Earth:Kaladongar Formation

From HandWiki
Kaladongar Formation
Stratigraphic range: Pliensbachian-Bajocian
~185–168.5 Ma
Template:Period fossil range
TypeGeological formation
Lithology
PrimaryLimestone
Location
RegionGujarat, Kachchh
CountryIndia
ExtentKachchh Basin

The Kaladongar Formation is the oldest Mesozoic geologic formation of the Kachchh basin. It is found in Patcham Island, Kachchh, Gujarat, India. It is made up of limestone and sandstone. It was later intruded by an olivine gabbroic intrusion which baked and shattered the overlying Limestone.[1] Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.[2]

Fossil content

Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Invertebrates

Ichnofossils

Ichnogenus Ichnospecies Provenance Material Notes Images
Arenicolites[3][4] A. isp. Kaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet, Chappar Bet, Dingy Hills, Kuran village, Babia Cliff Vertical U-shaped burrows Suspension feeder traces
Asterosoma[3][4] A. isp. Kaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet, Chappar Bet and equivalent sections Star-shaped burrows Feeding structures
Beaconites[3][4] B. isp. Kaladongar Formation outcrops (Kuar Bet, Dingy Hills) Meniscate burrows Mobile deposit feeder traces.
Bergaueria[3][4] B. isp. Kaladongar Hill range sections Plug-shaped or conical traces Anemone Resting or dwelling traces.
Chondrites[3][4] C. isp. Kaladongar Formation (various sections including Chappar Bet) Dendritic feeding burrows Deep-tier deposit feeders.
Cochlichnus[3][4] C. isp. Kaladongar Hill range Sinuous trails Locomotion traces.
Dactylophycus[3][4] D. isp. Kaladongar Formation localities Branched traces Feeding structures.
Daedalus[3][4] D. isp. Kaladongar Formation Complex spreiten burrows Feeding traces.
Didymaulichnus[3][4] D. isp. Kaladongar Hill range Bilobate trails Locomotion traces.
Diplocraterion[3][4] D. isp. Kuar Bet, Chappar Bet, Babia Cliff U-shaped spreiten burrows Equilibrium traces
Gordia[3][4] G. isp. Kaladongar Formation sections Meandering trails Grazing traces.
Gyrochorte[3][4] G. isp. Kaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet, Dingy Hills Bilobate meandering traces Locomotion/feeding.
Gyrolithes[3][4] G. isp. Kaladongar Formation Helical burrows Dwelling/escape traces.
Ichnocumulus[3][4] I. isp. Kaladongar Formation outcrops Cumulus-like traces Feeding structures.
Laevicyclus[3][4] L. isp. Kaladongar Hill range Circular traces Resting or locomotion traces.
Lockeia[3][4] L. isp. Kaladongar Formation (bivalve-rich layers) Bivalve resting traces Shallow infaunal activity.
Margaritichnus[3][4] M. isp. Kaladongar Formation Pear-shaped traces Resting traces.
Monocraterion[3][4] M. isp. Kuar Bet, Chappar Bet Single funnel-shaped burrows Dwelling traces.
Nereites[3][4] N. isp. Kaladongar Formation Meandering grazing traces Deposit feeder activity.
Ophiomorpha[3][4] O. isp. Kaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet and equivalent Pelleted burrows Crustacean dwelling.
Palaeophycus[3][4] P. isp. Kaladongar Formation sections Simple horizontal burrows Dwelling traces.
Phoebichnus[3][4] P. isp. Kaladongar Formation Radial traces Feeding structures.
Phycodes[3][4] P. isp. Kaladongar Hill range Bundled feeding burrows *Phycodes* assemblage.
Pilichnus[3][4] P. isp. Kaladongar Formation Piliform traces Feeding traces.
Planolites[3][4] P. isp. Widespread in Kaladongar Formation (Kuar Bet to Babia Cliff) Simple unlined burrows Deposit feeder traces.
Protovirgularia[3][4] P. isp. Kaladongar Formation Chevronate locomotion traces Bivalve or arthropod trails.
Rhizocorallium[3][4] R. isp. Kaladongar Hill range, Chappar Bet, Dingy Hills Spreiten U-burrows Feeding/dwelling.
Scolicia[3][4] S. isp. Kaladongar Formation Meniscate bilobate trails Deposit feeder locomotion.
Skolithos[3][4] S. isp. Kuar Bet, Chappar Bet, Babia Cliff and other high-energy sections Vertical cylindrical burrows Suspension feeder traces.
Taenidium[3][4] T. isp. Kaladongar Formation Meniscate burrows Mobile deposit feeders.
Teichichnus[3][4] T. isp. Kaladongar Formation Spreiten burrows Deposit feeder traces.
Thalassinoides[3][4] T. isp. Kaladongar Hill range and equivalent localities Branching boxwork burrows Crustacean dwelling.
Walcottia[3][4] W. isp. Kaladongar Formation Complex traces Feeding or locomotion traces.

