SEDIMENTARY

GEOLOGY
ELSEVIER Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

Shell directions as a tool in palaeocurrent analysis

Jobst Wendt
lnstitut und Museum fiir Geologie und Paliiontologie, D-72076 Tiibingen, Germany

Received 16 June 1994; revised version accepted 6 September 1994

Abstract

Conical shells (mostly orthoconic nautiloids, locally gastropods and rugose corals) were used to determine current
directions in Ludlovian to upper Famennian cephalopod limestones in the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco, Ougarta
Aulacogen and Ahnet Basin (both Algeria). Data plots established on 50,413 measurements from 217 localities
document rather consistent current patterns which show only minor variations through subsequent intervals. A
conspicuous feature are currents derived from pelagic platforms and directed towards adjacent basins. Shell
accumulations decrease markedly towards platform margins yielding less distinctive information on current direc-
tions which, due to lack of shells, cannot be established in the basins proper. Orientation patterns of styliolinids
show such a puzzling variation in adjacent samples that their use for current analysis is doubtful. The same is true
for the presumed down-stream position of goniatite apertures which shows a highly variable pattern which is rarely
consistent with that of concomitant orthoconic nautiloids. The direction of orthocones in cephalopod limestones
onlapping lower Givetian mud mounds and ridges in the Ahnet Basin of Algeria shows a radial pattern which is the
result of a mere gravitational deposition of shells on the steep slopes of these buildups. Apart from this exception
the applicability of conical shells for current analysis is confirmed.

1. Introduction have been published (summaries in Miiller, 1951;

Potter and Pettijohn, 1977). In addition, the re-
Recognition and interpretation of current di- sponse of shell size and geometry to water move-
rections are important aspects in the reconstruc- ment and current velocities was tested and mea-
tion of ancient sedimentary environments. Clastic sured in the flume using standardized models
deposits frequently contain good information on (Trusheim, 1931; Nagle, 1967; Futterer, 1978b;
current directions, such as cross-bedding and var- and others). For the interpretation of such field
ious types of sole marks, but these are generally and laboratory observations and their application
not expressed in carbonates. The latter, however, to particular sedimentary environments, not only
are often very fossiliferous and thus may provide the number of measurements compiled at a single
a tool to use shells as “biologically standardized locality should be taken into account, but also the
particles” (Seilacher, 1973). Since Ruedemann geological setting in which these data were col-
(1897) for the first time recognized the striking lected. Therefore, it is consequential to incorpo-
parallel alignment of fossil invertebrate remains rate them into the overall palaeogeographical en-
as an effect of currents, numerous studies on vironment.
current directions derived from shell orientations The majority of published current analyses ob-

0037-0738/95/$09.50 0 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights resewed

SSDI 0037-0738(94)00104-9
162 J. Wendt /Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) Iii-186

tamed from shell directions, is based on relatively
small numbers of localities (l-15) and measure-
ments (several hundreds to about 2000). An ex-
ception is the study by Jones and Dennison (1970)
who compiled 13,000 orientation measurements
from Palaeozoic shales and siltstones of the
southern Appalachians.
As a result of sedimentologic and biostrati-
graphic research on Devonian deposits in Mo-
rocco (Wendt, 1988b) and Algeria (Wendt et al.,
1993), an enormous amount of information on
shell directions has accumulated. It is the aim of
the present study to analyze these data which
represent a long time-span (late Silurian to late
Famennian) and to incorporate them into the
well-established palaeogeographic framework.
During this period, mainly fine-grained carbon-
ates and shales were deposited on the broad shelf
of the northwestern Sahara Craton. This area is
subdivided into minor and major depocentres with
high sedimentation rates, pelagic platforms with
reduced sedimentation and local carbonate
buildups. In these environments the implication
of directional data with particular lithologies can
be tested. In addition, the utility of shells which
are not commonly used as current indicators
(goniatites, styliolinids) will be examined.
2. Methods
As shown in Table 1, the present study is
based on a total of 50,413 measurements derived
from 217 localities. The majority of these data
was collected in the eastern Anti-Atlas of Mo-

Table 1
Provenance of data
Age (stage) Area Organisms used Localities Measurements
Ludlovian OA orthoconic nautiloids 4 1103
AA orthoconic nautiloids 22 5691
AA crinoids 1 142
Lower Devonian OA orthoconic nautiloids 2 601
AA orthoconic nautiloids 13 2845
Eifelian AA orthoconic nautiloids 2 379
AA styliolinids 1 420
Givetian AA styliolinids 2 1103
AA orthoconic nautiloids 10 1986
AB orthoconic nautiloids 41 10200
AB crinoids 1 105
Lower Frasnian AB styliolinids 3 3945
AA styliolinids 1 300
AA orthoconic nautiloids 4 713
AA gastropods, rngose and tabulate corals 2 650
Upper Frasnian/ lower Famennian AA orthoconic nautiloids, 52 9725
goniatites 2 351
OA orthoconic nautiloids 2 394
Middle Famennian AA orthoconic nautiloids 33 6295
AA goniatites 9 1902
Upper Famennian AA orthoconic nautiloids 8 1241
AA crinoids 1 200
Visean AA crinoids 1 122
Total 217 50413
AA = eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco; AB = Ahnet Basin, Algeria; OA = Ougarta Aulacogen, Algeria.
 J. Wendt /Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 163

rocco and in the southern Ahnet Basin of Alge-
ria. Additional data were gathered in the Ougarta
Aulacogen of SW Algeria (Fig. 1). Due to the
excellent outcrops in all these areas, the number
of available data is virtually unlimited. In most
localities, orthoconic nautiloids were used as cur-
rent indicators. In places where these are lacking,
crinoid stems, high-spired gastropods, solitary ru-
gose and tabulate corals, and styliolinids were
measured. Wherever possible, measurements in
individual localities cover areas of several hun-
dreds of square metres each in order to avoid
misinterpretations caused by local factors. Direc-
tion of styliolinids was measured in oriented thin
sections and tested in additional samples taken
from the same bedding plane and/ or from slightly
different stratigraphic levels. All obtained data
were plotted at 10” intervals in rose diagrams for
which the vector resultant (= mean direction, 5)
and the mean resultant length (= dispersion, R)
were calculated according to the method de-
scribed by Davis (1986). Latitudes and longitudes
are taken from the Carte du Maroc l:lOO,OOOand
from the Carte du Sahara 1:200,000, respectively

A L G E h 1 A ‘., j-1:
_-_ Brni Abbes :
: . .._
__
-
:..’ _ -- _

:: -r-30
.._ - -
_.. - - -
-_:_-- -

siliciclastic shoreline and continental deposits Hoggar

shallow and marginal basinal deposits

I
Massif
(shale,limestone I shale, sandstone) /

deeper basinal deposits (shale, turbidites) :

.:.
_:’
- ;.’
pelagic platforms, partly emergent -- ,:’
_ -_--
- _ _-_ ,:
_ _-
carbonate buildups (exaggerated, Middle Devoniao only) _ =----- -
_- -&:_=I-;-&” ,” ,G ER
- - - - .:- _
I
zones of M./U. Devonian uplift 2t
_ -_- = :
,_.’

Fig. 1. Location of study areas. AA = eastern Anti-Atlas; OA = Ougarta Aulacogen; AB = Ahnet Basin.
164 J. Wendt /Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

(Table 2). In some places in the Ahnet Basin a and platform margin environments, where shells
global positioning system (GPS Trimble Ensign) which are susceptible to bottom currents are
was used. common enough to be statistically analyzed. Re-
The bulk of data represents pelagic platform duced sedimentation in these areas has often

Table 2
List of localities shown in Figs. 6, 8, 9, 12

LOC. Locality Coordinates n R Rose $ Max.

No. pattern (“I (%o)
long. lat.

