The late Emsian association of weakly plicate brachiopods from Hamar Laghdad (Tafilalt, Morocco) and their ecology

Latest Emsian to earliest Eifelian brachiopods from the Red Cliff at Hamar Laghdad (Tafilalt, eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco) are described. The collection comprises 24 species. Among these, the genera Amoenospirifer, Cingulodermis, Eoreticularia, Hanusitrypa and Trigonatrypa are the most abundant. Four new species are erected: Dalejina aulacelliformis, Trigonatrypa drotae, Pinguispirifer kesskess and Cingulodermis pustulatus. Smooth or weakly plicate and small to medium- sized brachiopods prevail in the association of the Red Cliff. The association is very similar to some suggested shallow-water Emsian and Eifelian age brachiopod associations of the Barrandian area (Bohemia, Czech Republic) and Greifenstein (Eastern Rhenish Mountains, Germany); it indicates a similar environmental control in small coral biostromes or in this case between mudmounds.