Ouled Abdoun Basin

The Oulad Abdoun Basin (also known as the Ouled Abdoun Basin or Khouribga Basin) is a phosphate sedimentary basin located in Morocco, near the city of Khouribga. It is the largest in Morocco, comprising 44% of Morocco's phosphate reserves, and at least 26.8 billion tons of phosphate.^[1][2] It is also known as an important site for vertebrate fossils, with deposits ranging from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian) to the Eocene epoch (Ypresian), a period of about 25 million years.^[3]

Ouled Abdoun Basin
Stratigraphic range: Cenomanian-Ypresian ~70.6–47.8 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
The Oulad Abdoun and other major phosphate basins (in yellow) of Morocco
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Sedimentary Basins
Lithology
Primary	Phosphorite
Other	Clay, Limestone, Sandstone
Location
Coordinates	32°53′N 6°55′W
Approximate paleocoordinates	24°2′N 6°8′W
Region	Béni Mellal-Khénifra, Khouribga
Country	Morocco
Ouled Abdoun Basin (Morocco)

Geography

The Oulad Abdoun is located west of the Atlas Mountains, near the city of Khouribga. The Oulad Abdoun phosphate deposits encompass some 100 by 45 kilometres (62 by 28 mi), an area of 4,500 square kilometres (1,700 sq mi).^[2] The Oulad Abdoun is the largest and northernmost of Morocco's major phosphate basins, which from northeast to southwest, include the Ganntour, Meskala, and Oued Eddahab (Laayoune-Baa) basins.^[1][2]

Paleobiota

Life restoration of Ouled Abdoun Basin paleoenvironments during the late Cretaceous: dinosaurs of Sidi Chennae (left) and numerous aquatic animals of Sidi Daoui (right).

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

The Oulad Abdoun Basin stretches from the late Cretaceous to the Eocene and contains abundant marine vertebrate fossils, including sharks, bony fish, turtles, crocodilians, and other reptiles, as well as sea birds and a small number of terrestrial mammals.^[3][4]

Fish

Bony fish

Bony fish from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Acipenseridae[5]	Indeterminate		Maastrichtian		First record of a sturgeon on the continent of Africa.
Enchodus	E. libycus		Maastrichtian		An enchodontid aulopiform.
	E. bursauxi		Maastrichtian
	E. elegans		Maastrichtian
Eoserrasalmimus[6]	E. cattoi		Maastrichtian		A pycnodontiform.
Mawsoniidae[7]	Indeterminate		Maastrichtian		A giant mawsoniid coelacanth measuring 3.65–5.52 metres (12.0–18.1 ft) long.
Phacodus[8]	P. punctatus var. africanus		Maastrichtian		A pycnodontiform.
Plethodidae[9]	Indeterminate		Maastrichtian		Youngest occurrence of plethodid fish.
Pycnodontidae	Indeterminate		Maastrichtian
Pseudoegertonia	P. sp.		Maastrichtian
Serrasalmimus[6]	S. secans		Thanetian		A carnivorous pycnodontiform.
Stephanodus	S. libycus		Maastrichtian
Stratodus	S. apicalis		Maastrichtian		An alepisauroform.
Macroprosopon	M. hiltoni[10]		Ypresian		A marine osteoglossid.

Sharks

Sharks from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Abdounia[11]	A. africana		Selandian		A requiem shark.
Brachycarcharias	B. atlasi[10]		Ypresian
Casieria	C. maghrebiana		Selandian
Chiloscyllium	C. salvani.		Selandian		A carpet shark.
Cretalamna	C. appendiculata		Maastrichtian
	C. maroccana		Maastrichtian
Delpitoscyllium	D. africanum		Selandian
Eostegostoma	E. sp.		Selandian		A carpet shark.
Foumtizia	F. abdouni		Selandian
Galeorhinus	G. mesetaensis		Selandian
Ginglymostoma	G. chenanei		Selandian
	G. khouribgaense		Selandian
Hologinglymostoma	H. jaegeri		Selandian
Khouribgaleus	K. gomphorhiza		Selandian
Metlaouia	M. delpiti		Selandian
Microscyliorhinus	M. simplex		Selandian
Palaeogaleus	P. larachei		Selandian
Palaeorhincodon	P. daouii		Selandian		A carpet shark.
Porodermoides	P. spanios		Selandian
Premontreia	P. peypouqueti		Selandian
	P. subulidens		Selandian
Scyliorhinus	S. ptychtus		Selandian
	S. entomodon		Selandian
	S. sulcidens		Selandian
Serratolamna	S. serrata		Maastrichtian
	S. khderii		Maastrichtian
Squalicorax	S. pristodontus		Maastrichtian
	S. bassanii		Maastrichtian
	S. africanus		Maastrichtian
	S. microserratus		Maastrichtian
	S. benguerirensis		Maastrichtian
Triakis	T. antunesi		Selandian

