Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T01:40:03.757Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Durophagous Mosasauridae (Squamata) from the Upper Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco, with description of a new species of Globidens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2016

N. Bardet ,
X. Pereda Suberbiola ,
M. Iarochène ,
M. Amalik  and
B. Bouya
N. Bardet*
Affiliation:
UMR 5143 du CNRS, Département Histoire de la Terre, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, 8 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
X. Pereda Suberbiola
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
M. Iarochène
Affiliation:
Ministère de l’Energie et des Mines, Direction de la Géologie, BP 6208, Rabat, Morocco
M. Amalik
Affiliation:
Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Centre Minier de Ben Guerir, Morocco
B. Bouya
Affiliation:
Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Centre Minier de Khouribga, Morocco
*
* Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Three durophagous mosasaur species are represented by isolated teeth in the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) phosphatic beds of Morocco. Globidens phosphaticus nov. sp. is characterised mainly by a strong heterodonty, with mid-posterior teeth being bulbous, irregularly oval in crosssection, and having an inflated posterior surface, a large eccentric located and recurved apical nubbin, vertical sulci on medial and lateral faces, no carinae and an enamel surface covered by anastomosing ridges. Teeth of Prognathodon currii are broad and tall, straight cones, slightly swollen at the base, and with two serrated carinae. These two taxa have been collected from all the phosphatic series (lower to upper Maastrichtian) in the Ganntour Basin (Morocco). Globidens phosphaticus nov. sp. is probably also represented at other Maastrichtian phosphatic sites along the southern margin of the Mediterranean Tethys. Prognathodon currii was previously known only from the Upper Cretaceous phosphates of Negev. Of the third taxon, Carinodens belgicus, only a single tooth (now lost) is known from the Oulad Abdoun Basin (Morocco); this is low, swollen, laterally compressed and bicarinate with a large apical nubbin. Previous records of this species include Europe and Brazil.

Keywords

MosasauridaeGlobidensiniGlobidens phosphaticus nov. sp.PrognathodonCarinodensMaastrichtianphosphatesMorocco
Type
Research Article
Information
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences , Volume 84 , Special Issue 3: Proceedings of the First Mosasaur Meeting , September 2005 , pp. 167 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © Stichting Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 2005

