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Marivaux L, Benammi M, Baidder L, Saddiqi O, Adnet S, Charruault AL, Tabuce R, Yans J, Benammi M. A new primate community from the earliest Oligocene of the Atlantic margin of Northwest Africa: Systematic, paleobiogeographic, and paleoenvironmental implications. J Hum Evol 2024; 193:103548. [PMID: 38896896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
We report a new Paleogene primate community discovered in the uppermost part of the Samlat Formation outcropping on the continental shore of the Rio de Oro, east of the Dakhla peninsula (in the south of Morocco, near the northern border of Mauritania). Fossils consist of isolated teeth, which were extracted by wet screening of estuarine sediments (DAK C2) dating from the earliest Oligocene (ca. 33.5 Ma). These dental remains testify to the presence of at least eight primate species, documenting distinct families, four of which are among the Anthropoidea (Oligopithecidae [Catopithecus aff. browni], Propliopithecidae [?Propliopithecus sp.], Parapithecidae [Abuqatrania cf. basiodontos], and Afrotarsiidae [Afrotarsius sp.]) and four in the Strepsirrhini (a Djebelemuridae [cf. 'Anchomomys' milleri], a Galagidae [Wadilemur cf. elegans], a possible lorisiform [Orogalago saintexuperyi gen. et sp. nov.], and a strepsirrhine of indeterminate affinities [Orolemur mermozi gen. et sp. nov.]). This record of various primates at Dakhla represents the first Oligocene primate community from Northwest Africa, especially from the Atlantic margin of that landmass. Considering primates plus rodents (especially hystricognaths), the taxonomic proximity at the generic (even specific) level between DAK C2 (Dakhla) and the famous Egyptian fossil-bearing localities of the Jebel Qatrani Formation (Fayum Depression), either dating from the latest Eocene (L-41) or from the early Oligocene, suggests the existence of an east-west 'trans-North African' environmental continuum during the latest Eocene-earliest Oligocene time interval. The particularly diverse mammal fauna from DAK C2, recorded within the time window of global climate deterioration characterizing the Eocene/Oligocene transition, suggests that this tropical region of northwest Africa was seemingly less affected, if at all, by the cooling and associated paleoenvironmental and biotic changes documented at that time or at least that the effects were delayed. The expected densely forested paleoenvironment bordering the western margin of North Africa at the beginning of the early Oligocene probably offered better tropical refugia than higher latitudes or more inland areas during the cooling episode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Marivaux
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISE-M, UMR 5554, CNRS/UM/IRD/EPHE), c.c. 064, Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France.
| | - Mohamed Benammi
- Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université IBN Tofaïl, BP 133, 14000 Kénitra, Morocco
| | - Lahssen Baidder
- Laboratoire Géosciences, Faculté des Sciences Aïn Chock, Université Hassan-II-Casablanca, BP 5366, Maârif, 20100 Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Omar Saddiqi
- Laboratoire Géosciences, Faculté des Sciences Aïn Chock, Université Hassan-II-Casablanca, BP 5366, Maârif, 20100 Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Sylvain Adnet
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISE-M, UMR 5554, CNRS/UM/IRD/EPHE), c.c. 064, Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Anne-Lise Charruault
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISE-M, UMR 5554, CNRS/UM/IRD/EPHE), c.c. 064, Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Rodolphe Tabuce
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISE-M, UMR 5554, CNRS/UM/IRD/EPHE), c.c. 064, Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Johan Yans
- Departement of Geology, Institute of Life Earth and Environment (ILEE), Université de Namur, rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur, Belgium
| | - Mouloud Benammi
- Laboratoire Paléontologie Évolution Paléoécosystèmes Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM, UMR-CNRS 7262), Université de Poitiers UFR SFA, 6 Rue Michel Brunet, F-86022 Poitiers Cedex, France
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Marivaux L, López LWV, Boivin M, Da Cunha L, Fabre PH, Joannes-Boyau R, Maincent G, Münch P, Stutz NS, Vélez-Juarbe J, Antoine PO. Incisor enamel microstructure of West Indian caviomorph hystricognathous rodents (Octodontoidea and Chinchilloidea). J MAMM EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-022-09631-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Mansouri I, Dakki M, Squalli W, Achiban H, Mounir M, El Ghadraoui L. Wildlife‐vehicle collisions in Moroccan Atlantic Sahara: Impact on resident species and Afro‐Palearctic birds for conservation purposes. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Mansouri
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Genie of Environment Faculty of sciences and technology USMBA Fez Morocco
| | - Mohamed Dakki
- Laboratoire de Géo‐biodiversité et Patrimoine Naturel Scientific Institute (Mohammed V Univ.) Rabat Morocco
| | - Wafae Squalli
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Genie of Environment Faculty of sciences and technology USMBA Fez Morocco
| | - Hamid Achiban
- Laboratory of Geo‐environmental Analysis Planning‐Sustainable Development Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz USMBA Fez Morocco
| | - Mohamed Mounir
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Valorisation of phytogénétics Resources Faculty of Sciences and Technics Sultan Moulay Sliman University Beni mellal Morocco
| | - Lahsen El Ghadraoui
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Genie of Environment Faculty of sciences and technology USMBA Fez Morocco
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Al-Ashqar SF, Seiffert ER, de Vries D, El-Sayed S, Antar MS, Sallam HM. New phiocricetomyine rodents (Hystricognathi) from the Jebel Qatrani Formation, Fayum Depression, Egypt. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12074. [PMID: 34721955 PMCID: PMC8533026 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The rich rodent assemblages from the Eocene-Oligocene deposits of the Jebel Qatrani Formation (Fayum Depression, Egypt) have important implications for our understanding of the origin and paleobiogeography of Hystricognathi, a diverse clade that is now represented by the Afro-Asiatic Hystricidae, New World Caviomorpha, and African Phiomorpha. Methods Here we present previously undescribed material of the enigmatic hystricognath clade Phiocricetomyinae, from two stratigraphic levels in the lower sequence of the Jebel Qatrani Formation-a new genus and species (Qatranimys safroutus) from the latest Eocene Locality 41 (~34 Ma, the oldest and most productive quarry in the formation) and additional material of Talahphiomys lavocati from that species' type locality, early Oligocene Quarry E (~31-33.2 Ma). Results The multiple specimens of Qatranimys safroutus from L-41 document almost the entire lower and upper dentition, as well as mandibular fragments and the first cranial remains known for a derived phiocricetomyine. Specimens from Quarry E allow us to expand comparisons with specimens from Libya (late Eocene of Dur at-Talah and early Oligocene of Zallah Oasis) that have been placed in T. lavocati, and we show that the Dur at-Talah and Zallah specimens do not pertain to this species. These observations leave the Fayum Quarry E as the only locality where T. lavocati occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shorouq F Al-Ashqar
- Department of Geology, Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center (MUVP), Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Erik R Seiffert
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dorien de Vries
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, UK
| | - Sanaa El-Sayed
- Department of Geology, Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center (MUVP), Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mohamed S Antar
- Department of Geology, Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center (MUVP), Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.,Geology and Paleontology Department, Nature Conservation Sector, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hesham M Sallam
- Department of Geology, Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center (MUVP), Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.,Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology (I-GHHE), School of Sciences and Engineering, American University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt
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