Foraminifera from the Bagb Group, Narmada Basin, India

The sediments of the Bagh Group lack keeled Cretaceous index/zone foraminifera, and therefore, are not suitable for standard biostratigraphic zonation. However, abundance of certain foraminiferal taxa, viz. Gavelinella piummerae, Siphogenerinoides clarki, species of Hedbergella, Archaeoglobigerina and Heterohelix globulosaare noticed in Nimar Sandstone Formation, Nodular Limestone Formation, and Chirakhan Limestone Formation respectively.

Overall foraminiferal assemblage which consists of more than 90% benthic and less than 10% planktonic elements is cosmopolitan and suggests a normal shallow marine environment of deposition. Frequency of foraminifera increases from the calc top ofNimar Sandstone to the uppermost marl and hence represents a transgressive phase.

The Bagh assemblage does not permit bed by bed correlation with the Cretaceous of Cauvery basin.