Azilal Formation

This formation is apparent in the area of the provincial capital of Azilal (Berber languages: ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰⵍ, Arabic: أزيلال) in central Morocco. The central High Atlas mountains of Morocco belong to a double-vergent mountain belt system, whose origin was linked with Cenozoic shortening & inversion of a local Triassic–Jurassic rift.[2] Its geometry is distinctive due to the presence of several ENE–WSW narrow rift basins, derived from major tectonic phases: pre-rift (that was linked with the Hercynian Orogeny); union (of Pangea in the Paleozoic); and syn-rift (that was developed mostly between the Late Permian–Late Triassic with several NE–SW to ENE–WSW rift-basins). All derived from the almost coeval opening of the Atlantic Ocean and Tethys Sea.[12] These rift-derived basins were filled with continental siliciclastic sediments, and later—toward the Rhaetian stage of the Triassic—affected by emissions of the Central Atlantic magmatic province.[13] It was in the post-rift phase that the local tectonics had a thermal relaxation and allowed the deposition of the Jurassic–Cretaceous carbonate platforms.[12]

The structure of the High Atlas can be defined by two main groups of faults—thrust and oblique-slip faults—that occur from E-W to NE-SW. The presence of tectonic inversion in the Atlas Mountains has shown that there are intracontinental mountain belts that appeared from the uplift of pre-existing rift systems, where here it is represented by a major rift system (~2000 km) originated in the Mesozoic, that was later uplifted and inverted in the Cenozoic. The impact and convergence movements of the African–Iberian plates after the Mesozoic end with an inversion of the previous deposited strata, transporting the sediments of that and forming new low angle thrusts. Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous strata are confined within basins controlled by the extensional structures of the Mesozoic rift. The Jurassic basins can be grouped into two main provinces located on either side of an emerged Massif Ancien: west, where the basin was open to the Early Atlantic, being related to its passive margin; and east, with several epicontinental troughs connected to the Tethys Ocean.[14]

Across the Toarcian–Bajocian strata, there was a great deposition of marine shales as marls, calciturbidites and reefal limestones, that were accumulated in the central High Atlas, while on the west margin—around the Massif Ancien terrestrial—especially fluvial sedimentation dominated.[14] The present red beds of Azilal indicate various marine transgressions across the Toarcian–Aalenian boundary, after ending its sedimentation on the Bathonian.[15][14] For example, an initial tectonic event on the Triassic–Jurassic boundary led to the formation of the Tigrinine–Taabast pull-apart basin.[16] Following this event, a major extensional tectonic activity (derived from the second Pangea rifting) occurred toward the end of the Pliensbachian and beginning of the Toarcian.[16] This second major tectonic event developed toward the E-W to NE-SW, reactivating trending normal faults that led to the drowning of the Lower Liassic carbonate platform and the predominance of marls during the Middle Liassic to Toarcian.[16]

Along the High Atlas Triassic–Jurassic boundary, and until the Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic (and again in the Lower Cretaceous), there is a record on vulcanism locally on the succession of different local formations, including the Azilal Formation and others, but absent on others such as the underlying Aganane Formation.[1][5][17][18] Most of the North African Rhaetian–Bathonian volcanic events are related to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean, with parallel records found on the North American coast and other zones such as in Mexico.[18] On some locations, such as Haute Moulouya, it is even possible to delimitate the transitions between the several Volcanic events that happened locally along the post Triassic–Jurassic boundary (belonging to the Tizi-n-Ghachou Formation).[19] Most of the effects of the volcanism occur on the main emerged terrestrial deposits, where some of the near-shore strata were turned down due to tectonics, and hid after by volcanic eruptions of different grades, leading to different kinds of volcanic strata, as can be seen in the presence of basaltic intrusions in the younger Bathonian layers of the Beni-Mellal zone.[20]

