Palynological fossils from the Oligocene sediments and their Biostratigraphy in the District of Kutch, Western India

R.K. Kar

doi:10.54991/jop.1977.1047

Authors

R.K. Kar Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow 226007, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1977.1047

Keywords:

Palaeopalynology, Fungal elements, Microplanktons, Oligocene, Kutch (India)

Abstract

Palynological microfossils obtained from the Barkhana nala cutting; cart-track junction of the villages Goela-Walasar and Fulai-Ramania and the exposure in the nala near the villages Ber-Mota and Maniyara Fort have been described. They consist of pteridophytic spores, gymnospermous and angiospermous pollen, fungal elements and microplanktons. The microfossils have been described under 39 genera and 33 identifiable species. Amongst them, 12 genera and 11 species belong to pteridophytic group, 1 genus and 1 species to gymnosperms and 12 genera and 9 species to angiospermic pollen grains. Besides, 7 genera and 6 species belong to fungi and 7 genera and 6 species to microplanktons.

The section from the Barkhana nala cutting yielded all types of microfossils whereas from the section near the cart-track junction mostly microplanktons could be recovered. The exposure near the Ber-Mota Village is very poor in spore-pollen and only a few fungal spores and microplanktons could be recovered. Three palynological zones have been proposed and a percentage chart has been given for the important palynological taxa. The palynological assemblages have also been compared with the Eocene, Oligocene and Miocene biostratigraphic assemblages of Kutch, Assam and South India.

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