Morphographic study of Permian palynomorphs: Callumispora, Parasaccites, Crucisaccties and Faunipollenites

Abstract

Taxonomy is the primary requisite for biostratigraphy, and objective resolution of organisations as well as finer morphography leads to effective circumscription of taxa for taxonomy. Obviously, such an approach is critical for dispersed microfossils where form and shape remain the only tools for classification.

The palaeopalynology has come to its age and the inevitable discrepancies which had crept in during its initial stage, have been now identified in delimitation of taxa. In this catalogue, an attempt has been made to review the generic and specific groups in four Permian palynotaxa, viz., Callumispora, Parasaccites, Crucisaccites and Faunipollenites. On this line of approach, more taxa will be taken up subsequently, with a view to streamline their taxonomic treatment. The ultimate aim is to evolve a simplar, logical and practical system of identification based on major qualitative expressions of spore-pollen construction and exine characters.

The relative abundance of these four genera through Lower Gondwana formations of India has also been determined and their index value discussed. As such, the distribution of species of these genera is not known from the earlier works. It is therefore hoped that future workers would deal with each genus up to the specific level for determination of their distribution which will prove very useful for finer correlation. Only the selected species of distinct identity and restricted range have real practical value in biostratigraphy.