The specific biodiversity of stromatoporoids, tabulates and brachiopods from the Ardennes (707 taxa) has been analyzed stage-by-stage from the Lochkovian up to the Famennian. The diversity of each group may be correlated with external factors (e.g. facies), but it varied individually (e.g. decline of brachiopods in the Givetian). The faunas are discussed at the order level, however some more diversified orders are analyzed at family level. Biodiversity shows a single peak centered on the Givetian for the bioconstructors, and two major peaks (Emsian-Eifelian and Frasnian) for the brachiopods. The most diversified orders are Stromatoporellida (stromatoporoids), Favositida (tabulate corals) and Spiriferida (brachiopods). Stromatoporoids display two, tabulate corals four and brachiopods five stages of renewal of fauna.
Based on previous systematic studies of productid, rhynchonellid and spiriferid brachiopods from NW Sahara (Morocco and Algeria), we recognize three successive faunas near the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary. A ‘Lower Fauna’, late Famennian in age [IV(?)-V and lower VI(?) Zones], and an ‘Upper Fauna’, early Tournaisian in age, are present in southern Morocco (Assa, Akka, Zemoul areas) and in Algeria, Timimoun area. A third ‘Intermediate Fauna’, with few taxa, and differing according to the areas, is identified in southern Morocco. Northwards, in Tafilalt–Ma'der basins, rare brachiopods, found above a ‘Hangenberg Black Shale’ equivalent, are in spite of taxonomic differences related to the ‘Upper Fauna’. This important renewal of faunas could be in relation to the main lithological variations.
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