Moradi Formation
{{Infobox rockunit
| name = Moradi Formation
| age = Lopingian
~{{fossil range|259|252}}
| period = Lopingian
| type = Geological formation
| caption =
| imagesize =
| image =
| thickness = {{Convert|100|m|ft|-1}}
| overlies = Tamamaït Formation
| underlies = Teloua 1 Formation
| subunits = Lower, Middle and Upper Units
| unitof = Izégouandane Group
| otherlithology = Sandstone, conglomerate
| prilithology = Mudstone, siltstone
| thickness_ts =
| year_ts =
| namedby =
| namedfor =
| extent = Iullemmeden Basin
| country = Niger
| region = Agadez Region
| coordinates = {{coord|18.8|N|7.2|E|display=inline,title}}
| paleocoordinates = {{coord|16.6|S|8.2|E|display=inline}}
| location =
| area =
| map = {{Location map+ | Niger
| relief = 1
| width = 250
| float = center
| places =
{{Location map~ | Niger
| lat_deg = 18.8
| lon_deg = 7.2
| mark = Red pog.svg
| marksize = 10
}}
}}
| map_caption =
}}
The Moradi Formation is a geological formation in Niger. It is of Late Permian age. 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.{{Cite journal|last1=Smith|first1=Roger M.H.|last2=Sidor|first2=Christian A.|last3=Tabor|first3=Neil J.|last4=Steyer|first4=J. Sébastien|date=December 2015|title=Sedimentology and vertebrate taphonomy of the Moradi Formation of northern Niger: A Permian wet desert in the tropics of Pangaea|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|language=en|volume=440|pages=128–141|doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.08.032|bibcode=2015PPP...440..128S}} These facies are indicatived of deposition under arid conditions, with less than {{convert|300|mm|in}} of annual rainfall in the Central Pangean desert, with annual temperatures of {{convert|30|to|35|C|F}}, but with ephemeral water presence including lakes.{{Cite journal|last1=Tabor|first1=Neil J.|last2=Smith|first2=Roger M.H.|last3=Steyer|first3=J. Sébastien|last4=Sidor|first4=Christian A.|last5=Poulsen|first5=Christopher J.|date=January 2011|title=The Permian Moradi Formation of northern Niger: Paleosol morphology, petrography and mineralogy|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|language=en|volume=299|issue=1–2|pages=200–213|doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.11.002|bibcode=2011PPP...299..200T}}
Fossil content
The formation is known for its fossils, including the temnospondyls Nigerpeton{{Cite journal|last=Sidor|first=Christian A.|date=November 2013|title=The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger – VIII. Nigerpeton ricqlesi (Temnospondyli: Cochleosauridae) and tetrapod biogeographic provinces|journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol|volume=12|issue=7–8|pages=463–472|doi=10.1016/j.crpv.2013.05.005|bibcode=2013CRPal..12..463S |issn=1631-0683}} and Saharastega,{{cite journal|last=Damiani|first=R.|author2=Sidor, C. A.|author3=Steyer, J. S.|author4=Smith, R. M. H.|author5=Larsson, H. C. E.|author6=Maga, A.|author7=Ide, O.|year=2006|title=The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger. V. The primitive temnospondyl Saharastega moradiensis|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232688930|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|volume=26|issue=3|pages=559–572|doi=10.1080/02724634.2006.10010015|bibcode=2006JVPal..26..559D }}{{Cite journal|last1=Sidor|first1=Christian A.|last2=O'Keefe|first2=F. Robin|last3=Damiani|first3=Ross|last4=Steyer|first4=J. Sébastien|last5=Smith|first5=Roger M. H.|last6=Larsson|first6=Hans C. E.|last7=Sereno|first7=Paul C.|last8=Ide|first8=Oumarou|last9=Maga|first9=Abdoulaye|date=April 2005|title=Permian tetrapods from the Sahara show climate-controlled endemism in Pangaea|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=434|issue=7035|pages=886–889|doi=10.1038/nature03393|pmid=15829962|issn=0028-0836|bibcode=2005Natur.434..886S|s2cid=4416647 |url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/15308/files/PAL_E2607.pdf }} the pareiasaur Bunostegos,{{cite journal|last=Sidor|first=C.A.|author2=Blackburn, D.C.|author3=Gado, B.|year=2003|title=The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger — II, Preliminary description of a new pareiasaur|url=https://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/paleontology/sidor/Sidor_et_al_2003.pdf|url-status=dead|journal=Palaeontologica Africana|volume=39|pages=45–52|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107041443/https://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/paleontology/sidor/Sidor_et_al_2003.pdf|archive-date=2015-11-07|access-date=2013-06-24}} the captorhinid Moradisaurus,Taquet, P. (1969). Première découverte en Afrique d'un Reptile Captorhinomorphe (Cotylosaurien). Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Academie des Sciences Paris, Série D 268:779-781 as well as a large indeterminate gorgonopsid.{{Cite journal|last1=Smiley|first1=Tara M.|last2=Sidor|first2=Christian A.|last3=Maga|first3=Abdoulaye|last4=Ide|first4=Oumarou|date=2008-06-12|title=The vertebrate fauna of the Upper Permian of Niger. VI. First evidence of a gorgonopsian therapsid|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|volume=28|issue=2|pages=543–547|doi=10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[543:tvfotu]2.0.co;2|s2cid=131082914 |issn=0272-4634}} Dicynodonts, widespread in other contemporary deposits, appear to be absent, with previous reports being in error. The flora of the formation includes indeterminate voltzian conifers.{{Cite journal |last1=Looy |first1=Cindy V. |last2=Ranks |first2=Stephanie L. |last3=Chaney |first3=Dan S. |last4=Sanchez |first4=Sophie |last5=Steyer |first5=Jean-Sébastien |last6=Smith |first6=Roger M.H. |last7=Sidor |first7=Christian A. |last8=Myers |first8=Timothy S. |last9=Ide |first9=Oumarou |last10=Tabor |first10=Neil J. |date=June 2016 |title=Biological and physical evidence for extreme seasonality in central Permian Pangea |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |language=en |volume=451 |pages=210–226 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.02.016|bibcode=2016PPP...451..210L |doi-access=free }}