Journal of Geological Society of India (Online archive from Vol 1 to Vol 78)

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Palaeoenvironmental Significance of Trace Fossils from the Palaeocene Sediments of the Pondicherry Area, South India


Affiliations
1 Department of Geology, Bangalore University, Bangalore - 560 056, India
2 Department of Geology, M.S. University, Baroda - 390 002, India
3 Geology Division, Civil Engineering Department, Islamiah Institute of Technology, National Park Road, Bangalore - 560076., India
     

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Sediments of Manaveli Formation (Palaeocene) are studied from the Thondaimanattam quarry section and Manaveli section of the Pondicherry area, which comprises of bioturbated arenaceous limestone-shale and shaly-sandstone sequences respectively. These sediments consist of high density and low diversity trace fossil genera which includes Lanicodichnus, Ophiomorpha, Planolites, Palaeophycus, Skolithos, Thalassinoides, and Polychaetes tubes. The abundance of horizontal structures of the Thondaimanattam quarry section indicate low to moderate wave and current energy in fully marine subtidal environments while the presences of vertical structures of the Manaveli section indicate moderate to high wave and current energy in the marginal marine environment of deposition for the Palaeocene sediments of the Pondicherry area.

Keywords

Trace Fossils, Palaeocene, Palaeoenvironment, Pondicherry.
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  • Palaeoenvironmental Significance of Trace Fossils from the Palaeocene Sediments of the Pondicherry Area, South India

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Authors

N. Malarkodi
Department of Geology, Bangalore University, Bangalore - 560 056, India
S. J. Patel
Department of Geology, M.S. University, Baroda - 390 002, India
P. J. Fayazudeen
Department of Geology, Bangalore University, Bangalore - 560 056, India
U. B. Mallikarjuna
Geology Division, Civil Engineering Department, Islamiah Institute of Technology, National Park Road, Bangalore - 560076., India

Abstract


Sediments of Manaveli Formation (Palaeocene) are studied from the Thondaimanattam quarry section and Manaveli section of the Pondicherry area, which comprises of bioturbated arenaceous limestone-shale and shaly-sandstone sequences respectively. These sediments consist of high density and low diversity trace fossil genera which includes Lanicodichnus, Ophiomorpha, Planolites, Palaeophycus, Skolithos, Thalassinoides, and Polychaetes tubes. The abundance of horizontal structures of the Thondaimanattam quarry section indicate low to moderate wave and current energy in fully marine subtidal environments while the presences of vertical structures of the Manaveli section indicate moderate to high wave and current energy in the marginal marine environment of deposition for the Palaeocene sediments of the Pondicherry area.

Keywords


Trace Fossils, Palaeocene, Palaeoenvironment, Pondicherry.

References