| Moradi Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Changhsingian ~1 | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Unit of | Izégouandane Group |
| Sub-units | Lower, Middle and Upper Units |
| Underlies | Teloua 1 Formation |
| Overlies | Tamamaït Formation |
| Thickness | 100 metres (330 ft) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Mudstone, siltstone |
| Other | Sandstone, conglomerate |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 18°48′N 7°12′E / 18.8°N 7.2°E / 18.8; 7.2 |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 16°36′S 8°12′E / 16.6°S 8.2°E / -16.6; 8.2 |
| Region | Agadez Region |
| Country | Niger |
| Extent | Iullemmeden Basin |
Moradi Formation (Niger) | |
The Moradi Formation is a geological formation in Niger. It preserves the fossils of numerous tetrapods,including reptiles and synapsids.
Description
It is of Late Permian age. More recent publications refine the age to Changhsingian.23 All fossils are found only in a 10 m section of the uppermost part of the formation,further supporting the age as being latest Permian in age.4 It is informally divided into three subunits. The lower portion of the formation consists of red mudstone, with muddy calcareous sandstone and quartz-granlule conglomerate present as lenses. The middle portion consists of muddy siltstone in thick beds interbedded with red argillaceous sandstone. The lower two thirds of the upper portion of the formation consist of red siltstone intercalated with channel lag intraformational conglomerates, while the upper third consists of barchanoid shaped lenses of conglomeratic sandstone with ventifacts.5 These facies are indicatived of deposition under arid conditions, with less than 300 millimetres (12 in) of annual rainfall in the Central Pangean desert, with annual temperatures of 30 to 35 °C (86 to 95 °F), but with ephemeral water presence including lakes.6
Fossil content
Dicynodonts, widespread in other contemporary deposits, appear to be absent, with previous reports being in error.7 The flora of the formation includes indeterminate voltzian conifers.8
Synapsida
| Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rubidgeinae indet. | Indeterminate | An indeterminate rubidgine gorgonopsian7 |  |
Reptiliomorpha
| Genus | Species | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bunostegos | B. akokanensis | A pareiasaurian reptile9 |  |
| Moradisaurus | M. grandis | A large captorhinid10 |  |
Temnospondyli
| Genus | Species | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigerpeton | N. ricqlesi | A cochleosaurid temnospondyl11 |  |
| Saharastega | S. moradiensis | A basal temnospondyl1213 |  |
References
References
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2018.1531877
- Sidor, Christian (2018). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger—X. The mandible of the captorhinid reptile Moradisaurus grandis". www.tandfonline.com. doi:10.1080/02724634.2018.1531877. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- "Moradi Formation". nigerlex.geolex.org. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- Smith, Roger M. H.; Sidor, Christian A.; Tabor, Neil J.; Steyer, J. Sébastien (2015-12-15). "Sedimentology and vertebrate taphonomy of the Moradi Formation of northern Niger: A Permian wet desert in the tropics of Pangaea". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 440: 128–141. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.08.032. ISSN 0031-0182.
- Smith, Roger M.H.; Sidor, Christian A.; Tabor, Neil J.; Steyer, J. Sébastien (December 2015). "Sedimentology and vertebrate taphonomy of the Moradi Formation of northern Niger: A Permian wet desert in the tropics of Pangaea". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 440: 128–141. Bibcode:2015PPP...440..128S. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.08.032.
- Tabor, Neil J.; Smith, Roger M.H.; Steyer, J. Sébastien; Sidor, Christian A.; Poulsen, Christopher J. (January 2011). "The Permian Moradi Formation of northern Niger: Paleosol morphology, petrography and mineralogy". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 299 (1–2): 200–213. Bibcode:2011PPP...299..200T. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.11.002.
- Smiley, Tara M.; Sidor, Christian A.; Maga, Abdoulaye; Ide, Oumarou (2008-06-12). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger. VI. First evidence of a gorgonopsian therapsid". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 543–547. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[543:tvfotu]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 131082914.
- Looy, Cindy V.; Ranks, Stephanie L.; Chaney, Dan S.; Sanchez, Sophie; Steyer, Jean-Sébastien; Smith, Roger M.H.; Sidor, Christian A.; Myers, Timothy S.; Ide, Oumarou; Tabor, Neil J. (June 2016). "Biological and physical evidence for extreme seasonality in central Permian Pangea". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 451: 210–226. Bibcode:2016PPP...451..210L. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.02.016.
- Sidor, C.A.; Blackburn, D.C.; Gado, B. (2003). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger — II, Preliminary description of a new pareiasaur" (PDF). Palaeontologica Africana. 39: 45–52. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-07. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
- Taquet, P. (1969). Première découverte en Afrique d'un Reptile Captorhinomorphe (Cotylosaurien). Comptes Rendus l'Académie des Sciences, Série D 268:779-781
- Sidor, Christian A. (November 2013). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger – VIII. Nigerpeton ricqlesi (Temnospondyli: Cochleosauridae) and tetrapod biogeographic provinces". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 12 (7–8): 463–472. Bibcode:2013CRPal..12..463S. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2013.05.005. ISSN 1631-0683.
- Damiani, R.; Sidor, C. A.; Steyer, J. S.; Smith, R. M. H.; Larsson, H. C. E.; Maga, A.; Ide, O. (2006). "The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger. V. The primitive temnospondyl Saharastega moradiensis". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 26 (3): 559–572. Bibcode:2006JVPal..26..559D. doi:10.1080/02724634.2006.10010015.
- Sidor, Christian A.; O'Keefe, F. Robin; Damiani, Ross; Steyer, J. Sébastien; Smith, Roger M. H.; Larsson, Hans C. E.; Sereno, Paul C.; Ide, Oumarou; Maga, Abdoulaye (April 2005). "Permian tetrapods from the Sahara show climate-controlled endemism in Pangaea" (PDF). Nature. 434 (7035): 886–889. Bibcode:2005Natur.434..886S. doi:10.1038/nature03393. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 15829962. S2CID 4416647.