Palynology of the Mesozoic sediments exposed near Ellichpur, Maharashtra

Abstract

The paper records palynofossils from the dark grey shales/clays (inliers) exposed at Belkher Village, north of Ellichpur town in Maharashtra. The assemblage contains 41 species assigned to 22 genera and is characterised by pteridophytic and bryophytic components, viz., Callispora potoniei, Contignisporites glebulentus, Murospora, Triporoletes reticulatus, Coptospora kutchensis, Cooksonites cf. C. rajmahalensis, etc. The prominence of Callialasporites followed by Podocarpidites, Alisporites and Araucariacites is noteworthy. The assemblage is comparable to the palynozones-D of Rajmahal Hills, the assemblage recovered from Sivaganga area of Cauvery Basin, and Dharesi nala section of Bhuj Formation, Kutch Basin, which are assigned a Neocomian-Aptian age. The presence of spore-pollen, algal or fungal entities suggests freshwater conditions during deposition.