004383   Srivastava R;Patnaik R (Geology Dep, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226 007) : Large soft-shelled turtles from the upper pliocene rocks of Saketi (district, Sirmaur), Himachal Pradesh, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 65-76.

The Tatrot Formation exposed near Siwalik Fossil Park, Saketi (Himachal Pradesh) has yielded carapace fragments of large trionychid turtles. The characters, size of the fragments and hypothetical reconstruction of the carapace indicate towards the presence of large trionychids, Chitra and Aspideretes. The genus Chitra (C. indica. C. chitra) is characterized by a large, flat and wider than long carapace, absence of peripherals and large 8th pleural, which meet at midline, whereas, genus Aspideretes is characterised by round to oval carapace, a preneural and neural or one or two pairs of neurals separating the first pair of pleurals and pitted surface of carapace.

9 illus, 2 tables, 31 ref

004382   Srivastava P (Geology Dep, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226 007) : Carbonaceous megafossils from the Dholpura shale, uppermost Vindhyan Supergroup, Rajasthan: an age implication. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 97-105.

Carbonaceous megafossils comprising Chuaria - Tawuia assemblage are reported for the first time from the Dholpura Shale, the youngest lithounit of the Vindhyan Supergroup, exposed in the Balwan area, Rajasthan. On the basis of the Chuaria - Tawuia assemblage (representing a biozone ranging in age from 950 to 700 Ma.), it is suggested that the upper age limit of the Vindhyan Supergroup should be within neoproterozoic.

5 illus, 2 tables, 59 ref

004381   Rai J (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow-226 007) : Overview of nannofossil records from India. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 85-91.

Nannofossils are ideally suited for biostratigraphic correlations in marine sequence, but their study did not start in India until the early 1960s, and only in recent years has it gained impetus. Very little data has been generated from several Indian basins in limited papers and abstracts. This necessitates presentation of an overview. The earliest nannofossil record from the Danian of Assam is presented by Narasimhan (1963). Overviews on nannofossil reports are presented by Bhatia (1967), followed by Pant and Mamgain (1969) and Narasimhan (1976). Rai (1991) listed all the nannofossil records from India published up to 1988. Jafar (1997) reviewed Cretaceous nannofossil records from India. In the present communication, the basinwise nannofossil reports are discussed with details of illustrations both under the LM (light micrographs) and SEM (scanning electron micrographs). Those marked with an asterix signify the presence of only list of forms, without an illustration. The controversy existing in taxonomic opinions and age interpretations are not critically discussed herein. The significance of the present lies in the completeness of the listing of published data, thus enabling nannofossil workers to find stratigraphic occurrences of nannofossil bearing horizons of India.

1 illus, 1 table, 76 ref

004380   Prasad P;Sarkar S (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow-226 007) : Fossil Scytonema (Nostocales) from the Subathu formation of Tal valley, Garhwal Himalaya, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 145-9.

Fossilised filaments of the cyanobacterium Scytonema (Nostocales), viz., Palaescytonema Edhorn. 1973 were recovered from the early Ypresian sediments of the Subathu Formation of Tal Valley, Garhwal Himalaya. This is the first record of this cyanobacterium from the Indian Teritary rocks. Two species, viz. Palaeoscytonema talensi. n. sp. and Palaeoscytonema eocaenicus. n. sp. are proposed as new. An attempt has also been made to throw light on the palaeoenvironmental significance of these taxa based on the distribution of modern Scytonema.

3 illus, 1 table, 18 ref

004379   Nagori M L;Bhandari A (Geology Dep, Sukhadia University, Udaipur-313 002) : Ostracode genus Semicytherura from the early Miocene beds of Kachchh and Bombay offshore, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 41-5.

Four species of the genus Semicytherura are described and illustrated from the early Miocene beds of Kachchh and Bombay Offshore, India. Of these, Semicytherura khoslai, S. royi and S. mumbaiensis are new. The associated ostracodes and foraminifera suggest brackish to shallow inner neritic environment with bathymetry not more than 20m.

2 illus, 11 ref

004378   Mandaokar B D (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow-226 007) : Palynoflora from the Keifang formation (early Miocene) Mizoram, India and its environmental significance. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 77-83.

Palynological studies from the Keifang Formation, Aizawl, Mizoram have been carried out, and the results are presented herein. The Keifang sediments show cyclic alternation of light and dark grey shales with interbedded siltstone, sandstone, packstone and minor mudstone. The palynofloral assemblage consists of 45 genera and 60 species. The qualitative analysis of the assemblage reveals that Polypodiaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Cyatheaceae, Podacarpaceae, Pinaceae, Palmae, Oleaceae, Malvaceae, Compositae are representative of warm, humid climate with high rainfall during the time of deposition. Ecological analysis of the assemblage shows several palynoassociations of the low lands, fresh water, swamp and water edge, mangrove, sandy beach and back mangrove. The vegetation clearly points toward coastal, tropical-moist conditions during early Miocene of Mizoram.

2 illus, 3 tables, 22 ref

004377   Gandhi S;Rajamanickam G V M;Nigam R (Earth Sciences Dep, Tamil University, Thanjavur-613 005) : Taxonomy and distribution of benthic foraminifera from the sediments off Palk strait, Tamil Nadu, east coast of India. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 47-64.

A systematic study of benthic foraminifera has been made based on 42 sediment collected between Mandapam and Kodiyakkarai, off Palk Strait, Tamil Nadu. A total of 102 benthic foraminiferal species belonging to 52 genera, 38 families, 23 superfamilies and 5 suborders are identified. The above species were compared to inventories given by earlier workers on east and west coast faunas. The result shows the presence of 38 species for the first time in this Strait. All these 38 species are illustrated here and their taxonomical details are provided. The foraminiferal distribution shows the number of species to be higher in the south of Manalmelkudi as compared to the north.

