Devonian Trilobites from Morocco
ASTEROPYGINAE
Walliserops
History :
Walliserops was discovered in 1985 by Professor O. Walliser of Gottingen. In 2001 Morzadec described the genus Walliserops in tribute to its discoverer and the species Trifurcatus due to the morphology of the anterior cephalic spine branched into 3 blades. In 2006 Chatterton described 2 new species in the Timrhanrhart formation at Jbel Gara El Zguilma in Morocco.
Walliserops Hammii in tribute to a Moroccan friend: "Hammii Ait H'ssaine", and Walliserops Tridens derived from the Latin "tri" (3) and "dens" (tooth).
Finally Chatterton and Gibb describe a new species in the Maider at Jbel Issoumour under the name of Lindoei in tribute to the preparer Alan Lindoe.
Currently there are therefore 4 species of the genus Walliserops: Walliserops Trifurcatus; Walliserops Hammii; Walliserops Tridens; Walliserops Lindoei.
The first 3 are located in the Tindouf basin at Jbel Gara El Zguilma at the base of the Timrhanrhart formation of Emsian Superior age.
The 4th "Walliserops Lindoei" in the Maider basin at Jbel Issoumour at the base of the El Oftal formation of Upper Emsian or Lower Eifelian age.
Stratigraphically the first 3 species are said to be older than Walliserops Lindoei.
Walliserops Trifurcatus
Jbel Gara El Zguilma
Bassin de Tindouf (Foum Zguid)
Timrhanrhart formation
Emsien Supérieur
Walliserops Hammii
Jbel Gara El Zguilma
Bassin de Tindouf (Foum Zguid)
Timrhanrhart formation
Emsien Supérieur
Walliserops Tridens
Jbel Gara El Zguilma
Bassin de Tindouf (Foum Zguid)
Timrhanrhart formation
Emsien Supérieur
Walliserops Lindoei
Bassin du Maider
El Oftal Formation
Emsien Supérieur ou Eifélien Inférieur
Walliserops Trifurcatus
Order: Phacopida
Suborder: Phacopina
Super-Family: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae
Subfamily: Asteropyginae
Genus: Walliserops
Species: Tridens
Location: Tindouf basin (near Foum Zguid)
Jbel El Zguilma
Age: Basis of Timrhanrhart's Formation
Superior Emsian
Walliserops Tridens
Walliserops tridens :
Order: Phacopida
Suborder: Phacopina
Super-Family: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae
Subfamily: Asteropyginae
Genus: Walliserops
Species: Tridens
Location: Tindouf basin (near Foum Zguid)
Jbel El Zguilma
Age: Basis of Timrhanrhart's Formation
Upper Emsian
Walliserops Hammii
Walliserops Hammii
Order: Phacopida
Suborder: Phacopina
Super-Family: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae
Subfamily: Asteropyginae
Genus: Walliserops
Species: Hammii
Location: Tindouf basin (near Foum Zguid)
Jbel El Zguilma
Age: Basis of Timrhanrhart's Formation
Upper Emsian
Walliserops Lindoei
Walliserops Lindoei :
Order: Phacopida
Suborder: Phacopina
Super-Family: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae
Subfamily: Asteropyginae
Genus: Walliserops
Species: Lindoei
Location: Tindouf basin (near Foum Zguid)
Jbel El Zguilma
Age: Maider basin at Jbel Issoumour at the base of the El Oftal formation of Upper Emsian or Lower Eifelian age.
Quadrops Flexuosus
History: 2001 Quadrops Flexuosus (Morzadec, page 74-75 Plate 11, Fig 5-6)
The trilobites asteropyginae of the Devonian of the anti-atlas (Morocco).
Palaeontographica abt A 262: 53-85.
Historical summary: In 2001 Morzadec created the genus Quadrops linked to the presence of 4 spines in front of the cephalon and the species Flexuosus for the flexible form of the Pygidial spines.
Currently, the genus Quadrops is monospecific.
Location: Maider Basin; Jbel Oufatene (level 25). Quadrops layer; Formation of El Oftal (Superior Emsian).
Lower Devonian.
Order: Phacopida
Suborder: Phacopina
Superfamily: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae
Subfamily: Asteropyginae
Genus : Quadrops
Species : Flexuosus
Location: Maider Basin; Jbel Oufatene (level 25). Quadrops layer; Formation of El Oftal (Upper Emsian). Lower Devonian.
Asteropyginae Indet
Order: Phacopida
Suborder: Phacopina
Superfamily: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae
Subfamily: Asteropyginae
Genus: Undetermined
Species: Undetermined
This Asteropyginae, undescribed, could approach the genus Comura (Comura Bultyncki).
However, the spines on the Thorax are thinner and the Pygidial spines are longer, the cephalic rostrum more developed.
Stratigraphically it would have a higher position, probably in the Eifelian.
Peak of the formation of El Otfal, Jbel Issoumour.
Comura
Type species: Cryphaeus Cometa (R. Richter 1909)
History :
1926 : R. & E Richter "Die Trilobiten des Oberdevons Beiträge zur Kenntnis devonischer Trilobiten. IV. Abhandlungen der Preußischen Geologischen Landesanstalt," 99 : 1-314.
2001 : Comura Bultyncki (Morzadec) p 73-74 pl 12 fig 1-4 "Les trilobites Asteropyginae du dévonien de l’anti-atlas (Maroc)" Palaeontographica Abt A 262 : 53-85.
