# Anoual Formation

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The **Anoual Formation** is a [geological formation](/source/Geological_formation) in the [High Atlas](/source/High_Atlas) of [Morocco](/source/Morocco). It is early [Bathonian](/source/Bathonian) in age. It consists of two members. The lower member is several hundred metres thick, and consists largely of mudstone with lens beds of cross bedded sandstone, with thin intercalations of limestone that was deposited in a freshwater continental setting, likely lacustrine or palustrine, with small marine influences.[1] The upper member is several tens of metres thick and consists of limestone deposited in a shallow marine setting. The formation is fossiliferous, with several of the limestone intercalations yielding a diverse fauna, including amphibians, reptiles, dinosaurs and mammals.[2]

## Paleobiota

### Brachiopoda

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Burmirhynchia[3] B. gr. termierae-athiaensis Anoual Lower Member Isolated shells A brachiopod of the family Tetrarhynchiidae Kallirhynchia[3] K. oranensis Anoual Lower Member Isolated shells A brachiopod of the family Tetrarhynchiidae

### Crustacea

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Asciocythere[3] A. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the family Schulerideidae. Bythocypris[3] B. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the family Bythocyprididae Asciocythere[3] A. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the family Schulerideidae. Cypridea[3] C. cf. postelongata Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae Cypris[3] C. spp. Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae Darwinula[3] D. magna D. cf. leguminella Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater Ostracod of the family Darwinulidae Fabanella[3] F. bathonica F. sp. Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater Ostracod of the order Podocopida Fastigocythere[3] F. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the order Podocopida Klieana[1] K. levis Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater Ostracod of the order Cytherideidae Kinkelinella[1] K. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater/Brackish Ostracod of the family Protocytheridae Mantelliana[1] M. sp. Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae Metacypris[3] M. sp. Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater/Brackish Ostracod of the family Limnocytheridae Paracypris[3] P. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the family Candonidae. Dominant marine taxon Pneumatocythere[3] P.? juglandiformis Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the order Podocopida Praeschuleridea[3] P. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the family Candonidae. Procytheridea[1] P. sp. Anoual Lower Member Isolated Valves A Marine Ostracod of the order Podocopida Scabriculocypris[1] S. sp. Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater Ostracod of the family Cyprididae Theriosynoecum[1] T. sp. Anoual Upper Member Isolated Valves A Freshwater/Brackish Ostracod of the family Limnocytheridae

### Mollusca

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Lymnaeidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Isolated shells Freshwater snails Nerineidae[1] Indeterminate Anoual Lower Member Isolated shells Marine snails Planorbidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Isolated shells Freshwater snails Provalvata[1] P. sp. Anoual Upper Member Isolated shells Freshwater snail of the family Provalvatidae Valvatidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Isolated shells Freshwater snails

### Fish

Abundant osteichthyan ichthyoliths are known. An isolated spine displaying characters seen in extant [cypriniform](/source/Cypriniformes) or [siluriform](/source/Siluriform) fishes has been recovered, alternatively can belong to a member of [Myriacanthidae](/source/Myriacanthidae).[2]

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Arganodus[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Isolated tooth plates Lungfish Lepidotes/Scheenstia[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Isolated teeth and scales Lepidotidae bony fish cf. Ionoscopiformes[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Rhomboidal scales Tentatively assigned to Ophiopsidae Mawsoniidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Skull bones including a parasphenoid Coelacanth Osteoglossiformes[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Squamules (small scales) The oldest record of the group

### Amphibians

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Albanerpetontidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Incomplete premaxilla and incomplete frontal Likely represents a new taxon Caudata?[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Fragment of a dentary Lissamphibia?[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Fragment of a maxilla

### Turtles

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Testudinata[2] "Morphotype 1" Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Fifty plate fragments Similar to Solemydidae and Pleurosternidae turtles "Morphotype 2" Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Single neural plate Plate slightly longer than wide "Morphotype 3" Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Multiple plates By far the most abundant, maybe a larger taxon with smooth plates "Morphotype 4" Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Two costal plates Similar to Araripemys and some Trionychidae

### Lepidosaurs

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Parviraptor[2] Cf.P.sp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Four vertebral centra Squamatan, previously identified as a stem-snake Rhynchocephalia[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member One fragment of dentary bearing two incomplete teeth; one fragment of maxilla bearing the bases of two teeth. Similar to the co-regional but younger genus Tingitana, but also to Clevosaurus. Scincomorpha[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member A fragment of bone bearing teeth; potentially a fragment of bone bearing one complete tooth Squamatan Squamata[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Incomplete maxilla, incomplete dorsal vertebra, one proximal part of femur

### Choristoderes

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Choristodera[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Fragmentary dentary, centrum of an anterior caudal vertebra, possibly centrum of a dorsal vertebra Similar to Cteniogenys

### Dinosaurs

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Ornithischia[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Tooth Similar to Alocodon cf.Stegosauria[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Poorly preserved tooth Theropoda[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Several teeth

### Pterosaurs

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Pterosauria[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Teeth Similar to wukongopterids Rhamphorhynchidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Teeth