4 illus, 4 tables, 120 ref

004376   Deka kalita K;Kulshreshtha S K;Sahni N (Applied Geology Dep, Dibrugarh University, Assam) : Fossil holothurian sclerite assemblage from the Callovian-Oxfordian rocks of Jaisalmer, western Rajasthan, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 137-44.

Collection of holothurian sclerites represents an important assemblage with the first report of the genera Rhabdotites, Stichopites, Cucumarites, Calclamnella, Eocaudina, Sastriella, Priscopedatus and Jumaraina from Jaisalmer. The species Rhabdotites ef. R. mortenseni and Stichopites mortenseni represent the first report of these two genera from India. Three species of the genus Cucumarites including a new species Cucumarites soodanii identified in the present collection, have also been reported for the first time from the western Indian Jurassic sequence.

5 illus, 23 ref

004375   Chhabra N I;Mishra V P (Geology Dep, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226 007) : Middle triassic fish teeth from the Kalapani limestone of Malla Johar, Chamoli district (Uttaranchal). J Palaeont Soc India 2002, 47, 151-5.

Rich collection of fish remains was recovered from the Kalapani Limestone (Late Seythian Early Carnian) of the Malla Johar area in district Chamoli (Uttaranchal). Fish teeth belonging to Polyacrodus, Hybodus and Saurichthya are described here.

3 illus, 11 ref

003446   Saha S K (Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh) : Smaller benthic foraminifera from Eocene sediments of Sylhet trough, Sylhet Bangladesh. Bull Indian Geol Ass 2000, 33(2), 25-42.

The benthic foraminifera assemblages of the Eocene sediments of Bangladesh in the study numbering 45 species, belonging to 27 form genera are grouped into 23 families spread over 5 suborder. Out of these 5 taxa are recognized as new species. These are Saccamina monsuri, Pilulina sylhetensis, Asterigerina daukiensis, Pseudogoloborotalia daukiensis, Conolagena latifi. The Sylhet Limestone Formation contains 38 species belonging to 26 genera and Kopili Shale Formation by 15 species belonging to 9 genera.

6 illus, 30 ref

003445   Chauhan M S (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow-226 007) : Holocene vegetation and climatic changes in southeastern Madhya Pradesh, India. Curr Sci 2002, 83(12), 1445-5.

1 illus, 1 table, 7 ref

000436   Sudan C S;Singh B P;Sharma U K (Postgraduate Dep of Geology, University of Jammu, Jammu-180 006) : Ichnofacies of the Murree Group in Jammu area and their ecological implications during late palaeogene in the NW Himalaya. J Geol Soc India 2002, 60(5), 547-57.

The Murree Group is a cyclic succession of alternating argillaceous and arenaceous sediments. Trace fossils recovered from this succession include Chondrites isp., Cosmorhaphe fuchsi, Dendrotichnium cf. llarenai, Imbrichnus cf. wattanensis, Ophiomorpha isp., Planolites isp., Skolithos isp. and Thalassinoides isp. The ichnofauna suggests that the sediments of the Murree Group were deposited in coastal environments under brackish to fresh water conditions. The sandstone with Ophimorpha was deposited in an estuarine channel whereas sandstone containing Cosmorhaphe and small Thalassinoides was deposited on the levee-crest. Siltstones with Skolithos, Chondrites and Imbrichnus were deposited in the inter tidal zone whereas mudstones containing large Thalassinoides were deposited as mudfat / overbank sediments.

2 illus, 1 table, 52 ref

000435   Srivastava R;Kumar S;Singh M P (Dept of Geology, Lucknow University, Lucknow-226 007) : Taxonomic and taphonomic appraisal of fish vertebrae from the early eocene gypseous shales of Kachch, Gujarat. Curr Sci 2002, 83(1), 68-70.

Vertebrae belonging to the teleost fishes from the Lower Eocene gypseous shales of the Naredi Formation (Nareda locality), Kachchh are described. All the vertebrae represent the trunk portion of the fish; they are short, amphicelous and imperforate. Only the centrum portion of the vertebrae is preserved with base of neural arch. The size of the vertebrae is variable, possibly representing different aged individuals who died in some unusual circumstances (trapped in shallow region of lagoon). The preservational features of the vertebrae suggest complete disarticulation due to the long post-mortem exposure. The vertebrae were initially sorted in the marine system (Voorhies Group I) and were deposited in oxidizing condition and low energy environment.

2 illus, 20 ref

000434   Sankaran A V (NO, , No 10, P and T Colony, 1 Cross, II Block, R T Nagar, Bangalore-560 032) : Controversy over early-Archaean microfossils. Curr Sci 2002, 83(1), 15-17.

32 ref

000433   Paddayya K;Blackwell B A B;Jhaldiyal R; Petraglia M D;Fevrier S;Chaderton D A;Blickstein J I B;Skinner A R (Archaeology Dep, Deccan College, Pune-411 006) : Recent findings on the Acheulian of the Hunsgi and Baichbal valleys, Karnataka, with special reference to the Isampur excavation and its dating. Curr Sci 2002, 83(5), 641-7.

Surface survey and excavations for the past five years (1997-2001) at the Lower Palaeolithic (Acheulian) site of Isampur in northern Karnataka, have yielded significant data on the Pleistocene hominid record of the Indian subcontinent. At Isampur, a quarry-cum-workshop site has been identified where all stages in the Acheulian tool manufacturing process at the raw material source (siliceous limestone from the Middle Bhima Series) have been preserved. These data are providing extremely significant insights into hominid cognitive capabilities, their technological organization and landscape usage. Preliminary ESR dating results for teeth from this site average <62> 1.2 Ma.