Historical Summary:
In 1926 R&E Richter created the genus Comura.
In 2001, Morzadec described a new species in the Maïder basin, at Jbel oufatene which he named Bultyncki in tribute to Pierre Bultynck for his work on the conodonts of Morocco.
Comura Bultyncki
Order: Phacopida
Under Order Phacopina
Super Family: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae
Sub Family: Asteropyginae
Genre: Comura
Species: Bultyncki
Location and age: Maïder Jbel Oufatène basin (level 25) at El Otfal Upper Emsian Formation.
Comparison between Asteropyginae Indet and Comura Bultyncki
Erbenochile
Species Type: Odontochile (Erbenochile) Erbeni, Alberti 1981.
History:
Erbenochile Erbeni was first discovered south of Beni Abbes in Ougarta (southwest of Algeria) under the name of Coromura Aspectans. In 1981 Alberti classified it in the Odontochile and created the subgenus Erbenochile and the subspecies Erbeni.
In 1995, Morzadec raised the sub-genus to genus and classified it in the sub-family of asteropyginae.
In 2006, Chatterton described a complete specimen of Morocco in the Tindouf basin, Jbel Gara El Zguilma, Timrhanrhart formation in the Upper Emsian.
Finally in 2010, Chatterton and Gibb describe a new species which they name Issoumourensis.
There are therefore in Morocco 2 distinct species of the genus Erbenochile.
1- Erbenochile Erbeni in the Tindouf basin at Jbel Gara El Zguilma at the base of the Timrhanrhart formation of Upper Emsian age.
2- Erbenochile Issoumourensis in the Maider basin at Jbel Issoumour at the base of the formation of El Otfal of Upper Emsian age or rather Lower Eifelian.
Stratigraphically, Erbenochile Erbeni must be older than Erbenochile Issoumourensis.
Finally a question on gender classification:
"Should Erbenochile be attached to the asteropyginae or Dalmanitynae subfamily or be raised to the rank of Erbenochilinae subfamily?"
Erbenochile Erbeni
Jbel Gara El Zguilma, Tindouf Basin (Near Foum Zguid).
Timrhanrhart formation (Superior Emsian).
Erbenochile Issoumourensis
Jbel Issoumour, Maïder Basin.
El Oftal formation (Upper Emsian) or (Lower Eifelian).
Erbenochile Erbeni
Order: Phacopida
Suborder: Phacopina
Superfamily: Acastoidea
Family: Acastidae or Dalmanitidae
Subfamily: Asteropyginae or Dalmanitidae
Genus: Erbenochile
Species: Erbeni
Location: Tindouf basin (Near Foum Zguid).
Jbel Gara El Zguilma.
Age: Basis of Timrhanrhart's training.
Superior Emsian
Drotops Megalomanicus Megalomanicus
Order: Phacopida (Salter, 1864)
Under Order Phacopina (Struve, 1959)
Super Family: Phacopacea (Hawle and Corda, 1847)
Family: Phacopidae (Hawle and Corda, 1847)
Subfamily: Phacopinae (Hawle and Corda, 1847)
Genus: Drotops (Struve, 1990)
Species: Drotops Megalomanicus Megalomanicus
History:
Struve created the genus Drotops in 1990 on material from the Maïder (Morocco) and the Megalomanicus species. It distinguishes 2 other subspecies:
1- Drotops Megalomanicus Megalomanicus
2- Drotops Megalomanicus Subornatus
Locality: Djebel Issoumour (Taboumaklouf Cup)
Age: Formation of Bou Dib; Drotops Megalomanicus layer; Terminal Eifelian or Lower Givetian.
Pedinopariops (Hypsiparios)
Vagabundus (Struve, 1990)
Order: Phacopida (Salter, 1864)
Under Order Phacopina (Struve, 1959)
Super Family: Phacopacea (Hawle and Corda, 1847)
Family: Phacopidae (Hawle and Corda, 1847)
Subfamily: Phacopinae (Hawle and Corda, 1847)
Genus: Pedinopariops (Struve, 1972)
Species: Pedinopariops Vagabundus (Struve, 1990)
History:
Struve created the genus Pedinopariops in 1982 and the species Vagabundus on material which he placed stratigraphically in the Middle Devonian (Eifelian).
Locality: Djebel Issoumour (Taboumaklouf Cup)
Age: Formation of Bou Dib; Black Phacops layer; Terminal Eifelian or Lower Givetian
Ceratarges Ziregensis
(Viersen et Prescher, 2011)
Order: Lichida (Moore in Moore, 1959)
Family: Lichidae (Hawle and Corda, 1847)
Subfamily: Trochurinae (Phleger, 1936)
Genus: Ceratarges
Species: Ceratarges Ziregensis
History:
The genus Ceratarges was created by Gürich in 1901.
In 2008, Cronier and Van Viersen describe the Ceratarges Cognatus of the Belgian Ardennes (Mur Des Douaniers). But it is especially in Morocco, in the Maïder in Djebel Zireg that Van Viersen and Prescher, in 2011 described 3 new species:
- Ceratarges Ziregensis
- Ceratarges Koumali
- Ceratarges Aries
Age: Formation of El Oftal-horizon at Ceratarges (Eifelian).
Etymology: The name was given according to the deposit (Djebel Zireg).
