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An Integrated Inquiry of Early Cretaceous Flora,

Palar Basin, India
Article in Phytomorphology: An International Journal of Plant Morphology January 2010

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A. RAJANIKANTH
Phytomorphology
60 et
(1 &
al.3) 2010,
An Integrated
21-28 Inquiry of Early Cretaceous Flora, Palar Basin, India

21

An Integrated Inquiry of Early Cretaceous Flora, Palar Basin, India

A. Rajanikanth1, Anil Agarwal1 and A. Stephen2*
1 Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow-226007, U.P., India
2 French Institute of Pondicherry, 11, St. Louis Street, PB 33, Pondicherry-605001, India

ABSTRACT
The Palar Basin is one of the 17 river basins that exist in India. The basin embodies an Archean metamorphic complex
overlain by the Gondwana sediments represented by the Lower Gondwana sequence (Fluvio-glacial deposits of Early
Permian) with a northeast-southwest trend. The Sriperumbudur Formation, named after Sriperumbudur town in South
India, near Chennai constitutes a part of Early Cretaceous outcrops along the east coast and characterized by marine
intercalations in between the fresh water Upper Gondwana sequence. The Sriperumbudur formation is exposed in the
Palar Basin is about 600 m thick and characterized by the splintery, gray and greenish shales containing dark-gray gypseous
clay and interbedded sandstone, ironstone and limestone. The palaeovegetational diversity and phytogeographic distribution
of the Sriperumbudur flora are discussed in comparison with various coeval floras of Indian peninsula along with the
other Gondwanan regions. The palynofloral assemblage comprises spore/pollen assignable to bryophytes, pteridophytes
and gymnosperms. The plant megafossil evidences when viewed in conjunction with faunal and palyno floral evidences
indicate an early Cretaceous age. The palaeogeographic analysis suggests occurrence of post-gondwanan cosmopolitan
flora (pre-angiosperms) in the east coastal regions during early Cretaceous times and comparable with other gondwanan
continental floras.
Key words: Early Cretaceous, biodiversity, palaeovegetation, palaeoclimate, sriperumbudur, Palar basin, India
Author for correspondence e-mail: stephanos.crown@gmail.com

Introduction
The east coast of India encompasses a number of
unconnected outcrops often referred Coastal
Gondwanas. These continental rock sequences with
thin marine intercalations were given Upper Gondwana
status, which include co-equivalent, paralic and lagoonal
Mesozoic sediments distributed in detached outcrops
parallel to the shoreline. These sediments distributed in
different basins/grabens - Cauvery, Palar, KrishnaGodavari, Pranhita-Godavari and Mahanadi are
characterized by Ptilophyllum flora (Venkatachala, 1977;
Bose et al., 1990; Rajanikanth et al., 2000). The geology
and stratigraphy of different sedimentary basins of east
coast are relatively well known (Foote, 1873; Oldham,
1893; King, 1958; Sastry et al., 1981; Dutta et al., 1983;
Lal et al., 2009; Kumaraguru et al., 1994; Vaidyanadhan
& Ramakrishanan, 2008).
The Palar Basin is one of the seventeen river basins
in Tamil Nadu. It covers an area of about 18,300 sq.
km. extending to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The
Palar Basin basement is composed of an Archean
metamorphic complex overlain by the Gondwana
sediments - Fluvio-glacial deposits of Early Permian
(Lower Gondwana). The Upper Gondwana sequence

was represented by the Sriperumbudur beds (Early

Cretaceous) characterized by marine intercalations. The
succeeding sequence deposited under littoral to near
shore fluvial conditions (Avadi and Satyavedu
formations). The Tertiary sequence is corresponded by
the Cuddalore Sandstone. This in turn is overlain by the
Kanchivaram Gravel and Pliestocene laterites and
conglomerates of fluvial nature. On the top lie the
Holocene alluvial sands and clays. The early Cretaceous
Sriperumbudur Formation is characterized by arenaceous
and argillaceous rock units comprising splintery green
shale, clays and sandstones with ironstone intercalations
and on conformably overlying either the Precambrian
basement or Precambrian boulder beds and green shales.
The beds contain marine intercalations (Murthy & Sastry,
1961). Their lithologic suites and fossil fauna are
suggestive of deposition under shallow and brackish
conditions, probably close to the shoreline (Sastry et al.,
1974). The mega plant fossils were mostly preserved
in the form of fossil leaves represented by the species
of Cladophlebis (Pteridophytes), Dictyozamites,
Taeniopteris, Pterophyllum (Cycadophytes) Araucarites,
Conites (Coniferales), Ginkgoites (Ginkgoales) and
petrified wood fossils belonging to conifers (Fiestmantel,

