Crocodyliforms From Morrocans Phosphates

[jnoun11]

i looked around on different s Americans fossils web sites , and i didn t found ,nowhere a description or list about different species of crocodiles from morocco .

so I'll try humbly to help the passionates collectors for a basic identification of the crocodyliformes they own

.

the Moroccan phosphate history began in 1921 , Moroccan phosphate mines operate three layers of phosphates ,.

level 1 : ypresian phosphate bed

level 2 : thanetian phosphate bed

level 3 ; maestrichian phosphate bed

,Moroccans crocodilians existing in all geological s level, most of them are from the "couche 2" thanetian or " couche 1" ypresian and one specie in the "couche 3" maestrichian .

this different species are studied by scientists of the French Museum of Natural History in Paris .or the belgium scientist

Crocodyliformes represented by :

three species of Eusuchia:

a Tomistominé: Maroccosuchus zennaroi : ypresian

a gavialoid: Argochampsa krebsi : thanetian

Ocepesuchus eoafricanus : maestrichian

and five Dyrosauridés.

dyrosaurus phosphaticus : ypresian

dyrosaurus maghebiensis: ypresian

atlantosuchus coupatezi: danian-thanetian

Arambourgisuchus khouribgaensis : thanetian

Chenanisuchus lateroculi : thanetian

The Dyrosauridés are the most abundant in phosphate deposits Basin Oulad Abdoun.

you must understand how it s difficult to prepared this topic, so please be indulgent. i will tried my best for little by little ,day after day make this topic more clear

. i will follow your suggestions and corrections. feel free if you have a question or correction .

when i have the pictures of specimens i will associates them with the descriptions, but for some species i didn't have pictures. some of the internet links are linked to pictures of specimens or descriptions.

publications about crocodyliforms of morroco:

http://www.mnhn.fr/paleo/theses/jouve.pdf

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyrosaurus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyrosaurus

for arambourgisuchus :

http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app50/app50-581.pdf

for dyrosaurus :

http://museum-marseille.academia.edu/StephaneJouve

http://www.academia.edu/1125105/A_new_species_of_Dyrosaurus_Crocodylomorpha_Dyrosauridae_from_the_early_Eocene_of_Morocco_phylogenetic_implications

for chenanisuchus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenanisuchus

enjoy

[jnoun11]

SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY

EUSUCHIA Huxley, 1875

CROCODYLIA Gmelin, 1788

GAVIALOIDEA Brochu, 1997

Genus ARGOCHAMPSA, gen. nov.

Etymology: Argo, from the Greek ship of Jason, champsa, Greek root for crocodile.and krebsi, in honor of the late prof. B. Krebs (Berlin).

Type species Argochampsa krebsi, sp. nov.

Type locality ‘Couche II’ of the Oulad Abdoun basin,

‘Grand Daoui’ area, (Thanetian). Morocco

Diagnosis : Rostrum about 70% of median length of the skull, 5 premaxillary alveoli and 26 maxillary alveoli, premaxilla transversally broad and strongly bent downwards, with first three alveoli forming a transverse row, diastema between the fourth and fifth premaxillary alveoli, nasals fused, one external foramen between maxilla and jugal, frontal modestly penetrates. the supratemporal fenestra, paroccipital processes form two postero-laterally directed long narrow points.

The two holes above the nasal opening are very easy to recognize. It s not a form of dyrosauridae.

Publications about argochampsa :

· ^ ^{a b c} Hua Stephane; and Jouve Stéphane (2004). "A primitive marine gavialoid from the Paleocene of Morocco". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24 (2): 341–350. doi:10.1671/1104.

· ^ Jouve Stéphane; Iarochene Mohamed; Bouyac Baâdi; and Amaghzaz Mbarek (2006). "New material of Argochampsa krebsi (Crocodylia: Gavialoidea) from the Lower Paleocene of the Oulad Abdoun Basin (Morocco): phylogenetic implications". Geobios 39 (6): 817–832. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2005.07.003.

http://paleodb.org/?a=basicTaxonInfo&taxon_no=96629

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argochampsa

Edited September 1, 2013 by jnoun11

[jnoun11]

marrocosuchus zenaroi

Systematic paleontology

Order: crocodylia

Sub-order: eusuchia

Family: tomistomidae

Subfamily: tomistominae , Kälin, 1955

Genus: marrocosuchus , jonet & wouters,1977

Type species: Marrocosuchus zenaroi, jonet & wouters, 1977

Etymology: in honor of pierre Zenaro, engineer who found the first specimen and collaborated with Professor Wouters in 1977.

this crocodile is named also : crocodilus spenceri

publications about :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maroccosuchus

