Guefait 4 (Eastern Morocco). A new paleontological site in an open wet environment

Abstract

The ten years old cooperative research program between IPHES and Mohamed I University of Oujda has brought out a new paleontological site for the Early Pleistocene in Maghreb. The Plio-Pleistocene palustrine region of Ain Beni Mathar-Guefait has produced both archaeological and paleontological record for the Middle and Upper Pleistocene and since 2012 has provided the first evidence of faunal remains in an Early Pleistocene. A marls unit in a 150 m long stratigraphic series has recently produced a paleontological record of micro and macrovertebrates dominates by the murid Paraethomys and gerbilids among the micromammals and a hipparion among macromammals. The combination of the paleomagnetic series and the recorded fauna indicates an age of Early Pleistocene. Together the sediments and the reptile and amphibian fossils are providing clues on the palaeoenvironment. The landscape has been characterised by the presence of marshes inside an open environment with transition areas to other more forested and rocky places.