Dinosaurs

Sauropodomorphs
Genus Species Provenance Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Ceratocaudia[5] C. antiqua Kachchh Pliensbachian to Bajocian IITBR 3-59, partial skeleton consisting of several cervical and caudal vertebrae, an isolated chevron, and elements of the appendicular skeleton including an interclavicle, an ulna, metacarpals, femora, tibiae, fibulae, and a metatarsal. A macronarian sauropod frameless
Sauropoda Indet.[6] indeterminate Kachchh Aalenian to Bajocian A partial skeleton, consisting of 12 vertebrae, several limb bones and 80 other elements reported by 2000. The fossil were deposited at Border Security force HQ. An indeterminate sauropod.

Fish

Cartilaginous Fish

Genus Species Provenance Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images
Strophodus[7] S. atlasensis Kachchh Bajocian to Bathonian Teeth A durophagous acrodontid hybodont
S. magnus
S. sp.

See also

  • List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations
    • List of stratigraphic units with indeterminate dinosaur fossils

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Patel, Satish J.; Joseph, Jaquilin K.; Bhatt, Nishith Y. (2013-07-01). "Facies Controlled Synaeresis Cracks in Mixed Siliciclastic-Carbonate Sediments of Middle Jurassic of Patcham Island, Kachchh, Western India". Journal of the Geological Society of India 82 (1): 9–14. doi:10.1007/s12594-013-0116-5. ISSN 0016-7622. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-013-0116-5. 
  2. ↑ Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 Joseph, Jaquilin K.; Patel, Satish J.; Bhatt, Nishith Y. (2012-08-01). "Trace Fossil Assemblages in Mixed Siliciclastic-Carbonate Sediments of the Kaladongar Formation (Middle Jurassic), Patcham Island, Kachchh, Western India". Journal of the Geological Society of India 80 (2): 189–214. doi:10.1007/s12594-012-0131-y. ISSN 0016-7622. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-012-0131-y. 
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 Joseph, J. K.; Patel, S. J. (2015). "Ichnology of mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sedimentary cycles and their sequence stratigraphic context: Kaladongar Formation (Middle Jurassic) of Kachchh, western India.". Volumina Jurassica 13 (2): 81-99. https://vjs.pgi.gov.pl/article/view/26640. 
  5. ↑ Natarajan, A.; Bhosale, S.; Rakshit, N.; Dasgupta, S. (2026). "A new diminutive Jurassic neosauropod from the Kaladongar Formation (Khadir Uplift) of the Kachchh Basin, western India". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. doi:10.1080/02724634.2026.2677749. 
  6. ↑ Moser, Markus; Mathur, Umesh B.; Fürsich, Franz T.; Pandey, Dhirendra K.; Mathur, Neera (2006-03-01). "Oldest camarasauromorph sauropod (Dinosauria) discovered in the Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) of the Khadir Island, Kachchh, western India" (in en). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 80 (1): 35. doi:10.1007/BF02988396. ISSN 0031-0220. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02988396. 
  7. ↑ Bhosale, Suraj; Rakshit, Nibedita; Natarajan, Abhishek; Chauhan, Gaurav; Thakkar, Mahesh (2025-03-04). "The oldest Gondwanan record of durophagous shark Strophodus Agassiz, 1838 (Hybodontiformes) from the Kachchh Basin, western India". Historical Biology 37 (3): 650–662. doi:10.1080/08912963.2024.2324430. ISSN 0891-2963. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08912963.2024.2324430. 

References

  • Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. 861 pp. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.