6 illus, 1 table, 18 ref

000432   Kathal P K (Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Dr H.S.G. University, Sagar-470 003) : Distribution and ecology of recent foraminifera from littoral sediments of Eastern India. J Geol Soc India 2002, 60(4), 429-54.

Presents first comprehensive account of foraminifera along the east coast of India on the basis of 96 surface samples from the littoral sediments collected at 16 stations along the 2500 km long coastal stretch. The obtained assemblage of dead Recent foraminifera is dominated by the family Miliolidae (35 percent), followed by Rotaliidae (18 percent), Elphidiidae (11 percent), Nonionidae, (7 percent), Cassidulinidae (5 percent), Globigerinidae and Discorbidae (4 percent each), Fursenkoinidae, Loxostomatidae, Eponididae, Amphisteginidae and Nummulitidae (2 percent each). Five species namely, Rosalina australis, Cibicides cf. C. subhaidingerii, Nonionoides grateloupi, Hyalinea asiana, Pseudorotalia indopacificana are being reported for the first time from the Indian waters. The systematics, morphological variations, and distribution patterns of some selected species of the Recent foraminifera of this study has been discussed vis-a-vis reviews on the ecological parameters from other regions.

1 illus, 134 ref

000259   Guleria J S (Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, , Lucknow) : Adhatoda vasica Nees as an epiphyte on Xylosma longifolium Clos - a new record. Indian For 2000, 126(3), 311-12.

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000111   Nagendra R;Kannan R;Bhavani R;Shanmuga Johari P;Reddy A N;Jaiprakash B C (Center for Geoscience and Engineering, Anna University, Chennai-600 025) : Pleistocene-holocene deep water benthic foraminifera, off Tuticorin Coast, Bay of Bengal. J Geol Soc India 2004, 63(1), 51-60.

Twenty-four Pleistocene-Holocene deepwater benthic foraminiferal species were identified based upon taxonomic criteria from a 2.6 m core sample collected during Academik Aleksandr Sidorenko cruise. The quantitative data of benthic foraminiferal taxa is treated statistically using multivariate (both factor and cluster) techniques to understand the relationship between species assemblages and environmental parameters. The temporal distribution of samples in cluster II closely coincides with the distribution of higher loading values of facter 1. Similar associations were identified for cluster III with factor 2 and cluster IV with factor 3. However the faunal relative abundances along with % Total Organic Content (TOC) values broadly divides the core into two environmentally significant zones viz, Zone 1 (between 1322.6m and 1321.6m) which is characterised by high abundance of Cassidulina carinata followed by Pullenia bulloides and Hoeglundina elegans having positive relationship with low TOC values ranging from 0.12 to 1.14 and Zone 2 (between 1321.6m and 1320.1 m), which is characterised by high percentages of TOC values ranging from 1.32 to 2.52; whereas Bulimina aculeata shows maximum abundance follwed by Bolivina robusta Cibicidoides kullenbergi and Osangularia culter, suggesting that these species prefer high nutrient environment.

7 illus, 1 table, 27 ref

000110   Mishra U K;Sen S (Palaeontology Div, Geological Survey of India, Northeastern Region, Shillog-793 003) : Dinosaur remains from Dirang, West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya. J Geol Soc India 2004, 63(1), 9-14.

Fossil bone fragments of dinosaurs were discovered from an area around West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya. These fragmentary bones lacked diagnostic characteristics for any taxonomic identification. However, the size and shape of the larger bones, their sedimentary association (indicating continental depositional environment) and more exclusively palaeohistological study confirmed their dinosaurian origin. Further search in the area has resulted in finding and collecting a few more complete skeletal elements. These were found within a sandstone horizon of Mahadek Formation of Late Cretaceous age. Based on study of these additional material, the dinosaurian bones of Dirang area could be assigned to Sauropoda.

6 illus, 13 ref

000109   Khosla S C;Jakhar S R;Mohammed M H (Geology Dep, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur-313 002) : Ostracodes from the jurassic beds of Jhura Hill, Kachchh, Gujarat. J Geol Soc India 2004, 63(1), 15-28.

Forty-nine ostracode species are recorded from the Jurassic beds of Jhura Hill, Kachchh, Gujarat. Six species Bairdia badiensis, B. jhuraensis, Cytherelloidea badiensis, Cytheropterina agrawali, Mandowacythere chariensis and pirileberis satyendrai- are new. Thirty-six species are assigned to the previously described taxa and seven species are left under open nomenclature. The stratigraphic distribution, age and affinity of all these ostracodes are given. The new species are described in detail. Brief taxonomic comments are also given on 5 of the 7 species left under open nomenclature.

4 illus, 4 tables, 28 ref

019130   Yadav R R;Singh J;Dubey B;Chaturvedi R (Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lucknow-226007) : Varying strength of relationship between temperature and growth of high-level fir at marginal ecosystems. Curr Sci 2004, 86(8), 1152-6.

Ring-width chronologies (AD 1794-1998, 1644-1999, 1672-2000, and 1739-2002) of Abies spectabilis from four distantly located tree-line sites in western Himalaya were developed. The existence of good correlatoin among the site chronoliges shows the influence of common forcing factor that could be climate, largely temperature. Correlation of May and mean April May temperatures with chronoligies show weakened relationship towards the later part of the 20th century.

4 illus, 2 tables, 25 ref

017177   Velu C S;Munuswamy N (Zool Dep, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai-600 025) : Occurrence of Triops granarius (Lucas), crustacea: notostraca, from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 2003, 100(1), 154-6.

^ssc19 ref

017176   Tripathi A (Underwater Archaeology Wing, Archaeological Survey of India, Janpath, New Delhi-110 011) : Princes Royal excavation of ancient shipwreck in the Arabian Sea. Curr Sci 2004, 86(9, 10), 1246-50.

