First report on Cretaceous vertebrates from the Algerian Kem Kem beds. A new procoelous salamander from the Cenomanian, with remarks on African Caudata

Alloul, Tannina; Rage, Jean‐Claude; Hamdidouche, Rachid

doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2017.11.019

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…One trunk or anteriormost caudal vertebra of an indeterminate salamander is known from the Algerian locality Oued Bou Seroual in a level comparable to the Douira Formation and approximately 25 km distant from Oum Tkout. The morphology of this procoelous vertebra suggests that it pertains to an elongate, snake-like salamander (Alloul et al 2018).…”

Section: Amphibia Gray 1825mentioning

confidence: 93%

Geology and paleontology of the Upper Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of eastern Morocco

Ibrahim¹,

Sereno²,

Varricchio³

et al. 2020

128

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The geological and paleoenvironmental setting and the vertebrate taxonomy of the fossiliferous, Cenomanian-age deltaic sediments in eastern Morocco, generally referred to as the “Kem Kem beds”, are reviewed. These strata are recognized here as the Kem Kem Group, which is composed of the lower Gara Sbaa and upper Douira formations. Both formations have yielded a similar fossil vertebrate assemblage of predominantly isolated elements pertaining to cartilaginous and bony fishes, turtles, crocodyliforms, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs, as well as invertebrate, plant, and trace fossils. These fossils, now in collections around the world, are reviewed and tabulated. The Kem Kem vertebrate fauna is biased toward large-bodied carnivores including at least four large-bodied non-avian theropods (an abelisaurid, Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and Deltadromeus), several large-bodied pterosaurs, and several large crocodyliforms. No comparable modern terrestrial ecosystem exists with similar bias toward large-bodied carnivores. The Kem Kem vertebrate assemblage, currently the best documented association just prior to the onset of the Cenomanian-Turonian marine transgression, captures the taxonomic diversity of a widespread northern African fauna better than any other contemporary assemblage from elsewhere in Africa.

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Section: Amphibia Gray 1825mentioning

confidence: 93%

Geology and paleontology of the Upper Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of eastern Morocco

Ibrahim¹,

Sereno²,

Varricchio³

et al. 2020

128

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“…These are commonly referred to as the 'Kem Kem beds' (Sereno et al, 1996), cropping out on a long and steep escarpment along the Moroccan-Algerian border region. Equivalent outcrops have also been identified along the southern margin of the Atlas Mountain fold belt and on the Algerian side of the border (Alloul et al, 2018). The new pterosaur specimen was obtained commercially in the Tafilalet town of Erfoud.…”

Section: Geological Setting and Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new species of Coloborhynchus (Pterosauria, Ornithocheiridae) from the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa

Martill

Ibrahim

Longrich

2019

Cretaceous Research

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Pterosaur faunas experienced dramatic turnover between the Early and Late Cretaceous, but fossils documenting this transition are rare. The mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco are one of a handful of localities preserving pterosaurs from this important interval. Previously reported taxa from the Kem Kem beds include the ornithocheirid Siroccopteryx moroccensis, the azhdarchoids Alanqa saharica and Xericeps curvirostris, an unnamed tapejarid, and a putative pteranodontid. Here, a new species of ornithocheirid, Coloborhynchus fluviferox sp. nov., is described on the basis of a well-preserved anterior rostrum fragment. It is assigned to Coloborhynchus based on the presence of an anteriorly directed first tooth pair protruding from a palatal surface, which is deflected dorsally by 90 degrees. The new specimen differs from Siroccopteryx moroccensis and is distinguished from other species of Coloborhynchus by numerous characters, including an anterior palatal surface that defines a high isosceles triangle with two shallow, subcircular depressions located dorsal to premaxillary tooth pair one. The central region of alveoli for the first tooth pair is level with the dorsal borders of the second tooth pair and the mediodorsal crest rises steeply forming a blunt termination of the rostrum. The new species brings the number of pterosaur species from the Kem Kem beds to at least 5. The Kem Kem pterosaur assemblage resembles other Early Cretaceous faunas in having a high diversity of toothed forms, but also resembles latest Cretaceous faunas in having several edentulous azhdarchoids.

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“…Indeed, Taouz, Morocco, is indicated as fossil locality in other Kem Kem fossil vertebrate studies (e.g., Wellnhofer & Buffetaut, 1999 ; Cavin et al, 2010 ; Forey, López-Arbarello & MacLeod, 2011 ; Richter, Mudroch & Buckley, 2013 ). As the Kem Kem outcrops at present run parallel to the border, the labelling of ‘Algeria’ is probably still be correct, as the ‘Kem Kem’ beds extend out across the border ( Alloul et al, 2018 ), however, the specific provenance of these teeth is unclear.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Cretaceous sauropod tooth morphotypes may provide supporting evidence for faunal connections between North Africa and Southern Europe

Holwerda

Díaz

Blanco

et al. 2018

PeerJ

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The Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco and equivalent beds in Algeria have produced a rich fossil assemblage, yielding, amongst others, isolated sauropod teeth, which can be used in species diversity studies. These Albian-Cenomanian (∼113–93.9 Ma) strata rarely yield sauropod body fossils, therefore, isolated teeth can help to elucidate the faunal assemblages from North Africa, and their relations with those of contemporaneous beds and geographically close assemblages. Eighteen isolated sauropod teeth from three localities (Erfoud and Taouz, Morocco, and Algeria) are studied here, to assess whether the teeth can be ascribed to a specific clade, and whether different tooth morphotypes can be found in the samples. Two general morphotypes are found, based on enamel wrinkling and general tooth morphology. Morphotype I, with mainly rugose enamel wrinkling, pronounced carinae, lemon-shaped to (sub)cylindrical cross-section and mesiodistal tapering towards an apical tip, shows affinities to titanosauriforms and titanosaurs. Morphotype II, characterized by more smooth enamel, cylindrical cross-section, rectangular teeth with no apical tapering and both labial and lingual wear facets, shows similarities to rebbachisaurids. Moreover, similarities are found between these northwest African tooth morphotypes, and tooth morphotypes from titanosaurs and rebbachisaurids from both contemporaneous finds from north and central Africa, as well as from the latest Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian, 83.6 Ma–66.0 Ma) of the Ibero-Armorican Island. These results support previous hypotheses from earlier studies on faunal exchange and continental connections between North Africa and Southern Europe in the Cretaceous.

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First report on Cretaceous vertebrates from the Algerian Kem Kem beds. A new procoelous salamander from the Cenomanian, with remarks on African Caudata

Cited by 8 publications

References 13 publications

Geology and paleontology of the Upper Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of eastern Morocco

Geology and paleontology of the Upper Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of eastern Morocco

A new species of Coloborhynchus (Pterosauria, Ornithocheiridae) from the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa

Late Cretaceous sauropod tooth morphotypes may provide supporting evidence for faunal connections between North Africa and Southern Europe

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