Morocco
1 Jebel Saredrar 5”27’15” W 30”45’53”N 401 0.734 ” 165 13.5
2 Jebel Ou Driss 5”lS’Ol”W 30”32’04”N 201 0.623 U 210 18.4
3 Afrou n’Akhou 5”04’21”W 30”40’40”N 199 0.827 U 190 19.1
4 Lalla Mimofina (O/C) 4”49’27” w 31”16’28”N 205 0.109 h 327 7.4
5 E of Jebel Boulchrhal 4”34’11”w 30”57’17”N 161 0.317 h 169 6.8
6 SW of Taouz 4”01’59”W 30”52’50”N 198 0.121 h 335 7.1
7 SE of Taouz 3”57’23” W 30”53’22”N 198 0.122 b 162 13.1
8 E of Jebel Mraier 4”07’14”W 30”55’16”N 201 0.772 u 159 21.4
9 S of Tizi Nersas 4”09’14”W 30”57’02”N 200 0.667 U 163 23.5
10 Chaib-er-Ras 4”08’38” W 3 l”O2’07”N 200 0.511 h 238 10.0
11 Er Raouya 4”11’37”W 31”05’30”N 201 0.557 U 163 26.9
12 El Haroun 4”09’ 10” w 31”18’40”N 200 0.905 U 287 20.5
13 Bou Tcharafine 4”10’15”w 31”23’46”N 200 0.771 U 289 20.0
14 Bou Tcharafine 4”05’28” W 31”23’16”N 213 0.595 U 287 13.6
15 Hamar Laghdad 4”01’54”W 31”23’16”N 199 0.717 ” 329 17.1
16 E of Oued Talrhemt 3”55’32”W 31”21’32”N 199 0.830 U 217 25.6
17 Hassi Tisserdimine 3”59’45”W 31’17’14”N 199 0.733 U 297 19.1
18 Hassi Tisserdimine Y59’Ol”W 31”18’10”N 107 0.886 U 283 21.5
19 E of Oued Talrhemt 3”53’2O”W 31”21’04”N 102 0.960 U 297 26.5
20 E of Khorb el Atil 3”53’43” w 31”15’55”N 199 0.742 U 331 17.1
21 W of Hassi Tachbit 3”5 1’19” w 31”15’42”N 201 0.783 U 334 17.9
22 Hassi Tachbit 3”49’45” w 31”15’39”N 200 0.836 U 338 15.5
23 Jebel Ou Driss 5”20’07”W 30”31’28”N 201 0.191 r 359 5.9
24 Ras el Kebbar 4”29’30” W 31”24’4O”N 200 0.341 ” 336 12.5
25 Hassi Moudaras 4”06’48” W 30”54’43”N 255 0.233 r 37 6.7
26 Oued Mojrane PO8 00” W 31”01’3l”N 200 0.586 U 159 19.5
27 SE of Er Raouya 4”10’46” W 31”05’28”N 200 0.351 U 143 12.0
28 Jebel Bou Ifarherioun 4”16’16”W 31”08’16”N 206 0.877 U 169 24.8
29 Hamar Laghdad 4”04’24” W 31”25’00”N 201 0.837 U 293 22.9
30 SE of Hamar Laghdad 4”oo’ 25” w 31”21’45”N 301 0.419 U 64 9.6
31 Oued Talrhemt 3”55’32” W 31”21’32”N 201 0.349 b 330 11.9
32 E of Oued Kseir 3”41’1l”W 30”57’15”N 195 0.559 U 333 19.0
33 Jebel el Otfal 4”34’08” W 30”53’44”N 301 0.668 U 274 13.6
34 NNE of Tinejdad 5”00’40” w 31”32’27”N 78 0.509 U 319 11.5
35 Tantana 4”28’36” W 31”31’36”N 200 0.686 U 3 14.0
36 Tizi n’Guidou 4”31’23” W 30”48’2l”N 197 0.564 U 267 10.7
37 Jebel Mech Irdane 4”20’42” W 31”13’53”N 203 0.257 227 7.4
38 ENE of Touroug 4”37’5O”W 31”35’40”N 144 0.358 I, 339 16.7
39 K.‘” el Mdouara 4”22’59” W 31”18’11”N 200 0.363 h 297 8.0
40 Mou Keleuh 4”10’52” W 31”21’29”N 303 0.211 h 140 7.6
41 Bou Tcharafine 4”lO’lS”W 31”22’54”N 201 0.083 r 174 6.0
42 SE of Hamar Laghdad 4”00’45” w 31”21’37”N 200 0.273 h 275 6.5
43 E of Darkaoua 4”04’06” W 31”17’44”N 231 0.415 U 140 9.5
44 SW of Taouz 4”02’ 26” W 30”52’39”N 304 0.406 h 98 7.9
45a Oued Bou Terga (RI 4”59’00” w 31”00’34”N 163 0.046 h 291 6.7
 J. Wendt/Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 165

produced an enormous accumulation of shells are almost devoid of body fossils is a natural
which decreases considerably in abundance to- limitation to the interpretation of current direc-
wards the adjacent basins. The fact that the latter tions obtained from shell orientations.

Table 2 (continued)

Lot. Locality Coordinates n i? Rose & Max.

No. pattern (“1 (%l
long. lat.

Morocco
45b Oued Bou Terga 4”59’00” w 31”00’34”N 121 0.071 h 272 7.5
46 Afrou 4”50’44”W 31”03’18”N 61 0.220 b 92 14.8
47 Madene el Mrakib (G/T) 4”42’38” W 30”44’02”N 352 0.038 b 8 5.7
48 Oued Chouiref 4”33’35”W 30”47’26”N 273 0.051 b 320 10.3
49 S of Iferd nou Harouar 4”22’11” W 30”44 16” N 258 0.047 h 55 5.8
50 N of Oufatene Srhir 4”5 6’17” W 30”51’18”N 302 0.031 b 352 7.9
51 Oued Bou Terga 4”57’29” W 31”00’24”N 263 0.065 b 131 6.8
52 Oued Bou Terga 4”55’58”W 30”59’57”N 17 0.458 h 188 17.6
53 Tiberguemt 4”58’Ol”W 30”54’33”N 253 0.145 b 190 16.3
54 Mimsmarn 4”57’38” W 30”53’28”N 320 0.223 h 280 6.7
55 Mimsmarn 4”57’44” w 30”52’59”N 200 0.227 U 13 12.0
56 Rich Bou Korazia 4”53’40” w 30”47’ 06” N 198 0.594 U 13 22.0
57 N of Rich Bel Ras 4”55’52” W 30”45’37”N 272 0.344 34 14.0
58 Ait ou Nebgui 4”55’Ol”W 30”45’04”N 203 0.260 ii 26 21.0
59 Afrou n’Akhou 5”04’57”W 30”39’56”N 200 0.071 b 301 8.0
60 E of Afrou n’Akhou 5”01’18” W 30”41’03”N 66 0.478 230 18.2
61 Bid er Ras 4”52’30” W 30”41’08”N 201 0.142 : 191 18.3
62 Taourirt Timlaline 4”50’48” w 30”37’57”N 200 0.086 b 116 8.5
63 Hassi Boulemane 4”43’48” w 30”42’38”N 198 0.355 h 339 9.1
64 Madene el Mrakib 4”42’38” W 30”44’02”N 200 0.119 h 42 6.5
65 Jebel Zireg 4”32’50” W 30”38’49”N 310 0.308 355 10.3
66 Iferd nou Harouar 4”17’09’W 30”46’47” N 201 0.012 : 3 16.4
67 Oued Talilit 4”17’24”W 3 l”OO’O7”N 300 0.319 9 298 12.3
68 Jebel el Atrous 4”08’38” W 30”59’4O”N 407 0.410 u 336 14.7
69 Takkat ou el Heyene 4”07’41” w 31”00’52”N 200 0.530 q 351 31.5
70 S of Hassi oum el Hadj 4”1o’ol”w 3 l”O5’49” N 178 0.201 h 276 6.7
71 Jebel Bou Ifarherioun 4”16’31”W 31”08’08”N 200 0.034 b 13 8.0
72 K.‘” Bezma 4”18’49” W 31”12’44”N 210 0.125 b 79 13.8
73 Jebel Mech Irdane 4”22’ 22” W 31”13’48”N 206 0.524 U 87 14.6
74 S of Jebel Amelane 4”22’06” W 31”15’28”N 717 0.237 274 9.6
75 Jebel Amelane 4”24’04” W 31”16’Ol”N 462 0.086 z 224 8.7
76 K.la el Mdouara 4”24’00” W 31”18’05”N 202 0.136 b 254 11.4
77 Bine Jebilet 4”20’ 22” W 31”27’18”N 366 0.328 U 354 9.8
78 Mounkara 4”23’58” W 31”28’17”N 58 0.910 U 327 47.0
79 Rich el Haroun 4”11’4VW 31”19’36”N 199 0.455 u 142 12.6
80 Rich el Haroun 4”10’56” w 31”19’43”N 25 0.857 127 32.0
81 Bou Tcharafine 4”09’46” W 31”22’33”N 204 0.070 L 170 12.7
82 W of Darkaoua 4”08’54” w 31”17’50”N 200 0.078 h 220 6.0
83 W of Darkaoua 4”06’46” W 31”17’37”N 200 0.088 h 123 7.0
84 Hamar Laghdad 4”03’49” w 31”22’44”N 229 0.193 88 7.0
85 W of Oued Talrhemt Y55’32”W 31”21’32”N 112 0.239 : 127 25.0
86 E of Oued Talrhemt 3”54’15”W 31”21’2l”N 90 0.431 b 97 15.6
87 S of Injar 3”53’18”W 31”21’14”N 302 0.374 u 80 10.3
88 S of Oued Brikat 3”54’26”W 31”19’22”N 49 0.616 ” 132 28.6
89 N of Oufatene Srhir 4”56’17” W 30”51’18”N 32 0.892 U 0 31.2
90 Arhou n’Akhou 4”53’40” w 30”47’06”N 162 0.196 r 308 6.2
166 J. Wendt /Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