Other cartilaginous fish

Other cartilaginous cish from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Archaemanta	A. priemi		Selandian		A ray.
Burnhamia	B. cf. davisi		Selandian		A devil ray
Coupatezia	C. larivei		Selandian		A ray.
	C. fallax		Maastrichtian
	C. elevata		Maastrichtian
Dasyatis	D. ponsi		Selandian		A stingray. An indeterminate species found in Maastrichtian deposits of Ganntour Basin.
Delpitia	D. reticulata		Selandian		A ray.
Gymnura	G. delpiti		Selandian		A ray.
Heterobatis	H. talbaouii		Selandian		A ray.
Heterotorpedo	H. brahimi		Selandian		A ray.
Hypolophodon	H. sp.		Selandian		A ray.
Rhombodus	R. binkhorsti		Maastrichtian		A ray.
	R. microdus		Maastrichtian
	R. meridionalis		Maastrichtian
Schizorhiza	S. stromeri		Maastrichtian		A sclerorhynchoid skate which resembled a sawfish.

Dinosaurs

Late Maastrichtian dinosaurs of Ouled Abdoun Basin, including Minqaria, Ajnabia, Chenanisaurus, and several unnamed specimens

Bird fossils are common in the Basin, which includes the oldest birds in Africa.^[4] At least three orders and several families of sea birds are represented, including Procellariiformes (albatrosses and petrels, fossils assignable to Diomedeidae and Procellariidae), Pelecaniformes (pelicans and allies, fossils assignable to Phaethontidae, Prophaethontidae, Fregatidae and Pelagornithidae), and Anseriformes (waterfowl, including fossil Presbyornithidae).^[4]

Ornithischians

Ornithischians from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Ajnabia[12]	A. odysseus	Office Cherifien des Phosphates mines at Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian	partial left maxilla with teeth fragments of right maxilla partial right dentary	A small lambeosaurine hadrosaur; the first known from Africa.
Lambeosaurinae[13]	Indeterminate	Mrah Lahrach	Maastrichtian	right femur	A lambeosaurine larger than Ajnabia and Minqaria.
Lambeosaurinae[13]	Indeterminate	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian	left humerus	A lambeosaurine larger than Ajnabia and Minqaria.
Minqaria[13]	M. bata	Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian	right maxilla left dentary braincase	A lambeosaurine hadrosaur.

Saurischians

Saurischians from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Abelisauridae[14]	Indeterminate	Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian	right tibia	Probably distinct from Chenanisaurus due to its smaller size (about 5 m (16 ft) long) despite being mature. Similar to South American abelisaurids. Possibly a member of Furileusauria.[15]
Abelisauridae[14]	Indeterminate	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian	right metatarsal II	A mature specimen but very small for an abelisaurid, about 2.6 m (8.5 ft) long
Chenanisaurus[16]	C. barbaricus	Sidi Chennane Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian	anterior end of left dentary 2 premaxillary teeth a maxillary tooth	A large abelisaurid theropod.
Titanosauria[16]	Indeterminate	Sidi Daoui[17]	Maastrichtian	right femur, tibia, and fibula undescribed material	A new titanosaurian taxon, currently unnamed.
Dasornis	D. tolapica		Selandian		A pelagornithid, or pseudotooth bird.
	D. emuinus		Ypresian
Lithoptila[18]	L. abdounensis		Thanetian		A seabird related to modern tropicbirds.