### Crocodyliformes

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Atoposauridae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Teeth Teleosauridae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Teeth Thalattosuchia[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Teeth, various skeletal elements probably belonging to a single individual Theriosuchus[2] Cf.T. sp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Teeth An Atoposaurid

### Mammals

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Amphitheriidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Fragment of juvenile right dentary; fragment of an edentulous right dentary, probably middle-posterior part. If true is the 1st Gondwanic member of the family Cf.Dryolestida/Donodontidae[2] Indeterminate Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Fragment of a tooth bearing one cusp and one root Similar to Donodon

### Charophyta

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Aclistochara[4] A. africana Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Gyrogonites A Characean algae of the family Characeae Porochara[3] P. hians Anoual Upper Member Oogonia A characean algae of the family Porocharaceae

### Palynology

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Alisporites[2] A. spp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Pollen Affinities with the families Peltaspermaceae or Corystospermaceae Araucariacites[2] A. australis Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Pollen Affinities with Araucariaceae inside Coniferae. Callialasporites[2] C. spp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Pollen Affinities with Araucariaceae inside Coniferae. Classopollis[2] C. spp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Pollen Affinities with Cheirolepidiaceae inside Coniferae. Cyathidites[2] C. sp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Spores Affinities with the family Cyatheaceae inside Cyatheales. Arboreal Fern Spores Cycadopites[2] C. spp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Pollen Affinities with the Cycadopsida inside Cycadales. Pollen related with modern Cycas Inaperturopollenites[2] I. spp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Pollen Affinities with the Pinidae inside Coniferae. Ischyosporites[2] I. cf. variegatus I. sp Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Spores Affinities with Pteridopsida, likely derived from a member of Anemiaceae Leptolepidites[2] L. spp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Spores Affinities with the family Dennstaedtiaceae in the Polypodiales. Forest fern spores. Pityosporites[2] P. sp. Guelb el Ahmar Upper Member Pollen Affinities with the Pinidae inside Coniferae.

### Fossil Wood

Genus Species Location Stratigraphic Position Material Notes Images Agathoxylon[2] A. aff. sahariense Guelb el Ahmar Oued Metlili Upper Member Fossil Wood Conifer fossil wood of the family Araucariaceae Metapodocarpoxylon[2] M. libanoticum Guelb el Ahmar Oued Metlili Upper Member Fossil Wood Conifer fossil wood of the family Podocarpaceae Protopodocarpoxylon[2] P. subrochii P. teixeirae Guelb el Ahmar Oued Metlili Upper Member Fossil Wood Conifer fossil wood of the family Hirmeriellaceae Phyllocladoxylon[2] P. atlasicum Guelb el Ahmar Oued Metlili Upper Member Fossil Wood Conifer fossil wood of the family Podocarpaceae

## See also

- [Ksar Metlili Formation](/source/Ksar_Metlili_Formation), from the Same area
- [Guettioua Formation](/source/Guettioua_Formation), coeval from the Azilal Region
- [El Mers Group](/source/El_Mers_Group), coeval from the Skoura syncline
- [Tafraout Group](/source/Tafraout_Group), older, from the Central High Atlas
- [Azilal Formation](/source/Azilal_Formation), older, from the Central High Atlas

## References

1. Haddoumi, Hamid; Charrière, André; Andreu, Bernard; Mojon, Pierre-Olivier (2008). ["Les dépôts continentaux du Jurassique moyen au Crétacé inférieur dans le Haut Atlas oriental (Maroc) : paléoenvironnements successifs et signification paléogéographique"](https://hal.science/hal-00308920/). *Carnets de Géologie / Notebooks on Geology*. **CG2008** (A06): 1–29.

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"](http://doc.rero.ch/record/258861/files/mon_gab.pdf). *Gondwana Research*. **29** (1): 290–319. [Bibcode:2016GondR..29..290H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016GondR..29..290H). [doi:10.1016/j.gr.2014.12.004](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2014.12.004). [ISSN 1342-937X](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1342-937X)

1. Haddoumi, Hamid; Aiméras, Yves; Bodergat, Anne-Marie; Charrière, André; Mangold, Charles; Benshili, Khadija (1998-07-01). ["Âges et environnements des Couches rouges d'Anoual (Jurassique moyen et Crétacé inférieur, Haut-Atlas oriental, Maroc)"](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1251805098800438). *Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences - Series IIA - Earth and Planetary Science*. **327** (2): 127–133. [doi:10.1016/S1251-8050(98)80043-8](https://doi.org/10.1016/S1251-8050(98)80043-8). [ISSN 1251-8050](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1251-8050)

1. MOJON, Pierre-Olivier; HADDOUMI, Hamid; CHARRIÈRE, André (2009). ["Nouvelles données sur les Charophytes et Ostracodes du Jurassique moyen-supérieur - Crétacé inférieur de l'Atlas marocain"](https://doi.org/10.4267/2042/29781). *Carnets de géologie (Notebooks on geology)*. '***(Mémoires). [doi:10.4267/2042/29781](https://doi.org/10.4267/2042/29781). [ISSN 1634-0744](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1634-0744)***

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