Table 2 (continued)
L.OC. Locality Coordinates n x Rose m Max.
No. pattern (“1 (%I
long. lat.
Morocco
91 Oued Talilit 4”17’19”W 31”00’35”N 201 0.606 U 285 27.9
92 Oued Talilit 4’15’28”W 31”00’36”N 199 0.908 U 287 43.2
93 Oued Talilit 4”15’18”W 31”00’34”N 200 0.725 U 286 24.5
94 Takkat ou el Heyene 4”07’4YW 31”00’52”N 200 0.529 307 20.0
95 Jebel Bou Ifarherioun 4”20’49”W 31”08’03”N 101 0.111 h” 209 11.9
96 Jebel Bou Ifarherioun 4”17’28”W 31”08’07”N 203 0.619 h 124 19.7
97 Jebel Mech Irdane 4”20’40”W 31”13’29”N 200 0.334 h 120 9.0
98 Jebel Mech Irdane 4”22’22”W 31”13’48”N 200 0.444 h 59 8.5
99 Jehel Amelane 4”20’43”W 31”16’38”N 601 0.360 U 315 9.2
100 S of Jebel Amelane 4”22’06”W 31”15’28”N 100 0.559 U 354 16.0
101 Jebel Amelane 4”22’2l”W 31”16’17”N 202 0.640 U 355 13.9
102 Jebel Amelane 4”24’04”W 31”16’0l”N 200 0.514 U 27 12.0
103 K.ja el Mdouara 4”22’35”W 31”18’05”N 400 0.561 U 137 16.0
104 K.‘a el Mdouara 4’23’36”W 31”18’09”N 200 0.353 U 129 15.5
105 Mounkara 4”23’58”W 31”28’17”N 97 0.817 298 15.5
106 Rheris dam 4”19’35”W 31”30’28”N 154 0.397 ; 296 9.7
107 Butte d’Erfoud 4”13’33”W 31”25’58”N 235 0.724 U 317 18.3
108 Gart el Anz 4”07’01”w 31”26’33”N 206 0.677 U 313 15.5
109 Rich el Haroun 4”10’56”W 31”19’43”N 306 0.745 U 143 18.6
110 Mou Keleuh 4”10’52”W 31”21’29”N 404 0.626 U 145 15.6
111 Bou Tcharafine 4”09’46”w 31”22’33”N 245 0.530 h 121 8.6
112 Hamar Laghdad 4”05’56”W 31”22’26”N 520 0.339 h 137 6.9
113 Hamar Laghdad 4”03’59”w 31”22’44”N 204 0.548 h 118 9.3
114 N of Oued Injar 3”58’1O”W 31”21’36”N 309 0.330 h 256 5.5
115 Tizi Bou Kerzia 5’02’48”W 30”46’17”N 170 0.387 h 119 7.6
116 Oued Talilit 4”17’19”W 31”00’07”N 100 0.617 287 21.0
117 Jebel Mech Irdane 4”20’42”W 31”13’53”N 199 0.091 ; 62 7.0
118 S of Jebel Amelane 4”22’12”W 31”15’05”N 326 0.442 20 11.0
119 Jebel Mech Irdane 4”22’22”W 31”13’48”N 119 0.420 : 93 10.9
120 Jebel Amelane 4”25’2YW 31”15’41”N 260 0.325 h 31 6.2
121 Ouidane Chebbi 3”48’27”W 31”14’07”N 61 0.138 r 157 8.2

