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Geological map of a part of the Cenozoic exposures of Kutch with fossil localities (modified after Biswas, 1992).
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The cerithioids are a diverse group of gastropods found globally as fossil and living animals during the Cenozoic Era. Their systematics is riddled with problems stemming from large morphological variability, homoplasy, and wide geographical distribution. Six cerithioid species are described here from the lower Middle Eocene of Kutch, Gujarat, west...
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Citations
... This pattern has been recorded in several other faunas, such as the macro-gastropod and bivalve community from the Cambay Basin (pers. obs.), early to middle Eocene gastropods and bivalves from Kutch, western India (Halder and Sinha, 2014;Halder and Bano, 2015;Halder and Das, 2019), Paleocene-early Eocene gastropods and bivalves from Pakistan (Iqbal, 1969a(Iqbal, , 1969b(Iqbal, , 1972, and early Eocene gastropods from France (Kowalke, 2005). ...
Although gastropods are one of the most studied mollusk groups, fossil records of heterobranch microgastropods are scarce. Here,
nine species of heterobranch microgastropods are described from the early Eocene Cambay Shale of the Cambay Basin, including 8 new species: Ringicula knolli n. sp., Cylichna (Cylichna) ypresiana n. sp., Aliculastrum suratense n. sp., Odostomia concavata n. sp., Megastomia canaliculata n. sp., Megastomia carinata n. sp., Costosyrnola taptiensis n. sp., and Cingulina eamesi n. sp. This new fauna is discussed here with respect to its associated lithology, faunal association, and habitat and feeding preferences. A low diversity microgastropod fauna composed predominantly of eurytopic genera in association with similar eurytopic macro-mollusks indicates a restricted marginal marine condition. Eight out of the nine species described here are endemic. On the other hand, apart from Cingulina and Costosyrnola, which have a poor fossil record, the reported genera were widespread during the early Eocene. The heterobranchs are characterized by planktotrophic larval development, believed to benefit large scale dispersal. As the strong endemism of the species does not support this hypothesis, it is suggested here that the isolated and restricted nature of the basin could have facilitated rapid speciation in the fauna.
... Amongst the collected bivalve and gastropod specimens, the best preserved were selected for systematic description. They were biometrically measured and their shape, outline, shell thickness, ornamentations, convexity, ribs and growth lines were determined and compared with the published descriptions of the known fauna from the other regions, especially Central Asia (Berizzi Quarto di Palo, 1970;Lan, 1997;Mathur and Juyal, 2000;Halder and Sinha, 2014). In addition, depositional and ecological conditions of the formation of Systematic paleontology and taphonomic studies of Ypresian mollusks at the Kopet-Dagh Basin, NE Iran shell beds (Dorsey and Kidwell, 1999;Dorsey and Umhoefer, 2000) and taphonomic attributes of macrofossils such as transportation, fragmentation, disarticulation, corrosion, encrustation, boring, and predation were recorded (Gordillo et al., 2014). ...
Marine invertebrate fossils have long been considered important tools for age dating and
stratigraphic interpretation of the Paleogene deposits of Central Asia, however information has not yet been provided from the Kopet-Dagh Basin (NE Iran). In this research, fossiliferous horizons of the Chehelkaman Formation at the Sheikh and Ghaleh-Zou sections (which have never been recognized previously), both in the Sheikh Syncline area, are discussed. These sedimentary beds overlay the terrestrial siliciclastic Pesteligh Formation and are the first evidence of marine flooding of the Paleogene transgression in the central Kopet-Dagh. Systematic paleontological studies of molluscan fossils in this succession led to the identification of ten genera, twelve species and two subspecies of bivalves and five genera and five species of gastropods. The assemblage belongs to four different fossiliferous horizons: (1) Turritellidae Dominated Assemblage (TDA), (2) Pycnodonte – Turkostrea horizon, (3) Cordiopsis - Cardium horizon and (4) Globularia shell beds in the Sheikh section and only TDA horizon in the Ghaleh-Zou section.