A historic shipwreck lying on teh outer slope of coral reef, in a depth of 9-54 m, with abundance and diversity of objects of archaeological significance, off Bangaram Island in the Arabian Sea was identified for archaeological excavation. A large number of artifacts of iron, copper, stone, wood, glass, pottery, bricks, etc. were identified lying on the slope. Six trenches in the southern sector and two trenches in deeper depths were excavated. A large number of bricks, pieces of brown glazed thick storage jars, pieces of wood, corroded and cemented parts of the ship, copper vessels, shard of porcelain, pottery with embossed design, complete brown glazed pots, green glazed shard, bowl, etc. were retrieved from the trenches. One of the cannons was also lifted. The anchor of the ship is lying in 40 m depth. The entire hull was covered with a thin sheet of copper to protect the hull from woodborers. Excavated material evidence suggests it was a sailing ship of last quarter of 18th century. A bronze bell recovered from the site was inscribed with the name and date of the ship. It can be concluded that the bronze bell incribed with Princes Royal-1792 belongs to this ship. Archaeological evidence excavated from the wreck site corroborated with historic documents will shed light on the maritime history and trade in the Indian Ocean.

3 illus, 8 ref

017175   Sila Tripati;Gaur A S;Sundaresh;Vora K H (Marine Archaeology Centre, National Inst of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa-403 004) : Shipwreck archaeology of Goa: evidence of maritime contacts with other countries. Curr Sci 2004, 86(9, 10), 1238-45.

Shipwrecks contain clues to our maritime heritage. The shipwreck history of Goa is as old as the maritime history, which dates back to 2nd century BC. However, information on shipwrecks prior to the Portuguese period in Goa water is not available. The NIO has been exploring shipwrecks in the Sunchi Reef and the St George's reef off Goa since 1989. The findings of the Sunchi Reef include a brass barrel of a handgun, Chinese ceramic, Martaban pottery, bases of glass bottles, elephant tusks, hippopotamus teeth, lead pipe, rectangular and square stone bricks (?) and dressed granite stone blocks. Exploration off the St George's Reef has brought to light the remains of a shipwreck containing various types of artefacts such as bricks, tiles, drum, capital, etc, intended for house construction. The sunchil shipwreck findings are further compared with other Portuguese shipwreck findings found elsewhere in the world. The findings of the St George's Reef show the trade contact of the Basel Mission Company with other parts of the world and its impact on people of coastal Karnataka, West Coast of India.

7 illus, 21 ref

017174   Gupta S K;Deshpande R D (Phys Res Lab, , Navrangpura, Ahmedabad-380 009) : Water for India in 2050: first-order assessment of available options. Curr Sci 2004, 86(9, 10), 1216-24.

Water resources of India are examined in the context of the growing population and the national ambition to become and be seen as a developed nation. The motivation was provided by the continuing debate on the proposed project for interlinking of rivers by National Water Development Agency. The population of India is expected to stabilize around 1640 million by the year 2050. As a result, gross per capita water availability will decline from ~ 1820 m³/yr in 2001 to as low as ~ 1140 m³/yr in 2050. Total water requirement of the country for various activities around the year 2050 has been assessed to 1450 km³/yr. This is significantly more than the current estimate of utilizable water resource potential (1122 km³/yr) through conventional development strategies. Therefore, when compared with the availability of ~ 500 km³/yr at present, the water availability around 2050 needs to be almost trebled. Various options have been considered in quantitative terms, as possible sources to augment the anticipated deficit. It is argued that due to considerations of gestation period and capital requirements, rainwater harvesting and water-conservation measures must receive the highest priority followed by renovation and recycling to be followed by intra-and then inter-basin transfers in the last phase. But, investigation and planning processes for all options must begin immediately.

5 illus, 5 tables, 20 ref

017173   Flemming N C (Southamption Oceanography Centre, , European Way, Southampton, Hants, SO14 3ZH, UK) : Submarine prehistoric archaeology of the Indian continental shelf: a potential resource. Curr Sci 2004, 86(9, 10), 1225-30.

Submarine prehistoric archaeology enables us to discover how early man lived on the continental shelf during the Pleistocene Ice Ages, when the eustatic sea level dropped to more than 100 m lower than now. The archaeologists have found the remains of hominid and modern human occupation, including stone tools, bones, fireplaces, food remains, and cut timbers from 5000 to 1 million years old off the coasts of South Africa, Japan, Australia, North America, and many European countries. The spread of humanity throughout the globe has been influenced by the exploitation of the continental shelf during glacial phases, by the use of coastal food resources, and by the effect of changed migration routes, connected land masses, or channels which were easier to cross. Archaeologists using data from the study of DNA of modern populations have proposed that people crossed the southern Red Sea from Eritreia to the Arabian peninsula about 100, 000 years ago, and then spread throughout southern Asia to Australia, migrating most rapidly along the coast, that is along the now submerged continental self. The archaeological evidence to support this theory is very thin. The only way that the theory can be proved or disproved on the ground is if we can find evidence of Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) on the continental shelf, either on the shelves of the southern Red Sea, or around Yemen and Oman, or the coast of India.

5 illus, 51 ref

017172   Dogra N N;Raghumani Singh Y;Singh R Y (Dep of Earth Science, Kurukshetra Univ, Kurukshetra 136119) : Palynological assemblade from the Anjar intertrappeans Kutch district Gujarat: Age implications. Curr Sci 2004, 86(12), 1596-7.

2 illus, tables, 15 ref

017171   Cheol-Soo Yun;Jong-Deock Lim;Seong-Young Yang (Daegu Sci High Sch, , Hwanggeum-dong 613, Suseong-gu, Daegu, South Korea-706 040) : The first crocodyliform (Archosauria: crocodylomorpha) from the early cretaceou of Korea. Curr Sci 2004, 86(9, 10), 1200-01.