Mammals

Afrotheres

Afrotheres from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Abdounodus[19]	A. hamdii		Thanetian-Ypresian	A lower jaw.	An early afrotherian mammal.
Daouitherium[20]	D. rebouli		Ypresian	lower jaws and associated cheek teeth	An early proboscidean.
Eritherium[21]	E. azzouzorum		Thanetian		An early proboscidean.
Hadrogeneios[22]	H. phosphaticus		Selandian-Thanetian		An early afrotherian mammal.
Ocepeia[19]	O. daouiensis		Selandian	Partial skull consists of an upper jaw and dental fragments	An early afrotherian mammal.
	O. grandis		Thanetian	Lower jaw and teeth.
Phosphatherium	P. escuilliei		Selandian		An early proboscidean.
Stylolophus[23]	S. minor		Ypresian		An embrithopod.
	S. major		Ypresian

Hyaenodonts

Hyaenodonts from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Boualitomus	B. marocanensis		Selandian		A hyaenodont.
Lahimia[24]	L. selloumi		Selandian		A hyaenodont.

Molluscs

Mollusca from the Khouribga Phosphates[25]
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Cucullaea (Idonearca)	C. (I.) thevestensis				A false ark shell.
Heligmopsis	H. wegmanianus		Maastrichtian		A feather oyster also present in Ganntour basin.
Venericardia	V. coquandi		Danian		A carditid clam also present in Ganntour basin.
Baculites	B. sp.		Maastrichtian		A straight-shelled ammonite, also present in Ganntour basin.
Cimomia	C. aff. sudanensis		Ypresian		A nautiloid also present in Ganntour basin.
Ampullinopsis	A. crassatina				An ampullinid gastropod.
Hemithersitea	H. chouberti		Lutetian		A thersiteid gastropod.

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Alcione[26]	A. elainus		Maastrichtian		A nyctosaurid which shows possible adaptations towards diving behaviour.
Barbaridactylus	B. grandis		Maastrichtian		A nyctosaurid.
Simurghia	S. robusta		Maastrichtian		A nyctosaurid related to Alcione.
Phosphatodraco	P. mauritanicus		Maastrichtian		An azhdarchid.
cf Arambourgiania	A. sp?		Maastrichtian		A giant azhdarchid, may belong to the Jordanian taxon Arambourgiania.
Azhdarchidae	Indet.		Maastrichtian		A new taxon, currently unnamed.
Tethydraco	T. regalis		Maastrichtian		A pterosaur of debated affinity; may be an azhdarchid or a pteranodontid.

Reptiles

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorphs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Arambourgisuchus[27]	A. khouribgaensis		Thanetian		A dyrosaurid.
Atlantosuchus	A. coupatezi		Danian		A dyrosaurid.
Chenanisuchus	C. lateroculi		Thanetian		The most basal known dyrosaurid.
Dyrosaurus	P. maghribensis		Ypresian		A dyrosaur.
Maroccosuchus[28]	M. zennaroi		Ypresian		A tomistomine crocodylian.
Ocepesuchus[29]	O. eoafricanus		Maastrichtian		A gavialoid crocodylian.