Algeria
122A Azzel Matti, Mound 34 O”57’17”E 25”37’38”N 209 0.299 U 291 14.8
122B Azzel Matti, Mound 34 0”57’17”E 25”37’38”N 201 0.361 U 282 14.4
122c Azzel Matti, Mound 34 0”57’17”E 25”37’38”N 200 0.257 U 219 12.0
122D Azzel Matti, Mound 34 O”57’17”E 25”37’38”N 204 0.453 U 136 11.8
122E Azzel Matti, Mound 34 O”57’17”E 25”37’38”N 199 0.419 65 16.6
122F Azzel Matti, Mound 34 O”57’17”E 25”37’38”N 200 0.068 ;: 32 12.0
122G Azzel Matti, Mound 34 0”57’17”E 25”37’38”N 203 0.335 343 14.8
123a Azzel Matti (S) O”56’42”E 25”40’48”N 508 0.159 : 67 13.8
123b Azzel Matti (S) O”56’42”E 25”40’48”N 497 0.086 b 206 7.6
123~ Azzel Matti (S) O”56’42”E 25”40’48”N 516 0.269 b 135 12.8
123d Azzel Matti (S) O”56’42”E 25”40’48”N 446 0.012 h 287 5.4
123e Azzel Matti (S) O”56’42”E 25”40’48”N 200 0.161 r 104 6.0
Age of localities: l-22 = Ludlovian; 23-32 = Pragian/Zlichovian; 33-35 = Eifelian; 36-44 = Givetian; 45-49 = early Frasnian;
50-88 = late Frasnian/early Famennian; 89-114 = middle Famennian; 115-121 = late Famennian; 122 = early Givetian; 123 =
early Frasnian. Patterns of rose diagrams: u = unimodal; b = bimodal; q = quadrimodal; r = almost random. If not otherwise stated,
organisms used are orthoconic nautiloids (0); others: C = crinoids; G = gastropods; R = rugose corals; S = styliolinids; T = tabulate
corals.
 .I. Wendt /Sedimentary
3. Materials
3.1. Orthoconic nautiloids
It has often been observed that, as a response
to water movement, the apex of orthoconic nau-
tiloids points up-stream, and this makes them
excellent current indicators (Dixon, 1970; Beese,
1978; Gnoli et al., 1980; and others). Some of
these field observations have been tested in
flumes using models which match fossil counter-
parts in shape and specific weight (Reyment,
1958; Nagle, 1967; Futterer, 1977, 1978a,b; and
others).
Only shells exceeding 1 cm in length were
counted. Average numbers per square metre
range between ten and several tens, and are best
exemplified by the condensed cephalopod lime-
stone of middle Famennian age in the eastern
Anti-Atlas. In the Ludlovian Orthoceras lime-
stone of the eastern Anti-Atlas, up to a thousand
specimens per square metre can be found. The
Fig. 2. Thin section of styliolinid packstone, lowermost
clearly parallel with the apices directed towards bottom
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 167
upper Frasnian/ lower Famennian Kellwasser
Limestone of the eastern Anti-Atlas is crowded
with up to 2000 orthocones per square metre
(Wendt, 1988a; Wendt and Belka, 1991). Spar-
filled geopetal voids indicate that the shells accu-
mulated in the empty state and were subse-
quently partially filled with lime mud (Fig. 11).
3.2. Styliolinids, tentaculites
Due to their extreme abundance in some De-
vonian deposits, styliolinids and tentaculites have
locally been used as current indicators (Kindle,
1938; Seilacher, 1959; and others). Nagle (1967)
and Jones and Dennison (1970) observed that
styliolinids are preferentially deposited parallel to
ripple marks, i.e. with their long axis perpendicu-
lar to weak currents. In regimes of stronger cur-
rents, shells rotate into a position with the apex
pointing up-current. In shape and size, styliolin-
ids and tentaculites resemble recent pteropods
which may be current-oriented (compare fig. 2a
in Price et al., 1985), but directional data from
Frasnian, Azzel Matti (lot. 123, c), Ahnet Basin. Orientation of shells is
right (compare Fig. 3c for equivalent rose diagram). Scale bar = I mm.
168
present deep-sea environments have not been
published.
Parallel orientation of styliolinids may be evi-
dent already with the naked eye, but precise
directional trends can be obtained only from thin
sections. The abundance of shells reaches up to
100 specimens per cm2 (Fig. 2). With such a
dense packing, mutual obstruction may be a de-
termining factor which prevents mere accidental
orientations and favours the main directional
trend.
For the interpretation of the depositional envi-
ronment during the Middle and early Late Devo-
nian in the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco and
the Ahnet Basin in southern Algeria, the direc-
tional pattern of styliolinids in limestones and
shales was analyzed. In Morocco, styliolinid lime-
stones are common in condensed deposits of
pelagic platforms and in basin margin areas. In
southern Algeria, upper Givetian/ lowermost
Frasnian styliolinid limestones were deposited
during a highstand of sea-level and cover an area
of more than 100,000 km2.
Fig. 3. Orientation patterns of styliolinids:
123, a-e), Ahnet Basin, Algeria.
J. Wendt /Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186
The results of the directional measurements
were contradictory and not compatible with those
obtained from coeval orthoconic nautiloids.
Therefore, several closely spaced samples from
one and the same bedding plane were analyzed
(Fig. 3). Due to slight erosion of the rock surface,
the three samples from the same bedding plane
(a, b, d in Fig. 3) probably do not represent
exactly the same time span and may chronostrati-
graphically be as distant (or more) from each
other as are samples Cc) and (e) taken 1 cm below
samples (b) and (d). respectively. Rose diagrams
(a), (b) and Cc>are bimodal with a distinct peak
and a minor counterpeak, but their maxima differ
by up to 120”. Diagrams (d) and (e) show a higher
variance with main directions which are almost
perpendicular to diagram (a>.
It must be concluded that these contrasting
directional patterns are obviously not the result
of the overall current regime which cannot have
changed so drastically in such a small area and
during a very short time span. Local factors, such
as small depressions on the seafloor causing faint
/ 7.6% \
rose diagrams from five adjacent samples from the lowermost Frasnian, Azzel Matti (lot.
 J. Wendt/Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 169

Table 3
Comparison of directional data of orthoconic nautiloids and goniatites from equivalent bedding planes
LAX. No. Orthoconic nautoloids Goniatites

n R & rose max. n R 5 rose max.

(“I pattern (o/o) (“I pattern (%/o)
13 206 0.524 87 ” 14.6 199 0.213 232 r 8.0
74 717 0.237 274 q 9.6 152 0.125 53 r 5.3
91 200 0.334 120 h 9.0 100 0.277 164 r 10.0
98 200 0.444 59 h 8.5 200 0.028 230 r 65
99, a 201 0.351 314 u 10.0 199 0.103 308 r 8.5
99, b 200 0.215 327 u 8.0 200 0.163 51 7.0
101 202 0.640 355 u 13.9 200 0.364 161 T, 8.5
104 200 0.353 129 u 15.5 200 0.098 331 r 5.5
110 404 0.626 145 ” 15.6 199 0.456 123 u 8.5
112 520 0.339 137 h 6.9 301 0.176 20 r 7.0
Total 3050 19.50
Localities as in Table 2. Rose patterns: u = unimodal; q = quadrimodal; h = high variance; r = almost random. Compare Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. Rose diagrams of orthoconic nautiloids (aperture end plotted) compared to those of goniatite aperture position from the
same bedding planes. Mou Keleuh = locality 110; Hamar Laghdad = locality 112. Data in Table 3.
170 .I. Wendt/Sedimentary
eddies, were probably responsible for the pro-
nounced but strongly contrasting directional pat-
terns. Therefore, orientation of styliolinids in
packstones should be used with caution in
palaeocurrent analysis. Though a great number of
measurements (5768) was made in Middle and
early Upper Devonian rocks, these data were not
incorporated in Fig. 8 or used for other palaeo-
geographic reconstructions. Sporadic observa-
tions on directional patterns of tentaculites show
similar equivocal results.
3.3. Goniatites
Intuitively, coiled cephalopods do not appear
as suitable current indicators. Brenner (19761,
however, has shown that empty ammonoid shells
in the Posidonia Shale (upper Liassic, SW Ger-
many) after deposition became rotated into the
direction of least flow resistance with the aper-
tures of the body chambers acting in analogy to
the principle of an anemometer. Thus, the long
axis of the spiral, corresponding to the direction
of the shell aperture, is oriented parallel to the
current direction with the aperture pointing
down-stream. This principle was tested in ten
sites of Upper Devonian cephalopod limestones
in the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco (Table 3).
The obtained data were compared to the direc-
tional pattern of orthoconic nautiloids which oc-
cur on the same bedding plane as the goniatites.
In the two localities represented in Fig. 4, the
orthocones show pronounced directional patterns
reflecting currents from the northwest. At Mou
Keleuh (lot. 110, Table 2) the orientation pattern
of the goniatites matches that of the orthocones
rather closely, but at Hamar Laghdad (lot. 112,
Table 2) the orientation of the goniatites appears
nearly random. In the other localities, the orien-
tation of goniatite shells is likewise random and
shows no accordance with that of the accompany-
ing orthoconic nautiloids (Table 3). It can be
assumed that the rotation of coiled cephalopods
reflects relatively low current velocities which
generally were exceeded. Therefore, also for go-
niatites, caution is suggested in using their aper-
ture directions as palaeocurrent indicators.
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186
3.4. Crinoid stems
In the absence of conical shells, cylindrical
ones may serve as current indicators. This princi-
ple was applied by Schwarzacher (1963) who used
crinoid stems to determine currents in Carbonif-
erous limestones of Ireland. He obtained orienta-
tion diagrams characterized by two directions
perpendicular to each other. From flume experi-
ments he deduced that crinoid stems are predom-
inantly oriented with their long axis perpendicu-
lar to the current direction.
Among the four localities where the orienta-
tion of crinoid stems was measured, two are mud
mounds whose morphology has strongly deter-
mined the orientation of elongate shells (see be-
low) and therefore cannot be used for current
analysis. In the remaining two localities, the ori-
entation of crinoid stems is more or less parallel
to that of concomitant orthoconic nautiloids and
should therefore represent the dominant current
direction.
3.5. Gastropods, rugose and tabulate corals
Lowermost Frasnian coral floatstones of the
Mader Basin in the eastern Anti-Atlas of Mo-
rocco contain scattered high-spired gastropods,
conical solitary rugose corals and branched tabu-
late corals which appear current-oriented. Ob-
served patterns show a high variance but are
similar to those of subsequently deposited ortho-
conic nautiloids (Fig. 8, lot. 45, a and b). The
available data (650 measurements from 2 locali-
ties) are too patchy to be interpreted at a wider
regional scale. The overall fauna1 association of
this lithology indicates a short-distance transport
of reef-building and reef-dwelling organisms in
an environment of biostromal boundstone and
floatstone deposition.
4. Statistical significance of data
It is a commonplace that, the greater the num-
ber of data, the more significant should be their
message and interpretation. But how many data
are reasonable and what is mere data compila-
 J. Wendt/Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 171