References

Arambourg, C., 1952. Les vertébrés fossiles des gisements de phosphates (Maroc-Algérie-Tunisie). Notes et Mémoires du Service géologique du Maroc 92: 1–372.Google Scholar
Arambourg, C., Dubertret, L., Signeux, J. & Sornay, J., 1959. Contributions à la stratigraphie et à la paléontologie du Crétacé et du Nummulitique de la marge NW de la Péninsule arabique. Notes et Mémoires sur le Moyen-Orient 7: 193–251.Google Scholar
Avnimeiech, M., 1949. On vertebrate remains in Senonian phosphate beds in Transjordan. Eclogae geologicae Helvetiae 42: 486–490.Google Scholar
Azzarolli, A., Claudio, G. de, FicareUi, G. & Torres, D., 1972. An aberrant mosasaur from the Upper Cretaceous of North Western Nigeria. Accademia nazionale dei Lincei, Classe di Scienze fisiche, matematiche e naturali, Rendiconti 52: 53–56.Google Scholar
Bardet, N. & Pereda Suberbiola, X., 2002. Marine reptiles from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Jordan: palaeobiogeographical implications. Geodiversitas 24: 831–839.Google Scholar
Bardet, N., Corral, J.C. & Pereda Suberbiola, X., 1999. Marine reptiles from the uppermost Cretaceous of the Laño quarry (Iberian Peninsula). Estudios del Museo de Ciencias naturales de Alava, numero especial 14: 373–380.Google Scholar
Bardet, N., Coppetta, H., Pereda Suberbiola, X., Mouty, M., Al Maleb, A.K., Ahmad, A.M., Khrata, O. & Gannoum, N., 2000. The marine vertebrate faunas from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Syria. Geological Magazine 137: 269–290.Google Scholar
Bardet, N., Pereda Suberbiola, X., Iarochène, M., Bouyahyaoui, F., Bouya, B. & Amaghzaz, M., 2004a. Mosasaurus beaugei Arambourg, 1952 (Squamata, Mosasauridae) from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco. Geobios 37: 315–324.Google Scholar
Bardet, N., Pereda Suberbiola, X., Iarochène, M., Bouya, B. & Amaghzaz, M., 2004b. Mosasaurids from the Maastrichtian phosphates of Morocco. In: Schulp, A.S. & Jagt, J.W.M., (Eds): First Mosasaur Meeting, Abstract book and field guide (Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht, Maastricht): 13–14.Google Scholar
Bardet, N., Pereda Suberbiola, X., Iarochène, M.Bouya, B. & Amaghzaz, M., 2005. A new species of Halisaurus from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco, and the phylogenetical relationships of the Halisaurinae (Squamata: Mosasauridae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143: 447–472.Google Scholar
Bourdon, E., Bouya, B. & Iarochène, M., 2005. Earliest African neornithine bird: a new species of Prophaethontidae (Aves) from the Paleocene of Morocco. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25(1): 157–170.Google Scholar
Coppetta, H., 1987. Mesozoic and Cenozoic Elasmobranchii, Chondrichthyes. In: Schultze, H.-P. (Ed.): Handbook of Paleoichthyology, Vol. 3b. G. Fische., (Stuttgart, New York): 193 pp.Google Scholar
Cavin, L., Bardet, N., Coppetta, H., Gheerbrant, E., Iarochène, S.M. & Sudre, J., 2000. A new Palaeocene albulid (Teleostei, Elopomorpha) from the Ouled Abdoun phosphatic Basin, Morocco. Geological Magazine 137: 583–591.Google Scholar
Christiansen, P. & Bonde, N., 2002. A new species of gigantic mosasaur from the Late Cretaceous of Israel. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22: 629–644.Google Scholar
Churcher, C.S., 1988. Marine vertebrates from the Duwi phosphorites, Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 8 (Suppl. to 3): 11A.Google Scholar
DeBraga, M. & Carroll, R.L., 1993. The origin of mosasaurs as a model of macroevolutionary patterns and processes. In: Hecht, M.K.et al. (eds): Evolutionary Biology 27: 245–322.Google Scholar
Dollo, L., 1889. Première note sur les mosasauriens de Mesvin. Bulletin de la Société belge de Géologie, de Paléontologie et d’Hydrologie 3: 271–304.Google Scholar
Dollo, L., 1904. Les mosasauriens de la Belgigue. Bulletin de la Société belge de Géologie, de Paléontologie et d’Hydrologie 18: 207–216.Google Scholar
Dollo, L., 1913. Globidens fraasi, mosasaurien mylodonte nouveau du Maestrichtien (Crétacé supérieur) du Limbourg, et l’éthologie de la nutrition chez les mosasauriens. Archives de Biologie 28: 609–626.Google Scholar
Dollo, L., 1924. Globidens alabamaensis, mosasaurien mylodonte américain retrouvé dans la craie d’Obourg (Sénonien supérieur) du Hainaut et les mosasauriens de la Belgigue en général. Archives de Biologie 34: 167–213.Google Scholar
Dortangs, R.W., Schulp, A.S., Mulder, E.W.A., Jagt, J.W.M., Peeters, H.H.G. & de Graaf, D.Th., 2002. A large new mosasaur from the Upper Cretaceous of the Netherlands. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 81: 1–8.Google Scholar
Gervais, P., 1853. Observations relatives aux reptiles fossiles de France. Comptes Rendus de l‘Académie des Sciences de Paris 36: 374–377, 470–474.Google Scholar
Gheerbrant, E., Sudre, J.Cappetta, H., Mourer-Chauviré, C.Bourdon, E., Iarochène, M., Amaghzaz, M., & Bouya, B., 2003. Les localités à Mammifères des carrières de Grand Daoui, Bassin des Ouled Abdoun, Maroc, Yprésien: premier état des lieux. Bulletin de la Société géologique de France 174: 279–293.Google Scholar
Gilmore, C.W., 1912. A new mosasauroid reptile from the Cretaceous of Alabama. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 41: 479–484.Google Scholar
Herbig, H.G., 1986. Lithostratigraphisch-fazielle Untersuchungen im marinen Alttertiàr südlich des zentralen Hohen-Atlas (Marokko). Berliner geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen 66: 343–380.Google Scholar
Hua, S. & Jouve, S., 2004. A primitive marine gavialoid from the Paleocene of Morocco. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24: 341–350.Google Scholar