The origin of the volcanism is related to the Geography of the zone. On the Hettangian–Sinemurian there was a post-rift carbonate platform developed in the Atlas area that revealed older marine strata. On the Middle Toarcian, subsiding basins appeared which isolated Precambrian and Paleozoic massifs in the Mesetas area.[21] Alkaline magmas overflowed and created the central High Atlas basin.[22] These basins were fault-bounded basins, with variations of the sedimentary thicknesses and intra-formational breccias related to major blocks. The Magmatic Province of the Atlas influenced the deposition of the main strata, where the Terrestrial settings of some Formations (Including Azilal) were disposed over a series of cut-extensional-faults depicting a mosaic of horsts and grabens oriented to the east, northeast, and east–west, with the Middle Atlas among the main areas of subsidence. The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province continued to erupt around the Pliensbachian–Toarcian event about 183 Ma ago, overlapping the eruption of the Karoo–Ferrar igneous province. The central High Atlas recovers two sections of lava flows and dikes of 188-153 M.a and 199-178 M.a respectively, showing there were several coeval events developed locally when the Azilal Formation was deposited.[23] These lava flows derived from several coeaval rifting events, with Middle to Late Toarcian vulcanism present but on smaller extension, as a proven Toundoute Continental Series Member.[24]

The Azilal Formation represents mostly continental deposits with layers deposited under arid to humid conditions, yet also includes siliclastic intrusions in coastal sectors. These look similar to modern places such as Baie des Tortues in New Caledonia. Inland setting where likely similar to the Reserve Naturelle de la Riviere Bleue.

Locations at Adoumaz, Ghnim and Jbel Taguendouft in the Béni-Mellal Province, are the ones that originally provided a better view of the layers, sedimentation, lithology, and facies evolution.[25] These main layers consist of a succession of reddish-brown tints with terrigenous dominance: Sandstone; clays with paleosols and sandstone Limestones (sometimes dolomitized); with marmorized levels in paleosols toward the northern region of Ghnim and Adoumaz. The lowermost sections show a transition from sandstone limestone and/or sandstone to clay, with a thin level of green marls locally rich in ostracods. These initial layers are followed by a subtidal term, represented by an oolitic limestone, with fine bivalve bioclasts and variable percentages of quartz, that also host small sections of sandstone with calcareous cement and rare oolites, representing this last one on an oblique bedding of metric dimensions, drawing on the surface mega-ripples of 3 – 5m in wavelength.[25] The last major section represents a supratidal deposit, as shown by the presence of coarse sandstone gradually changing to red marls with "fluer" structures and locally to paleosols. This section in Adoumaz has an abundance of Paleozoic quartz grains, that are found organized in decametric channeling lenses evoking a predominantly fluvial dynamic.[25]

The layers at Azilal evolved along the central High Altas Pliens–Toarc carbonate platform, and consist of a succession of detritic rocks with red marls deposited on an alluvial environment occasionally interrupted by shallow marine incursions, a mudflat setting.[2][15] The unit represents a major sea regression measured in the central High Atlas, especially after the Lower Toarcian, proven by sections such as "Tarhia n’Dadès", where the Pliensbachian Choucht Formation marginal marine layers are overlain by one meter of red silt/bioclastic limestone alternations, that start local paralic to continental environments, assigned to the Domerian Aganane Formation. Over this unit, the limit with the Azilal formation is marked with a karstified subaerial exposure surface, that contains a great abundance of plant material that overall implicates prograding terrestrial facies and a shrinking of the local carbonate platform width.[26]

The flow of the fluvial-washed sediments takes place in a E-NE direction, being moved to the layers of the Tafraout Formation and other coeval marine units. These are found on fluviatile channels inside the rocks of this unit. The lithology of the Azilal Formation recovers a Claystone-dominated interval, incised by metric dolomitized beds of Mudstones, Peloid-rich Packstones, Ooid-rich Grainstones, and Polymictic Conglomerates, all rich in terrestrial plant debris (mostly debris from ferns), with faunal content very poor and dominated by microbial facies.[2][1] The Jbel El Abbadine zone provides the biggest outcrop of the parts of a Calcareous massif, with strata of the Late Lias.[2] Most of this strata is recovered inside the Azilal Formation, with a succession of seashore and inland deposits.[2] Several seismic events located on the Tethian realm where the main genesis of the Tectonic activity locally, with emerged strata from the Paleozoic, that was eroded due to the local conditions.[27] On the Toarcian–Aalenian transgression, the High Atlas domain experienced a long process of extension and rifting, recorded by the presence of marine carbonates and shales. It is related to the formation of the Atlantic Rifting to the west and of the formation of the Tethys Ocean to the north.[28]

The aftermath of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event is also highly present on the marginal marine strata of the formation, with the so-called Toksine Section, a succession of near shore marine strata disposed along the Toarcian boundary, where its last 40m belong to the lower part of the Azilal Formation and composed of dolomitized Mudstones and ooidal Grainstones, that show a slowly recovering low-depth nearshore marine environment occurred after the Pliensbachian–Toarcian boundary, indicated by a dramatic Tethys-wide collapse of the Neritic Carbonate System.[29]

