Early Cambrian Ichnofossils from the Mussoorie Syncline and revision of Trace Fossil Biozonation of the Lesser Himalaya,India

A new locality bearing ichnofossils of the Cruziana Assemblage Zone-Ⅲ from the Mussoorie syncline,Lesser Himalaya,is located in rocks of Member-B of the Dhaulagiri Formation,Tal Group,exposed along the Maldewta-Chhimoli fresh road cut section.The site yielded ichnofossils Bergaueria perata,Cochlichnus anguineus,？Diplocraterion isp.,Dimorphichnus obliquus,diplichnitiform Cruziana bonariensis,Diplichnites gouldi,Glockeria isp.,Helminthopsis isp.,Monomorphichnus lineatus,Phycodes palmatum,Palaeophycus striatus,Planolites beverleyensis,Planolites montanus,Treptichnus cf.T.pedum,scratch marks and an undetermined worm impression.An Early Cambrian age （Cambrian Series 2） is assigned to the ichnofossil-bearing strata based on the stratigraphic position between the Drepanuroides and Palaeoolenus trilobite zones.A revised Cambrian ichnofossil zonation is presented for the Tal Group of the Mussoorie syncline.Together with their occurrence on rippled surfaces,and the lateral displacement of some trackways （due to current action）,a sub-aqueous shallow-marine depositional setting is proposed for the rocks of Member-B.     

Ichnofossils from the Miocene Middle Bhuban Formation, Mizoram,Northeast India and their Paleoenvironmental Significance

An ichnofossil assemblage is preserved in sediments of the Middle Bhuban Formation,Surma Group,of Miocene age from the Durtlang and Chanmari sections,Aizawl district,Mizoram,northeastern India.The studied sections comprise a thick,bioturbated and thinly bedded sandstone–silty shale facies.The preserved ichnofossils show high density and low diversity with the assemblage represented by feeding and resting traces,i.e.,Psilonichnus upsilon Frey et al.,1984,Ophiomorpha isp.,Teichichnus spiralis Mikulá.1990,Skolithos isp.,Palaeophycus isp.,and other horizontal burrows.Sedimentary structures associated with these traces are mainly cross bedding,flaser bedding and slump structures.Considering the distribution of the Psilonichnus ichnogenus across an integrated ichnological–sedimentological framework,the stratigraphic interval of the Middle Bhuban Formation,in which they occur,are interpreted to have been deposited under a shallow,marginal-marine channel complex dominated by tidal channels developed in quiet,brackish-water portions of a delta plain.     

Paleoenvironmental and biostratigraphic significance of uvigerinids and other foraminifera from the Bhuban Formation,Assam-Arakan Basin,Mizoram

Planktic and benthic foraminifera including uvigerinids are documented from the Upper Bhuban Formation, exposed at Thingdawl village, Kolasib district, Mizoram. The foraminiferal assemblage is poorly preserved and consists of index fossils useful for precise biochronology and interpretation of the depositional environment. A total of ten benthic and six planktic foraminiferal species are described. Six species belong to the genus Uvigerina, four to Ammonia, one species each of Globorotalia, Globigerinoides, Clavatorella, Praeorbulina and two species of the genus Orbulina. Based on lithological and foraminiferal assemblage, middle neritic to upper part of outer neritic paleobathymetry is inferred for the deposition of this part of the Upper Bhuban Formation. The foraminiferal assemblage suggests late Early Miocene to early Middle Miocene, (∼16 Ma) equivalent to planktic foraminiferal zones N8-N9 for the Upper Bhuban Formation.