1. ^ Jouve, S. (2004). Etude des crocodyliformes fini Crétace−Paléogène du Bassin de Oulad Abdoun (Maroc) et comparaison avec les faunes africaines contemporaines: systématique, phylogénie et paléobiogéographie. Ph.D. thesis. 652 pp. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris, Paris.
2. https://www.google.com/search?q=maroccosuchus&safe=off&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.51495398,d.d2k,pv.xjs.s.en_US.M4-36_38X9A.O&biw=1047&bih=509&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=fr&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=DUwkUoytCMKn0QXt8oDgBw
3. https://www.google.com/search?q=crocodilus+spenceri&safe=off&sa=X&hl=fr&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=mnwkUuWCLsLJ0QWk94CIDw&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1047&bih=509

Edited September 2, 2013 by jnoun11

[jnoun11]

Ocepesuchus eoafricanus sp. nov.

Picture from: S. Jouve, N. Bardet, N.-E. Jalil, X. P. Suberbiola, B. Bouya and M. Amaghzaz. 2008. The oldest African crocodylomorph: phylogeny, paleobiogeography, and differential survivorship of marine reptiles through the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(2):409-421

SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY

EUSUCHIA Huxley, 1875

CROCODYLIA Gmelin, 1789

GAVIALOIDEA Hay, 1930 (sensu Brochu, 1999)

Genus OCEPESUCHUS, gen. nov.

Etymology—Ocepe, dedicated to the OCP, “Office Chérifien

des Phosphates”, the company exploiting the phospates in Morocco

and strongly participating to the excavation of the fossils,

and suchus, crocodile.and eoafricanus, “dawn” and African, in reference to its ancient age relative to other African crocodylians.

Type Species—Ocepesuchus eoafricanus sp. nov.

Locality and Age: ‘Couche III’, late Maastrichtian of the Oulad Abdoun Basin, Morocco.

Diagnosis—Prefrontal strongly extended anteriorly, exceeding strongly the anterior extremity of the frontal; interorbital distance very short, only slightly wider than the interfenestral bar; parietal in the interfenestral bar strongly depressed, a strong rim bordering the medial margin of the supratemporal fenestra; posterolateral process of squamosal posterolateraly oriented; posterolateral margin of the squamosal bearing a smooth dorsolateral depression, so a strong squamosal rim borders the lateral

margin of the supratemporal fenestra.

Publications about :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocepesuchus

S. Jouve, N. Bardet, N.-E. Jalil, X. P. Suberbiola, B. Bouya and M. Amaghzaz. 2008. The oldest African crocodylomorph: phylogeny, paleobiogeography, and differential survivorship of marine reptiles through the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(2):409-421

http://dx.doi.org/10.1671%2F0272-4634%282008%2928%5B409%3ATOACPP%5D2.0.CO%3B2

Edited September 2, 2013 by jnoun11

[jnoun11]

Dyrosaurus maghrebensis

SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY

CROCODYLOMORPHA: WALKER, 1970

CROCODYLIFORMES: HAY, 1930

MESOEUCROCODYLIA: WHETSTONE & WHYBROW, 1983

DYROSAURIDAE: DE STEFANO, 1903

1914: Congosauridae, Dollo

1930: Rhabdognathidae, Swinton

1955: Rhabdosauridae, Bergounioux.

1981: Tethysuchia, Buffetaut

• Type species: †D. phosphaticus (Thomas, 1893) (type)
• †D. maghribensis Jouve et al., 2006

Type horizon and locality:

The phosphate mine of Mera el Arech, in the Oulad Abdoun Basin, Morocco; from the ‘layer 1’, according to the miner’s terms, corresponding to the early Eocene (Ypresian).

Etymology:

From ‘Maghrib’, Morocco in arabic language, referring to the distribution of this species, known up to now in Morocco only.

Very similar to dyrosaurus phosphaticus, the lateral temporal fenestra on dyrosaurus maghribensis are narrower.

Publications about dyrosaurus maghrebensis:

A new species of Dyrosaurus (Crocodylomorpha,Dyrosauridae) from the early Eocene of Morocco: phylogenetic implications

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 148, 603–656. With 25 figures

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2006.00241.x/abstract

http://issuu.com/felipeelias/docs/sereno---larsson--2009

Edited September 4, 2013 by jnoun11

[Ash]

Your posts on Morocco are gems, thank you for taking the time to post them.

[siteseer]

Thanks for all that information. A couple of years ago, a few of us discussed the stratigraphy of the Moroccan phosphates. In case you are interested, feel free to comment on what was said then:

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=60638

I know non-remainie and Harry and are still active and would be curious about what you would have to say.