tion? The mean resultant length of a rose dia-
gram CR> is not necessarily a realistic image of
the number and dispersion of measured direc-
tions. In particular this is true in bimodal pat-
terns in which peak and counterpeak may almost
compensate each other. The consequence is a
high variance and a vector resultant ($1 perpen-
dicular to the two main directions (e.g. lot. 59, 62,
71, 95 in Table 2). Therefore the vector resultant
(8) and the mean resultant length (& in Table 2
do not always reflect the evidence of the equiva-
lent rose diagrams.
A typical unimodal diagram and a bimodal one
were chosen to test if an increasing number of
data collected in one and the same place or
sample improves the accuracy of the plot (Fig. 5).
In the example of Ludlovian orthoconic nau-
tiloids, R diminishes from 0.595 to 0.35 when
calculated from 100 to 500 measurements, but
with more than 1100 measurements, i? increases
again to 0.39. Simultaneously, the vector resultant
(5) increases constantly by almost 30”. From the
balanced shape of the equivalent rose diagram it
can be argued that the value representing the

Fig. 5. Optimalization of current analysis by increasing number of data: examples from Ludlovian orthocones (100, 200, 500, 800,
1138 measurements, lot. 1) and lower Frasnian styliolinids (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 measurements, lot. 123, a-e).
172 J. Wendt/Sedimentary
highest number of data is the most reliable one.
In a typical bimodal diagram illustrating the ori-
entation of lowermost Frasnian styliolinids, how-
ever, these oscillations are much less obvious.
Both mean resultant length (variance) and vector
resultant (mean direction) vary only for a few
percent. From these and other examples it can be
concluded that in most cases, 200 measurements
per locality or sample yield a reliable image of
individual current directions. In cases of equivo-
cal results, 300-500 (in one place 717) measure-
ments were compiled. The obtained diagrams can
be grouped into four overlapping categories: uni-
modal, bimodal, quadrimodal, and almost ran-
dom.
4.1. Unimodal
Unimodal patterns are most common and best
exemplified by rose diagrams from the Ludlovian
(Fig. 6) and the middle Famennian (Fig. 12) where
up to 43% (lot. 92) of one data plot range within
one 10” sector (Table 2). The variance (R) in
these plots is low (0.34 to 0.961, with the bulk of
values exceeding 0.5. Some Ludlovian and Lower
Devonian orthocones are up to 1 m long (middle
Famennian ones reach only half that size) and
must have required high velocities to achieve
current orientation. Almost identical patterns in
neighbouring localities (e.g. 12-22 in Fig. 6,91-94
in Fig. 12) indicate a strong unidirectional water
flow in an environment of current-swept pelagic
platforms.
4.2. Bimodal
These patterns are either symmetrical or show
a main peak and a less pronounced counterpeak.
Because these two directions partly compensate
each other, the resulting variance (R) is high
(0.01 to 0.26). Bimodal patterns are most com-
mon in various levels of the upper Frasnian/
lower Famennian Kellwasser Limestone (Fig. 9)
which are crowded with small orthoconic nau-
tiloids (Wendt and Belka, 1991). According to
Seilacher (19731, bimodal orientation with two
more or less equivalent peaks indicates wave
rather than current action. Without ignoring this
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186
interpretation, another factor must be taken into
account: apart from a few normal-sized shells,
orthoconic nautiloids in the Kellwasser Lime-
stone are smaller than those found in other
lithologies. The Kellwasser orthocones are almost
parallel-sided and may therefore have been al-
most as easily directed with their apices towards
the main current as with their open body cham-
ber. Moreover, the packing of the shells is often
so tight that they obstructed each other and could
not freely rotate into the main current direction.
Similar bimodal patterns were obtained exposing
belemnite rostra to unidirectional currents in the
flume (Futterer, 1977).
4.3. Quadrimodal
Rose diagrams with two main peaks which are
oriented approximately perpendicular to each
other and which show minor opposite peaks, have
a relatively high variance (R = 0.19-0.53). They
were found only in orthocone accumulations in
the upper Frasnian/ lower Famennian Kellwasser
Limestone (Fig. 9, lot. 67, 69, 74, 84; Fig. 10). As
mentioned above, some levels of this formation
are so tightly packed with orthoconic nautiloids
that individual shells must have hampered each
other. Similar patterns were observed by Urlichs
(1971) in Toarcian (upper Liassic) belemnite
“battlefields” and were also produced in flume
experiments by Futterer (1978b). In these cases
an initially instable position of shells, i.e. with
their long axis perpendicular to the main current,
is the response to weak currents or deposition in
depressions caused by wave action. Such unusual
orientations obstruct subsequently transported
shells which are then deposited in a so-called
T-configuration. Thus, quadrimodal patterns can
be interpreted as an interaction of wave and
current effects, but in the study area they are too
rare to serve as examples at a wider regional
scale.
4.4. Almost random
Totally random orientation has not been ob-
served in any of the analyzed shell accumulations,
but several plots show such a high variance (R =
 drectlons
Current
Ludlowan (1 22)

PraglaniEmslan (23 32)

r- -

1 32 localmes lhsted in Tab. 2

& U. Cretaceous Quaternary

25 km

Fig. 6. Ludiovian and Lower Devonian current directions in the eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco.
174 .I. Wendt/Sedimentaly Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

0.08-0.23) that they are of limited statistical value

only (e.g. lot. 23, 26, 41, 49, 54, 90, 121 in Figs. 6,
8, 9, 12). Some of these diagrams might have
attained a greater significance if more data were
available (e.g. lot. 90 and 1211, but in the major-
ity, an increased number of measurements (up to
3001 did not improve the results. Some of these
rose diagrams with nearly random distribution
represent platform slope or marginal basin envi-
ronments and thus are probably the effect of very
weak and/or polydirectional currents.

5. Application of current patterns to palaeogeog-

rapb

Upper Silurian to Upper Devonian pelagic

platform and basin margin deposits of the eastern
Anti-Atlas of Morocco and Middle Devonian
(Givetian) mud buildup-controlled sediments of
the Ahnet Basin of southern Algeria were used as
examples for the interpretation of current pat-
terns at a wider regional scale. The majority of
measurements represents intervals and regions
whose depositional evolution is well known from
sedimentologic, biostratigraphic and palaeogeo-
graphic studies (Wendt, 1988b; Wendt et al.,
1993).
Fig. 7. Ludlovian orthoceratid limestone, polished bedding-
parallel surface, Jebel Saredrar (lot. l), eastern Anti-Atlas,
Morocco. Current is from upper right (compare Fig. 5 for
6. Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco equivalent rose diagram). Scale bar = 10 cm.