2 illus, 21 ref

017170   Azmi R J;Paul S K (Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, , 33, General Mahadeo Singh Raod, Dheradun 248 001) : Discovery of precambrian-cambrian boundary protoconodonts from the Gangolihar dolomite of inner Kumaun lesser Himalaya : implication on age and correlation. Curr Sci 2004, 86(12), 1653-60.

The Gangolihar Dolomite (Deoban Formation) of the Calc Zone of Pithoragarh in the Inner Kumanun Lesser Himalaya, hitherto regarded of Mesoproterozoi age (<126> 1600-1000 Ma) on the basis of the so-called Riphean stromatolites, has yielded numerous earliest Cambrian protoconodont sclerites characterizing the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary (<126>544 Ma). This fossil discovery foresters a firm chronostratigraphic correlation between the Inner Carbonate Belt and the Krol Belt (Outer Carbonate Belt), now both of Vendian-Early Cambrian age. The present contribution thus resolves as important stratigraphic correlation problem of the Lesser Himalayan geology. And it has a major implication on the tectonic interpretation of the Lesser Himalaya, which is crucial for its palinspastic reconstruction.

4 illus, 2 tables, 40 ref

011272   Srivastava P (Geology Dep, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226 007) : Carbonaceous fossils from the Panna shale, Rewa group (upper Vindhyans), central India: a possible link between evolution from micro-megascopic life. Curr Sci 2004, 86(5), 644-6.

2 illus, 2 tables, 25 ref

010179   Jayendra Singh;Yadav R R;Dubey B;Chaturvedi R (NO, Birla Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow-226 007) : Millennium-long ring width chronology of Himalayan cedar from Garhwal Himalaya and its potential in climate change studies. Curr Sci 2004, 86(4), 590-3.

A 1198-year long (AD 805-2002) fing-width chronology of Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) has been reported from a site in Bhaironghati, Garhwal, Uttaranchal. This provides the longest record of ring-width chronology prepared so far using living tree samples from the Himalayan region. The forest from which the constituent samples were derived is a natural stand of mixed age. Many of the trees are several centuries old, with average age reaching 532 years. The ring-width chronology shows strong indirect relationship with mean monthly temperature from February to May. Strong temperature signal present in the series shows the potential of such long-term chronologies in developing climatic reconstructions useful for evaluating the recent climatic changes under the background influence of increasing concentration of greenhouse gases.

3 illus, 1 table, 11 ref

020256   Kumar S;Mishra P K;Pandey S k (Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Botany Dep, Lucknow Univ, Lucknow-226 007, Email: surendra100@hotmail.com) : Ediacaran megaplant fossils with Vaucheriacean affinity from the Jodhpur sandstone, Marwar supergroup, western Rajasthan. Curr Sci 2009, 97(5), 701-5.

The present study records the discovery of megaplant fossils from the middle part of the Ediacaran Jodhpur Sandstone, exposed in the mines around Sursagar area (GPS location 26°20'03"N; 72°59'72"E), Jodhpur, Rajasthan. This is the first record of the giant size noncarbonaceous plant fossils from the Precambrian sequences. The fossils show well-developed thallus, branching pattern, development of possible oogonia and zoospores, and antheridea. Showing morphological similarity with the extant Vaucheriacean plant, the thallus is about 140 times bigger in size. Preserved on the top of the bed, these are also associated with well-developed microbial mats. The same horizon has also yielded poorly preserved circular structures with medusoidal affinity which can be compared with the Aspidella sp.

3 iullus, 1 table, 18 ref

003304   Sahni A (Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Punjab University, Chandigarh-160 014) : Indian dinosaurs revisited. Curr Sci 2003, 85(7), 904-10.

During the last three decades, research has shown the scientific potential, significance and uniqueness of the Indian record of dinosaurs in a global context. Known from several localities throughout the subcontinent, it is the Gondwana rocks of the Pranhita-Godavari and Narmada valleys that hold the key in answering questions regarding dinosaur origins, their rise to giganticism, nesting behaviour, dietary preferences and the contiguity of land masses in the past. This potential however is being realized slowly, there are only two mounted skeletons in the country, but several incomplete specimens suggest a great diversity for Indian dinosaurs.

^iia12 illus, 22 ref

003303   Poornachandra Rao G V S;Singh S B;Prasanna Lakshmi K J (NO, Palaeomagnetism Laboratory, National Geophysical Research Institute, Uppal Road, Hyderabad-500 007) : Palaeomagnetic dating of Sankra dyke swarm in the Malani Igneous Suite, Western Rajasthan, India. Curr Sci 2003, 85(10), 1486-92.

The Malani Igneous Suite is a heterogeneous suite comprising acid lava flows and intrusions divided into three phases of igneous activity, the youngest of which consists of all dykes identified within the Sankra pluton. The dykes in the Sankra pluton have been divided into five sub-phases on which radiometric dates are not available. Hence the sequence of magmatic emplacement is not known. We have undertaken a palaeomagnetic study of four dykes, namely the aplite, granite porphyry, dolerite and gabbro types representing the first, third and fifth sub-phases. The characteristic remanent magnetic (ChRM) directions of these dykes have been recovered by detailed laboratory studies using AF and thermal demagnetization methods on the oriented samples collected from these dykes. The virtual geomagnetic poles of these dykes, when plotted on the apparent polar wander path of the Indian subcontinent, assign their ages between 750 and 60 Ma. The ChRM direction in the aplite dyke is similar to that of the Malani Rhyolite and a granitoid body from Seychelles Islands. Thus, these three results indicate the formation of a tectonic trio with Madagascar towards the western side of the Neoproterozoic Rodinia supercontinent, and also confirm the age of the aplite dyke.