Thanks again,

Jess

i looked around on different American fossils web sites, and i didn t found nowhere a description or list about different species of crocodiles from morocco .

so I'll try humbly to help the passionates collectors for a basic identification of the crocodyliformes they own

.

the Moroccan phosphate history began in 1921 , Moroccan phosphate mines operate three layers of phosphates ,.

level 1 : ypresian phosphate bed

level 2 : thanetian phosphate bed

level 3 ; maestrichian phosphate bed

,Moroccans crocodilians existing in all geological s level, most of them are from the "couche 2" thanetian or " couche 1" ypresian and one specie in the "couche 3" maestrichian .

[jnoun11]

hi jess

i take a look to your link , is a geological section, correct about the dispositions but not correct about the name of each layer . i attach the correct version from the O.C.P. (office cherifien des phosphates- moroccan phosphate office)

Edited September 4, 2013 by jnoun11

[jnoun11]

dyrosaurus phosphaticus

Fig. 1. Reconstruction of the skull of D. phosphaticus in dorsal

view. App, anterolateral postorbital process; Ect, ectopterygoid;

En, external naris; Ex, exoccipital; F, frontal; Itf, infratemporal

fenestra; J, jugal; Jf, jugal foramen; L, lacrimal; Mx, maxilla; N,

Nasal; Oc, occipital condyle; Or, orbit; Ot, occipital tuberosity;

P, parietal; Pmx, premaxilla; Po, postorbital; Prf, prefrontal; Pt,

pterygoid; Q, quadrate; Qj, quadratojugal; So, supraoccipital;

Sof, suborbital fenestra; Sq, squamosal; Stf, supratemporal

fenestra; Tc, temporal canal.

Systematic paleontology

Crocodylomorpha Walker, 1970

Crocodyliformes Hay, 1930

Mesoeucrocodylia Whetstone and Whybrow, 1983

Dyrosauridae de Stefano, 1903

Dyrosaurus Pomel, 1894

Type species: Dyrosaurus phosphaticus (Thomas, 1893)

SYNONYMY:

Crocodilus phosphaticus Thomas, 1893

Dyrosaurus thevestensis Pomel, 1894

Dyrosaurus choumowitchi Bergounioux, 1955

Dyrosaurus berneti Bergounioux, 1955

Dyrosaurus variabilis Bergounioux, 1955

HORIZON AND LOCALITY: Lower Eocene (Ypresian), from the phosphates, north of Djebel Teldja, near Metlaoui, Tunisia, and Tébessa, northeast Algeria.

REVISED DIAGNOSIS: Long and slender snout, about 68% of the total skull length; posterior wall of the supratemporal fenestra

almost vertical and poorly exposed in dorsal view; interfenestral bar moderately wide and slightly T-shaped in transverse section; posterior margin of the skull roof straight in dorsal view; occipital tuberosities moderately extended; small posterolateral wing of the palatine within the suborbital fenestra; most anterior point of the posterior margin of the pterygoid wings far anterior to the level of the medial Eustachian foramen, at mid-length between the foramen and the posterior margin of the choanal septum; deep craniocaudally elongated sulcus between the posterior margin of the choanae and the medial eustachian foramen.

internet links and publications about dyrosaurus phosphaticus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyrosaurus

https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&biw=1047&bih=509&q=dyrosaurus+phosphaticus&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.51495398,d.d2k,pv.xjs.s.en_US.M4-36_38X9A.O&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=fr&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=p-4mUvLHMaan0AWPyIDIDQ

http://www.academia.edu/1125107/A_new_description_of_the_skull_of_Dyrosaurus_phosphaticus_Thomas_1893_Mesoeucrocodylia_Dyrosauridae_from_the_Lower_Eocene_of_North_Africa

http://www.helsinki.fi/~mhaaramo/metazoa/deuterostoma/chordata/archosauria/crocodylia/dyrosauridae.html

http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/18194/

[lormouth]

Thanks for all the informations, very interesting. Usually rarely speaks about Moroccan crocodiles...

[AncientEarth]

This is another fantastic resource! I'll still email you a few photos as soon as I am able to get the crates moved around. I think you may have ID'd at least 1 of my croc specimens here for me.

Is Marrocosuchus the only known type with such rigid lines along the cranium from Oulad Abdoun Basin?

[painshill]

That's a rich set of resources and information jnoun.

Are you able to say anything definitive about this skull fragment? It came with a tag saying nothing more than "Kem Kem, Morocco/Algeria frontier, Cretaceous, 100mio"

[jnoun11]

hi painshill

i m not specialist about crocodile or reptiles , your specimen comes from the kem kem formation, but it might be elosuchus cherifiensis , it s too difficult for me to identify your bones,croc for sure.

Edited May 9, 2014 by jnoun11

[Regg Cato]

thanks for making informative posts like this jnoun11; very useful reference