Open AccessTHE ORGANISMS OF THE TERMINAL PRECAMBRIAN OF THE WESTERN AFRICAN CRATON
The terminal Precamhrian (Lipalian) of the western African Craton, in the Adrar of Mauritania, has provided, especially in the Guelb er Richát, many organisms with an archaic structure, often very simple. It concerns some coccoides, often grouped in more or less complex spheroides according to an evolutionary pattern that could be accurately established. The understanding of fossil forms from the Precambrian is, to a great extent, the result of an interpretation made of an included ‘black spot', which one adopted for the emissions of substance produced by these forms. Compared to the present species, the Precambrian organisms recall the coccoid Bacteria and the Cyanophyceae.
These microorganisms are oolithes in origin and are by no means mineral, since they contain stain-sensitive glucides with Schiff’s reagent following the action of periodic acid. These forms, usually spherical, are classified amongst the Oncolithes.
These organisms are also responsible for the massive calcareous or dolomitic reefs reaching considerable thickness and containing some known stromatolites in many parts of the world. Stromatolites are Conophyton. Collenia . . . They are spherical, lamellate or columnar. These reef formations of Africa reach a thickness of 3 000 m in the Adoudounian of Collenia of the Anti-Atlas, of 600 m in the Zemmour, of 150 m in the Adrar of Mauritania, of 100 m in the cliff of Hank in the north of the Taoudeni Basin.