22

1879; Seward & Sahni, 1920; Sahni, 1928, 1931;

Suryanarayana, 1954, 1956; Bose et al., 1990). Several
species of pycynoxylic woods belonging to the conifers
were also reported from the upper Gondwana sediments
of the Sriperumbudur Formation, Palar Basin in Tamil
Nadu, India. These include Cupressinoxylon
coromandelinum, Mesembrioxylon sp. (Sahni, 1931), M.
thirumangalense (Suryanarayana, 1953), Araucarioxylon
giftii, Araucarioxylon rajivii (Jeyasingh & Kumarasamy,
1994a), Araucarioxylon mosurense (Jeyasingh &
Kumarasamy, 1995). Besides, Pityospermum Nathorst
too was recorded from the Sriperumbudur Formation
(Jeyasingh & Kumarasamy, 1994b). The floral
assemblage in general is dominated by conifers followed
by cycadophytes and ferns. Pteridosperms and Ginkgoales
are poorly represented. Foote (1868) compared
Sriperumbudur megaflora with that of Rajmahal. A
Jurassic affinity to this flora was also suggested
(Fiestmantel, 1879; Bose, 1966). Besides extensive work
on surface and subsurface sequences of this formation
have yielded rich palyno assemblage characterized by
the forms- Aequitriradites, Coptospora, Cooksonites,
Foraminisporis, Staplinnisporites, Sestrosporites,
Ornamentifera, Klukisporites, Impardecispora,
Cicatrisporites, Undulatisporites, Coronatisporia,
Polycingulatisporites, Taurocusporites, Crybelosporites,
Murospora and Micrcachrydites (Ramanujam &
Srisailam, 1974; Ramanujam, 1977; Verma &
Ramanujam, 1984). The Sriperumbudur palynoflora
shows significant resemblance with the early Cretaceous
palynoflora from Cauvery and Krishna Godavari basins.
The palynoflora known from both the surface and
subsurface is suggestive of Early Cretaceous age (Varma
& Ramanujam, 1984; Ramanujam & Srisailam, 1974;
Ramanujam & Varma, 1977, 1981). An Early Cretaceous
fauna in the form of ammonites Pascoites crassus and
forams- Pelosina complaneta, Haplophragmoides
concave, H. footei, H. indicus, Bathysiphon cf.
taurinensis, Ammodiscus cretaceous, Lituotuba sp. and
Spiroplectammina indica was also recorded (Murthy &
Sastry, 1961). The present communication presents a
holistic inquiry of plant evidences known from the early
Cretaceous of Palar Basin incorporating the recovered
taxa (see Figs. 1 & 2, Tables 2 & 3).
General Geology
The Palar Basin is one of the seventeen river basins in
Tamil Nadu. It covers an area of 18,300 sq. km. extending
to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The Palar is a seasonal
river and for the most part of the year it is dry. The Palar

January-June
2010
Basin (SastriPHYTOMORPHOLOGY
et al., 1974; Rangaraju etzal.,
1993; Vairavan,
1993; Kumaraguru, 1991, 1992) basement is composed
of an Archean metamorphic complex overlain by the
Gondwana sediments represented by the Lower
Gondwana sequence (Fluvio-glacial deposits of Early
Permian). The Upper Gondwana sequence was
represented by the Sriperumbudur beds (Early
Cretaceous) characterized by marine intercalations. The
succeeding sequence deposited under littoral to near
shore fluvial conditions (Satyavedu beds). The Tertiary
sequence is corresponded by the Cuddalore Sandstone.
This in turn is overlain by the Conjeevaram Gravel and
Pliestocene laterites and conglomerates of fluvial nature.
The Sriperumbudur Formation is characterized by
arenaceous and argillaceous rock units comprising
splintery green shale, clays and sandstones with ironstone
intercalations and on conformably overlying either the
Precambrian basement or Precambrian boulder beds and
green shales. The beds contain marine intercalations
(Murthy & Sastry, 1961). Their lithologic suites and
fossil fauna are suggestive of deposition under shallow
and brackish conditions, probably close to the shoreline
(Sastry et al., 1974).
Table 1. General Stratigraphic Sequence of Palar Basin
Age Gross Lithology
Blown sands adjoining the sea coast and *river
Holocene
alluvium/ marine and estuarine alluvium
Pleistocene