The Toundoute Continental series lithology is divided into five units from D to H, (A–C represent the units of the underlying marine dolomite, with C representing a transition to the terrestrial environment). The Toundoute sector covers only the Middle to Late Toarcian, with an atypical paleogeographic element, located on the route of the South Atlas Accident, with several changes on the structure leading to show the instability of the deposit area. The formation shows the transition from carbonates to a series of continental detrital sediments, with palynomorphs and fossils.[30] The presence of volcanic sedimentation is one of the most important aspects on the Toundoute strata.[30] The fragments can come from a reworking of Triassic basalt flows, with most of the products homogeneous, probably of trachyandesitic nature.[30] The deposits are young, probably related to the magmatism of the Middle Jurassic, with inflows probably contemporary with and related to eruptions, as in the case of many current volcanoes, in the form of dense flows. The tectonic processes on the high Atlas probably lead to most of the volcanic manifestations locally.[30]

The Wazzant series cover a variation on the sedimentary process observed on the older and coeval Azmerai Formation, formed by a complex sedimentary unit, with terrigenous dominance, composed by abundance of conglomeratic channels with quartz dragees and elements of the Paleozoic basement, sandstone organized in channeling lenticular bars and red clays, all part of facies are organized into metric sequences of fill and alluvial channels.[15] The fluvial system of the Wazzant formation was led by several minor freshwater currents, that were probably temporal and linked to rain seasons. The presence of many dwarf freshwater lamellibranchatia in the south of Azilal, the fine oblique stratifications, plant chaff and imprints of raindrops demonstrate that the fossilifeorus layers are of aquatic origin, maybe lagoonal, with temporary emersions as seen due to mudcracks in paleosoils.[36] Several fish fossils have also been found.[37] Along the meridional border of the Guettioua Formation, on the same stratigraphic tendence is developed a red sandstone-pelitic deposition, that changes from Quartzo-conglomerates to grains and fragments of quartz, disposed with liassic calcareous strata.[36][37] is equivalent to the main Azilal "Marnes Chocolat".[36][37] The main sector occurs near Acfarcid, with an exposure of ~800 m, recovering the most detritic sector. Along this exposure, the Wazzant member appears at the right lateral, along massive calcareous dolomites, over the latest Pliensbachian strata, where the lower Toarcian strata is missing.[36] The Wazzant facies never exceed 50 m, getting its maximum exposure at the north of the Guettioua Formation.[36] The facies of the formation follow a deposition typical of alluvial plains.[1][15] It also recovers a succession of reddish brown tones predominantly terrigenous: conglomerates, sandstone, clays related to paleosoils, along with dolomitized limestone.

At Jebel Toksine in the Dades Valley the Tafraout Formation developed lithiotid-coral reefs. Like in other coeval tethyan units, very likely this section had sections with Mangroves, being the Azilal Formation the nearby dry inland

The Wazzant formation has a notorious proximal character compared to the Azilal formation. These deposits fill in many small tear pools in the central High Atlas.[38] Only its stratigraphic framing allows to locate the formation in the Toarcian interval. The predominantly terrigenous deposits of this formation suggest they were deposited in continental setting. On the Toarcian-Aalenian transgression, the High Atlas domain experienced a long process of extension and rifting, recorded by the presence of marine carbonates and shales, found on the Wazzant Formation Beds. It is related to the formation of the Atlantic Rifting to the west and of the formation of the Tethys Ocean to the north.[28]

