Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Palynofloral Study of the Intertrappean Bed Exposed at a New Locality in Kutch District, Gujarat and its Implications on Palaeoenvironment and Age


Affiliations
1 Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow - 226 007, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


A palynofloral assemblage has been recorded from the intertrappean bed exposed at a new locality, near Naredi, on Naliya-Narayan Sarovar Road in western Kutch, Gujarat. This intertrappean bed (ca. 0.6 m thick) of grey laminated clay is underlain and overlain by the volcanic traps. The assemblage recovered from this bed includes algal and fungal remains, pteridophytic spores, angiospermous pollen as well as cuticles of terrestrial plants. Important palynotaxa recovered are Azolla sp., Lygodiumsporites lakiensis, Polypodiaceaesporites intrapunctatus, Compositoipollenites argutus, C. conicus, Graminidites media, Ladakhipollenites minutus, Lakiapollis ovatus, Matanomadhiasulcites sp., etc. Besides, a variety of fungal remains belonging to the genera Dictyosporites, Frasnacritetrus (Tetraploa), Kutchiathyrites, Palaeomycites (VAM fungi), Papulosporonites, Parmathyrites, Phragmothyrites, Polycellaesporonites (Alternaria), etc. have been recorded. It has been deduced that this intertrappean bed was deposited in a shallow depression over the trap during short interval of quiescence in a tropical-subtropical climate. The age of the intertrappean bed is suggested as Early Palaeocene.

Keywords

Palynoflora, Palaeoenvironment, Early Palaeocene, Intertrappean Bed, Kutch, Gujarat.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • ALEXANDER, P.O. (1981) Age and duration of Deccan volcanism: K-Ar evidence. In: K.V. Subbarao and R.N. Sukheswala (Eds.), Deccan volcanism and related basalt provinces in other parts of the world. Mem. Geol. Soc. India no.3, Rashtrothana Press, pp.244-258.
  • BAJPAI, S. and PRASAD, G.V.R. (2000) Cretaceous age for Ir-rich Deccan intertrappean deposits: Palaeontological evidence from Anjar, western India. Jour. Geol. Soc. London v.157, pp.257-260.
  • BANDE, M.B., CHANDRA, A., VENKATACHALA, B.S. and MEHROTRA, R.C. (1988) Deccan intertrappean floristics and its stratigraphic implications. In: H.K. Maheshwari (Ed.), Palaeocene of India: Proceedings of the Symposium on Palaeocene of India: limits and subdivisions Lucknow 1986. Indian Association of Palynostratigraphers, Lucknow, pp.83-123.
  • BHANDARI, A. and COLIN, J.-P. (1999) Limnic ostracods from the inter-trappean sediments (uppermost Maastrichtian-basal Paleocene) near Anjar (Kachchh, Gujarat State), India: Systematics, palaeoecology and palaeobiogeographical affinities. Rev. de Micropaleontologie v.42, no.1, pp.3-20.
  • COURTILLOT, V., BESSE, J., VANDAMME, D., MONTIGNY, R., JAEGER, J.J. and CAPETTA, H. (1986) Deccan flood basalt at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., v.80, pp.361-374.
  • COURTILLOT, V., FERAUD, G., MALUSKI, H., VANDAMME, D., MOREAU, M.G. and BESSE, J. (1988) Deccan flood basalt at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Nature, v.333, pp.843-846.
  • COURTILLOT, V., GALLET, Y., ROCCHIA, R., FERAUD, G., ROBIN, E., HOFMANN, C., BHANDARI, N. and GHEVARIYA, Z.G. (2000) Cosmic markers, 40Ar/39Ar dating and palaeomagnetism of the KT section in the Anjar area of the Deccan large igneous province. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., v.182, pp.137-156.
  • DOGRA, N.N., SINGH, Y.R. and SINGH, R.Y. (2004) Palynological assemblage from the Anjar intertrappeans, Kutch district, Gujarat: Age implications. Curr. Sci., v.86(12), pp.1597.
  • GULERIA, J.S. and SRIVASTAVA, R. (2001) Fossil dicotyledonous woods from the Deccan intertrappean beds of Kachchh, Gujarat, Western India. Palaeontographica Abt. B, v.257, pp.17-33.
  • KAR, R.K. and KUMAR, M. (1986) Palaeocene palynostratigraphy of Meghalaya. Pollen Spores, v.28, pp.177-217.
  • KAR, R.K., SAHNI, A., AMBWANI, K. and SINGH, R.S. (1998) Palynology of Indian onshore-offshore Maastrichtian sequences in India: implication for correlation and palaeobiogeography. Indian Jour. Petrol. Geol., v.7, pp.39-49.
  • KAR, R.K. and SRINIVASAN, S. (1998) Late Cretaceous palynofossils from the Deccan intertrappean beds of Mohgaon-Kalan, Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh. Geophytology, v.27, pp.17-22.
  • KHADKIKAR, A.S., SANT, D.A., GOGTE, V. and KARANTH, R.V. (1999) The influence of Deccan volcanism on climate: insights from lacustrine intertrappean deposits, Anjar, western India. Palaeog. Palaeocl. Palaeoeco., v.147, pp.72-80.
  • KHANNA, S.N. and MOHAN, M. (1965) Intertrappean Beds of Kutch, western India. Bull. Geol. Soc. India, v.2(2), pp.48-51.
  • MATHUR, Y.K. and SHARMA, K.D. (1990) Palynofossils and age of the Ranipur intertrappean bed, Gaur river, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. In: A. Sahni and A. Jolly (Eds.), Cretaceous event stratigraphy and the correlation of the Indian non-marine strata. Contribution Sem. Wokshop IGCP-216, -245, Chandigarh, pp.58-59.
  • MEHROTRA, N.C. (1983) Palynology of Mikir Formation in the type area. Geosci. Jour., v.4(1), pp.1-34.
  • PRAKASH, T., SINGH R.Y. and SAHNI, A. (1990) Palynological assemblage from the Padwar Deccan intertrappean (Jabalpur), M.P. In: A. Sahni and A. Jolly (Eds.), Cretaceous event stratigraphy and the correlation of the Indian non-marine strata. Contribution Sem. Wokshop IGCP-216, 245, Chandigarh, pp.68-69.
  • SAXENA, R.K. (1978) Palynology of the Matanomadh Formation in type area, north-western Kutch, India (Part 1). Systematic description of pteridophytic spores. Palaeobotanist, v.25, pp.448-456.
  • SAXENA, R.K. (1979) Palynology of the Matanomadh Formation in type area, north-western Kutch, India (Part 2). Systematic description of gymnospermous and angiospermous pollen grains. Palaeobotanist, v.26(2), pp.130-143.
  • SINGH, R.S. and KAR, R. (2003) Palynological assemblage from the Deccan intertrappean sediments, Lalitpur, U.P., India. Gondwana Geol. Mag. Spec. Vol., no.6, pp.217-223.
  • SINGH, R.S., KAR, R. and PRASAD, G.V.R. (2006) Palynological constraints on the age of mammal-yielding Deccan intertrappean beds of Naskal, Rangareddi district, Andhra Pradesh. Curr. Sci., v.90, pp.1281-1285.
  • SINGH R.Y. (1977) Stratigraphy and palynology of the Tura Formation in the type area-Part II (Descriptive palynology). Palaeobotanist, v.23(3), pp.189-205.
  • SRIVASTAVA, J.P., SALIL, M.S. and PATTANAYAK, S.K. (2000) Clay mineralogy of Ir-bearing Anjar intertrappean, Kutch, Gujarat, India: Inferences on palaeoenvironment. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.55, pp.197-206.
  • SUBBARAO, K.V., CHANDRASEKHARAM, D., NAVANEETHAKRISHNAN, P. and Hooper, P.R. (1994) Stratigraphy and structure of parts of the central Deccan basalts province: eruptive models. In: K.V. Subbarao (Ed.), Volcanism. Wiley Eastern, New Delhi, pp.321-332.
  • TRIPATHI, S.K.M. and SINGH, H.P. (1985). Palynology of the Jaintia Group (Palaeocene-Eocene) exposed along Jowai-Sonapur Road, Meghalaya, India (Part I). Systematic palynology. Geophytology, v.15(2), pp.164-187.
  • VENKATESAN, T.R., PANDE, K. and GHEVARIYA, Z.G. (1996) 40Ar-39Ar ages of the Anjar traps, western traps, western Deccan province (India) and its relation to the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary event. Curr. Sci., v.70, pp.990-996.
  • VENKATESAN, T.R., PANDE, K. and GOPALAN, K. (1993) Did Deccan volcanism pre-date the Cretaceous/Tertiary transition? Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., v.119, pp.181-189.
  • Whatley, R. and Bajpai, S. (2000) Further nonmarine Ostracoda from the Late Cretaceous intertrappean deposits of the Anjar region, Kachchh, Gujarat, India. Rev. de Micropaleontologie, v.43, Issue 1, pp.173-178.
  • WIDDOWSON, M., PRINGLE, M.S. and FERNANDEZ, O.A. (2000) A post K-T boundary (Early Palaeocene) age for Deccan-type feeder dykes, Goa, India. Jour. Petrol., v.41, pp.1177-1194.