4 illus, 4 tables, 25 ref

001407   Tiwari R P;Mehrotra R C (Pachhunga University College, North-Eastern Hill University, P.O. No-35, Aizawl-796 001, Mizoram) : Plant impressions from the barail group of Champhai-Aizawl road section, Mizoram, India. Phytomorphology 2002, 52(1), 69-76.

An extensive search was made for plant impressions from the Palaeogene of Mizoram to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment of the area. Some leaf and fruit/seed impressions were collected from the new fossiliferous localities situated near Champhai on Champhai-Aizawl roam, Mizoral, India. The collection comes from the Barail Group of Oligocene age. Leaf impressions belong to Podocarpus Oligocenicus Awasthi et al (Podocarpaceae), Vernonia palaeoarborea Antal & Awasthi (Asteraceae) and Dicotylophyllum mizoramensis sp. nov., and fruit impression of Leguminocarpon mizoramensis sp. nov. (Fabaceae), Terminalia precatappa sp. nov. (Combretaceae) and Carpolithus sp. These impressions indicate the occurrence of tropical forests in nearby area during the time of deposition.

2 illus, 1 table, 17 ref

001406   Agarwal A;Tewari R;Ambwani K (Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, , 53 University Road, Lucknow-226 007) : Dispersed angiospermous leaf cuticles from Sindhudurg Formation, Miocene, Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra India. Phytomorphology 2002, 52(1), 29-39.

The significance of study of dispersed fossil leaf cuticles in fields such as taxonomy, biostratigraphy, palaeoecology and environmental reconstructions has been established by many workers. However, very little work has been done in this field from India. An endeavour in this direction is made in the present work. Well-preserved dispersed angiospermous leaf cuticles recovered from maceration of lignitic samples from Sindhudurg formation of Miocene age from Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra, are studied. Two new species are described viz. Lusaticutis sindhudurgensis and L. ratnagiriensis. Apart from exhibiting distinctive anatomical features, the cuticles show some characters similar to those of leaf types known from Sindhudurg formation and other modern families. Besides, the surface of cuticles displays monocellate fungal spores. The cuticles exhibit both mesomorphic and xeromorphic characters. Besides adding to the palaeobotanical knowledge, the data substantiate the existing information.

4 illus, 2 tables, 31 ref

000238   Gupta S;Bera S;Banerjee M (Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata-700 019) : Normapolles group of pollen grains in the Indian palaeogene palynoassemblage from Ganga basin, India. Curr Sci 2003, 85(5), 589-92.

3 illus, 25 ref

023902   Sharma B D (Kath Mandi, , Narnaul-123 001) : Mesozoic pteridophytes of India. Indian Fern J 2004, 21(1-2), 1-12.

In the Indian sub-continent the ferns flourished during the Mesozoic Era in comparison to the Palaeozoic and Tertiary times. On the other hand, the Palaeozoic rocks have yielded a number of taxa of the fernallies belonging to lycopods and sphenopsids. They are rare and represented by only five genera in the Mesozoic rocks. The fossil representatives of the pteridophytes resemble in gross morphology, anatomy and sporangial structures with the extant forms. There are however, many graps in knowledge about the extinct ferns and fernallies and require further investigations on the Mesozoic rocks of India.

^iia93 ref

023901   Rajkumar S D (Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Environmental Science, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi-627 412) : Asplenium affine Swartz and Thelypteris confluens (Thunb.) morton: two new records of rare and little known ferns from Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Indian Fern J 2004, 21(1-2), 13-18.

Asplenium affine Swartz and Thelypteris confluens (Thunb.) Morton are two rare and little known ferns so far collected only from a single locality in Tamil Nadu, South India. The present collection is the second distributional area for these two species in India. The chromosome count has also been done for these two species and is the first report for the fern flora of Karnataka.

4 illus, 9 ref

023900   Kundal P;Bharashivkar A P (Postgraduate Dep of Geology, Nagpur University, Law College Square, Nagpur-440 001) : Record of rhodoliths from araamda reef member (Late Pleistocene to Holocene) of Chaya Formation, Dwarka-Okha area, Gujarat and their paleoenvironmental significance. Curr Sci 2005, 88(10), 1684-9.

Rhodoliths are defined as `certain more or less modular forms fo nongeniculate coralline algaes with a nucleus and a number of concentric thallus layers around them'. In the study records rhodaliths from Units II, III and IV of Aramda Reef Member (late Pleistocene to Holocene) of Chaya Formation, Dwarka-Okha area, Gujarat. Unit II rhodoliths are multispeccific, discoidal, columnar concentric type and multispecific, elipsoidal, branching class IIrhodoliths are multispecific, discoidal, columnar concentric type and multispecific, ellipsoidal, branching class III and class IV type. Unit III rhodoliths are multispecific, ellipsoidal, laminar, concentric type and multipecific, spheroidal, laminar boxwork type. Unit IV rhodoliths are multispecific, spheroidal, laminar, concentric type and multispecific ellipsoidal, laminar, concentric typoe and multispecific, spheroidal, branching class IV type. The thin-section study of rhodoliths reveals the presence of nongeniculate algal genera such as Lithoporella, Lithothamnion, Lithophyllum, Porolithon and Sporolithon and geniculate coralline alga Amphiroa. The rhodoliths and other algal assemblages point to high energy conditions with turbulence during the deposition of Units II and IV and low to moderate energy conditions during the deposition Uunit III of Aramda Reef Member.

4 illus, 1 table, 31 ref

023899   Bera S K (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow-226 007, Email: skbera_2000@yahoo.com) : Recovery of airborne palynodebris from Continental Ice Sheet, Schirmacher Oasis, east Antarctica. Curr Sci 2005, 88(10), 1550-2.

