Ksar Metlili Formation
Stratigraphic range: Late Tithonian to Early Berriasian
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofMoroccan Red Beds
UnderliesDekkar Group
OverliesAnoual Formation
Thickness~80 m (260 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryMudstone, sandstone
OtherLimestone, marl, calcarenite
Location
Coordinates32°42′N 3°06′W / 32.7°N 3.1°W / 32.7; -3.1
Approximate paleocoordinates25°06′N 1°54′E / 25.1°N 1.9°E / 25.1; 1.9
RegionFiguig Province
Country Morocco
ExtentHigh Atlas
Type section
Named forKsar Met Lili Fort
Ksar Metlili Formation is located in Morocco
Ksar Metlili Formation
Ksar Metlili Formation (Morocco)

The Ksar Metlili Formation is a geological formation in eastern High Atlas of Morocco, it is late Tithonian to Berriasian in age. It is approximately 80 metres (260 ft) thick and primarily consists of mudstone and sandstone, with thin calcareous beds.[1] One of these calcareous beds near the middle of the sequence is an important microvertebrate locality.[2] Subsequent to the original site, several other localities have been sampled. The depositional environment is thought to be near shore deltaic.[3]

Fossil content

Amphibians

Amphibians of the Ksar Metlili Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Anoualerpeton[4] A. unicus "Right premaxilla missing most of pars palatinum and lateralmost part of pars dentalis, with preserved tooth row containing three broken teeth and five tooth slots" Albanerpetontid
Aygroua[5] A. anoualensis Frog
aff. Enneabatrachus[5] Indeterminate Discoglossid Frog
Rubricacaecilia[6] R. monbaroni Nearly complete right pseudodentary, partial left pseudodentaries, partial right pseudangular, partial palatine, atlas, postcranial vertebrae Stem-caecilian

Lepidosaurs

Lepidosaurs of the Ksar Metlili Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Paramacellodus P. marocensis Left dentary with 12 teeth Lizard
Tarratosaurus T. anoualensis Lizard
Tingitana T. anoualae Sphenodontid
Sphenodontia Indeterminate Distinct from Tingitana

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs of the Ksar Metlili Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Theropoda[7] Indeterminate Teeth
Maniraptoriformes[7] Indeterimnate Teeth
Dromeosauridae[7] Indeterminate Teeth
Ornithischia Indeterminate

Mammals

Mammals of the Ksar Metlili Formation
Genus Species Location Stratigraphic position Abundance Notes Images
Afriquiamus A. nessovi Peramurid
Atlasodon[8] A. monbaroni Theriiform
Denisodon D. moroccensis Haramiyidan
Donodon[8] D. prescriptoris, D. minor Donodontid
Stylodens S. amerrukensis
Anoualestes A. incidens
Amazighodon A. orbis
Dyskritodon[9] D. amazighi KM 1983 Eutriconodontan
Gobiconodon G. palaios KM 1983 Eutriconodontan
Hahnodon H. taqueti Haramiyidan
Hypomylos H. phelizoni, H. micros
Ichthyoconodon[9] I. jaworowskorum Volaticothere
Kryptotherium K. polysphenos Eutriconodonta
Microderson[8] M. laaroussii
Minimus M. richardfoxi
Peramus Indeterminate
Thereuodon T. dahmani
Tribotherium T. africanum
Amphilestidae Indeterimate
Dryolestidae Indeterminate
cf. Cynodontia[10] Indeterminate KM-B' Two morphotypes, non tritylodontid

References

  1. ^ Haddoumi, Hamid; Allain, Ronan; Meslouh, Said; Metais, Grégoire; Monbaron, Michel; Pons, Denise; Rage, Jean-Claude; Vullo, Romain; Zouhri, Samir (January 2016). "Guelb el Ahmar (Bathonian, Anoual Syncline, eastern Morocco): First continental flora and fauna including mammals from the Middle Jurassic of Africa" (PDF). Gondwana Research. 29 (1): 290–319. Bibcode:2016GondR..29..290H. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2014.12.004. ISSN 1342-937X.
  2. ^ "Ksar Met-Lili, Anoual". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. ^ Lasseron, Maxime; Allain, Ronan; Gheerbrant, Emmanuel; Haddoumi, Hamid; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Métais, Grégoire; Rage, Jean-Claude; Vullo, Romain; Zouhri, Samir (March 2020). "New data on the microvertebrate fauna from the Upper Jurassic or lowest Cretaceous of Ksar Metlili (Anoual Syncline, eastern Morocco)". Geological Magazine. 157 (3): 367–392. Bibcode:2020GeoM..157..367L. doi:10.1017/S0016756819000761. ISSN 0016-7568. S2CID 204263709.
  4. ^ Gardner, J. D; Evans, S. E; Sigogneau-Russell, D (2003). "New albanerpetontid amphibians from the Early Cretaceous of Morocco and Middle Jurassic of England". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica (in Polish). 48: 301–319. ISSN 0567-7920. OCLC 108450287.
  5. ^ a b Jones, M.E.H.; Evans, S. E.; Sigogneau-Russell, D. (2003). "Early Cretaceous frogs from Morocco". Annals of Carnegie Museum. 72 (2): 65–97. doi:10.5962/p.215089. S2CID 88962907.
  6. ^ Evans, Susan E.; Sigogneau-Russell, Denise (March 2001). "A stem-group caecilian (Lissamphibia: Gymnophiona) from the Lower Cretaceous of North Africa". Palaeontology. 44 (2): 259–273. doi:10.1111/1475-4983.00179. ISSN 0031-0239.
  7. ^ a b c Knoll, F.; Ruiz-Omeñaca, J. I. (July 2009). "Theropod teeth from the basalmost Cretaceous of Anoual (Morocco) and their palaeobiogeographical significance". Geological Magazine. 146 (4): 602–616. Bibcode:2009GeoM..146..602K. doi:10.1017/S0016756809005950. ISSN 0016-7568. S2CID 128877571.
  8. ^ a b c D. Sigogneau-Russell. 1991. Nouveaux Mammiferes theriens du Cretace inferieur du Maroc. Comptes-Rendus de l'Academis des Sciences du Paris, series II 313:279-285
  9. ^ a b Sigogneau-Russell D (1995). "Two possibly aquatic triconodont mammals from the Early Cretaceous of Morocco". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 40 (2): 149–162. ISSN 0567-7920. OCLC 5866546938.
  10. ^ Lasseron, Maxime (October–November 2019). "Enigmatic teeth from the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition of Morocco: The latest known non-mammaliaform cynodonts (Synapsida, Cynodontia) from Africa?". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 18 (7): 897–907. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2019.05.002.
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