The age of the whole succession, based on Cordiopsis subathooensis – Turritella subathooensis Zone co-occurrence with nannofossil zones
NP12 and NP13, is Late Ypresian (early middle Cuisian). The TDA in both sections confirms the abundance of nutrients and their bimodal orientation demonstrates effects of oscillatory waves rather than unidirectional paleo-currents. High rates of bioerosion, encrustation, fragmentation, disarticulation and corrosion of the shells in the Pycnodonte – Turkostrea horizon reveals high volumes of nutrients and energy-rich conditions. This interval, overlain by the Cordiopsis – Cardium horizon in a pavement arrangement, represents the stable conditions after a storm. The Globularia shell beds interbedded with marly beds indicate stability and a deepening trend of the environment, terminating to deeper marine shales and marls of the Khangiran Formation.
... An oyster bank, composed mainly of Flemingostrea sp., occurs slightly above the shell bed (Fig. 2). The thin molluscan shell bed at the basal part yielded a large assemblage of macrofauna including several species of gastropods, bivalves, corals, and a nautiloid (Halder, 2012;Halder and Sinha, 2014;Halder and Bano, 2015). Saraswati et al. (2016) designated the Bartonian age to this formation based on foraminiferal assemblage. ...
The Eocene deposits of the Kutch basin are characterized by predominance of plane-laminated shales and low diversity mollusc faunas. These features reflect a low energy, restricted environment. A thin molluscan shell bed stands out in this backdrop because it produced a very diverse assemblage of bivalves and gastropods. Palaeosynecological analysis of the benthic mollusc assemblages from different stratigraphic levels of the Eocene of Kutch, including the shell bed, was carried out by testing for standard ecological models of rank-abundance. The specific abundance data from the shell bed c onform to the log-normal model indicating stable, resource-rich environment. On the other hand, low diversity and often high abundance of opportunist species from other levels reflect harsh ecological conditions for molluscs. Analyses of habitat preferences and habits of the genera from the shell bed indicate shallow to very shallow shelf environment. It is inferred that this exotic assemblage of shells was brought in this quiet, restricted environment by storm surges from open part of the sea. High degree of shell fragmentation and high content of micrite matrix corroborate this interpretation.
... The Eocene mollusks from Kutch, however, remained much less attended until recently except in some sporadic reports (Sastry and Mathur, 1968;Tandon, 1971;Tandon and Srivastava, 1980). More recently, they have started getting some attention from paleontologists (Kachhara et al., 2011a, b;Halder, 2012;Halder and Sinha, 2014;Halder and Bano, 2015). ...
... The present authors intended to make a comprehensive systematic study of the gastropods from the Eocene of Kutch. Halder and Sinha (2014) recently reported the Eocene cerithioids (superfamily Cerithioidea Fleming, 1822) from Kutch. The present paper deals with volutids. ...
... Kapalmerella Allmon, 2005(= Palmerella Allmon, 1996, which belongs to the gastropod family Turritellidae Lovén, 1847, is known extensively from the USA. It has recently been reported from Kutch (Halder and Sinha, 2014). Turritella ranikoti Vredenburg, 1928b, known from Pakistan and now also from Kutch, has been reassigned to this genus (Halder and Sinha, 2014). ...
Seven species belonging to the gastropod family Volutidae are reported for the first time from Kutch, Gujarat, India. They are Prestrombus aff. Prestrombus rockei Cox, 1931, Indovoluta humberti (d'Archiac and Haime, 1854), Indovoluta multidentata (d'Archiac and Haime, 1854), Involuta daviesi Cox, 1931, Involuta coxi new species, Athleta ( Volutocorbis ) harnaiensis Cox, 1931, and Lyria cf. Lyria punjabensis Eames, 1952. Indovolutinae new subfamily, constituted of the Paleogene genera Prestrombus Douvillé, 1929, Indovoluta Eames, 1956, Involuta Cox, 1931, and Lyrischapa Aldrich, 1911, and the Cretaceous genus Gosavia Stoliczka, 1865, is proposed. These forms have elaborate development of columellar plaits. All of these genera evolved in the western part of the Indian subcontinent. They, except Lyrischapa , also largely remained restricted to this area. Lyrischapa flourished in the Americas after possibly migrating through the southern margin of the relict Tethys Ocean and crossing the Atlantic Ocean. It is argued that the geographic and temporal restriction of this new subfamily was due to lecithotrophic larval development.