6.1. Ludlovian (Figs. 6, 7)

The black Ludlovian limestones crowded with
myriads of orthoconic nautiloids are probably the
best known examples of shell orientation in an-
cient rocks. There is hardly any shell shop in the
world which does not offer slabs, ash-trays, tables
and other kinds of souvenirs carved and polished
from this rock. In Erfoud (Morocco) and vicinity
an entire industry has arisen which exploits and
processes this limestone, and it will be only a
matter of a few years until this (and other) fossil-
iferous limestones have totally disappeared from
the geologically fascinating scenery of the eastern
Anti-Atlas.
The Orthoceras limestone is a very characteris-
tic level, l-5 m thick, which forms one prominent
or several less conspicuous beds in the lower and
middle Ludlovian. It occurs from the western
Anti-Atlas in Morocco (Destombes et al., 1985)
into the Ougarta Aulacogen in southern Algeria,
extending in a WSW-ENE direction for at least
1000 km. The same level is reported from the
southern margin of the Tindouf Basin, about 300
km south of that line (Ratschiller, 1966) and in
the Mouydir and Illizi basins north of the Hoggar
Massif (Fabre, 1976). Thus, it can be concluded
that the Orthoceras limestone was deposited in
an area of at least 300,000 km2.
The depositional pattern during the Ludlovian
in the eastern Anti-Atlas is still poorly known;
 current dlrections

Elfelian (33-35)

Givetlan (36-44)

L. Frasnian (45-49)

. 34-49 localities listed in Tab.2

MADER BASIN
m Upper Cretaceous
LLyyyl - Quaternary

\
M A DEB
\
\
\

PLATFORM

kf K em Kern
4O

Fig. 8. Middle Devonian and lower Frasnian current directions in the eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco.
 25 km
U. Frasnian / L. Famennian
current directions

. 50-88 localities listed in Tab. 2

- paiaeogeographic boundaries
#

MADER

B A S I N

BASIN
319

Fig. 9. Upper Frasnian/lower Famennian current directions in the eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco.
 J. Wendt/Sedimentary
therefore the current patterns obtained from 22
localities in this area (Fig. 6) must be interpreted
with some caution. In the southern Tafilalt and
Mader, SW to SE directions are expressed, but in
the northern Tafilalt almost the opposite (NNW-
NW) direction is evident. This contrasting pattern
probably indicates deposition on a shallow pelagic
platform which sloped toward south-southeast
and northwest, comparable to that of middle Fa-
mennian times (Fig. 12). Some diagrams (lot. 4,5,
6, 10) show a high variance and probably indicate
slope positions with reduced current velocities.
This interpretation is supported by the local ab-
sence of the Orthocerus limestone in the vicinity
and its replacement by dark shales.
6.2. Pragian-Emsian (Fig. 6)
The biostratigraphic and sedimentologic
knowledge of the Lower Devonian in the eastern
Anti-Atlas is mainly the work of Massa (1965)
and Hollard (1974). According to these studies
the sequence is predominantly argillaceous with
some limestone intercalations in which ortho-
conic nautiloids are very abundant locally. The
most prominent of these levels is of early Emsian
age and is found also in the Ougarta Aulacogen
(“Muraille chinoise”, Moussine-Pouchkine, 1976).
Current patterns are similar to Ludlovian ones,
showing southerly directions in the southern, and
northwest to northeast directions in the northern
Tafilalt. These diverging directions suggest the
persistence of the Ludlovian platform into the
Lower Devonian with an axial zone running ap-
proximately W-E (from Msissi to Rissani and
Merzouga, Fig. 6).
6.3. Middle Devonian-lower Frasnian (Fig. 8)
With the onset of the Eifelian, tensional move-
ments lead to a disintegration of a formerly stable
shelf into pelagic platforms and basins (Wendt,
1985, 1988b). During the Middle Devonian the
Tafilalt Platform was distinguished by slow subsi-
dence and deposition of relatively condensed
(lo-50 m) nodular limestones. South and south-
west of this platform, a depocentre with in-
creased subsidence, the Mader Basin, was estab-
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 171
lished in which Middle Devonian deposits are up
to 500 m thick. Another platform (Mader Plat-
form) was situated farther southwest and proba-
bly continued under the Cretaceous to Quater-
nary cover of the Kern Kern into another area of
strongly reduced deposition SW of Taouz (Fig. 8).
In the area of the Mader Platform, Middle and
early Upper Devonian deposits are preserved only
along its northeastern slope while the central part
of the platform was probably subaerially emer-
gent during that time.
The number of available data per area and
interval is too limited for a clear relation to
particular depositional environments. On the
Tafilalt Platform, opposing directions during the
Givetian are observed which suggest the presence
of slopes towards north-northeast and southeast.
With two exceptions (lot. 33 and 361, rose .dia-
grams from the Mader Basin are bimodal and
indicate NW-SE to W-E currents.
6.4. Late Frasnian /early Famennian (Figs. 9-l 1)
This interval is characterized by widespread
black shales and limestones (Kellwasser facies)
which were deposited on pelagic platforms and in
basin margin environments (Wendt and Belka,
1991). The Tafilalt Platform is very narrow (15-20
km) in the centre and widens towards north and
south (Fig. 9). In the south, the platform contin-
ues in a westerly direction into the Mader Plat-
form, thus encircling a depocentre in the western
part of the study area, the Mader Basin. Only a
small portion of another, much larger basin far-
ther east, the Tafilalt Basin, is preserved in Mo-
rocco. Deposits of this basin continue towards the
east under the Cretaceous to Quaternary cover of
the Hamada du Guir and reappear’ in the
Bechar-Timimoun Basin in southern qgeria. In
the northern Tafilalt, platform deposits pass into
another basin, the Rheris Basin, of which only
the southern margin is exposed.
The black, slightly bituminous limestones con-
tain an enormous wealth of shells among which
orthoconic nautiloids prevail (Figs. 10, 11). On
bedding planes of this lithology, 9725 measure-
ments from 52 localities were made of which 8720
data from 39 localities are shown in Fig. 9. 15
178 J. Wendt/Sedimentaly Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

rose diagrams are more or less bimodal, 13 are

unimodal, 4 are quadrimodal and 7 display a high
variance with a weak unimodal configuration (Ta-
ble 2).
In some areas of the northern and central
Tafilalt Platform, the Kellwasser facies is missing
due to extreme stratigraphic condensation lead-
ing to non-deposition. The absence of this lithol-
ogy on the southern Tafilalt Platform (west of
Taouz) and on the western, Mader Platform (out-
side the area covered by Fig. 9) is due to pre-up-
per Famennian uplift and erosion. The proximity
of a land area in the southern Tafilalt is indicated
by strong siliciclastic influx west-northwest of
Taouz. Thus, the prevailing bimodal orientation

Fig. 11. Vertical cross-section of upper Frasnian Kellwasser

Limestone showing densely packed parallel-oriented ortho-
cones with geopetal voids. South of Jebel Amelane (lot. 74),
eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco. Scale bar = 2 cm.

of shells could be the result of oscillating tidal

currents in a shallow water regime. Deposition in
such an environment could explain the sporadic
quadrimodal orientation which might be at-
tributed to an interaction of wave and current
action. Orientations with a relatively high vari-
ance are found in some areas transitional be-
tween platforms and basins in which unidirec-
tional currents were obviously too weak to cause
typical unimodal patterns.
As a whole, the orientation of orthoconic nau-
tiloids in the upper Frasnian/lower Famennian
shows a rather consistent pattern which is in good
agreement with the palaeogeographic boundaries
(Fig. 9): in the north, W-E to NW-SE currents
Fig. 10. Bedding plane of upper Frasnian Kellwasser Lime-
prevail which are normal or slightly oblique to the
stone showing two main current directions which are almost
perpendicular to each other. Jebel Amelane (lot. 751, eastern platform margins. This orientation is still more
Anti-Atlas, Morocco. Scale bar = 10 cm. pronounced along the Mader Platform and its
 ---
25 km

current directions : TAFILALT

middle Famennian M A D E R

upper Famennian
B A B I N

31

MADER \

PLATFORM.\

Morocco. Inset (square in main Fig.): contrasting orientation patterns on the

Fig. 12. Middle and upper Famennian current directions in the eastern Anti-Atlas,
western “peninsula” of the Tafilalt Platform; arrows indicate individual current directions.
180 .I. Wendt/Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

transition towards the Tafilalt Platform where
directions swing from NW-SE in the east to
NNE-SSW in the west.
6.5. Middle Famennian (Figs. 12, 13)
Following a regression in the late lower Fa-
mennian (rhomboidea-Zone), another rise of
sea-level during the middle Famennian (margini-
fera-Zone) caused the wide-spread deposition of
condensed cephalopod limestones on the north-
ern and central Tafilalt Platform (Wendt, 1988b).
With respect to the Frasnian/Famennian transi-
tion, this platform has become more restricted
and the adiacent Tafilalt and Mader basins more
enlarged. Middle Famennian cephalopod lime-
stones were deposited only on the northern and
central Tafilalt Platform, while its southern por-
tion (Oued Ziz SW of Taouz) and the Mader
Platform were probably emergent and subject to
erosion. The probable connection between both
platforms is concealed by overlying Cretaceous to
Quaternary deposits of the Kern Kern.
The middle Famennian cephalopod limestones
contain numerous goniatites and orthoconic nau-
tiloids (Fig. 13). The latter are much more scat-
tered than in the Kellwasser Limestone (average
of lo-30 specimens per square metre), but gener-
ally much larger (up to 0.5 m long). In the eastern
Anti-Atlas 6295 measurements from 33 localities

