Fezouata Formation
| Fezouata Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: | |
Fossil of a marrellomorph from one of the exceptionally preserved intervals. | |
| Type | Geological formation |
| Underlies | Zini Formation |
| Thickness | >1,000 m (3,300 ft), combined for upper and lower formations, the two exceptionally preserved intervals ~25 m (82 ft) and 15 m (49 ft) respectively |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Shale |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 30°36′N 5°42′W / 30.6°N 5.7°W |
| Approximate paleocoordinates | 73°54′S 108°06′E / 73.9°S 108.1°E |
| Region | Drâa-Tafilalet |
| Country | Morocco |
The Fezouata Formation or Fezouata Shale is a geological formation in Morocco which dates to the Early Ordovician. It was deposited in a marine environment, and is known for its exceptionally preserved fossils, filling an important preservational window beyond the earlier and more common Cambrian Burgess shale-type deposits. The fauna of this geological unit is often described as the Fezouata biota, and the particular strata within the formation which exhibit exceptional preservation are generally termed the Fezouata Lagerstätte.