Some new Miospore genera from Upper Gondwana coals of India

Abstract

Seven new miospore genera have been described from the Upper Gondwana Coals of the Jabalpur Stage, Jabalpur Series, represented in the Satpura Coal Basin, Madhya Pradesh, India. Among these, 5 genera are trilete viz., Haradisporites gen. nov., Coniatisporites gen. nov., Biformaesporites gen. nov., Lametatriletes gen. nov., Venusteaesporites gen. nov., and 2 are monolete, viz., Metamonoletes gen. nov., and Dettmannites gen. nov. Haradisporites is characterised by having small, triangular miospores with characteristically sinuous Y-rays near the apex. Coniatisporites possesses exine sculptured with coni, grana or small bacula in varying proportions. Biformaesporites incorporates circular to subcircular, trilete miospores having exine sculptured with bacula, coni and spines. Lametatriletes is characterised by having variably thickened exine, more at the angles, sparsely punctate ornamentation, puncta prominently distributed in several linear rows along the y-rays. Venusteaesporites has got two layered exine, outer punctate all over but for the region of angles, inner structureless as well as thicker at the angles. Metamonoletes is characterised by having ornamented exine with coni and verrucae, the latter elements being rare. Dettmannites is a monolete form and has verrucose exine. Verrucae are small and low around the monolete mark. Distal polar area has fainter ornamentation of the exine, grading into thicker exine and bigger verrucae towards the periphery.