Laterites and lateritic conglomerates containig

sandstones, pebbles

Mio-Pliocene

Cuddalore sandstones, conglomeratic and

clayey sandstones, yellowish purple and white
variagations, contains quartz pebbles

Palaeogene

Black clay stones and bands of thin sandstones

Upper Cretaceous

Satyavedu beds, coarse bolders beds,

conglomerates, compact fine grained sandstones

Early Cretaceous*

Sriperumbudur beds, splintery gray and

greenish shales, dark clays, partly gypseous,
inter bedded with sandstones and thin bands of
ironstone and limestone (Upper Gondwana)

Permian

Boulders beds and greenish shales correlated to

Talchir shale of Lower Gondwana

Archean

Igneous and metamorphic basement

Fossil assemblages of Sriperumbudur Formation

The mega plant fossils were mostly preserved in the form
of fossil leaves represented by the species of Cladophlebis
(Pteridophytes), Dictyzamites, Taeniopteris,
Pterophyllum (Cycadophytes) Araucarites, Conites,
(Coniferales) Ginkgoites (Ginkgoales) and petrified wood
fossils belonging to conifers (Fiestmantel, 1879; Seward
& Sahni, 1920; Sahni, 1928, 1931; Suryanarayana, 1954,

A. RAJANIKANTH et al. An Integrated Inquiry of Early Cretaceous Flora, Palar Basin, India

23

Fig. 1: Geological Map of Palar Basin Showing Places of Plant Fossil Occurrence (Modified After Kumaraguru & Rao, 1994)

1956). Several species of pycynoxylic wood belonging

to the conifers were also reported from the upper
Gondwana sediments of the Sriperumbudur Formation,
Palar Basin in Tamil Nadu, India. These include
Cupressinoxylon coromandelinum, Mesembrioxylon sp.
(Sahni, 1931), M. thirumangalense (Suryanarayana,
1953), Araucarioxylon giftii, Araucarioxylon rajivii
(Jeyasingh & Kumarasamy, 1994a), Araucarioxylon
mosurense (Jeyasingh & Kumarasamy, 1995). Besides,
Pityospermum Nathorst too was recorded from the
Sriperumbudur Formation (Jeyasingh & Kumarasamy,
1994b). The floral assemblage in general is dominated
by conifers followed by cycadophytes and ferns.
Pteridosperms and Ginkgoales are poorly represented.
Foote (1868) compared Sriperumbudur megaflora with
that of Rajmahal. A Jurassic affinity to this flora was
also suggested (Fiestmantel, 1879). Besides extensive
work on surface and subsurface sequences of this
formation have yielded rich palyno assemblage

characterized by the forms - Aequitriradites, Coptospora,

Cooksonites, Foraminisporis, Staplinnisporites,
Sestrosporites, Ornamentifera, Klukisporites,
Impardecispora, Cicatrisporites, Undulatisporites,
Coronatisporia, Polycingulatisporites, Taurocusporites,
Crybelosporites, Murospora and Micrcachrydites
(Ramanujam & Srisailam, 1974; Varma & Ramanujam,
1984). Sriperumbudur palynoflora shows significant
resemblance with the early Cretaceous palynoflora from
Cauvery and Krishna Godavari basins. The palynoflora
known from both the surface and subsurface is suggestive
of Early Cretaceous age (Varma & Ramanujam, 1984;
Ramanujam & Srisailam, 1974; Ramanujam & Varma,
1977, 1981). An Early Cretaceous fauna in the form of
ammonites Pascoites crassus and forams - Pelosina
complaneta, Haplophragmoides concave, H. footei, H.
indicus, Bathysiphon cf. taurinensis, Ammodiscus
cretaceous, Lituotuba sp. and Spiroplectammina indica
was also recorded (Murthy & Sastry, 1961).

24

PHYTOMORPHOLOGY z January-June 2010

Table 2. Plant Mega Fossils of the Palar Basin

Mega plant taxa

Sriperum
budur Fm.
Cladophlebis sp.
+
C. indica
+
C. whitbyensis
+
Equisetites sp.

