous with an explosive volcanic event in the Atlas area [Hgh Moulouya, Morocco])". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 31 (4): 555–570. Bibcode:2000JAfES..31..555O. doi:10.1016/S0899-5362(00)80007-X. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Dubar, G.; Mouterde, R. (1978-01-01). "L'Aalenien et le Toarcien terminal du Haut Atlas; esquisse paleogeographique". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. S7-XX (2): 169–178. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.s7-xx.2.169. ISSN 1777-5817.
- ^ Marzoli, Andrea; Davies, Joshua H F L; Youbi, Nasrrddine; Merle, Renaud; Dal Corso, Jacopo; Dunkley, Daniel J.; Fioretti, Anna Maria; Bellieni, Giuliano; Medina, Fida; Wotzlaw, Jörn-Frederik; McHone, Greg; Font, Eric; Bensalah, Mohamed Khalil (2017). "Proterozoic to Mesozoic evolution of North-West Africa and Peri-Gondwana microplates: Detrital zircon ages from Morocco and Canada". Lithos. 278–281: 229–239. Bibcode:2017Litho.278..229M. doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2017.01.016. hdl:1885/114384. ISSN 0024-4937.
- ^ Piqué, A; Charroud, M; Laville, A; Aı̈t Brahim, M; Amrhar, E (2000). "The Tethys southern margin in Morocco and Cenozoic evolution of the Atlas domain". Mémoire du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris. 182 (1): 93–106.
- ^ Brahim, L. A.; Chotin, P.; Hinaj, S.; Abdelouafi, A.; El Adraoui, A.; Nakcha, C.; Bouaza, A. (2002). "Paleostress evolution in the Moroccan African margin from Triassic to Present". Tectonophysics. 357 (4): 187–205. Bibcode:2002Tectp.357..187A. doi:10.1016/S0040-1951(02)00368-2.
- ^ Youbi, N.; Martins, L. T.; Munhá, J. M.; Ibouh, H.; Madeira, J.; Chayeb, E. A.; El Boukhari, A. (2003). "The late Triassic-early Jurassic volcanism of Morocco and Portugal in the Framework of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province: an overview" (PDF). The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province: Insights from Fragments of Pangea. Geophysical Monograph Series. Vol. 136. pp. 179–208. Bibcode:2003GMS...136..179Y. doi:10.1029/136GM010. ISBN 0-87590-995-7. Retrieved 22 August 2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Montenat, C.; Monbaron, M.; Allain, R.; Aquesbi, N.; Dejax, J.; Hernandez, J.; Taquet, P. (2005). "Stratigraphie et paléoenvironnement des dépôts volcano-détritiques à dinosauriens du Jurassique inférieur de Toundoute (Province de Ouarzazate, Haut-Atlas–Maroc)" (PDF). Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae. 98 (2): 261–270. Bibcode:2005SwJG...98..261M. doi:10.1007/s00015-005-1161-x. S2CID 129577717. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c Malaval, Manon (2016-09-09). Enregistrement sédimentaire de l'activité diapirique associée à la ride du Jbel Azourki, Haut Atlas central, Maroc : impact sur la géométrie des dépôts et la distribution des faciès des systèmes carbonatés et mixtes du Jurassique inférieur (These de doctorat thesis). Bordeaux 3.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ettaki, M.; Ibouh, H.; Chellaï, E. H. (2007). "Événements tectono-sédimentaires au Lias-Dogger de la frange méridionale du Haut-Atlas central, Maroc". Estudios Geológicos. 63 (2): 103–125. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ a b c El Bchari, F.; Souhel, A. (2008-10-27). "Jurassic (uppermost Sinemurian - Aalenian) sequence stratigraphy and geodynamic evolution of the Ait Bou Guemmez area (Central High Atlas, Morocco)". Estudios Geológicos. 64 (2). doi:10.3989/egeol.08642.028. ISSN 1988-3250.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Souhel, A. (1996). "Le Mésozoïque dans Haut Atlas de Beni-Mellal (Maroc). Stratigraphie, sédimentologie et évolution géodynamique" (PDF). Strata: Série 2, Mémoires. 27 (6): 1–227. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Jenny, J. (1988). "Carte géologique du Maroc au 1/100 000: feuille Azilal (Haut Atlas central). Mémoire explicatif". Notes et Mémoires du Service géologique. 378 (1): 1–122. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Laville, E. (1978). "Incidence des jeux successifs d'un accident synsedimentaire sur les structures plicatives du versant nord du Haut Atlas central (Maroc)". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 7 (3): 329–337. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.S7-XX.3.329. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Andrieu, S.; Krencker, F. N.; Bodin, S. (2022). "Anatomy of a platform margin during a carbonate factory collapse: implications for the sedimentary record and sequence stratigraphy interpretation of poisoning events". Journal of the Geological Society. 179 (5): 15–75. Bibcode:2022JGSoc.179....5A. doi:10.1144/jgs2022-005. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Bassoullet, J. P.; Elmi, S.; Poisson, A.; Cecca, F.; Bellion, Y.; Guiraud, R.; Vrielynck, B. (1993). "Middle Toarcian". Atlas Tethys Paleoenvironmental Maps. 7 (1): 63–84.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Krencker, F. N.; Fantasia, A.; Danisch, J.; Martindale, R.; Kabiri, L.; El Ouali, M.; Bodin, S. (2020). "Two-phased Collapse of the Shallow-water Carbonate Factory during the Late Pliensbachian–Toarcian Driven by Changing Climate and Enhanced Continental Weathering in the Northwestern Gondwana Margin". Earth-Science Reviews. 208 (1): 103–254. Bibcode:2020ESRv..20803254K. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103254. S2CID 225669068.
- ^ Kairouani, Hajar; Abbassi, Anas; Zaghloul, Mohamed Najib; El Mourabet, Mohamed; Micheletti, Francesca; Fornelli, Annamaria; Mongelli, Giovanni; Critelli, Salvatore (2024). "The Jurassic climate change in the northwest Gondwana (External Rif, Morocco): Evidence from geochemistry and implication for paleoclimate evolution". Marine and Petroleum Geology: 106762. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2024.106762. ISSN 0264-8172. S2CID 267956440.
- ^ Lang, J.; Mahdoudi, M.L.; Pascal, A. (1990). "Sedimentation-calcrete cycles in the Mesozoic Red formations from the central High atlas (Telouet area), Morocco". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 81 (1–2): 79–93. Bibcode:1990PPP....81...79L. doi:10.1016/0031-0182(90)90041-5. ISSN 0031-0182.
- ^ a b Bodin, S.; Mattioli, E.; Frohlich, S.; Marshall, J.D.; Boutib, L.; Lahsini, S.; Redfern, J. (2010). "Toarcian carbon isotope shifts and nutrient changes from the Northern margin of Gondwana (High Atlas, Morocco, Jurassic): palaeoenvironmental implications" (PDF). Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 297 (1): 377–390. Bibcode:2010PPP...297..377B. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.08.018. S2CID 128495419.
- ^ Frizon de Lamotte, D.; Zizi, M.; Missenard, Y.; Hafid, M.; Azzouzi, M.E.; Maury, R.C.; Charrière, A.; Taki, Z.; Benammi, M.; Michard, A. (2008). "The Atlas System". Continental Evolution: The Geology of Morocco. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences. Vol. 6. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 133–202. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-77076-3_4. ISBN 978-3-540-77075-6.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Brame, H. M. R.; Martindale, R. C.; Ettinger, N. P.; Debeljak, I.; Vasseur, R.; Lathuilière, B.; Bodin, S. (2019). "Stratigraphic distribution and paleoecological significance of Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian-Toarcian) lithiotid-coral reefal deposits from the Central High Atlas of Morocco". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 514 (2): 813–837.
