Moradi Formation

Moradi Formation
Stratigraphic range: Guadalupian to Lopingian
~270–251 Ma
TypeGeological formation
Unit ofIzégouandane Group
Sub-unitsLower, Middle and Upper Units
UnderliesTeloua 1 Formation
OverliesTamamaït Formation
Thickness100 metres (330 ft)
Lithology
PrimaryMudstone, siltstone
OtherSandstone, conglomerate
Location
Coordinates18°48′N 7°12′E / 18.8°N 7.2°E / 18.8; 7.2
Approximate paleocoordinates16°36′S 8°12′E / 16.6°S 8.2°E / -16.6; 8.2
RegionAgadez Region
CountryNiger
ExtentIullemmeden Basin
Moradi Formation is located in Niger
Moradi Formation
Moradi Formation (Niger)

The Moradi Formation is a geological formation in Niger. It preserves the fossils of numerous tetrapods, including reptiles and synapsids.

Description


It is of Guadalupian to Lopingian age. Some recent publications proposed to refine the age to Changhsingian, but the papers that directly studied its age actually support only a much less precise age assignment. Early studies, published in the 1960 and 1970s placed it in the Upper Permian because at the time, the Permian was divided into Lower and Upper Permian only, and the Upper Permian then included most or all of what is now considered Middle Permian. All fossils are found only in a 10 m section of the uppermost part of the formation. It is informally divided into three subunits. The lower portion of the formation consists of red mudstone, with muddy calcareous sandstone and quartz-granlule conglomerate present as lenses. The middle portion consists of muddy siltstone in thick beds interbedded with red argillaceous sandstone. The lower two thirds of the upper portion of the formation consist of red siltstone intercalated with channel lag intraformational conglomerates, while the upper third consists of barchanoid shaped lenses of conglomeratic sandstone with ventifacts. These facies are indicatived of deposition under arid conditions, with less than 300 millimetres (12 in) of annual rainfall in the Central Pangean desert, with annual temperatures of 30 to 35 °C (86 to 95 °F), but with ephemeral water presence including lakes.

Fossil content

Dicynodonts, widespread in other contemporary deposits, appear to be absent, with previous reports being in error. The flora of the formation includes indeterminate voltzian conifers.

Synapsida

Genus Species Notes Images
Rubidgeinae indet. Indeterminate An indeterminate rubidgine gorgonopsian
Life restoration of the rubidgeiine Broomicephalus

Reptiliomorpha

Genus Species Notes Images
Bunostegos B. akokanensis A pareiasaurian reptile
Moradisaurus M. grandis A large captorhinid

Temnospondyli

Genus Species Notes
Nigerpeton N. ricqlesi A cochleosaurid temnospondyl
Saharastega S. moradiensis A basal temnospondyl

References

  1. ↑ Tabor, Neil J.; Smith, Roger M.H.; Steyer, J. Sébastien; Sidor, Christian A.; Poulsen, Christopher J. (2011). "The Permian Moradi Formation of northern Niger: Paleosol morphology, petrography and mineralogy". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 299 (1–2): 200–213. Bibcode:2011PPP...299..200T. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.11.002.
  2. ↑ Modesto, Sean P.; Richards, Courtney D.; Ide, Oumarou; Sidor, Christian A. (2 November 2018). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger—X. The mandible of the captorhinid reptile Moradisaurus grandis". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 38 (6) e1531877. Taylor & Francis. Bibcode:2018JVPal..38E1877M. doi:10.1080/02724634.2018.1531877. ISSN 0272-4634.
  3. 1 2 Tabor, Neil J.; Smith, Roger M. H.; Steyer, J. Sébastien; Sidor, Christian A.; Poulsen, Christopher J. (1 January 2011). "The Permian Moradi Formation of northern Niger: Paleosol morphology, petrography and mineralogy". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 299 (1): 200–213. Bibcode:2011PPP...299..200T. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.11.002. ISSN 0031-0182.
  4. ↑ Lucas, Spencer G.; Shen, Shu-Zhong (January 2018). "The Permian chronostratigraphic scale: history, status and prospectus". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 450 (1): 21–50. Bibcode:2018GSLSP.450...21L. doi:10.1144/SP450.3. ISSN 0305-8719.
  5. ↑ Smith, Roger M. H.; Sidor, Christian A.; Tabor, Neil J.; Steyer, J. Sébastien (2015-12-15). "Sedimentology and vertebrate taphonomy of the Moradi Formation of northern Niger: A Permian wet desert in the tropics of Pangaea". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 440: 128–141. Bibcode:2015PPP...440..128S. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.08.032. ISSN 0031-0182.
  6. ↑ Smith, Roger M.H.; Sidor, Christian A.; Tabor, Neil J.; Steyer, J. Sébastien (December 2015). "Sedimentology and vertebrate taphonomy of the Moradi Formation of northern Niger: A Permian wet desert in the tropics of Pangaea". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 440: 128–141. Bibcode:2015PPP...440..128S. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.08.032.
  7. 1 2 Smiley, Tara M.; Sidor, Christian A.; Maga, Abdoulaye; Ide, Oumarou (2008-06-12). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger. VI. First evidence of a gorgonopsian therapsid". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 543–547. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[543:tvfotu]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 131082914.
  8. ↑ Looy, Cindy V.; Ranks, Stephanie L.; Chaney, Dan S.; Sanchez, Sophie; Steyer, Jean-Sébastien; Smith, Roger M.H.; Sidor, Christian A.; Myers, Timothy S.; Ide, Oumarou; Tabor, Neil J. (June 2016). "Biological and physical evidence for extreme seasonality in central Permian Pangea". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 451: 210–226. Bibcode:2016PPP...451..210L. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.02.016.
  9. ↑ Sidor, C.A.; Blackburn, D.C.; Gado, B. (2003). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger — II, Preliminary description of a new pareiasaur" (PDF). Palaeontologica Africana. 39: 45–52. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-07. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  10. ↑ Taquet, P. (1969). Première découverte en Afrique d'un Reptile Captorhinomorphe (Cotylosaurien). Comptes Rendus l'Académie des Sciences, Série D 268:779-781
  11. ↑ Sidor, Christian A. (November 2013). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger – VIII. Nigerpeton ricqlesi (Temnospondyli: Cochleosauridae) and tetrapod biogeographic provinces". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 12 (7–8): 463–472. Bibcode:2013CRPal..12..463S. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2013.05.005. ISSN 1631-0683.
  12. ↑ Damiani, R.; Sidor, C. A.; Steyer, J. S.; Smith, R. M. H.; Larsson, H. C. E.; Maga, A.; Ide, O. (2006). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger. V. The primitive temnospondyl Saharastega moradiensis". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 26 (3): 559–572. Bibcode:2006JVPal..26..559D. doi:10.1080/02724634.2006.10010015.
  13. ↑ Sidor, Christian A.; O'Keefe, F. Robin; Damiani, Ross; Steyer, J. Sébastien; Smith, Roger M. H.; Larsson, Hans C. E.; Sereno, Paul C.; Ide, Oumarou; Maga, Abdoulaye (April 2005). "Permian tetrapods from the Sahara show climate-controlled endemism in Pangaea" (PDF). Nature. 434 (7035): 886–889. Bibcode:2005Natur.434..886S. doi:10.1038/nature03393. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 15829962. S2CID 4416647.