Fig. 13. Parallel-oriented orthocones in middle Famennian cephalopod limestone, eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco. (a) Partially
polished bedding plane, northern Tafilah Platform (commercial slab). Current is from lower left. Scale bar (upper right) = 10 cm.
(b) Naturally weathered surface. Oued Talilit (7 km west of lot. 94). Current is from bottom to top. Coin for scale.
 J. Wendt /Sedimentary
were made, of which 6081 from 26 localities are
shown in Fig. 12. The paucity of data from basi-
nal environments is due to the fact that ortho-
conic nautiloids are almost lacking in these de-
posits.
The majority of the rose diagrams is unimodal
though a few show a high variance. The resulting
current directions, however, display a peculiar
pattern: in the western and northwestern part of
the platform (lot. 91-93, 105-1081, currents are
directed towards the west and northwest, whereas
on the eastern and central platform (lot. 96,
109- 1131, current directions towards the south-
east are evident. This configuration mimics a
similar one observed on opposing flanks of the
McWhae Ridge in the Canning Basin in NW
Australia (Playford, 1980). In this place the con-
trasting directional pattern of orthoconic nau-
tiloids can be explained as a mere gravitational
effect: the conical shells were deposited with the
apex upward, i.e. in their most stable position, on
a steep (34”) flank. In the eastern Anti-Atlas of
Morocco the inclination of the platform slope
cannot be precisely established. Taking into ac-
count the occurrence of local slump-folds and
debris flows along the platform margins as well as
the overall depositional pattern, the slope was
certainly less steep than 5”. The well-pronounced
orientation of orthoconic nautiloids must there-
fore be the result of platform-derived currents
and not a gravitational feature.
The puzzling directional pattern on the
“peninsula” of the western slope of the Tafilalt
Platform (lot. 97-104) is difficult to explain (Fig.
12, inset). In the north (lot. 103, 104) currents are
directed towards the southeast, while in the cen-
tre, only a few kilometres farther south (lot.
99-102) the opposite direction prevails. Farther
south (lot. 97, 98) SE and NE directions are
observed. These diverging currents may be the
effect of a local micro-relief which is indicated by
the local non-sedimentation of upper Frasnianj’
lower Famennian Kellwasser Limestone in this
area.
Current measurements obtained from platform
margin and marginal basin positions (lot. 106,
11l- 114) display a high variance or an almost
random pattern (lot. 90). Orthocones in these
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 1x1
areas are much rarer and currents were obviously
much weaker than on the Tafilalt Platform
proper.
6.6. Upper Famennian (Fig. 12)
During the last Devonian highstand of sea-level
during the late Famennian (expansa-Zone), the
entire eastern Anti-Atlas became submerged. The
Tafilalt Platform was reduced to a 75 km long
(N-S) and 7-20 km wide (W-E) pelagic ridge
separating the Tafilalt Basin in the east from the
Mader Basin in the west. The southern Tafilalt
Platform and the Mader Platform which were
previously emergent and deeply eroded. were
flooded and covered by a few metres of cephalo-
pod wackestones (Wendt, 1988b). Orthoconic
nautiloids are generally too scarce to be statisti-
cally analyzed. Only in seven localities could partly
representative data be collected which are consis-
tent with neighbouring middle Famennian pat-
terns. They show that the overall current regime
continued into late Famennian times.
7. Southern Algeria
7.1. Ougarta Aulacogen
About 2100 current measurements were made
in Ludlovian, Lower Devonian and upper Fras-
nian deposits of the Ougarta Aulacogen and its
southern continuation (Gourara) (Table 1).
Ludlovian and Lower Devonian patterns are
somewhat contrasting and display a high vari-
ance. The orientation of orthoconic nautiloids in
the upper Frasnian basinal Kellwasser shale/
limestone sequence near Marhouma (25 km
southeast of Beni Abbes) is almost random, thus
confirming observations made in other basin mar-
gin environments of the same age in the eastern
Anti-Atlas. A rose diagram obtained from the
coeval (upper gigas/Zinguiformis-Zone) Kell-
wasser Limestone at Hassi Fegaguira (Gourara)
shows an asymmetric-bimodal pattern similar to
those typical for the same level and environment
in the eastern Anti-Atlas. This configuration indi-
cates the proximity of a pelagic ridge which is still
182 J. Wendt /Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

- 25’37’38” N

,-::y~‘;’

I
:I >I,~,,.
,,!,,:,,':,'::',~Li-" Stromatactis boundstone
,. /, ~A.~l:,~:~:i
~,.:::‘~~_‘-~~_‘
(core facies)

crinoid wackestone
i
.
(flank facies)

cephalopod wackestone
(flank facies)

styliolinid wacke-lgrainstone
(capping facies)