Thinnfeldia sp.

Taeniopteris sp.
+
Taeniopteris Mc Clellandii
+
T. spatulata

Anomozamites sp.

Anomozamites lindleyanus
+
Pterophyllum sp.
+
Pterophyllum footeanum
+
Ptilophyllum acutifolium.
+
Ptilophyllum cutchense
+
Ptilophyllum sp.
+
Dictyozamites sp.
+
Otozamites.rarinervis
+
Elatocladus plana
+
E. conferta
+
E. tennerrima
+
Pagiophyllum peregrinum
+
Brachyphyllum rhombicum
+
B. rajmahalensis
+
Araucarites. cutchensis
+
A. macropterus
+
A minutus
+
Pityospermum sp.
+
Conites sessiles
+
C.sripermaturensis
+
C. verticillatus
+
Ginkgoites sp.
+
G. crassipes
+
Araucarioxylon giftii
+
Podocarpoxylon parthasarathyi
+
P.tirumangalense
+
Cupressinoxylon coromandelinum +
Araucarioxylon mosurense
+
Araucarioxylon rajmahalense
+

Satya
vedu Fm.
+

+
+

+
+

Table 3. Plant Micro Fossil Records of Palar Basin

Avadi
Fm.
+

+
+
+
+

+
+

The present paper deals with leaf flora of

Sriperumbudur Formation, Palar Basin, which include
Ptilophyllum, Elatocladus, Pagiophyllum and associated
forms and are systematically studied and compared with
coeval flora. The flora of Sriperumbudur Formation in
general is possess the constituents of Pteridophytes,
Pteridosperms, Cycadophytes and Conifers. The flora
in general is dominated by the conifers and is often
compared with Rajmahal Flora. The present leaf
assemblage is considered under the Allocladus
Brachyphyllum Pagiophyllum assemblage zone (SukhDev, 1988) and the flora is comparable with the
assemblage known from the Gollapalli, Raghavapuram,
Budavada, Vemavaram, Gangapur (Bose et al., 1982;

Palyno Taxa
Bryophytes
Aequitriradites dubius
Aequitriradites spinulosus
Aequitriradites verrucosus
Aequitriradites sp.
Cooksonites variabilis
Cooksonites sp.
Coptospora cutchense
Coptospora cauveriana
Coptospora sp
Foraminisporis sp.
Pteridophytes
Appendicisporites sp.
Baculatisporites baculatus
Baculatisporites clavaeoides
Baculatisporite comaumensis
Biformaesporites baculosus
Biretisporites sp.
Biretisporites potniaei
Biretisporites spectabilis
Callispora sp.
Callispora foveolata
Callispora potoniei
Ceratosporites sp.
Ceratosporites couliensis
Ceratosporites equalis
Cicatricosisporites sp.
Cicatricosisporites apicanalis
Cicatricosisporites augustus
Cicatricosisporites australiensis
Cicatricosisporites goniodontos
Cicatricosisporites hallei
Cicatricosisporites hughesi
Cicatricosisporites ludbrooki
Cicatricosisporites mohrioides
Contignisporites cooksonii
Concavisporites cutchensis
Contignisporites dorsostriatus
Contignisporites fornicatus
Contignisporites glebulentus
Contignisporites multimuratus
Contignisporites problematicus
Coptospora cauveriana
Coptospora kutchensis
Converrucosisporites sp.
Coronatispora sp.
Coronatispora perforata
Crassimonoletes sp.
Crassimonoletes surangei
Crybelosporites sp.
Crybelosporites punctatus
Cyathidites australis
Cyathidites minor
Deltoidospora diaphana
Deltoidospora juncta
Dictyophyllidites venkatachalai
Dictyotosporites complex

