Updated Neogene mammalian biochronology and biogeography of Morocco

ABSTRACT

The mammalian localities of the upper Neogene in Morocco are now relatively more numerous following the discoveries in recent decades. Most of these Mio-Pliocene deposits occur in formations in continental basins and have yielded almost exclusively micromammals. Only Beni Mellal, Guefaït-4, Ahl Al Oughlam and Tizi N’Taddert are the only localities that have yielded abundant remains of large mammals from the Neogene in Morocco. The data acquired from all of these deposits currently make it possible to better understand the stratigraphy of the Mio-Pliocene sedimentary basins and to establish correlations between these fossiliferous localities. However, these localities are not distributed stratigraphically in a regular way so as to mark out the different stages of this period. The locations of the Lower Miocene are unknown. Those of the Middle Miocene are interesting although few in number. The Upper Miocene localities are more numerous and are distributed between the equivalent of biozones MN9 to MN13. Late Miocene and early Pliocene localities document exchanges of fauna between southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa. Pliocene localities are rare and particularly those which have provided macro-mammals. Although extremely rare, radiometric dating of sections in certain basins has enabled precise ages to be attributed to many deposits.

KEYWORDS:

• Miocene
• Pliocene
• mammals
• biochronology
• biogeography
• Morocco

Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to have been invited to contribute to this issue and as such in being given the opportunity to honour our friend and colleague Jorge Morales in recognition of his highly valuable Neogene palaeontological studies. We also thank the editor and the three reviewers for their very useful comments and corrections which helped to improve our manuscript. Pedro Piñero (Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Tarragona, Spain) provided exhaustive and precise information concerning the two sites Guefaït-1 and Guefaït-4 as well as other corrections and comments which improved the form and relevance of this work. Martin Pickford (CR2P-Centre de recherche sur la Paléobiodiversité et les Paléoenvironnements, MNHN, Paris, France) and the third and anonymous reviewer contributed with their instructive corrections and comments to the substantial improvement of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Hassan II University of Casablanca.