The Azilal Formation represented diverse settings on the coast of the Toarcian Atlas basins, including continental river-dominated settings, parallic tide-dominated deposits and tidal mudflat shores.[39] The sister Tafraout Formation on the other hand represented a marginal marine environment, with wave ripples, cross-bedding, the Amphipoda ichnofossil Arenicolites isp. and the calcareous algae Cayeuxia sp., all deposited on diagenetic mudstone.[39] On Taguendouft the Azilal represent the uppermost formation where desiccation cracks are present, overlying marine deposits, indicating a local sea regression.[39] The Parallic depostis host claystone intervals rich in continental organic matter such as wood debris, but scarce fossil fauna, composed by abundant algae, benthic foraminifera, common oncoids, gasteropods and bivalve bioclasts.[39] At the Lowermost Toarcian on the region the carbonate platform was abruptly replaced by siliciclastic deposits and a rise on the ubiquitous occurrence of plant debris, with alternated nearshore-foreshore deposition settings.[39] Is the overlied by storm-dominated deposits, with depauperate fauna and very common occurrence of plant debris, which along the increase of ooid-rich facies suggest the deposition on a warm humid climatic belt.[39] Toward the Middle Toarcian the carbonate producers recovered locally, with the ooid grainstone replaced by wackestone to packstone beds, where heterotrophic faunal bioclasts increase, such as cephalopods, brachiopods, echinoderms, and gastropods, with occasional coral patch reefs.[39] Parallel to this coastal development, increased continental weathering was measured on the layers, as proven by the increase of the coarse-siliciclastic input into the basin, the increased plat debris and the absence of evaporite-rich interval and semi-arid paleosoils. This intervals increased the nutrient levels locally, as proven by the high amount of Phosphorus along all the Atlas Basin.[40] This siliciclastic beds have abundant metamorphic and igneous rock pebbles, implying that the material must be derived from Paleozoic or Proterozoic, the only ones of that nature on Morocco, that on the Atlas are located at the south in the Anti-Atlas, to the west in the Massif Ancien and Jebilet, and to the north in the Meseta Centrale, all locations that where subaerially exposed during the Jurassic.[40][41] Concretely, the Anti-Atlas shows tectonic uplift, erosion of the overburden processes, that combined with the concentration of the coarse-siliciclastic material in the western part of the central High Atlas (absent in the eastern), suggests that this zone was the source for the Lower Toarcian weathered sediments, allowing to trace the fluvial channels that developed toward the Azilal Formation.[39] The Azilal formation recovers, as seen on worldwide units an increase of weathering due to the Pl/To and T-OAE events, with increase of the siliciclastic sediment supply and increased dissolved material to the oceans. This occurred along an intensification of tropical storm events on the T-OAE, destroying the older carbonate platform organisms locally.[39] This allowed to set the Azilal Formation environments, that range from a series of continental settings with river influence, increased during the T-AOE with more amounts of flora being washed, to nearshore deposits, parallic and subtidal, subject of storm and tropical storm events, all set in a warm humid climate.[39]

There is also a local record of a cold snap, where the Akenzoud section, that has 182 section meters on the Azilal Formation, and shows that after cold event that affect the local waters, related to the Karoo and the Atlantic Rift volcanism the present Brachiopods, based on their preserved oxygen isotope data show that warm seawater temperatures re-established during the early Late Toarcian.[10]

Tazouda CS are a unique section due to its evidenced volcanic influence. Similar environments are found in the modern Pisgah cinder cone found in the Mojave Desert.

In the Middle Toarcian the eastern and north-eastern part of High Atlas of Todrha–Dadès, sedimentation carbonate with bioconstructions (patch-reef), developed with a thickening toward the east and a still thinning toward the west in the direction of the reef of Jbel Akenzoud, where the dew marine fossils of the formation are recovered.[27] The Coralline faunas suffered a significant collapse visible in the locality of Ouguerd Zegzaoune, showing that sedimentation at this time took place in a distensive tectonic context.[27] Then, toward the Late Toarcian–Aalenian series correspond to detrital deposits with carbonate intercalations with neritic fauna. The structural analysis shows that the sedimentation during the upper Toarcian was controlled by a tectonic game, always distensive, causing the tilting of blocks along the transverse fault in a NW-SE direction, which leads to the creation of available space with openings always toward E and NE.[27]

Coeval to this units, the western coast Amsittène Formation shows strong continental weathering, as cuts over the CAMP basalts and the triassic continental red beds.[42] It recovers subaerial unconformity, with evidence for fluvial erosion, pedogenesis, or karstification, with a transition from flood plain to coastal plain deposits.[42] This is interpreted as an alluvial fan to flood plain deposits, being on the Agadir sub-basin, more proximal, composed of braided river, flood plain, and alluvial fan deposits; while in Tikki it evolves vertically from a flood plain to alluvial fan deposits.[42] The local alluvial system was probably related with activity along an ENE-WSW trending fault, parallel to the major Tizi N'Test fault that can be traced from the Argana Valley to the northeast of the Imouzzer Anticline (Tikki section displays paleocurrents toward the W-SW), and in the case of the Agadir deposits, from older highs, such as the Western Meseta and the Rehamna.[42] The overlying coeval Ameskhoud Formation records a strong regression on the south of the Essaouira Basin dominated by fluvial deposits, with a few supratidal to the north.[42] The large Variscan belt remains a potential source of sediments for the Toarcian braided river system in the Essaouira Basin.[42]

