Aridal Formation


The Aridal Formation in the Sahara Desert of southwestern Morocco is a fossil formation with rocks dating to the Lutetian - Priabonian, preserving a middle Eocene shallow coastal environment.
The formation represents the world's richest Bartonian archaic whale assemblage, including protocetids and basilosaurids.

Paleobiota

Birds

Includes the earliest occurrence of the genus Pelagornis, extending its fossil record back by at least 10 million years.
TaxaRock UnitAgeImage
Pelagornis sp.GueranBartonian
Pelagornithidae indet.El Breij Unit IIBartonian

Mammals

Alongside a rich assemblage of archaic whale taxa including two additional unnamed protocetid species, there are also possible remains of the earliest occurrence of Barytherium.
TaxaRock UnitAgeImage
Pappocetus lugardiGueran,
Sabkha of Lebreij
Bartonian
Eocetus schweinfurthiGueran,
El Breij Unit II,
El Breij Unit III
Bartonian
Chrysocetus fouadassiiGueranBartonian
Platyosphys aithaiGueranBartonian
? Barytherium sp.GueranBartonian

Reptiles

There are at least three indeterminate species of turtles: two marine cryptodires, a cheloniid, a dermochelyid, and a possible littoral pleurodire. Two species of longirostrine crocodylians are present, including a gavialoid similar to Eogavialis africanum, and one too fragmentary to identify beyond being a crocodyliform.
TaxaRock UnitAgeImage
Pterosphenus schweinfurthiGueranBartonian
Palaeophis africanusEl Breij, Unit ILutetian
Palaeophiidae indet.Sabkha of LebreijBartonian
Cordichelys antiquaEl Breij, Unit ILutetian
Cheloniidae indet.GueranBartonian
Dermochelyidae indet.GueranBartonian
Pleurodira indet.GueranBartonian
Gavialoidea indet.GueranBartonian
Crocodyliformes indet.GueranBartonian
Crocodylia indet.El Breij Unit I,
Sabkha of Lebreij
Lutetian
Bartonian

Cartilaginous Fish

Bony Fish