Lepidosaurs

Mosasaurs

Mosasaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Carinodens	C. minalmamar		Maastrichtian		A small mosasaurine mosasaur with crushing teeth.
Eremiasaurus	E. heterodontus		Maastrichtian		A mosasaurine mosasaur with unusual cutting dentition.
Gavialimimus[30]	G. almaghribensis		Maastrichtian		An unusual longirostrine plioplatecarpine mosasaur.
Globidens	G. phosphaticus		Maastrichtian		A mosasaurine mosasaur with specialized crushing teeth.
	G. simplex		Maastrichtian
	G. aegyptiacus		Maastrichtian		Now referred to its own genus, Igdamanosaurus.
Halisaurus	H. arambourgi		Maastrichtian		A halisaurine mosasaur.
Igdamanosaurus	I. aegyptiacus		Maastrichtian
Khinjaria[31]	K. acuta	Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian	a partial skull and vertebra	A plioplatecarpine mosasaur.
Mosasaurus	M. beaugei		Maastrichtian		A large mosasaurine mosasaur.
Pachyvaranus	P. crassispondylus		Maastrichtian		A pachyvaranid
Platecarpus	P. ptychodon		Maastrichtian		A nomen dubium. Now referred to its genus, Gavialimimus.
Pluridens[32]	P. serpentis		Maastrichtian		A large halisaurine mosasaur, also known from Niger and Nigeria.
Prognathodon	P. currii		Maastrichtian		A large mosasaurine mosasaur.
	P. giganteus		Maastrichtian
Stelladens[33]	S. mysteriosus		Maastrichtian		A medium-sized mosasaurine with distinct, unique teeth structure.
Thalassotitan[34]	T. atrox		Maastrichtian		A large-bodied mosasaurine with powerful jaws, similar to P. currii.
Xenodens[35]	X. calminechari		Maastrichtian		A small mosasaurine mosasaur with unusual, shark-like teeth.

Serpentes

Snakes from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Palaeophis[36]	P. maghrebianus		Maastrichtian?–Ypresian		A palaeophiid marine snake.

Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Zarafasaura	Z. oceanis		Maastrichtian		An elasmosaurid plesiosaur with an unusually short skull.

Turtles

Turtles from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Alienochelys[37]	A. selloumi		Maastrichtian		A sea turtle with crushing jaws.
Araiochelys[38]	A. hirayamai
Argillochelys[39]	A. africana		Ypresian		A pancheloniid sea turtle.
Bothremys[38]	B. kellyi		Danian-Thanetian
	B. maghrebiana
Brachyopsemys	B. tingitana		Danian		A sandownid sea turtle
Euclastes	E. acutirostris		Danian-Thanetian		A pancheloniid sea turtle. An indeterminate species also present in the Maastrichtian deposits of Ganntour Basin.[40]
	E. wielandi		Danian
Labrostochelys[38]	L. galkini		Danian
Ocepechelon[41]	O. bouyai		Maastrichtian		A giant protostegid sea turtle with an unusual pipette-like snout.
Puppigerus	P. camperi		Ypresian
Rhothonemys[38]	R. brinkmani		Danian
Tasbacka	T. ouledabdounensis		Danian
Taphrosphys	T. ippolitoi		Danian
Ummulisani	U. rutgersensis		Ypresian

See also

• Paleontology portal
• Earth sciences portal
• Morocco portal

• Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event
• Fauna of Africa
• List of dinosaur bearing rock formations