- ^ a b c Krencker, F. N.; Bodin, S.; Hoffmann, R.; Suan, G.; Mattioli, E.; Kabiri, L.; Immenhauser, A. (2014). "The middle Toarcian cold snap: trigger of mass extinction and carbonate factory demise". Global and Planetary Change. 117 (1): 64–78. Bibcode:2014GPC...117...64K. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2014.03.008. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Moragas, Mar; Baqués, Vinyet; Travé, Anna; Martín‐Martín, Juan Diego; Saura, Eduard; Messager, Gregoire; Hunt, David; Vergés, Jaume (2019-07-10). "Diagenetic evolution of lower Jurassic platform carbonates flanking the Tazoult salt wall (Central High Atlas, Morocco)". Basin Research. 32 (3): 546–566. doi:10.1111/bre.12382. ISSN 0950-091X.
- ^ a b Martín-Martín, J. D.; Vergés, J.; Saura, E.; Moragas, M.; Messager, G.; Baqués, V.; Razin, P.; Grélaud, C.; Malaval, M.; Joussiaume, R.; Casciello, E.; Cruz-Orosa, I.; Hunt, D. W. (2017). "Diapiric growth within an Early Jurassic rift basin: The Tazoult salt wall (central High Atlas, Morocco)". Tectonics. 36 (1): 2–32. doi:10.1002/2016tc004300. ISSN 0278-7407.
- ^ a b c Pierre, A.; Durlet, C.; Razin, P.; Chellai, E. H. (2010). "Spatial and temporal distribution of ooids along a Jurassic carbonate ramp: Amellago outcrop transect, High-Atlas, Morocco". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 329 (1): 65–88. doi:10.1144/sp329.4. ISSN 0305-8719.
- ^ Löwner, Ralf (2009). "Recherches sedimentologiques et structurales à l'articulation entre Haut et Moyen Atlas et la Haute Moulouya, Maroc". Publications of the Universität Berlin. 356 (2): 2–212.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Khaffou, H.; Hssaida, T.; Maatouf, W.; Essafraoui, B.; El Ouali, M.; Essamoud, R.; Louaya, A.; Rachid, J.; Chakir, S.; Jaydawi, S.; Chafai, K. (2023). "Le Toarcien (sommet de la Zone à Polymorphum–Zone à Bonarelli) d'Amellagou (Haut Atlas Central, Maroc) : Palynostratigraphie et Paléoenvironnement" (PDF). Bulletin de l’Institut Scientifique, Rabat, Section Sciences de la Terre. 45 (6): 111–130.
- ^ Boudchiche, L.; Sadki, D. (2000). "Mise en évidence de la limite Pliensbachien-Toarcien par les ammonites, les foraminifères et l'interaction tectono-eustatique dans la région de Todrha-Dadès". Revenue de paléobiologie. 19: 299–317. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ Chafiki, D. (1994). "Dynamique sédimentaire à l'articulation plate forme-bassin: Exemple du Lias de la région de Beni Melal (Haut Atlas central-Maroc)". Thèse de 3ième cycle, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech. 1 (1): 189p. S2CID 130402988.
- ^ Chafiki, D.; ElHariri, K.; Souhel, A.; Lachkar, N.; Sarih, S.; Dommergues, J.L.; Garcia, J.P.; Quiquerez, A. (2007). "Données lithostratigraphiques et biostratigraphiques sur le Lias dans le cadre de deux transects du Haut-Atlas central (Beni Mellal et Midelt-Errachidia, Maroc)". Africa Geoscience Review. 14 (1): 15–28. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Rodríguez-Tovar, F. J. (2021). "Ichnology of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event: An understimated tool to assess palaeoenvironmental interpretations". Earth-Science Reviews. 216 (1): 103–119. Bibcode:2021ESRv..21603579R. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103579. S2CID 233849558.
