FAUNAL LIST

The faunal list of Ahl al Oughlam, as of August 2007, is given below.

F denotes an extinct species. The names of many taxa are links to more detailed data, such as bibliographic reference, diagnosis, illustration (previously published or not), measurements and/or graphs. They are all small files (less than 100Kb).

geographic and geological context

chronological correlations

 

FISHES

They consist mainly of isolated teeth, jaw fragments and vertebras.

- Selacian indet., shark.

- Sparid indet., bream.

AMPHIBIANS

Reference: 2000 BAILON S. Amphibiens et Reptiles du Pliocène terminal de Ahl al Oughlam (Casablanca, Maroc). Géodiversitas, 22 (4): 539-558.

- Bufo viridis

- Bufo sp.

- Hyla cf. meridionalis

REPTILES

Chelonia are under study by Saloua Gmira, University of Fès, and F. de Lapparent, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Several Reptiles are mentioned for the first time as fossils in Africa. The main feature of the herpetofauna is the mixture of African and Ibero-Moghrebian forms.

Reference: 2000 BAILON S. Amphibiens et Reptiles du Pliocène terminal de Ahl al Oughlam (Casablanca, Maroc). Géodiversitas, 22 (4): 539-558.

- Crocodylus sp., crocodile, rare.

- Geochelone sp., giant land tortoise, a close relative of the Galapagos living tortoise, commonly found in late Neogene faunas of the Southern Continents. F

- Testudo sp., small land tortoise.

- Amphisbaena, a rare group of snake-like Reptiles, seldom found as fossils, is represented by two different genera :

- Trogonophis darelbeidae
- Blanus sp.

- Squamates, snakes and lizards :

- Gekkonidae indet.
- Eumeces algeriensis
- Chalcides sp.
- cf. Acanthodactylus sp.
- Ophisaurus koellikeri
- Coluber hippocrepis
- Malpolon sp.
- cf. Macroprotodon sp.
- Macrovipera sp.
- Bitis sp.

BIRDS

Reference: 2007 MOURER-CHAUVIRE C. & GERAADS D. The Struthionidae and Pelagornithidae (Aves: Struthioniformes, Odontopterygiformes) from the late Pliocene of Ahl al Oughlam, Morocco. Oryctos. 6ème Symposium international de la Society for Avian Paleontology and Evolution (SAPE), Esperaza, E. Buffetaut et J. Le Loeuff (eds.). Oryctos.

Birds are the second most diverse group after Mammals. They include at least 20 different species, several of which are probably new, from marine and a great variety of terrestrial environments, and will provide some premium quality data about the climatic conditions.

MAMMALS

Primates

Although the site is roughly contemporaneous with the famous East African sites of Omo, the latest part of Hadar and Middle Awash (Ethiopia) or East and West Turkana (Kenya), it has not yielded the slightest trace of Hominid presence. It now seems quite likely that our ancestors had not invaded this part of the continent by late Pliocene times, although the fauna as a whole is rather similar to the East African ones, meaning that there was certainly no efficient barrier in between, and certainly nothing like the present-day Sahara.

Primates consist of two species of Cercopithecids.

Reference: 1998 Z.ALEMSEGED & D.GERAADS - Theropithecus atlanticus (Cercopithecidae, Mammalia), from the late Pliocene of Ahl al Oughlam, Casablanca, Morocco. Journal of Human Evolution, 345: 609-621.

- Macaca sp., similar to the Barbary macaque, very rare.

- Theropithecus atlanticus (THOMAS, 1884), gelada baboon, also found at Aïn Jourdel, slightly different from East and South African T.darti. F

Carnivora

Carnivores are by far the most diverse goup of Mammals, and they are also very numerous, in terms of numbers of specimens, compared to herbivores. This is mainly because they used the fissures as dens or shelters.

References:

- Herpestes abdelalii GERAADS, 1997, mongoose. F

- Ichneumia nims GERAADS, 1997, close to the present-day white-tailed mongoose. F

- Viverra leakeyi PETTER, 1963, known by a single tooth, is close to the African civet, and is also known from East African sites. F

- Genetta sp., genet.

- Crocuta dbaa GERAADS, 1997, spotted hyaena.F

- Pliocrocuta perrieri latidens GERAADS, 1997, hyaena.F

- Hyaenictitherium ? barbarum GERAADS, 1997, primitive hyaena.F

- Chasmaporthetes nitidula darelbeidae GERAADS, 1997, hunting hyena. F

- Acinonyx aicha GERAADS, 1997, cheetah. F

- Panthera pardus (L.), leopard.

- Lynx ? sp., known by a single bone.

- Felis sp., cf F.silvestris SCHREBER, 1777, wild cat.

 - Dinofelis sp. This panther-size Felid had flattened slicing canines, but they were not so lengthened as in the true sabre-toothed Felids. F

- Homotherium sp. This sabre-tooth Felid, about the size of a lion, is known here by a few teeth only. The genus survives in North Africa until the late lower Pleistocene. F

- Nyctereutes abdeslami GERAADS, 1997, racoon-dog. F

- Canis nov.sp., aff. C.aureus L., jackal-like Canid. A recently found skull and mandible will allow more detailed comparisons. F

- Vulpes sp., aff V.rueppelli SCHINZ, 1825, sand-fox. F

- Prepoecilogale sp., cf P.bolti (COOKE, 1985), zorilla. F

- Poecilictis libyca minor GERAADS, 1997, Libyan zorilla. F These two species of zorillas are clearly different from European Mustelids.

- Mellivora sp., cf M.capensis (SCHREBER, 1776), honey badger.

- Lutra fatimazohrae GERAADS, 1997, otter.F

- Ursus sp., cf U.etruscus CUVIER, 1823, bear. F

- Alachtherium africanum GERAADS, 1997, walrus. F.