References

1. S. Zouhri; A. Kchikach; O. Saddiqi; F.Z. El Haimer; L. Baidder; A. Michard (2008). "The Cretaceous-Tertiary Plateaus". In A. Michard; O. Saddiqi; A. Chalouan; D. Frizon de Lamotte (eds.). Continental Evolution: the Geology of Morocco. Berlin: Springer. pp. 331–358. ISBN 978-3-540-77075-6.
2. Office Chérifien des Phosphates (1989). "The Phosphate Basins of Morocco". In A.J.G. Notholt; R.P. Sheldon; D.F. Davidson (eds.). Phosphate Deposits of the World. Volume 2, Phosphate Rock Resources. Cambridge, Eng.: Cambridge University Press. pp. 301–311. ISBN 978-0-521-67333-4.
3. Yans, Johan; Amaghzaz, M'Barek; Bouya, Baadi; Cappetta, Henri; Iacumin, Paola; Kocsis, László; Mouflih, Mustapha; Selloum, Omar; Sen, Sevket; Storme, Jean-Yves; Gheerbrant, Emmanuel (2014). "First carbon isotope chemostratigraphy of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate Basin, Morocco; implications for dating and evolution of earliest African placental mammals". Gondwana Research. 25 (1): 257–269. Bibcode:2014GondR..25..257Y. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2013.04.004.
4. Gheerbrant, E.; Sudre, J.; Cappetta, H.; Mourer-Chauviré, C.; Bourdon, E.; Iarochene, M.; Amaghzaz, M.; Bouya, B. (2003). "Les localités à mammifères des carrières de Grand Daoui, bassin des Ouled Abdoun, Maroc, Yprésien: premier état des lieux" [The mammal localities of Grand Daoui Quarries, Ouled Abdoun Basin, Morocco, Ypresian: A first survey] (PDF). Bull. Soc. Géol. Fr. (in French and English). 174 (3): 279–293. doi:10.2113/174.3.279.
5. Martill, D. M. (2023). "A sturgeon (Actinopterygii, Acipenseriformes) from the Upper Cretaceous of Africa". Cretaceous Research. 148. 105546. Bibcode:2023CrRes.14805546M. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105546. S2CID 257863907.
6. Vullo, Romain; Cavin, Lionel; Khalloufi, Bouziane; Amaghzaz, Mbarek; Bardet, Nathalie; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Jourani, Essaid; Khaldoune, Fatima; Gheerbrant, Emmanuel (2017-07-28). "A unique Cretaceous–Paleogene lineage of piranha-jawed pycnodont fishes". Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 6802. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-06792-x. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 5533729.
7. Brito, P.M.; Martill, D.M.; Eaves, I.; Smith, R.E.; Cooper, S.L.A. (2021). "A marine Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) coelacanth from North Africa". Cretaceous Research. 122: 104768. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104768. S2CID 233551515.
8. Cooper, Samuel L. A.; Marson, Kyle J.; Smith, Roy E.; Martill, David (2022-03-01). "Contrasting preservation in pycnodont fishes reveals first record of regurgitalites from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Moroccan phosphate deposits". Cretaceous Research. 131: 105111. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105111. ISSN 0195-6671.
9. Cooper, Samuel. L. A.; Norton, Jack L. (2023-08-08). "Youngest occurrence of a plethodid fish (Teleostei: Tselfatiiformes: Plethodidae) from the Maastrichtian of North Africa". Cretaceous Research: 105673. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105673. ISSN 0195-6671.
10. Capobianco, A.; Zouhri, S.; Friedman, M. (2024). "A long-snouted marine bonytongue (Teleostei: Osteoglossidae) from the early Eocene of Morocco and the phylogenetic affinities of marine osteoglossids". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae015.
11. Noubhani, A.; Cappetta, H. (1997). "Les Orectolobiformes, Carcharhiniformes et Myliobatiformes (Elasmobranchii, Neoselachii) des bassins à phosphate du Maroc (Maastrichtien-Lutétien basal). Systématique, biostratigraphie, évolution et dynamique des faunes". Palaeo Ichthyologica.
12. Longrich, Nicholas R.; Suberbiola, Xabier Pereda; Pyron, R. Alexander; Jalil, Nour-Eddine (2020). "The first duckbill dinosaur (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from Africa and the role of oceanic dispersal in dinosaur biogeography". Cretaceous Research. 120: 104678. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104678. S2CID 228807024.
13. Longrich, N. R.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Bardet, N.; Jalil, N.-E. (2024). "A new small duckbilled dinosaur (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from Morocco and dinosaur diversity in the late Maastrichtian of North Africa". Scientific Reports. 14. 3665. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-53447-9. PMC 10864364. PMID 38351204.
