Taxonomy, biostratigraphy and paleoecology of non-marine ostracod fauna of the Maastrichtian intertrappean beds of the lower Narmada Basin, Malwa Plateau, India

Abstract

Paleontological investigations in the Late Cretaceous sedimentary units associated with Deccan traps of the lower Narmada valley, western Central India were carried out in order to ascertain ostracod diversity and its biostratigraphic and paleoecological implications. Eighteen species of twelve genera of Cytheroidea, Darwinuloidea and Cypridoidea ostracods recovered from four sections of the Deccan intertrappean beds are described. The species include the specimens from two new intertrappean sections, Kakarda and Bara Bheralya and additional ostracod taxa recorded from two previously studied sections, Gujri and Uthawali. The biostratigraphic, taphonomic and paleoecological analysis of the newely recovered ostracod assemblage in conjunction with the recent published data from the study area depict Maastrichtian age and freshwater fluvio-lacustrine environment for the studied sections.