Jouve, S., 2004. Etude des faunes de Crocodyliformes fini Crétacé-Paléogène du Bassin des Oulad Abdoun (Maroc) et comparaison avec les faunes africaines contemporaines: systématique, phylogénie et paléobiogéographie. PhD thesis (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris), 651 pp.Google Scholar
Jouve, S., Bouya, B. & Amaghzaz, M., 2005. A short-snouted dyrosaurid (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Palaeocene of Morocco. Palaeontology 48: 359–369.Google Scholar
Kass, M.S., 1999. Prognathodon stadtmani:(Mosasauridae) A new species from the Mancos Shale (Lower Campanian) of Western Colorado. Utah Geological Survey, Miscellaneous Publications 99: 275–294.Google Scholar
Kuypers, M.M.M., Jagt, J.W.M., Peeters, H.H.G., de Graaf, D.Th., Dortangs, R.W., Deckers, M.J.M., Eysermans, D., Janssen, M.J. & Arpot, L., 1998. Laat-kretaceische mosasauriërs uit Luik-Limburg: nieuwe vondsten leiden tot nieuwe inzichten. Publicaties van het Natuurhistorisch Genootschap in Limburg 41: 5–47.Google Scholar
Leonardi, P. & Malaroda, R., 1946. Prima segnalazione di un mosasauro del genere Globidens nel Cretaceo del’Egytto. Acta Pontificia Accademia scientorum 10: 183–188.Google Scholar
Lindgren, J. & Stverson, M., 2002. Tylosaurus ivoensis: a giant mosasaur from the early Campanian of Sweden. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Earth Sciences, 93: 73–93.Google Scholar
Lindgren, J., 2004. Stratigraphical distribution of Campanian and Maastrichtian mosasaurs in Sweden - evidence of an intercontinental marine extinction event? GFF 126: 221–229.Google Scholar
Lingham-Soliar, T., 1991. Mosasaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of Niger. Palaeontology 34: 653–670.Google Scholar
Lingham-Soliar, T., 1999. The durophagous mosasaurs (Lepidosauromorpha, Squamata) Globidens and Carinodens from the Upper Cretaceous of Belgium and The Netherlands. Paleontological Journal 33 (Suppl.): s638–s647.Google Scholar
Lingham-Soliar, T. & Nolf, D., 1990. The mosasaur Prognathodon (Reptilia, Mosasauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Belgium. Bulletin de l’Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre 59 (1989): 137–190.Google Scholar
Lucas, J. & Prévât-Lucas, L., 1996. Tethyan phosphates and bioproductites. In: Nairn, A.E.M., et al. (Eds): The Ocean Basins and Margins, the Tethys Ocean. Plenum Press (New York): 367–391.Google Scholar
Mustafa, H. & Zalmout, I., 2001. On the dentition of Mosasauridae (marine reptiles) from the Late Cretaceous (Early Maastrichtien) of the Jordanian Phosphate. Dirasat, Pure Science 28: 56–62.Google Scholar
Office Chérifien des Phosphates, 1989. The phosphates basins of Morocco. In: Northolt, A.J.G., Sheldon, R.P. & Davidson, D.F. (Eds): Phosphates deposits of the world. Vol. 2 - Phosphate rock resources. Cambridge University Press (Cambridge): 301–311.Google Scholar
Oppel, M., 1811. Die Ordnungen, Familien und Gattungen der Reptilien als Prodrom einer Naturgeschichte derselben. Joseph Lindauer (München): 87 pp.Google Scholar
Pereda Suberbiola, X., Bardet, N., Jouve, S., Iarochène, M., Bouya, B. & Amaghzaz, M., 2003. A new azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco. In: Buffetaut, E. & Mazin, J.-M. (eds), Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. Geological Society of London, Special Publication 217: 79–90.Google Scholar
Pereda Suberbiola, X., Bardet, N., Iarochène, M., Bouya, B. & Amaghzaz, M., 2004. The first record of a sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous phosphates of Morocco. Journal of African Earth Sciences 40: 81–88.Google Scholar
Price, L.I., 1957. A presença de Globidens no Cretácico superior do Brasil. Divisão de Geologia e Mineralogia, Boletim 169: 1–24.Google Scholar
Raab, M., 1963. Fossil fish and reptiles from Late Campanian phosphatic deposits of the Negev Region of Israel. Israel Journal of Earth Sciences 12: 26–40.Google Scholar
Russell, D.A., 1967. Systematics and morphology of American mosasaurs. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University 23: 1–241.Google Scholar
Russell, D.A., 1975. A new species of Globidens from South Dakota, and a review of Globidentine mosasaurs. Fieldiana, Geology 33: 235–256.Google Scholar
Salvan, H.M., 1986. Paléogéographie générale. In: Géologie des gîtes minéraux marocains, 3: Phosphates. Notes et Mémoires du Service géologique du Maroc 276: 139–152.Google Scholar
Schulp, A.S., Jagt, J.W.M. & Fonken, F., 2004. New material of the mosasaur Carìnodens belgicus from the Upper Cretaceous of The Netherlands. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24: 744–747.Google Scholar
Soliar, T., 1988. The mosasaur Goronyosaurus from the Upper Cretaceous of Sokoto State, Nigeria. Palaeontology 31: 747–762.Google Scholar
Swinton, W.E., 1930. On fossil Reptilia from the Sokoto Province. Bulletin of the Geological Survey of Nigeria 13: 1–56.Google Scholar
Telles Antunes, M., 1964. 0 Neocretácico e o Cenozoico do litoral de Angola. Junta de Investigações do Ultramar (Lisboa): 255 pp.Google Scholar
Thurmond, J.T., 1969. New name for the mosasaur Compressidens Dollo, 1924.Journal of Paleontology 43: 1298.Google Scholar
Tzankov, V., 1939. Note sur la présence des reptiles fossiles du Crétacé supérieur de la Bulgarie du Nord. Geologica Balkanica 3: 13–20.Google Scholar
Welles, S.P. & Gregg, D.R., 1971. Late Cretaceous marine reptiles of New Zealand. Records of the Canterbury Museum 9: 1–111.Google Scholar
Wiffen, J., 1990. New mosasaurs (Reptilia; Family Mosasauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 33: 67–85.Google Scholar
Woodward, A.S., 1891. Note on a tooth of an extinct Alligator (Bottosaurus belgicus, sp. nov.) from the Lower Danian of Ciply, Belgium. Geological Magazine (3)8: 114–115.Google Scholar
Zdansky, O.1935. The occurrence of mosasaurs in Egypt and in Africa in general. Bulletin de l’Institut d’Egypte 17: 83–94.Google Scholar