UUID: http://zoobank.org/14bc056f-1d2e-4674-b624-9eb8e856a1f0
... Bajpai and Thewissen 2002;Rage et al. 2003;Ravikant and Bajpai 2010) and invertebrates including echinoid, molluscs and foraminifera (e.g. Tandon and Srivastava 1980;Samanta et al. 1990;Singh and Singh 1991;Biswas 1992;Srivastava et al. 2008;Banerjee et al. 2012a;Halder 2012;Saraswati et al. 2012Saraswati et al. , 2014Halder and Sinha 2014). Among molluscan community, gastropods such as Indovoluta, Turritella, Euspira, Palmerella kachchhensis, Tenagodus sowerbyi, Potamides archiaci, Cerithium harudiensis and bivalves such as Caestocorbula, Bicorbula, Aphrodina, Cardium, Lucina and Astarte (Kachhara et al. 2011;Halder 2012;Halder and Sinha 2014) are the dominant fossil group alongwith rare cephalopods such as Hercoglossa kachchhensis and Cimomia forbesi (Tandon and Srivastava 1980;Halder 2012). ...
... Tandon and Srivastava 1980;Samanta et al. 1990;Singh and Singh 1991;Biswas 1992;Srivastava et al. 2008;Banerjee et al. 2012a;Halder 2012;Saraswati et al. 2012Saraswati et al. , 2014Halder and Sinha 2014). Among molluscan community, gastropods such as Indovoluta, Turritella, Euspira, Palmerella kachchhensis, Tenagodus sowerbyi, Potamides archiaci, Cerithium harudiensis and bivalves such as Caestocorbula, Bicorbula, Aphrodina, Cardium, Lucina and Astarte (Kachhara et al. 2011;Halder 2012;Halder and Sinha 2014) are the dominant fossil group alongwith rare cephalopods such as Hercoglossa kachchhensis and Cimomia forbesi (Tandon and Srivastava 1980;Halder 2012). The Nummulites (including index fossil N. obtusus), Rotalids, Miliolids and Orthophragminids are the chief contributor among foraminiferal community reported from Harudi Formation (see Samanta 1981;Samanta et al. 1990;Saraswati et al. 2000Saraswati et al. , 2014. ...
The 8.5 m thick, 1.4 km long and 0.35 km wide, ESE–WNW oriented cliff section (N 23°31′32″ E 68°41′00″) exposed across Harudi–Baranda road is extensively studied for its facies characteristics and based on that depositional environments of the middle Eocene (Lutetian) Harudi Formation are deciphered in the present study. Two cycles of grey mudstone alongwith nodular limestone–coquina limestone-gypsiferous mudstone facies in the lower part of the succession suggest sedimentation in coastal quiet-water lagoonal to tidal flat environments, while glauconitic shale, bioclastic packstone and gypsiferous foraminiferal packstone facies in the upper part suggest sedimentation on middle- to inner-shelf and tidal flat depositional environments. In all, three shallowing upward cycles have been identified in the studied outcrops and based on that lagoonal-middle shelf-inner shelf-tidal flat depositional environments are suggested for the middle Eocene Harudi Formation.
... During the deposition of underlying Gypseous Shale Member (Fig. 1B) probably due to prevailing reducing conditions there is no trace of biological activity in this part of the formation. For this part of the formation, restricted environment was suggested by Haldar and Sinha (2014) based on presence of mine- able lignite deposits, black shale, evaporite, along with limonite pseudomorph after pyrite. Water circulation in such a restricted basin was obviously controlled, until sustained open marine conditions started to pre- vail from the later part of the Middle Eocene with the deposition of foraminiferal limestone. ...
Bioclast lined tubes of Schaubcylindrichnus coronus are not much reported around the world. As of now only two reports are available. Interestingly in both these reports and in the current find, tests of foraminifers are used as tube building material. Current report of Schaubcylindrichnus is from the subtidal deposits of the Naredi Formation (Ypresian) of Kachchh Basin, Western India. As the host rock here abounds in the tests of larger benthic foraminifera, concentration of same is noticed within the tubes. The natural selection of lighter and larger calcitic grains of tests over the heavier mineral grains is the main reason for presence of the tests in tube building; moreover, presence of inner smooth wall of tube also indicates organisms’ preference for comfort within their burrow.