Fig. 14. Radial pattern of gravitational orientation of orthoconic nautiloids (direction of apex is plotted) from cephalopod limestone
onlapping mound 34 at Azzel Matti, Ahnet Basin, Algeria (lot. 122, A-G).
 J. Wendt/Sedimentary
concealed by younger deposits or eroded. Cur-
rents in this locality are directed towards the
southeast, similar to those indicated by foresets in
the overlying lower Famennian shale/ sandstone
sequence.
Ludlovian and Devonian deposits in the entire
area which is part of the Bechar-Timimoun Basin,
are too sparsely distributed to allow reconstruc-
tions of the current regime at a wider regional
scale.
7.2. Middle Devonian of the southern Ahnet Basin
The southern part of the Timimoun-Bechar
Basin is commonly named Ahnet Basin or Oued
Djaret Basin and comprises an approximately
2000 km long festoon of Devonian strata which
surround the northwestern part of the Precam-
brian Hoggar Massif and its Cambrian to Silurian
Fig. 15. Summary of shell orientations examined in the present study. I = orthoconic
corals; 4 = crinoid stems; 5 = goniatites; 6 = styliolinids. Not to scale.
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 183
cover. Several N-S running ridges which are dis-
tinguished by discontinuous sedimentation (e.g.
ridge of Foum Belrem, ridge of Amguid), sepa-
rate this basin into individual depocentres (Mous-
sine-Pouchkine, 1976). Sea-level was highest dur-
ing the Middle Devonian as is indicated by the
extension of fully marine deposits as far as into
the Tamesna Basin south of the Hoggar Massif
(Fig. 1; Claret and Tempere, 1968). Most wide-
spread are styliolinid packstones which bear little
evidence of current activity. The myriads of styli-
olinids often show a preferential orientation
which, however, as stated above, cannot be used
for current analysis. Orthoconic nautiloids are
rare in this lithology and have yielded significant
data only from 19 localities (3573 measurements)
which are scattered over an area of about 30,000
km’. Currents show contrasting patterns and
probably reflect the presence of local ridges which
nautiloids; 2 = gastropod% 3 = solitary rugose
184 .I. Wendt /Sedimentary
are not yet well documented by palaeogeographic
and sedimentologic studies.
A special feature of the early Givetian in the
southern Ahnet Basin is the occurrence of spec-
tacular carbonate mud mounds and mud ridges
which are best developed in the Ahnet area
(Wendt et al., 1993) and which occur also in one
place in the Mouydir (Moussine-Pouchkine, 1976).
Mounds are up to 40 m high and ridges up to 85
m high; both show original slopes of 25” to 65”.
They are partially onlapped by cephalopod
wackestones which contain some goniatites and
numerous orthoconic nautiloids. Orientation
measurements confirm the pronounced direc-
tional patterns of orthocones which are very evi-
dent already in the field. Measurements made
around individual mounds, however, reveal a pe-
culiarity: the majority of the orthocones is ori-
ented with their apices toward the top of the
equivalent mound (Fig. 14). A similar configura-
tion is observed on either side of mud ridges
which may be up to 8 km long. This circular (or
opposed, in case of ridges) pattern of conical
shells cannot be explained by currents, but on the
contrary only by deposition in calm, deeper wa-
ter. At a distance of some tens of metres away
from the mud buildups, the orthoconic nautiloids
almost disappear in these marker beds. This fact
suggests that the cephalopods lived at the foot of
the mounds and ridges and that their shells were
embedded in the most stable position, i.e. with
their apertural ends down-dip. Post-mortem
transport, if present, played only a minor role.
The agreement of this kind of shell orientation
with a similar one on both sides of a Frasnian
pelagic ridge in the Canning Basin of Australia
(Playford, 1980) is evident.
8. Conclusions
Over 50,000 directional data were collected in
Ludlovian to ,upper Famennian deposits from the
eastern Anti-Atlas (Morocco), Ougarta Aulaco-
gen and Ahnet Basin (both Algeria). They have
yielded the following information on the applica-
tion and reliability of shell orientation for
palaeocurrent analysis:
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186
(1) Conical shells (orthoconic nautiloids, soli-
tary corals, high-spired gastropods) tend to be
directed with their apices up-stream and thus can
be used as current indicators (Fig. 15). Cylindrical
hard parts (crinoid stems, branches of tabulate
corals) are generally orientated parallel, but occa-
sionally also perpendicular to the main current
direction. The apertural ends of coiled
cephalopods may locally be rotated into a down-
stream position, but in most places they do not
show an agreement with coeval orthocone orien-
tations. Styliolinids may show good directional
patterns, but these differ so much in adjacent
samples that these shells cannot be used as cur-
rent indicators in packstones. Tentaculites seem
to behave in a similar manner.
(2) The number of data per locality or sample
should not be less than 100; 200 yield a confident
average; more than 300 data generally do not
significantly improve the reliability of the analy-
sis. Individual field data should be collected from
100 m2 or more in order to avoid accidental
configurations which might reflect misleading lo-
cal factors.
Apart from local outcrop conditions, the nec-
essary or desirable number of data plots depends
on palaeogeographic and depositional factors. In
the present study, the number of analyzed locali-
ties from one interval ranges from 1 per 10 km*
(upper Frasnian/ lower Famennian Kellwasser
Limestone, eastern Anti-Atlas) to 1 per 1000 km*
(Middle Devonian, eastern Anti-Atlas). The ana-
lytical evidence of the l/10 ratio can hardly be
improved; the l/1000 ratio allows only some
speculations on the overall current regime. Gen-
erally, one plot per 100 km2 yields a satisfactory
base for large-scale current analysis. In particular
palaeogeographic environments (Givetian mud
buildups, Algeria), sample plots must be much
more closely spaced (1 per 0.01 km21 in order to
yield unequivocal information.
(3) Rose diagrams obtained from directional
measurements are uni-, bi-, quadrimodal, or al-
most random, or display transitions between these
patterns. The majority of the analyzed rocks
yielded unimodal diagrams reflecting unidirec-
tional currents. Bimodal diagrams prevail in the
upper Frasnian/ lower Famennian Kellwasser
 J. Wendt/Sedimentary
Limestone. Extremely tight packing of the shells
which obstructed each other, and their almost
parallel-sided shape is believed to produce this
pattern. Quadrimodal diagrams are very rare and
were obtained only from the Kellwasser Lime-
stone. An interaction of current and wave activity
may be the cause of this configuration. Rose
diagrams obtained from platform slope and basin
margin lithologies often show a high variance or
an almost random distribution. Weaker and/or
polydirectional currents have probably caused
these less distinctive patterns. The direction of
currents in deeper parts of the basins cannot be
recognized, because the distinctive shells are ex-
tremely rare or lacking in these deposits.
(4) The information of rose diagrams is in-
creased if these can be related to a well-estab-
lished palaeogeography and facies distribution.
This relationship was tested in a 23,000 km* area
in the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco where a
previously rather uniform shallow shelf environ-
ment disintegrated in the early Middle Devonian.
Subsequently, pelagic platforms and basins arose
whose boundaries migrate in time and space dur-
ing the Middle and Late Devonian. Maps of
current patterns were sketched for the following
intervals: Ludlovian, Pragian/ Emsian, Eifelian,
Givetian, early Frasnian, late Frasnian/ early Fa-
mennian, middle Famennian, late Famennian.
Ludlovian data reveal the existence of a W-E to
NW-SE running ridge or platform as is indicated
by off-platform currents towards the northwest
and southeast. More scattered data from Pra-
gian/Emsian rocks suggest that this feature was
maintained until the end of the Early Devonian,
but the precise palaeogeographic configuration
during that interval is still insufficiently known,
Eifelian to early Frasnian data show prevailing
NW-SE currents which are more or less parallel
to platform-basin boundaries, but they display a
higher variance compared to Upper Silurian/’
Lower Devonian patterns.
The greatest number of data from one interval
(9725 measurements from 52 localities) was gath-
ered from the upper Frasnian/lower Famennian
Kellwasser Limestone which contains some levels
extremely rich in orthoconic nautiloids. The ob-
tained rose diagrams indicate currents oriented
Geology 95 (1995) 161-186 185
perpendicular or oblique to palaeogeographic
boundaries. Pronounced unimodal configurations
show that currents were directed off the plat-
forms into the adjacent basins. These directions
did not considerably change during the middle
Famennian. A WSW-ENE running zone of maxi-
mum elevation on the pelagic Tafilalt Platform
separated NW-directed (into the Rheris Basin)
currents from opposed, SE-directed (into the
Tafilalt Basin) currents. This current regime ap-
pears to continue into the late Famennian, but
the limited data preclude more detailed informa-
tion about equivalent platform/ basin relation-
ships during that interval.
(5) Cephalopod limestones which onlap early
Givetian mud mounds and mud ridges in the
Ahnet Basin of southern Algeria contain numer-
ous well-oriented orthoconic nautiloids. In con-
trast to the generally unidirectional patterns ob-
served in the eastern Anti-Atlas of Morocco,
these orthocones are always directed with their
apices towards the top of the equivalent mound
or ridge. This pattern demonstrates the absence
of currents and indicates a merely gravitational
deposition of the conical shells in their most
stable position. This is an example of an ex-
tremely pronounced relationship between shell
direction and palaeogeography. Thus, not always
do shell orientations reflect particular current
patterns, but as a rule this conclusion is con-
firmed by the present study.
Acknowledgements
Field work was supported by the Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The collection
of field data was made possible by the help of T.
Aigner, Z. Belka, J. Hayer, B. Kaufmann, R.
Kostrewa (all Tiibingen), W. Blendinger (Rijs-
wijk, The Netherlands) and C. Richter (Houston,
Texas). I am grateful to M. Bensaid and M.
Dahmani (Minis&e de 1’Energie et des Mines,
Rabat, Morocco) for logistic advice and al-
lowance to export samples. U. Asprion (Tiibin-
gen) helped with the statistical data analysis. W.
Gerber, R. Krausser, H. Vollmer, and G. Wahl
(all Tiibingen) gave technical assistance. The
186 J. Wendt /Sedimentary Geology 95 (1995) 161-186

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