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 (Maastrichtian) to the Eocene epoch (Ypresian), a period of about 25 million years.^[3]

Ouled Abdoun Basin
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian-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]

Molluscs

Mollusca from the Khouribga Phosphates[5]
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Cucullaea (Idonearca)	C. (I.) thevestensis				A false ark shell.
Heligmopsis	H. wegmanianus		Maastrichtian		A feather oyster also present in Ganntour basin.
Venericardia	V. coquandi		Danian		A carditid clam also present in Ganntour basin.
Baculites	B. sp.		Maastrichtian		A straight-shelled ammonite, also present in Ganntour basin.
Cimomia	C. aff. sudanensis		Ypresian		A nautiloid also present in Ganntour basin.
Ampullinopsis	A. crassatina				An ampullinid gastropod.
Hemithersitea	H. chouberti		Lutetian		A thersiteid gastropod.

Fish

Bony fish

Bony fish from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Acipenseridae[6]	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[7]	E. cattoi		Maastrichtian		A pycnodontiform.
Mawsoniidae[8]	Indeterminate		Maastrichtian		A giant mawsoniid coelacanth measuring 3.65–5.52 metres (12.0–18.1 ft) long.
Phacodus[9]	P. punctatus var. africanus		Maastrichtian		A pycnodontiform.
Plethodidae[10]	Indeterminate		Maastrichtian		Youngest occurrence of plethodid fish.
Pycnodontidae	Indeterminate		Maastrichtian
Pseudoegertonia	P. sp.		Maastrichtian
Serrasalmimus[7]	S. secans		Thanetian		A carnivorous pycnodontiform.
Stephanodus	S. libycus		Maastrichtian
Stratodus	S. apicalis		Maastrichtian		An alepisauroform.
Macroprosopon	M. hiltoni[11]		Ypresian		A marine osteoglossid.

Sharks

Sharks from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Abdounia[12]	A. africana		Selandian		A requiem shark.
Brachycarcharias	B. atlasi[11]		Ypresian
Casieria	C. maghrebiana		Selandian
Chiloscyllium	C. salvani.		Selandian		A carpet shark.
Cretalamna	C. appendiculata		Maastrichtian
	C. maroccana		Maastrichtian
Delpitoscyllium	D. africanum		Selandian
Eostegostoma	E. sp.		Selandian		A carpet shark.
Foumtizia	F. abdouni		Selandian
Galeorhinus	G. mesetaensis		Selandian
Ginglymostoma	G. chenanei		Selandian
	G. khouribgaense		Selandian
Hologinglymostoma	H. jaegeri		Selandian
Khouribgaleus	K. gomphorhiza		Selandian
Metlaouia	M. delpiti		Selandian
Microscyliorhinus	M. simplex		Selandian
Palaeogaleus	P. larachei		Selandian
Palaeorhincodon	P. daouii		Selandian		A carpet shark.
Porodermoides	P. spanios		Selandian
Premontreia	P. peypouqueti		Selandian
	P. subulidens		Selandian
Scyliorhinus	S. ptychtus		Selandian
	S. entomodon		Selandian
	S. sulcidens		Selandian
Serratolamna	S. serrata		Maastrichtian
	S. khderii		Maastrichtian
Squalicorax	S. pristodontus		Maastrichtian
	S. bassanii		Maastrichtian
	S. africanus		Maastrichtian
	S. microserratus		Maastrichtian
	S. benguerirensis		Maastrichtian
Triakis	T. antunesi		Selandian

Other cartilaginous fish

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

Reptiles

Crocodylomorphs

Crocodylomorphs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Arambourgisuchus[13]	A. khouribgaensis		Thanetian		A dyrosaurid.
Atlantosuchus	A. coupatezi		Danian		A dyrosaurid.
Chenanisuchus	C. lateroculi		Thanetian		The most basal known dyrosaurid.
Dyrosaurus	D. maghribensis		Ypresian		A dyrosaur.
Maroccosuchus[14]	M. zennaroi		Ypresian		A tomistomine crocodylian.
Ocepesuchus[15]	O. eoafricanus		Maastrichtian		A gavialoid crocodylian.

Lepidosaurs

Mosasaurs

Mosasaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Carinodens[16][17]	C. acrodon		Maastrichtian		A small mosasaurine mosasaur with crushing teeth.
	C. belgicus
	C. minalmamar
Eremiasaurus	E. heterodontus		Maastrichtian		A mosasaurine mosasaur with unusual cutting dentition.
Gavialimimus[18]	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[19]	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		Possibly a senior synonym of Gavialimimus.
Pluridens[20]	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[21]	S. mysteriosus		Maastrichtian		A medium-sized mosasaurine with distinct, unique teeth structure.
Thalassotitan[22]	T. atrox		Maastrichtian		A large-bodied mosasaurine with powerful jaws, similar to P. currii.
Xenodens[23]	X. calminechari		Maastrichtian		A small mosasaurine mosasaur with unusual, shark-like teeth. The holotype is a forged specimen and is potentially a nomen dubium and a chimera.[24]

Serpentes

Snakes from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Palaeophis[25]	P. maghrebianus		Maastrichtian?–Ypresian	Multiple fossilized vertebrae.	A palaeophiid marine snake.

Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Zarafasaura	Z. oceanis	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian	Paratype specimens with complete skull and partial postcranial skeleton.	An elasmosaurid plesiosaur with an unusually short skull.

Turtles

Turtles from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Alienochelys[26]	A. selloumi	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian		A sea turtle with crushing jaws.
Araiochelys[27]	A. hirayamai	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian	A skull, lower jaws, partial disarticulated shell, including a few carapace fragments (left first and fifth costals, left third, seventh, and eighth peripherals and other fragments), nearly complete plastron and limb bones.	A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle.
Argillochelys[28]	A. africana		Ypresian		A pancheloniid sea turtle.
Bothremys[27]	B. kellyi		Danian-Thanetian		A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle.
	B. maghrebiana
Brachyopsemys	B. tingitana		Danian		A sandownid sea turtle
Euclastes	E. acutirostris		Danian-Thanetian		A pancheloniid sea turtle. An indeterminate species also present in the Maastrichtian deposits of Ganntour Basin.[29]
	E. wielandi		Danian
Labrostochelys[27]	L. galkini	Oued Zem	Danian	A nearly complete skull.	A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle
Ocepechelon[30]	O. bouyai	Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian	A complete but isolated 70-cm-long skull.	A giant protostegid sea turtle with an unusual pipette-like snout.
Puppigerus	P. camperi		Ypresian		A Pancheloniidae sea turtle.
Rhothonemys[27]	R. brinkmani		Danian		A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle.
Tasbacka	T. ouledabdounensis		Danian		A Cheloniidae sea turtle.
Taphrosphys	T. ippolitoi		Danian		A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle.
Ummulisani	U. rutgersensis	Mrah Iaresh	Ypresian	A skull without a palate.	A bothremydid pleurodiran turtle.

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Alcione	A. elainus[31]	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian		A nyctosaurid which shows possible adaptations towards diving behaviour.
Barbaridactylus	B. grandis[31]	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian		A nyctosaurid.
Simurghia	S. robusta[31]	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian		A nyctosaurid related to Alcione.
Phosphatodraco	P. mauritanicus[32]	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian		An azhdarchid.
cf Arambourgiania[31]	A. sp?	Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian		A giant azhdarchid, may belong to the Jordanian taxon Arambourgiania.
aff. Quetzalcoatlus[31]	indet.		Maastrichtian
Tethydraco	T. regalis[31]	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian		A pterosaur of debated affinity; may be an azhdarchid[33] or a pteranodontid.[31]

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[34]	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[35]	Indeterminate	Mrah Lahrach	Maastrichtian	right femur	A lambeosaurine larger than Ajnabia and Minqaria
Lambeosaurinae[35]	Indeterminate	Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian	left humerus	A lambeosaurine larger than Ajnabia and Minqaria
Minqaria[35]	M. bata	Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian	right maxilla left dentary braincase	A lambeosaurine hadrosaur
Taleta[36]	T. Taleta	Sidi Chennane	Maastrichtian	partial left and right maxilla with teeth	A lambeosaurine hadrosaur

Saurischians

Sauropods

Sauropods from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Titanosauria[37]	Indeterminate	Sidi Daoui[38]	Maastrichtian	right femur, tibia, and fibula undescribed material	A new titanosaurian taxon, currently unnamed.

Theropods

Abelisaurs

Abelisaurs from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Abelisauridae[39]	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.[40]
Abelisauridae[39]	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[37]	C. barbaricus	Sidi Chennane Sidi Daoui	Maastrichtian	anterior end of left dentary 2 premaxillary teeth a maxillary tooth	A large abelisaurid theropod.

Birds

Birds from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Dasornis[41]	D. abdoun	Sidi Daoui	Ypresian	A holotype specimens consists of carpometacarpus, ulna, radius, tibiotarsus, and humerus.	A pelagornithid, or pseudotooth bird.
	D. emuinus	Sidi Daoui	Ypresian	A partial skeleton with incomplete cranium.
	D. tolapica		Selandian	A parital skeleton.
Lithoptila[42]	L. abdounensis	Sidi Daoui	Thanetian	A neurocranium.	A seabird related to modern tropicbirds.

Mammals

Afrotheres

Afrotheres from the Khouribga Phosphates
Genus	Species	Location	Time	Material	Notes	Images
Abdounodus[43]	A. hamdii		Thanetian-Ypresian	A lower jaw.	An early afrotherian mammal.
Daouitherium[44]	D. rebouli		Ypresian	lower jaws and associated cheek teeth	An early proboscidean.
Eritherium[45]	E. azzouzorum	Sidi Chennane	Thanetian	An upper jaw (with approaches of the zygomatic bone and two maxillary branches, each of the two posterior premolars (P3 and 4) and three molars (M1-3))	An early proboscidean.
Hadrogeneios[46]	H. phosphaticus		Selandian-Thanetian	A mandibular symphysis with some partial left dentary, two sockets for the incisors, the first lower canine, and the first to third premolars	An early afrotherian mammal.
Ocepeia[43]	O. daouiensis	Grand Daoui, Meraa El Arech, and Sidi Chennane	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[47]	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[48]	L. selloumi		Selandian		A hyaenodont.

See also

• Paleontology portal
• Earth sciences portal
• Morocco portal

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