Abstract Views: 193

PDF Views: 0




  • Palynofloral Study of the Intertrappean Bed Exposed at a New Locality in Kutch District, Gujarat and its Implications on Palaeoenvironment and Age

Abstract Views: 193  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

R. K. Saxena
Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow - 226 007, India
P. S. Ranhotra
Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow - 226 007, India

Abstract


A palynofloral assemblage has been recorded from the intertrappean bed exposed at a new locality, near Naredi, on Naliya-Narayan Sarovar Road in western Kutch, Gujarat. This intertrappean bed (ca. 0.6 m thick) of grey laminated clay is underlain and overlain by the volcanic traps. The assemblage recovered from this bed includes algal and fungal remains, pteridophytic spores, angiospermous pollen as well as cuticles of terrestrial plants. Important palynotaxa recovered are Azolla sp., Lygodiumsporites lakiensis, Polypodiaceaesporites intrapunctatus, Compositoipollenites argutus, C. conicus, Graminidites media, Ladakhipollenites minutus, Lakiapollis ovatus, Matanomadhiasulcites sp., etc. Besides, a variety of fungal remains belonging to the genera Dictyosporites, Frasnacritetrus (Tetraploa), Kutchiathyrites, Palaeomycites (VAM fungi), Papulosporonites, Parmathyrites, Phragmothyrites, Polycellaesporonites (Alternaria), etc. have been recorded. It has been deduced that this intertrappean bed was deposited in a shallow depression over the trap during short interval of quiescence in a tropical-subtropical climate. The age of the intertrappean bed is suggested as Early Palaeocene.

Keywords


Palynoflora, Palaeoenvironment, Early Palaeocene, Intertrappean Bed, Kutch, Gujarat.

References