Sriperumbudur Fm.
+

+
+

+
+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+

+
+
+

+
+

+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+

A. RAJANIKANTH et al. An Integrated Inquiry of Early Cretaceous Flora, Palar Basin, India
Palyno Taxa
Sriperumbudur Fm.
Distalanulisporites sp.
Densoisporites sp.
Echinatisporis vembanii
+
Eoseisporites sp.
+
Foraminisporites
Foveosporites sp.
+
Foveotriletes subtriangularis
Foveotrietes sp.
+
Gleicheniidites sp.
Gleicheniidites cercinidites
+
Gleicheniidites senonicus
+
Impardecispora apiverrucatus
+
Impardecispora marylandensis
+
Impardecispora trioreticulosus
+
Ischyosporites crateris
+
Ischyosporites punctatus
Klukisporites areolatus
Klukisporites foveolatus
Kraeuselisporites sp.
+
Kraeuselisporites cf. linearis
Lametatriletes sp.
+
Leptolepidites sp.
+
Leptolepidites verrucatus
+
Lycopodiumsporites austroclavatidites
+
Lycopodiumsporites eminulus
+
Lycopodiumsporites sp. cf.trambauensis
+
Matonosporites crassiangulatus
Matonosporites discoidalis
Matonosporites phlebopteroides
Matonosporites sahii
Metamonoletes sp.
Metamonoletes baradensis
+
Monolites indicus
+
Monoletes ingranulatus
+
Murospora sp.
+
Murospora cf. mesozoica
Neoraistrickia truncatus
+
Ornamentifera sp.
+
Ornamentifera echinata
Osmundacidites sp.
Osmundacidites singhii
+
Osmundacidites wellmanii
Pilosisporites
Pilosisporites sp.
Plicifera minutus
+
Polycingulatisporites sp.
+
Polycingulatisporites reduncus
Schizosporis regulatus
Sestrosporites sp.
+
Setrosporites pseudoalveolatus
Spheripollenites sp.
+
Staplinisporites sp.
+
Staplinisporites caminus
Stereisporites antiquasporites
+
Taraucosporites sp.
+
Taurocusporites segmaentatus

Palyno Taxa
Todisporites crassus
Todisporites minor
Todisporites rotundiformis
Trilites orikkaiense
Trilites tuberculiformis
Trilites verrucosus
Undulatisporites pannuceus
Verrucosisporites sp.
Verrucosisporites rotundus
Gymnosperms
Alisporites grandis
Alisporites ovalis
Alisporites cf. rotundus
Araucariacites australis
Baculatisporites clavaeoides
Callialasporites dampieri
Callialasporites discoidalis
Callialasporites kattivakkaamense
Callialasporites punctatus
Callialasporites reticulatus
Callialasporites segmentatus
Callialasporites trilobatus
Cedripites cretaceus
Cedripites nudis
Classopollis sp.
Classopollis classoides
Classopollis obidosensis
Cycadopites sp.
Cycadopites couperi
Cycadopites sakrigaliensis
Dacrycarpites sp.
Dacrycarpites australiensis
Echinatispori varispinosus
Echinatispori vembanii
Granuloperculatipollis
Granuloperculatipollis sp.
Laricoidites indicus
Laricoidites communis
Microcachrydites sp.
Microcachryidites antarcticus
Osmundacidites singhii
Osmundacidites wellmanii
Phyllocladidites sp.
Phyllocladidites inchoatus
Platysaccus sp.
Platysaccus densus
Podocarpidites ellipticus
Podocarpidites major
Podocarpidites miniuulcus
Podosporites sp.
Podosporites tripakshi
Psilospora sp.
Spheripollenites sp.
Spheripollenites scabratus
Vitreisporites sp.
Vitreisporites pallidus

25
Sriperumbudur Fm.
+

+
+
+
+
+

+
+

26

PHYTOMORPHOLOGY z January-June 2010

coast flora represents a unique-mixed flora preserved

on the passive east coast margins as a result of
sedimentation at the time of initiation of rifting of Indian
plate (Yoshida et al., 1992; Ziegler et al., 1983). This
mixed flora is characterized by the constituents of
Ptilophyllum flora spread in the Cauvery, Palar, KrishnaGodavari/Pranhita-Godavari and Mahanadi basins.
Distribution pattern of this flora in these sedimentary
basins and its implication on evolution, ecology and age
correlation has been analyzed (Rajanikanth, 1996b, 2007).
This mixed flora, a precursor of flowering plants showed

Fig. 2: (A-F) Plant Fossils From Palar Basin

A Ptilophyllum acutifolium; B Otozamites sp.; C Otozamites
sp.; D Ptilophyllum acutifolium; E & F Elatocladus plana

Maheshwari, 1986; Sukh-Dev, 1988; Pandya & SukhDev, 1989; Rajanikanth, 1996a; Prasad & Pundir, 1999).