... With cooling climatic zonation became more pronounced. The fact that temperature imposed a very significant control on the distribution of benthic fauna has also been demonstrated by other organisms such as the Cenozoic corbulid bivalves (family Corbulidae) (Halder and Bano 2015), the Eocene cerithioid gastropods (superfamily Cerithioidea) (Halder and Sinha 2014) and the Oligocene corals (Sinha and Halder 2018). Interestingly, nektonic nautiloids also exhibited a similar pattern (Halder 2012) demonstrating control of temperature. ...
Palaeobiogeographical distribution of gastropod genera from the Paleocene and the Eocene has been analysed. Based on this distribution, formal palaeobiogeographical provinces have been established and their relationships are sought. It has been found that the provinces were largely restricted to the palaeo-tropics and subtropics mainly of the northern hemisphere and they share a large proportion of their generic composition. The Northern Tropical Realm has been established to include these provinces. The distribution evinces presence of ocean surface currents in the tropics across longitudes. The possible currents moved through the relict Tethys Ocean, across the Atlantic Ocean and perhaps also across the Pacific. However, planktotrophic larvae of these benthic molluscs could not cross the deep ocean barrier that lay between the Northern Tropical Realm and the Austro-New Zealand Province of the southern hemisphere. The gastropod fauna in the latter province evolved independently. Distribution of all the provinces within palaeo-tropics and subtropics indicates strong control of temperature over it. Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum appears to be responsible for extinction and range contraction of high latitude faunas. Low latitude faunas also suffered significant extinction. However, large diversification in the Eocene was a response to widespread transgression that coincided with the thermal event.
... The presence of a seaway connection and regular migration between the WIP and the MIP during the Paleogene has been known for a long time in relation to the molluscs (Eames 1951(Eames , 1952Iqbal 1969aIqbal , b, 1972Halder 2012;Halder and Sinha 2014;Halder and Bano 2015;Harzhauser et al. 2002Harzhauser et al. , 2009. The migration took place through the relict Tethys seaway. ...
An analysis of the palaeobiogeographic distribution of the Oligocene corals of the world reveals strong specific endemism whereas large generic pandemism. Four palaeobiogeographic provinces are identified here based on this distribution: the Western Indian Province (WIP) represented by Kutch, the Mediterranean-Iranian Province (MIP) consisting of Greece, Italy and Iran, the Caribbean-Northern South American Province (CNSAP) composed of Antigua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, and the Northwestern American Province (NAP) represented by the state of Washington, USA. Different basins within a province show some specific similarity whereas specific provincialism is nearly absolute. Genera show wide distribution—the WIP shows 82% similarity with the MIP and 36% with the CNSAP; the CNSAP has 69% similarity with the MIP. However, the NAP shows significant generic endemism. The tropical affinity, and wide and rapid dispersability of the Oligocene corals are evident from this distribution pattern. Dispersal beyond tropics was apparently limited. This explains the relatively higher endemism of the NAP. Generic exchange between the WIP and the MIP, both belonging to the Tethys Realm, has been known for gastropods. Affinity of these provinces with the CNSAP is worth noticing. This similarity reflects the presence of a trans-Atlantic current during the Oligocene. The circumtropical distribution of the coral genera also evinces protracted planktotrophic larval ontogeny. However, endemism in the species level indicates rapid evolution. This distribution pattern having tropical yet wide longitudinal extent of genera and provincialism of species resembles the present day distribution of corals. It reflects that the scleractinian coral biology had already attained modern aspects in the Oligocene.
Numerous microgastropods are reported for from the Eocene (Ypresian) Zhepure Formation in Tüna, Yadong, Southern Tibet for the first time. Although most of the shells are incompletely preserved, the following eight species of benthic microgastropods are described and illustrated: Eulimella sp., Odostomia aff. pakistanica, Monotygma aff. marcusseni, Syrnola sp., Pyramidellidae (Syrnola?) sp., Pyramidellidae indet. sp., Mathilda (Echinimathilda) cf. duogenta and the new species Turbonilla yadongensis n. sp. As little is known about Paleogene microgastropod fauna in Tibet, the occurrence here could give further information on Cenozoic biostratigraphy of Southern Tibet, the paleoenvironment and late evolutionary history of eastern Tethyan realm. Based on this study of the little-known Eocene microgastropod assemblage, we demonstrate that a shallow marine environment existed during early Eocene in the Southern Tibet.