14. Longrich, Nicholas R.; Isasmendi, Erik; Pereda-Suberbiola, Xabier; Jalil, Nour-Eddine (August 2023). "New fossils of Abelisauridae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the upper Maastrichtian of Morocco, North Africa". Cretaceous Research: 105677. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105677.
15. Buffetaut, E.; Tong, H.; Girard, J.; Hoyez, B.; Párraga, J. (2024). "Caletodraco cottardi: A New Furileusaurian Abelisaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Cenomanian Chalk of Normandy (North-Western France)". Fossil Studies. 2 (3): 177–195. doi:10.3390/fossils2030009.
16. Longrich, N.R.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Jalil, N.-E.; Khaldoune, F.; Jourani, E. (2017). "An abelisaurid from the latest Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) of Morocco, North Africa". Cretaceous Research. 76: 40–52. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2017.03.021.
17. Pereda Suberbiola, Xabier; Bardet, Nathalie; Iarochène, Mohamed; Bouya, Baâdi; Amaghzaz, Mbarek (2004-09-01). "The first record of a sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 40 (1): 81–88. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2004.07.002. ISSN 1464-343X.
18. Bourdon, Estelle; Bouya, Baâdi; Iarochene, Mohamed (2005). "Earliest African neornithine bird: A new species of prophaethontidae (Aves) from the Paleocene of Morocco". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 25: 157. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0157:EANBAN]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 86218884.
19. Gheerbrant, Emmanuel; Sudre, Jean; Iarochene, Mohamed; Moumni, Abdelkader (2001). "First ascertained African "Condylarth" mammals (primitive ungulates: cf. Bulbulodentata and cf. Phenacodonta) from the earliest Ypresian of the Ouled Abdoun Basin, Morocco". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 21 (1): 107–118. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021[0107:FAACMP]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 85966740.
20. Gheerbrant, E.; Sudre, J.; Cappetta, H.; Iarochène, M.; Amaghzaz, M.; Bouya, B. (2002). "A new large mammal from the Ypresian of Morocco: Evidence of surprising diversity of early proboscideans" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 47 (3): 493–506.
21. Gheerbrant, E. (2009). "Paleocene emergence of elephant relatives and the rapid radiation of African ungulates". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 106 (26): 10717–10721. Bibcode:2009PNAS..10610717G. doi:10.1073/pnas.0900251106. PMC 2705600. PMID 19549873.
22. Gheerbrant, Emmanuel (2023-04-27). "Ancestral radiation of paenungulate mammals (Paenungulatomorpha)—new evidence from the Paleocene of Morocco". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2197971. ISSN 0272-4634.
23. Emmanuel Gheerbrant; Arnaud Schmitt; László Kocsis (2018). "Early African fossils elucidate the origin of embrithopod mammals". Current Biology. Online edition. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.032.
24. SOLÉ, FLORÉAL; GHEERBRANT, EMMANUEL; AMAGHZAZ, MBAREK; BOUYA, BAÂDI (2009). "Further evidence of the African antiquity of hyaenodontid ('Creodonta', Mammalia) evolution". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 156 (4): 827–846. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2008.00501.x.
25. Pacaud, J.M.; Lebrun, P. (2020). "Moroccan phosphate beds: hot-spot for Maastrichtian-Eocene fossils. The Invertebrate fauna.". In Lebrun, P. (ed.). Fossils from Morocco, Volume IIa, Emblematic localities from the Mesozoic and the Paleogene. pp. 235–245. ISBN 9782917198469.
26. Longrich, Nicholas R.; Martill, David M.; Andres, Brian (2018). "Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary". PLOS Biology. 16 (3): e2001663. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.2001663. PMC 5849296. PMID 29534059.
27. Jouve, S.; Iarochène, M.; Bouya, B.; Amaghzaz, M. (2005). "A new dyrosaurid crocodyliform from the Palaeocene of Morocco and a phylogenetic analysis of Dyrosauridae". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 50 (3): 581–594.
28. Jonet, S.; Wouters, G. (1977). "Maroccosuchus zennaroi, crocodilien eusuchien nouveau des phosphates du Maroc". Notes et Mémoires du Service Géologique du Maroc. 38: 177–202.
29. Jouve, Stéphane; Bardet, Nathalie; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Suberbiola, Xabier Pereda; Bouya, Baâdi; Amaghzaz, Mbarek (2008). "The oldest African crocodylian: phylogeny, paleobiogeography, and differential survivorship of marine reptiles through the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 409–421. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[409:TOACPP]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86503283.