Remarks
It is observed that the conflict in age assignments based
on mega flora on one hand and faunal/ palynological
data on the other is due to inaccurate and particularly
subjective interpretation of data. Evidences considered
in toto suggest no discrepancy in age inferred
(Rajanikanth, 1996b). The east coast flora is treated
under various floristic zones like Dictyozamites
Pterophyllum Anomozamites (Athgarh/Pavalur/
Satyavedu), Allocladus Brachyphyllum Pagiophyllum
(Sriperumbudur, Gollapalli, Raghavapuram, Budavada,
Vemavaram, Gangapur) and Weichselia Onychiopsis
Gleichenia (Sivaganga) (Sukh Dev, 1988). This flora
is a pre-angiosperm Early Cretaceous (NeocomianAptian) flora which is a gymnosperm dominant postGondwana flora. Besides, evolution and diversification
of east coast flora was concomitant with other equivalent
homotaxial flora of central and western India. The
Gondwana stock contributed the bulk of floral constituents
with intermingling of European representatives due to
northward movement of India. Climate homogeneity,
non-selectivity probably resulted in diversity plateau of
gymnosperm dominance generally observed in the east
coast flora. Numerical differences of plant taxa were a
result of taphonomic bias influenced by sedimentological
processes dictated by tectonic forces and sea level
influence. Plant evidences (Mega-Micro) indicate upland
near basinal and marginal floral components. The east

A. RAJANIKANTH et al. An Integrated Inquiry of Early Cretaceous Flora, Palar Basin, India
Table 4. Faunal Records of Palar Basin
Taxa
Ostrea (Bivalve)

Sriperumbudur

Satyavedu Avadi

Pectan (Bivalve)

Lima (Bivalve)

Inoceramus (Bivalve)

Cardium (Bivalve)

Peratabelus sp. (Belemnite)

Gymnoplites simplex (Ammonites)

Pascoeites crassus (Ammonites)

Ammobaculites sp. (Foraminifers)

Ammodiscus cretaceous
(Foraminifers)

Ammodiscus sp. (Foraminifers)

Bathysiphon cf taurinense
(Foraminifers)

Bathysiphon sp. (Foraminifers)

Haphlophragmoides sp.
(Foraminifers)

Haphlophragmoides dickinsonii
(Foraminifers)

Haphlophragmoides concava
(Foraminifers)

Haphlophragmoides footei
(Foraminifers)

Haphlophragmoides indicus
(Foraminifers)

Pelosina complanata
(Foraminifers)

Lituotuba sp. (Foraminifers)

Spiroplectammina indica
(Foraminifers)

local variations and most of the forms got extinct or

migrated with the arrival of later new flora. This Early
Cretaceous flora shows a cosmopolitan affinity. It is also
observed that most of the Ptilophyllum floral bearing
sediments were deposited during the Early Cretaceous
and even a continuous succession with the Upper
Cretaceous marine sediments is encountered in the east
coast as evident from the sub-surface data from the
Krishna-Godavari and Cauvery basins (Acharyya &
Lahiri, 1991). Occurrence of marine Albian calcareous
algae above the continental Neocomian-Aptian beds of
Cauvery Basin also indicate marine intervention (Misra
et al., 2004). Both Lower and Upper Cretaceous marine
sediments along the east coast were thus deposited by
one and the same marine transgression (Venkatachala
et al., 1993; Rajanikanth et al., 2000). The east coast
floral assemblages are characterized by paucity of leaf

27

cuticles and preponderance of spore/pollen, which

indicate a certain distance of transport. Fossil floras
show taphonomically biased distribution governed by
depositional environment. Plant parts in the form of
leaves, woods, axes, spores, cuticles and pollen are
preserved in different depositional milieu. Thus the flora
known from the Sriperumbudur, Avadi and Satyavedu
litho units was in essence the same flora that prevailed
over the globe during earlt Cretaceous and represent preangiosperm post-gondwanan cosmopolitan flora (see
Table 2, 3 & 4).

Acknowledgements
AR & AA wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. NC
Mehrotra, Director, BSIP for encouragement and
providing necessary help. AS wishes to thank Dr. DEP
Jeyasingh, Prof & Head (Retd.), Madras Christian College
for his help in preliminary identification of fossil samples.

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