Rodentia

Thousands of Rodent teeth and jaw fragments have been collected by screening. Ahl al Oughlam is the only late Neogene North-African site with rich and diverse micro- as well as macro-mammalian faunas.

North African Rodents show some endemicity, with some lineages lasting several million years.

Reference: 1995 D.GERAADS - Rongeurs et Insectivores du Pliocène final de Ahl al Oughlam, Casablanca, Maroc. Géobios, 28 (1): 99-115, Lyon.

- Paraethomys chikeri JAEGER, 1975.F

- Praomys skouri oughlamensis GERAADS, 1995. F

- Mus haouzi JAEGER, 1975. F

- Gerbillus bibersoni GERAADS, 1995. F

- Irhoudia sp, aff. I.bohlini JAEGER, 1971. A ctenodactylid, a family which the present-day gundi belongs to. F

- Hystrix sp., porcupine.

Lagomorpha

Hares and rabbits are under study by Sevket Sen and D.Geraads. Most interesting is a representative of the Serengetilagus-Trischizolagus group, also found in the Middle Pleistocene of the same area [D.GERAADS (1994) Rongeurs et Lagomorphes du Pléistocène moyen de la "Grotte des Rhinocéros", carrière Oulad Hamida 1, à Casablanca, Maroc. N.Jb.Geol.Pal.,Abh., Tübingen, 191(2): 147-172.]

- Lepus sp., hare.

- cf Serengetilagus sp. F

- Prolagus n.sp. F

Insectivora

Reference: 1995 D.GERAADS - Rongeurs et Insectivores du Pliocène final de Ahl al Oughlam, Casablanca, Maroc. Géobios, 28 (1): 99-115, Lyons.

- Suncus barbarus GERAADS, 1995, white-tooth shrew.F

- Episoriculus maghrebiensis RZEBIK-KOWALSKA, 1988, shrew. F

- Erinaceus (Atelerix) sp., hedgehog.

Chiroptera

Reference: 2006 EITING, T., GUNNELL, G. GERAADS, D. New late pliocene bats (Chiroptera) from Ahl al Oughlam, Casablanca, Morocco. J Vertebrate Paleontology , suppl. to 26 (3): 58A.

- cf. Myotis

- cf. Lasionycteris

- cf. Emballonura

- Rhinolophus sp.

Proboscidea

Both species are represented by some limb bones and a few juvenile teeth only.

Reference: 1999 D.GERAADS & F.METZ-MULLER - Proboscidea (Mammalia) du Pliocène final d'Ahl al Oughlam (Casablanca, Maroc). N.Jb.Geol.Paläont.Mh., 1999 (1): 52-64.

- Elephas recki DIETRICH, 1915 ? Elephant F

- Anancus sp., cf A.osiris ARAMBOURG, 1945, straight-tusk mastodont, also found in Europe and North Africa. F

Cetacea

- Delphinus sp., or Stenella sp, dolphin.

- Kogia sp., pygmy toothed whale.

Rhinocerotidae

- Ceratotherium sp , a long-legged cousin of the white African Rhino, also found in East Africa, perhaps better adapted to open countries.

Equidae

Reference: 2007 EISENMANN, V. & GERAADS, D. The hipparion from the late Pliocene of Ahl al Oughlam, Morocco, and a revision of the relationships of Pliocene and Pleistocene African hipparions. Paleontologia Africana, 42: 51-98.

- Hipparion pomeli, three-toed primitive Equid.. F The single-toed genus Equus, which all living Equids (horses, zebras, donkeys) belong to, is absent at Ahl al Oughlam. Since it appears in the Old World before 2 Ma, and in well-dated East African sites at 2.2 Ma, Ahl al Oughlam must be of earlier age.

Suidae

References:

- Kolpochoerus phacochoeroides (THOMAS, 1884), warthog-like bush-pig, F

Camelidae

- cf Camelus sp, very rare. Camels (nobody knows whether they were one- or two-humped !) are known in Northern Africa from the early Pliocene onwards, but remain rare before the Middle Pleistocene.

Giraffidae

True Giraffes (with long necks and limbs) are known from the Middle Miocene (ca 15 Ma.) onwards in the Old World. At least 2 species, close to the Recent one, are present in the Plio-Pleistocene of East Africa, but not in the Maghreb, where most sites have yielded a species of very different body proportions.

Reference: 1996 GERAADS D. Le Sivatherium (Giraffidae, Mammalia) du Pliocène final d'Ahl al Oughlam (Casablanca, Maroc) et l'évolution du genre en Afrique. Paläont. Zeitschr., Stuttgart, 70 (3-4): 623-629.

- Sivatherium maurusium (POMEL, 1893), giant Giraffe. F

Bovidae

Gazelles, antelopes and buffaloes show strong affinities with East African forms, although most of them are different at the species level. Most interesting is a gazelle with nasal adaptations reminding of the dik-dik.

Reference : 1998 D.GERAADS & F.AMANI - Bovidae (Mammalia) du Pliocène final d'Ahl al Oughlam, Casablanca, Maroc. Paläontologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart, 72(1-2): 191-205.

- Tragelaphus sp., kudu, rare. F

- Bovini indet., buffalo. F

- Kobus barbarus GERAADS & AMANI, 1998, waterbuck, perhaps an endemic North-African lineage. F

- Beatragus antiquus remotus GERAADS & AMANI, 1998, primitive Hunter's hartebeest. F

- Parmularius atlanticus GERAADS & AMANI, 1998, hartebeest-like antelope. F

- Gazella (Deprezia) psolea GERAADS & AMANI, 1998, F, gazelle.

- Gazella thomasi (POMEL, 1895). F