Connection with lithiotid-coral reefs

The Azilal Formation lacks proper marine layers with the common "lithiotids" (an informal group of large, aberrant bivalves), that are known from the Sinemurian to Toarcian of Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and also in Morocco.[43] These "reefs" had a strong zonation, starting with the bivalves Gervilleioperna and Mytiloperna, restricted to intertidal and shallow-subtidal facies. Lithioperna is limited to lagoonal subtidal facies and even in some low-oxygen environments. Finally Lithiotis and Cochlearites are found in subtidal facies, constructing buildups.[44] The Azilal Formation is connected with these types of deposits at least in the Jebel Toksine in the Dades Valley, which was deposited in the Tafraout sub-formation, developing local lagoonal-subtidal ecosystems under both arid and humid conditions.[43] The Jebel Toksine layers represent one of the most complete records of this type of ecosystems in Morocco, recording multiple generations of lithiotid growth over ~1 km of exposure (composed of the genera Gervilleioperna, Mytiloperna, Lithioperna and Cochlearites), as well a diverse associated fauna, including udotacean algae (Cayeuxia); coralline red algae (Solenopora liasica); solitary corals (Archaeosmilia, Zardinophyllidae); phaceloid corals; Periseris (Thamnasterioidea corals); Hispaniastraea (Hispaniastraeidae); Ampakabastraea (Stylophyllidae); serpulid worm tubes; Arbaciidae echinoids; Scurriopsis Limpets; high-spired gastropods; plant root traces; coalified plant debris & wood logs.[43][45]

Floral remains recovered at Tazouda include plant debris with similarities with Conifers (Pinus and Taxaceoids), Cycads and Ferns, this last ones likely developed in punctual wetlands

The role of the Azilal Formation was likely similar to the Budoš Limestone, with—based on root accumulation—possible ephemeral mangrove-like environments in the Tafraout Formation and the Azilal representing the nearby dry inland setting.[46] The study of this section also revealed that the beach to nearshore deposits of the formation were part of a storm-dominated platform.[10] On the related strata there is a wide presence of storm events, as after the Toarcian AE and the rising of the temperatures on the late Toarcian the presence of ubiquitous storm deposits appear correlated to the warming of sea-surface temperatures, pointing to an intensification of tropical cyclones during the T-OAE and other warmer periods on the Toarcian.

Paleobotany of the zone has shown that the layers at the Toundoute Continental Series there is not any major wood or plant macrofossils, although there is abundant infra-centimeter plant debris dispersed in the sediments.[30] This debris is composed most probably Leaflets of Seed Ferns, and also on lesser quantities, Cycadophytas, most of them with preserved epidermis.[31] Palynological analysis did not deliver any palynomorph, but the Plant debris left some Tracheids.[31] On the debris, however, it was possible to isolate many wood debris, that was revealed to had characters such as Homoxylated structure apparently devoid of Parenchymas, with uniform rays, tracheids with uniseriate punctuation of the genus Abies (Abietoideae) and finally apex spiked type Oculipores vertically oriented, aspects typical from Coniferales, like Abietoideae, Pinaceae or Taxaceae.[30] The Vegetation overall was apparently very dominant by ferns what indicates that may have been concentrated in punctual wetlands. The frequency in the sediments of the fine tuff debris shows the existence of more or less durable water points (spring tuffs) capable of maintaining sufficient humidity in the dry period.[30] A possible correlative flora if found in the same age layers of the Mashabba Formation, North Sinai, Egypt, and is composed by the genera Equisetites (Equisetales), Phlebopteris and Piazopteris branneri (Matoniaceae).[47] Other coeval flora includes the plants recovered on the Budoš Limestone.[48]

Green algae

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Habit	Notes	Images
Botryococcus[49]	Botryococcus hraunii Botryococcus sp.	Issouka	Miospores	Freshwater	A Freshwater Green Algae of the family Botryococcaceae. On Issouka, the Toarcian layers have a substantial contribution of freshwater microplankton (sporomorphs and freshwater microplankton, such as Botryococcus). Younger strata show an increase in marine palynomorphs, indicating a sea transgression happened afterward.	Extant Specimens

