Ben Guerir, couche 5 (Cretaceous of Morocco)

Where: Morocco (32.3° N, 7.8° W: paleocoordinates 24.4° N, 8.4° W)

• coordinate estimated from map

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Early/Lower Maastrichtian (70.6 - 66.0 Ma)

• Couche V (or level C5). The use of dissimilarity indices and agglomerative method underscores two distinct associations: a lower one including the levels L6 and L5, and an upper one comprising the levels L4 to L2. These two associations allow to separate a lower and an upper Maastrichtian level. Moreover, the special morphology of the teeth of S. pristodontus occurring in L2, compared to what is observed in lower levels, permits us to distinguish a lower Upper Maastrichtian and an upper Upper Maastrichtian faunal assemblage.

• group of beds-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: marine; poorly lithified phosphorite

• soft phosphatic beds

Size class: macrofossils

Reposited in the MNHN

• Repository: University of Montpellier 2; Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Khouribga, Morocco (OCP)

Primary reference: N. Bardet, X. Pereda Suberbiola, M. Iarochène, M. Amalik, and B. Bouya. 2005. Durophagous Mosasauridae (Squamata) from the Upper Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco, with description of a new species of Globidens. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences — Geologie en Mijnbouw 84(3):167-175 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion]more details

Purpose of describing collection: general faunal/floral analysis

PaleoDB collection 116902: authorized by Philip Mannion, entered by Philip Mannion on 14.09.2011, edited by Matthew Clapham

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Chondrichthyes
 Myliobatiformes -
Dasyatoidea indet.2 Whitley 1940 stingray
 Myliobatiformes - Rhombodontidae
Rhombodus meridionalis2 Arambourg 1952 stingray
 Galeomorphi -
 Rajiformes - Sclerorhynchidae
Ganopristis leptodon2 Arambourg 1935 ray
Dalpiazia stromeri2 Checchia-Rispoli 1933 ray
Ctenopristis nougareti2 Arambourg 1940 ray
 Orectolobiformes - Ginglymostomatidae
Plicatoscyllium gharbii2 Noubhani and Cappetta 1997 nurse shark
 Lamniformes - Aquilolamnidae
Cretomanta sp.2 Case et al. 1990 mackerel shark
 Lamniformes - Serratolamnidae
Serratolamna khderii2 mackerel shark
 Lamniformes - Anacoracidae
Squalicorax benguerirensis1 Cappetta et al. 2014 crow shark
Squalicorax pristodontus2 Agassiz 1835 crow shark
Squalicorax microserratus1 Cappetta et al. 2014 crow shark
 Lamniformes - Otodontidae
Reptilia
 Testudines -
Chelonioidea indet.2 Baur 1893 sea turtle
 Testudines - Bothremydidae
Bothremydidae indet.2 sideneck turtle
 Squamata - Mosasauridae
Halisaurus arambourgi2 Bardet et al. 2005 mosasaur
"Platecarpus" ptychodon2 Arambourg 1952 mosasaur
Prognathodon giganteus2 Dollo 1889 mosasaur
Prognathodon currii Christiansen and Bonde 2002 mosasaur
OCP.DEK/GE 349, 350 (two median teeth)
Eremiasaurus heterodontus2 LeBlanc et al. 2012 mosasaur
Actinopteri
 Aulopiformes - Enchodontidae
Enchodus elegans2 Dartevelle and Casier 1949
 Aulopiformes - Dercetidae
Stratodus apicalis2 Cope 1872