3 illus, 12 ref

023024   Kumaravel V;Sangode S J;Rohtash Kumar;Siva Siddaiah N (NO, Wadia Inst of Himalayan Geol, 33, General Mahadeo Singh Road, Dehradun-248 001) : Magnetic polarity stratigraphy of plio-pleistocene pinjor formation (type locality), Siwalik group, NW Himalaya, India. Curr Sci 2005, 88(9), 1453-61.

Pinjor (near Chandigarh) is the only type locality in India for the Siwaslik Group. Present the magnetic polarity stratiraphy of two sections (Ghaggar river and Moginand Nalla) from this area and propose the Ghaggar section for consideration as a standard stratigraphic section for the Pinjor Formation of the Siwalik Group. A total of 83 oriented sites from the 1030 m thick Ghaggar section give and age estimate of ~2.7 to -<60>0.5 Ma and 23 sites from 310 m thick Moginand section deduce an age estimate of ~2 to ~0.86 Ma. The continuously exposed Ghaggar river section has been previously well documented using sedimentology, biostratigraphy and palaeoecology. A fission track age of 2.14±0.5 Ma on the volcanic ash in the ghaggar river section coincides with the Gayss-Matuyama polarityreversal (2.58 Ma) constraining the lower limit for the Pinjor Formation. Occurrence of the Lower Boulder Conglomerate Formation at ~1.79 Ma marks the upper boundary for the Pinjor Formation that coincides with the Plio-Pleistocene boundary. The thermal demagnetization spectra uniquely reveal the predominance of a uni-component system, resulting in a better clustering of the magnetostratigraphic data (normal mean D=8.2°, I=27.0°, L.95=8.8°; reverse mean D=167.4°, I=-25.9°, L-95=6.9°)

7 illus, 2 tables, 29 ref

023023   Banerjee M (Bot Dep, Univ of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata-700 019, Email: manjubanerjee@rediffmail.com) : Autochthonous deposition of Indian coal beds with palaeobotanical evidences of in situ plants from Saharjuri basin, Jharkhand. Curr Sci 2005, 88(9), 1487-90.

In situ Glossopteris plants on Vertebraria root, in situ Glossopteris seedlings, i.e. Deogharia and the first report of Annularia leafy shoots emerging from upright axes are recorded from the coal-bearing Late-Early Permian (Barakar Formation) sediments of Saharjuri Basin, Lower Gondwana. Besides, root beds, upright Vertebraria root, and Diphyllopteris seedlings are recorded from other Lower Gondwana coal fields. All evidences are considered to suggest autochthonous origin of the respective coal beds of the Indian Lower Gondwana basins.

2 illus, 1 table, 21 ref

020750   Rana R S;Kumar K;Singh H (Geology Dep, HNB Garhwal Univ, Srinagar-246 174) : Vertebrate fauna from the subsurface Cambay Shale (Lower Ecocene), Vastan lignite mine, Gujarat, India. Curr Sci 2004, 87(12), 1726-33.

A rich collection of vertebrate fossils comprising mainly fish and some mammals has recently been recovered from subsurface beds in the Cambay Shale (Lower Eocene) exposed in the Vastan Lignite Mine, Surat District, Gujarat. Here we recorded a diverse assemblage of elasmobranch and teleostean fish, including the selachians Triakis, Eogaleus, Abdounia, Rhizoprionodon and Eutrichiurides, which are new to the subcontinent. The Vastan ichthyofauna has general affinities with the Palaeocene-Eocene fish assemblages from northern Africa, Europe and Uzbekistan, but it is most closely similar to faunas known from Rajasthan and the northwest sub-Himalaya.

3 illus, 1 table, 33 ref

019728   Mitra S;Banerjee M (Botany Dep, Calcutta University, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkatta-700 019, Email: manjubanerjee@rediffmail.com) : Fossil fruit Derrisocarpon miocenicum gen.et sp. nov. and leaflet Derrisophyllum siwalicum gen. et sp. nov. cf. Derris trifoliata lour. of fabaceae from Siwalik sediments of Darjeeling foothills, Eastern Himalaya, India with remarks on site of origin and distribution of the genus. Phytomorphology 2004, 54(3-4), 253-63.

Fabaceous fruit Derrisocarpon miocenicum gen.et sp.nov. and leaflet Derrisophyllum siwalicum gen.et sp. nov., comparable to modern Derris trifoliata Lour., are recorded from the sub-Himalayan Lower Siwalik deposits (Middle Miocene) of Darjeeling foothills, West Bengal, India. Derris trifoliata and all other extant species of the genus are distributed in the tropical, humid areas of the Indian subcontinent, eastern part of Africa, Madagascar, South East Asia and northern Australia. Fossil remains of Derris species till date are reported from the Eocene to Holocene sediments exposed in the eastern part of India only. Site of origin of the Derris species in the eastern part of India may be suggested considering the restricted occurrence of the fossil, remains. Derrisocarpon miocenicum and Derrisophyllum siwalicum are recorded from the Siwalik sediments that has records of a large numbers of fossil fabaceous taxa of tropical, humid environment. Derris trifoliata, to which Derrisocarpon miocenicum and Derrisophyllum siwalicum resemble closely, is a frequent component of the modern back mangrove swamps. All these evidences suggest a tropical, humid environment of deposition of the sediments recovering the fossil Derris fruit and foliage viz., Derrisocarpon miocenicum and Derrisophyllum siwalicum.

3 illus, 2 tables, 65 ref

016539   Tiwari R P;Kachhara R P (Geology Dep, Pachhunga Univ Coll, Aizawl-796 001, Mizoram) : Molluscan biostratigraphy of the tertiary sediments of Mizoram, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2003, 48, 65-88.