Pollen

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Habit	Notes	Images
Corollina[50]	Corollina quezelii Corollina yvesi	Demnat	Pollen	Arid Indicator	A Coniferous palynomorph, affinities with Cheirolepidiaceae inside Coniferophyta. The dominant palynological residue locally, indicator of dry settings
Cupressacites[50]	Cupressacites oxycedroides	Demnat	Pollen	Both humid or arid indicator	Affinities with the family Cupressaceae in the Pinopsida. Pollen that resembles that of extant genera such as the genus Actinostrobus and Austrocedrus, probably derived from dry environments.	Extant Austrocedrus. Cupressacites and Diadocupressacites maybe come from a related plant
Diadocupressacites[50]	Diadocupressacites moghrebiensis	Demnat	Pollen	Both humid or arid indicator

Fossil wood

At the top of the formation at the Idemrane geosite, unidentified pieces of wood fossils of variable sizes were recovered (largest over 20 cm (7.9 in) in length) showing traces of iron oxides. This woody pieces are considered root fragments.[51]

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Habit	Notes	Images
Agathoxylon[52][53][54]	Agathoxylon termieri Agathoxylon aff.termieri Agathoxylon aff.sahariense	East of Azilal Sidi M’Guid, Atlas	Isolated Logs Isolated Branches Stump remains	Arboreal, high canopy, linked with floodplain margins yet high fire and aridity tolerant	Conifer fossil wood related with Araucariaceae inside Pinales. Was originally defined as Dadoxylon, considered now a synonym of Agathoxylon	Fossil specimen
Protocupressinoxylon[53][54]	Protocupressinoxylon aff.choubertii	Tazioualt	Isolated Logs Isolated Branches Stump remains	Arboreal or arbustive, linked with either floodplain of arid settings, high fire tolerant	Conifer fossil wood related with Cheirolepidiaceae inside Pinales. Can belong to the genus Brachyoxylon	Fossil specimen
Protopodocarpoxylon[52][53][54]	Protopodocarpoxylon lamtharii Protopodocarpoxylon guidense	East of Azilal Sidi M’Guid, Atlas	Isolated Logs Isolated Branches Stump remains	Arbustive and likely pioneer vegetation over new soils, extreme tolerant with high salinity, wildfire active and drought soils	Conifer fossil wood related with Cheirolepidiaceae inside Pinales. Can belong to the genus Brachyoxylon
Metapodocarpoxylon[52][54]	Metapodocarpoxylon maurianum	Mount M’semrir	Isolated Logs Isolated Branches Stump remains	Arboreal, high canopy, linked with floodplain margins yet high aridity tolerant	Conifer fossil wood related with Podocarpaceae inside Pinales. Probably built evergreen tropophilous forests in alluvial plains together with Agathoxylon. A genus closely related with Dacrydium and Dacrycarpus.[55]	Extant Dacrydium

Several scales and teeth of unidentified fish are known from Mizaguène Hill and the Acforcid quarry, coming from freshwater layers.[17]

Actinopteri

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Leptolepis[17][61]	* Leptolepis cf.coryphaenoides Leptolepis sp.	* Todrha-Dadès	* Isolated Scales Isolated Teeth	A Marine/Brackish/Freshwater bony fish of the family Leptolepidae. Recovered on both the Azilal and the Tagoudite Formation, represents a cosmopolitan fish genus, common on the Toarcian mediterranean realm. Most of the specimens appear to come from lagoonal facies.

Dipnomorpha

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Arganodus[17]	* Cf.Arganodus sp.	* Acforcid, Wazzant.	Single incomplete isolated tooth plate	A Freshwater lungfish of the family Arganodontidae. Represents the only proper identified vertebrate remain outside dinosaurs from Wazzant, recovered on the margin of a freshwater lacustrine body or an ephemeral pond system.