- ^ a b c d Benzaggagh, Mohamed; Salamon, Mariusz A.; Khaffou, Hanane; Hssaida, Touria; El Ouali, Mohamed; Essafraoui, Badre (2022). "Brachiopodes toarciens de la coupe d'Aït Athmane, Haut Atlas centro-oriental (Maroc)". Annales de Paléontologie. 108 (4): 102572. doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2022.102572. ISSN 0753-3969.
- ^ Lucienne, Rousselle (1973). "Le genre de Pseudogibbirhynchia : Rhynchonellacea : dans le Toarcien et l'Aalenien inferieur du Haut Atlas central et oriental". Notes du Service géologique du Maroc. 34 (254): 121–133.
- ^ Posenato, R.; Crippa, G. (2023). "An insight into the systematics of Plicatostylidae (Bivalvia), with a description of Pachygervillia anguillaensis n. gen. n. sp. from the Lithiotis Facies (Lower Jurassic) of Italy". Riv. It. Paleontol. Strat. 129 (3): 551–572. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Benzaggagh, Mohamed; Khaffou, Hanane; Salamon, Mariusz A.; Hssaida, Touria; Ouali, Mohamed El; Essafraoui, Badre (2022). "Ammonites du Toarcien du Haut Atlas central (Maroc)". Annales de Paléontologie. 108 (2): 102540. doi:10.1016/j.annpal.2022.102540. ISSN 0753-3969.
- ^ a b c d e f Termier, H. (1942). "Données nouvelles sur le Jurassique rouge à Dinosauriens du Grand et du Moyen-Atlas (Maroc) [New data on the Jurassic red beds with dinosaurs from the Great and Middle Atlas (Morocco)]". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 12 (6): 199–207. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.S5-XII.4-6.199. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Allain, R.; Tykoski, R.; Aquesbi, N.; Jalil, N. E.; Monbaron, M.; Russell, D.; Taquet, P. (2007). "An abelisauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Jurassic of the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco, and the radiation of ceratosaurs" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (3): 610–624. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[610:AADTFT]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 131617581.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Taquet, P. (2010). "The dinosaurs of Maghreb: the history of their discovery". Historical Biology. 22 (3): 88–99. Bibcode:2010HBio...22...88T. doi:10.1080/08912961003625657. S2CID 85069400.
- ^ Dal Sasso, C; Maganuco, S; Cau, A. (2018). "The oldest ceratosaurian (Dinosauria: Theropoda), from the Lower Jurassic of Italy, sheds light on the evolution of the three-fingered hand of birds". PeerJ. 1 (1): e5976. doi:10.7717/peerj.5976. PMC 6304160. PMID 30588396.
- ^ a b c d Jenny, J.; Jenny-Deshusses, C.; Le Marrec, A.; Taquet, P. (1980). "Découverte d'ossements de Dinosauriens dans le Jurassique inférieur (Toarcien) du Haut Atlas central (Maroc) [Discovery of dinosaur bones in the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) of the central High Atlas (Morocco)]". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série D. 290 (1): 839–842. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Taquet, P. (1985). "Two new Jurassic specimens of coelurosaurs (Dinosauria)". The beginning of birds. Eichstätt, Germany: Freunde des Jura Museums. 1 (1): 229–232.
- ^ a b c d e Taquet, P. (1986). "Les découvertes récentes de dinosaures au Maroc. In Les dinosaures de la Chine à la France". Colloque international de paléontologie. 7 (2): 39–43.
- ^ Allain, Ronan; Bailleul, Alida (2010). "First Revision of the Theropod from the Toarcian of Wazazant (High Atlas Mountains, Morocco): The oldest Know Tetanureae?". Abstracts du 1er Congrès International sur la Paléontologie des Vertébrés du Nord de l'Afrique. 1 (1): 34.
- ^ Benson, Roger B. J. (2010). "The osteology of Magnosaurus nethercombensis (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) of the United Kingdom and a re-examination of the oldest records of tetanurans". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 8 (1): 131–146. Bibcode:2010JSPal...8..131B. doi:10.1080/14772011003603515. S2CID 140198723.