Good exposures of the Tertiary sediments ranging from Oligocene to early Pliocene are available in Mizoram, India. These are classified into the Barail Group (Oligocene), the Surma Group (upper Oligocene to middle Miocene) and the Tipam Group (late Miocene to early Pliocene) in the ascending order. The Surma Group is divisible into a lower, Bhuban Subgroup and an upper, Boka Bil Subgroup. The Bhuban Subgroup is further divisible into Lower, Middle and Upper Bhuban Formations. Five zones in all have been established in the sediments of the Barail and the Surma Groups. These zones are based on the molluscan species having a more or less restricted range in the zones and correspond to the referred ages in the Indo-Pacific regions. These, in the ascending order, are Meretrix agrestis Zone (1) of upper Eocene to Oligocene age, Glycymeris sindiensis - Nuculana virgo Zone (2) of Aquitanian age, Ostrea latimarginata-Natica pellis tigrina Zone (3) of Aquitanian-Burdigalian age, Pecten (Oopecten) gigas Zone (4) of Burdigalian age and Pecten sp. Zone (5) of Helvetian age. The Zone I lies in Barail Group, the Zone 2 in the Lower and Middle Bhuban Formations whereas the Zones 3, 4 and 5 lie in the lower, the middle and the upper parts respectively of the Upper Bhuban Formation. The Boka Bil Subgroup is devoid of any age diagnostic fauna, whereas the Tipam Group yielded fossil wood only.

11 illus, 4 tables, 35 ref

016538   Tiwari B N (Wadia Inst of Himalayan Geology, , 33, General Mahadeo Singh Road, Dehra Dun-248 001, Email: Bntiwari56@rediffmail.com) : A late eocene juxia (perissodactyla, hyracodontidae) from liyan molasse, Eastern Ladakh, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2003, 48, 103-13.

The discovery of a nearly complete skull of Juxia Chow and Chiu, 1964 (Perissodactyla: Rhinocerotoidea: Hyracodontidae) from the high altitude (<62> 5000 m) molasse of the Liyan Formation in eastern Ladakh, is documented. The specimen was recovered from the horizon, 40 m above the base of the molasse and documents the oldest fossil mammal from the Ladakh region. The skull has taxonomic affinities with Juxia sharamurense of China on the basis of morphological characters and it is inferred to suggest late Eocene age for lower horizons of the Liyan Formation. Its occurrence in a bed with a temperate fan palm, Trachycarpus ladakhensis, indicates that the Liyan Formation was deposited at a much lower altitude (″3000 to 3500 m below the present day altitude), and the area was accessible to immigrating forms from central Asia. Because of faunal elements of the late Eocene (present study) and early Miocene ages from lower horizons of the Liyan and Kargil formations respectively, a period of non-deposition is suggested between the two formations of the Ladakh Molasse Group.

4 illus, 1 pl, 34 ref

016537   Tewari V C (Wadia Inst of Himalayan Geology, , Dehra Dun-248 001, Uttaranchal Pradesh) : Correlation and palaeobiology of vindhyan and lesser Himalayan stratigraphic successions. J Palaeont Soc India 2003, 48, 155-6.

The North-western Lesser Himalaya is characterised by two major sedimentary belts. The older sequence is Early Proterozoic to Neoproterozoic in age and major facies of this belt are (1) Volcano siliciclastic (Rampur-Manikaran-Chamoli-Berinag) (II) Clastic-argillaceous (Sundernagar-Hurla-Rautgara-Rudraprayag-Bhawali Qartzite and volcanics) (III) Microbial-stromatolitic carbonate phosphorite (Shali-Larji-Deoban-Lameri-Pipalkoti-Gangolihat-Dharchula) and (IV) Argillo-calcareous (Mandhali-Sor-Thalkedar) units with stromatolites. The younger sedimentary sequence is known as Blaini-Krol-Tal belt in the outer Lesser Himalaya. It is characterised by Terminal Proterozoic stromatolites, algae, Ediacaran fossil, vendotaenids and Lower Cambrian shelly, trace and body fossils. The correlation of the inner sedimentary basins with that of the Vindhyan Basin is discussed on the basis of recent discovery of sponge spicules, microbiota, microstromatolites and stromatolite assemblages from the Deoban-Gangolihat belt.

5 illus, 3 tables, 56 ref

016536   Srivastava R;Guleria J S (Birbal Sahni Inst of Palaeobotany, , 53 Univ Road, Lucknow 226 007) : Leaf impressions from Kasauli sediments of Himachal Pradesh and their palaeoenvironmental significance. Geophytology 2002, 32(1-2), 97-106.

In the communication occurrence of fossil leaves belonging to six families and seven genera have been reported from Lower Miocene deposits of Kasauli Formation exposed around Kasauli township. Himachal Pradesh. The genera are: Semecarpus (Anacardiaceae), Chukarasia and Heynea (Meliaceae), Tephrosia (Fabaceae), Mallotus (Euphorbiaceae). Donax (Marantaceae) and Poacites (Poaceae). Among these, remains of the first five genera have been reported for the first time from the area. Of the remaining two genera a new species of Poacites has been established and an earlier reported genus Clinogyne, which no longer exists, has been nomenclaturally corrected.

2 pl, 2 tables, 47 ref

016535   Srivastava D K (Palaentology Div, Northern Region, Geological survey of India, Sector-E, Aligani, Lucknow-226 024) : Reidentification of a brissid echinoid from the gaj formation (early miocene) of Kathiawar, Gujarat, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2003, 48, 99-102.

A brissid echinoid Metalia harshadae Jain, 2002 has been studied in detail and reidentified as Brissopsis harshadae (Jain), n. comb, based on diagnostic morphological characters viz. anteriorly excentric, tetrabasal and ethmolytic apical system with four genital pores; simple peripetalous fasciole, not forming embayments between the petals; supramarginal and longitudinally oval periproct besides anteriorly excentric peristome.

1 illus, 1 pl, 17 ref