Theropoda

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Theropodipedia[62]	Theropodipedia ichnog. indeterminate	Issil-n-Aït Arbi tracksite	Footprints	Theropod tracks of uncertain affinity
Coelophysidae[36][37][63][35]	Indeterminate	Acforcid, Wazzant.[37][63][35]	Nearly complete left foot Dorsal, sacral, caudal vertebrae, chevrons, 3 metatarsals, astragale, calcaneum, phalanges, femur and tibia.	A coelophysid coelophysoid. According to Mickey Mortimer: "Assigned to Coelophysidae based on the apparent fusion between distal tarsal III and metatarsal III". It has been also proposed as a possible tetanuran.[64] That was dismissed by Benson in 2010.[65] Includes at least three different individuals that have been collected in Wazzant: two adults and a newly hatched juvenile. The former foot material resembles the Cretaceous Australian genus Kakuru, that has been proposed as a basal tyrannoraptoran. Mortimer said that "I really don't see much resemblance to Kakuru in the astragalus" and labeled it as a possible dilophosaurid or coelophysoid.[66]
Anchisauripus[67]	Anchisauripus isp.	Aït Blal piste, Demnate tracksite	Footprints	Theropod tracks, type member of the ichnofamily Anchisauripodidae, incertade sedis inside Neotheropoda. Mistaken originally as coelurosaur tracks and thought to come from the underliying Aganane Formation. Includes a pathologic trackway
Eubrontes[68]	Eubrontes isp.	Aït Blal, Demnate tracksite Aït Kelelch, Demnate tracksite	Footprints	Theropod tracks, type member of the ichnofamily Eubrontidae, incertade sedis inside Theropoda. Eubrontes is related to the Genus Dilophosaurus, representing a basal Neotheropods.
Berberosaurus[32][35]	B. liassicus	Toundoute[32]	Neck vertebra, part of the sacrum, a metacarpal, a femur, and parts of a tibia and both fibulae. Part of another femur has been assigned to the genus as well.[32]	Described originally as a basal representative of the Abelisauroidea, it was recovered as a basal ceratosaur in later studies.[69] It was a medium-sized theropod, measuring 5.1 m (17 ft) long, with a weight of 200 kg (440 lb).	Berberosaurus life restoration and size comparison
"Tazoudavenator"[32][35][33][34]	No Species Assigned (Invalid)[70]	Toundoute[32]	Femur and several non mentioned remains.[32][34]	Described as a "Large theropod of uncertain affinities"[32] and as an "enigmatic theropod".[33] To quote Allain: "Two theropods have been found on Toundoute. The first theropod hasn't been described but shows a size larger than any of the know theropods of the Triassic-Early Jurassic know by now, indicating that Toarcian theropods had sizes rivaling that of late Jurassic allosaurs".[71]

Sauropodomorpha

Genus	Species	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Sauropodomorphidia[62]	Sauropodomorphidia ichnog. indeterminate	Issil-n-Aït Arbi tracksite	Footprints	Sauropodomorph tracks of uncertain affinity
Otozoum[62][72]	Otozoum moodii Otozoum isp.	Issil-n-Aït Arbi tracksite	Footprints	Sauropodomorph tracks, type member of the ichnofamily Otozoidae, incertade sedis inside Sauropodomorpha. Includes a gigantic 84 cm (33 in) track that represents the largest Otozoum ever described in literature.[72]
Sauropoda[36][37][63][35][34]	Indeterminate	Acforcid, Wazzant.[34][35]	Left ilium, a humerus and three vertebrae.[37][63]	A possible basal sauropod of uncertain affinities. Remains recovered represent a Juvenile
Parabrontopodus[73]	Parabrontopodus isp.	Aguerd tracksite	Footprints	Sauropod tracks, type member of the ichnofamily Parabrontopodidae, incertade sedis inside Sauropodomorpha.
Tazoudasaurus[31]	T. naimi	Toundoute[32][33][34][35]	Partially articulated skeleton and cranial material including complete left mandible with teeth, quadrate, jugal, postorbital, parietal, frontal and exoccipital. Associated remains of a juvenile skeleton.	A gravisaurian sauropod related to Vulcanodon. The most complete sauropod from the Lower Jurassic; found, with adult, sub-adult, and juvenile specimens.[32][33][34][35]	Representative vertebrae of Tazoudasaurus naimi
Eusauropoda[74][34][35]	Indeterminate	Mizaguène Hill, 3 km (1.9 mi) at the souhtwest of Azilal.[34][35] East of Azilal, at 1 km (0.62 mi) at the south of Dar Ou Hammou.[74]	5 dorsal & caudal vertebrae, fragmentary ribs, chevrons and several large badly determinable debris.[74][37][63] Various caudal vertebrae and several non studied pieces of large bones.[74]	A eusauropodan sauropod maybe related with Spinophorosaurus. Was collected on a freshwater lagoonal depositional setting.[74]

• Toarcian turnover