- ^ Mortimer, M. "RE:African Kakuru-like material". Dinosaur Mailing List. Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d Allain, R.; Aquesbi, N. (2008). "Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Tazoudasaurus naimi (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the late Early Jurassic of Morocco". Geodiversitas. 30 (2): 345–424. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g Peyer, K.; Allain, R. (2010). "A reconstruction of Tazoudasaurus naimi (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the late Early Jurassic of Morocco". Historical Biology. 22 (3): 134–141. Bibcode:2010HBio...22..134P. doi:10.1080/08912960903562317. S2CID 140569817. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ a b Allain, R. (2012). Histoire des dinosaures. Paris: Perrin. p. 112. ISBN 978-2081353053. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Lévêque, P. (1961). "Contribution à l'étude géologique et hydrogéologique de l'Atlas de Demnate (Maroc)". Thèse Sciences.
- ^ a b Allain, Ronan; Aquesbi, Najat; Jean, Dejax; Meyer, Christian; Monbaron, Michel; Montenat, Christian; Richir, Philippe; Rochdy, Mohammed; Russell, Dale; Taquet, Philippe (2004). "A basal sauropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of Morocco" (PDF). Comptes Rendus Palevol. 3 (3): 199–208. Bibcode:2004CRPal...3..199A. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2004.03.001.
- ^ Gandini, Jacques. "Tazouda (Toundoute) - Les fouilles". prehistoire-du-maroc. Le Marroc Avant l´historie. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ Löwner, R. (2009). "Recherches sedimentologiques et structurales à l'articulation entre Haut et Moyen Atlas et la Haute Moulouya, Maroc" (PDF). Publications of the Universität Berlin. 356 (2): 2–212. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ Ghandour, I. M.; Fürsich, F. T. (2022). "Allogenic and autogenic controls on facies and stratigraphic architecture of the Lower Jurassic Mashabba Formation, Gebel Al-Maghara, North Sinai, Egypt". Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. 133 (1): 67–86. Bibcode:2022PrGA..133...67G. doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2021.12.001. S2CID 245403051.
- ^ Pantić, N. K. (1952). "Liassic flora from Budos mountain - Montenegro". Glasnik Prir. Muzeja SRP. Zem. 5 (1): 293–308.
- ^ Neri, M.; Roghi, G.; Ragazzi, E.; Papazzoni, C. A. (2017). "First record of Pliensbachian (Lower Jurassic) amber and associated palynoflora from the Monti Lessini (northern Italy)". Geobios. 50 (1): 49–63. Bibcode:2017Geobi..50...49N. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2016.10.001.
- ^ Lee, C.W. (1983). "Bivalve mounds and reefs of the Central High Atlas, Morocco". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 43 (1–2): 153–168. doi:10.1016/0031-0182(83)90052-4. ISSN 0031-0182.
- ^ Louz, E.; Rais, J.; Barka, A. A.; Nadem, S.; Barakat, A. (2022). "Geological heritage of the Taguelft syncline (M'Goun Geopark): Inventory, assessment, and promotion for geotourism development (central high atlas, Morocco)". International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks. 10 (2): 218–239. Bibcode:2022IJGP...10..218L. doi:10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.04.002. S2CID 248279651.
- ^ Gazeau, F. (1969). "Sur quelques structures de bois Mésozoïques du Maroc". Notes, Mém. Serv. Géol. Maroc. 210 (3): 93–120.
- ^ Philippe, M.; Bamford, M.; McLoughlin, S.; Alves, L. S. R.; Falcon-Lang, H. J.; Gnaedinger, S.; Zamuner, A. (2004). "Biogeographic analysis of Jurassic–Early Cretaceous wood assemblages from Gondwana". Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 129 (3): 141–173. Bibcode:2004RPaPa.129..141P. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2004.01.005.
- ^ Gazeau, F. (1969). "Etude du Protophyllocladoxylon maurianum Gazeau 1967 du Jurassique du Haut Atlas". Notes et Mémoires du Service Géologique du Maroc. 210 (3): 108–113.