30. Strong, Catherine R. C.; Caldwell, Michael W.; Konishi, Takuya; Palci, Alessandro (2020-09-28). "A new species of longirostrine plioplatecarpine mosasaur (Squamata: Mosasauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco, with a re-evaluation of the problematic taxon 'Platecarpus' ptychodon". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 18 (21): 1769–1804. doi:10.1080/14772019.2020.1818322. ISSN 1477-2019.
31. Longrich, Nicholas R.; Polcyn, Michael J.; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Pereda-Suberbiola, Xabier; Bardet, Nathalie (2024-03-01). "A bizarre new plioplatecarpine mosasaurid from the Maastrichtian of Morocco". Cretaceous Research: 105870. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105870. ISSN 0195-6671.
32. Longrich, N. R.; Bardet, N.; Khaldoune, F.; Khadiri Yazami, O.; Jalil, N.-E. (2021). "Pluridens serpentis, a new mosasaurid (Mosasauridae: Halisaurinae) from the Maastrichtian of Morocco and implications for mosasaur diversity". Cretaceous Research. 126: Article 104882. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104882.
33. Longrich, Nicholas R.; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Pereda-Suberbiola, Xabier; Bardet, Nathalie (2023). "Stelladens mysteriosus: A Strange New Mosasaurid (Squamata) from the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of Morocco". Fossils. 1 (1): 2–14. doi:10.3390/fossils1010002. hdl:10810/64193. ISSN 2813-6284.
34. Longrich, Nicholas R.; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; Khaldoune, Fatima; Yazami, Oussama Khadiri; Pereda-Suberbiola, Xabier; Bardet, Nathalie (24 August 2022). "Thalassotitan atrox, a giant predatory mosasaurid (Squamata) from the Upper Maastrichtian Phosphates of Morocco". Cretaceous Research. 140: 105315. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105315. S2CID 251821884.
35. Longrich, N. R.; Bardet, N.; Schulp, A. S.; Jalil, N.-E. (2021). "Xenodens calminechari gen. et sp. nov., a bizarre mosasaurid (Mosasauridae, Squamata) with shark-like cutting teeth from the upper Maastrichtian of Morocco, North Africa". Cretaceous Research. 123: Article 104764. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104764. S2CID 233567615.
36. Houssaye, Alexandra; Rage, Jean-Claude; Bardet, Nathalie; Vincent, Peggy; Amaghzaz, Mbarek; Meslouh, Said (2013). "New highlights about the enigmatic marine snake Palaeophis maghrebianus (Palaeophiidae; Palaeophiinae) from the Ypresian (Lower Eocene) phosphates of Morocco". Palaeontology. 56 (3): 647–661. doi:10.1111/pala.12008.
37. Bardet, Nathalie; Jalil, Nour-Eddine; de Lapparent de Broin, France; Germain, Damien; Lambert, Olivier; Amaghzaz, Mbarek (2013). "A giant chelonioid turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco with a suction feeding apparatus unique among tetrapods". PLOS ONE. 8 (7): e63586. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...863586B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063586. PMC 3708935. PMID 23874378.
38. Gaffney, E. S.; Tong, H.; Meylan, P. A. (2006). "Evolution of the side-necked turtles: The families Bothremydidae, Euraxemydidae, and Araripemydidae" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 300: 1–318. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2006)300[1:eotstt]2.0.co;2. hdl:2246/5824. S2CID 85790134.
39. Tong, H.; Hirayama, R. (2008). "A new species of Argillochelys (Testudines: Cryptodira: Cheloniidae) from the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco". Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France. 179 (6): 623–630. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.179.6.623.
40. Nathalie Bardet; Xabier Pereda Suberbiola; Stephane Jouve; Estelle Bourdon; Peggy Vincent; Alexandra Houssaye; Jean-Claude Rage; N.-E Jalil; B. Bouya; M. Amaghzaz (2010). "Reptilian assemblages from the latest Cretaceous – Palaeogene phosphates of Morocco: from Arambourg to present time". Historical Biology. 22 (1–3): 186–199. doi:10.1080/08912961003754945. S2CID 128481560.
41. Bardet, N.; Jalil, N. E.; De Lapparent De Broin, F.; Germain, D.; Lambert, O.; Amaghzaz, M. (2013). Viriot, Laurent (ed.). "A Giant Chelonioid Turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco with a Suction Feeding Apparatus Unique among Tetrapods". PLOS ONE. 8 (7): e63586. Bibcode:2013PLoSO...863586B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063586. PMC 3708935. PMID 23874378.

External links

• Fossil Vertebrates from the Phosphate Basins of Morocco, paleontological research from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.