Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South Morocco
The northern flank of the Tindouf Syncline in southern Morocco exhibits a continuous, well exposed Carboniferous succession with limestones of Late Asbian to Early Bashkirian age containing rich and diverse foraminiferal and rugose coral assemblages. Analysis of these assemblages provides new data o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2013-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Palaeogeography |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095383615301280 |
| _version_ | 1798031282105483264 |
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| author | Ian D. Somerville Pedro Cózar Ismail Said Daniel Vachard Paula Medina-Varea Sergio Rodríguez |
| author_facet | Ian D. Somerville Pedro Cózar Ismail Said Daniel Vachard Paula Medina-Varea Sergio Rodríguez |
| author_sort | Ian D. Somerville |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The northern flank of the Tindouf Syncline in southern Morocco exhibits a continuous, well exposed Carboniferous succession with limestones of Late Asbian to Early Bashkirian age containing rich and diverse foraminiferal and rugose coral assemblages. Analysis of these assemblages provides new data on the relatively poorly known Saharan basins. The palaeobiogeographical relationship of the Tindouf Basin with other Palaeotethyan basins is complex. Although there is a predominance of cosmopolitan taxa for the Palaeotethys, it is recognized that there was an influence of basins from NW Europe, such as the UK and Ireland. Some taxa are recorded in both NW Europe and Tindouf without any characteristic contributions from intermediate basins in northern Morocco. The neighbouring Béchar Basin in Algeria presents distinct assemblages. The bulk of the data analyzed suggest that this sector of the western Palaeotethys can be subdivided into four palaeobiogeographical subprovinces: the Atlantic Subprovince (UK, Ireland, N France and Belgium), the Mediterranean Subprovince (Pyrenees, Montagne Noire, Betic Cordillera, Rif (N Morocco) and Balearic Islands), and the Saharan Subprovince (Béchar, Reggan, Ahnet-Mouydir and Tindouf). In between, mobile belts of mixed faunal assemblage characteristics are observed (e.g., SW Spain and Central Meseta) forming the West peri-Gondwanan Subprovince. Analysis of the Tindouf Basin faunas shows that, as in other Saharan basins, there is a high diversity and abundance of foraminiferal taxa, with a higher proportion of survivors and longer stratigraphic ranges; these features also are mirrored by rugose corals. This emphasizes the longevity of the carbonate platform in a tropical setting, where periodic transgressions introduced new assemblages, and oceanic currents are interpreted as one of the main controlling factors for the distribution of the taxa in these subprovinces. Moreover, not only were water temperatures on the platform higher, but also tectonic stability greater. It is considered that the effects of the first phases of the Gondwanan glaciation were minimal on the Tindouf faunas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:53:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85d7c5e703704fd8b3fa8ddd55eabbeb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-3836 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:53:52Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Palaeogeography |
| spelling | doaj.art-85d7c5e703704fd8b3fa8ddd55eabbeb2022-12-22T04:06:13ZengElsevierJournal of Palaeogeography2095-38362013-01-012111810.3724/SP.J.1261.2013.00014Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South MoroccoIan D. Somerville0Pedro Cózar1Ismail Said2Daniel Vachard3Paula Medina-Varea4Sergio Rodríguez5UCD School of Geological Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, IrelandDpto. de Geología Sedimentaria y Cambio Ambiental, Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC,UCM), c/José Antonio Novais 2, 28040–Madrid, SpainDpto. de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, c/José Antonio Novais 2, 28040–Madrid SpainUniversité de Lille 1, UMR 8217 du CNRS: Géosystèmes, Bâtiment SN 5, 59655 Villeneuve d′Ascq, FranceDpto. de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, c/José Antonio Novais 2, 28040–Madrid SpainDpto. de Geología Sedimentaria y Cambio Ambiental, Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC,UCM), c/José Antonio Novais 2, 28040–Madrid, SpainThe northern flank of the Tindouf Syncline in southern Morocco exhibits a continuous, well exposed Carboniferous succession with limestones of Late Asbian to Early Bashkirian age containing rich and diverse foraminiferal and rugose coral assemblages. Analysis of these assemblages provides new data on the relatively poorly known Saharan basins. The palaeobiogeographical relationship of the Tindouf Basin with other Palaeotethyan basins is complex. Although there is a predominance of cosmopolitan taxa for the Palaeotethys, it is recognized that there was an influence of basins from NW Europe, such as the UK and Ireland. Some taxa are recorded in both NW Europe and Tindouf without any characteristic contributions from intermediate basins in northern Morocco. The neighbouring Béchar Basin in Algeria presents distinct assemblages. The bulk of the data analyzed suggest that this sector of the western Palaeotethys can be subdivided into four palaeobiogeographical subprovinces: the Atlantic Subprovince (UK, Ireland, N France and Belgium), the Mediterranean Subprovince (Pyrenees, Montagne Noire, Betic Cordillera, Rif (N Morocco) and Balearic Islands), and the Saharan Subprovince (Béchar, Reggan, Ahnet-Mouydir and Tindouf). In between, mobile belts of mixed faunal assemblage characteristics are observed (e.g., SW Spain and Central Meseta) forming the West peri-Gondwanan Subprovince. Analysis of the Tindouf Basin faunas shows that, as in other Saharan basins, there is a high diversity and abundance of foraminiferal taxa, with a higher proportion of survivors and longer stratigraphic ranges; these features also are mirrored by rugose corals. This emphasizes the longevity of the carbonate platform in a tropical setting, where periodic transgressions introduced new assemblages, and oceanic currents are interpreted as one of the main controlling factors for the distribution of the taxa in these subprovinces. Moreover, not only were water temperatures on the platform higher, but also tectonic stability greater. It is considered that the effects of the first phases of the Gondwanan glaciation were minimal on the Tindouf faunas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095383615301280Carboniferouspalaeobiogeographynew subprovincesforaminifersrugose coralsTindouf BasinNorth Africa |
| spellingShingle | Ian D. Somerville Pedro Cózar Ismail Said Daniel Vachard Paula Medina-Varea Sergio Rodríguez Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South Morocco Journal of Palaeogeography Carboniferous palaeobiogeography new subprovinces foraminifers rugose corals Tindouf Basin North Africa |
| title | Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South Morocco |
| title_full | Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South Morocco |
| title_fullStr | Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South Morocco |
| title_full_unstemmed | Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South Morocco |
| title_short | Palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the Carboniferous Tindouf Basin, South Morocco |
| title_sort | palaeobiogeographical constraints on the distribution of foraminifers and rugose corals in the carboniferous tindouf basin south morocco |
| topic | Carboniferous palaeobiogeography new subprovinces foraminifers rugose corals Tindouf Basin North Africa |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095383615301280 |
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