001514   DAS D, CHAKRABORTI S, NAG T C (Zoology Dep, Taki Government Coll, Taki-743 429, West Bengal, Email: emaildd@rediffmail.com) : Morphology of adhesive surfaces in the sisorid catfish, Glyptothorax sinense sikkimensis. Indian J Biochem Biophys 2021, 58(4), 385-93.

This paper deals with the surface morphology and structure of suctorial mouthparts, expanded paired fins and adhesive organ (AO) in a mountain stream catfish Glyptothorax sinense sikkimensis of India, as studied by scanning electron microscopy. It possesses type I taste buds on its barbels and lips. There are scattered unculiferous plaques on the lower lip and horny tubercles on outer fin rays, and knob like microstructures between fin rays of both paired fins. The thoracic region bears a prominent AO, which has 8-10 unculiferous ridges arranged parallel to the body axis, separated by many non-unculiferous grooves. The latter may act as the major attachment sites and function as a suction cup. A combined action of the adhesive devices with their unique surface specializations enables the fish for better anchorage to sandy-rocky substratum of glacier-fed, rapid mountain streams. The plaques on lower lip and horny tubercles and knob like substructures in fin rays perhaps help in additional anchorage support to the major AO located at the thoracic area.

7 illus, 33 ref

027873   JEYANTHI S, SANTHANAM P, DEVI A S (Marine Science Dep, Bharathidasan Univ, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, Email: sanplankton@yahoo.co.in.) : Halophilic benthic diatom Amphora coffeaeformis-A potent biomarker for lipid and biomedical application. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(9), 698-701.

Biomarkers offer a powerful means to study life and its interaction with the environment. The evolutionary record of eukaryotic phytoplankton has been studied through fossils and molecular biomarkers, such as lipids and nucleic acids. Algal taxonomic groups containing carotenoids serve as age diagnostic biomarkers associated to photosynthetic pigments or fatty acids. Diatoms are known to thrive even in hypersaline conditions which are restricted to higher salinity. Results of this study have revealed the presence of a specific highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) compound, squalene (0.004 g) in the halophilic benthic diatom Amphora coffeaeformis which is considered to be the marker for hyper salinity. It also corresponds to the biomarker of oxidation processes.

2 illus, 1 table, 31 ref

027874   SHARMA M, PANDEY S K, AHMAD S, KUMAR K, ANSARI A H (Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow- 226 007, Email: mukund_sharma@bsip.res.in) : Observations on the ichnospecies Monomorphichnus multilineatus from the Nagaur sandstone (Cambrian Series 2-Stage 4), Marwar supergroup, India. J Earth Syst Sci 2018, 127(5), 75.

The Ediacaran–Cambrian Marwar Supergroup exposed in the western Rajasthan, India yielded abundant sigmoidal scratches assigned to ichnospecies Monomorphichnus multilineatus from the Nagaur Sandstone belonging to the Cambrian (Series 2-Stage 4). Nagaur M. multilineatus are recorded from the intertidal regime. It is an addition to already known depositional environments for this ichnospecies, which are known from shallow marine, wave-dominated, to non-marine or brackish water and storm-dominated sequences. Classical systematics of M. multilineatus is enriched with additional information in the paper. Its significance has been discussed regarding the palaeoecology of trace producers. Comprehensive statistical analyses help reveal its behaviour and feeding pattern of the causative organism of M. multilineatus. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), average linkage and Pearson Correlation were performed to establish the natural grouping and behaviour of the specimens. HCA indicates that the studied Nagaur specimens belong to ichnogenera Monomorphicnus and ichnospecies, i.e., multilineatus. Pearson correlation, involving thickness and length of individual specimen, was positive. It indicates that the amount of food required by individual adult specimen was more and thereby requiring more grazing to provide enough food for survival. All the known occurrences of M. multilineatus are reviewed in the present study for their mode of preservation, depositional environment, palaeoecology and taphonomy.

11 illus, 3 tables, 115 ref

018521   Singh K J;Murthy S;Saxena A;Shabbar H (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, 53, Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: anju_saxena2002@yahoo.co.in) : Permian macro- and miofloral diversity, palynodating and palaeoclimate implications deduced from the coal-bearing sequences of Singrauli coalfield, Son-mahanadi basin, Central India. J Earth Syst Sci 2017, 126(2), 1-16.

The coal-bearing sequences of Barakar and Raniganj formations exposed in Bina and Jhingurdah open-cast collieries, respectively, are analysed for their macro- and miofloral content. The sediment successions primarily comprise of sandstones, shales, claystones and coal seams. In addition to the diverse glossopterid assemblage, four palynoassemblage zones, namely Zones I and II in Bina Colliery and Zones III and IV in Jhingurdah Colliery, have also been recorded in the present study. The megafossil assemblage from the Barakar strata of Bina Colliery comprises of three genera, namely Gangamopteris, Glossopteris and cf. Noeggerathiopsis. Palynoassemblage-I is characterised by the dominance of non-striate bisaccate pollen genus Scheuringipollenites and subdominance of striate bisaccate Faunipollenites and infers these strata to be of Early Permian (Artinskian) age (Lower Barakar Formation). The palynoassemblage has also yielded a large number of naked fossil spore tetrads, which is the first record of spore tetrads from any Artinskian strata in the world and has a significant bearing on the climatic conditions. The palynoassemblage-II is characterised with the dominance of Faunipollenites over - 56 - Scheuringipollenites and is indicative of Kungurian age (Upper Barakar Formation). The megafossil assemblage from the Raniganj Formation of Jhingurdah Colliery comprises of five genera with 26 species representing four orders, viz., Equisetales, Cordaitales, Cycadales and Glossopteridales. The order Glossopteridales is highly diversified with 23 taxa and the genus Glossopteris, with 22 species, dominates the flora. The mioflora of this colliery is represented by two distinct palynoassemblages. The palynoassemblage-III is correlatable with the palynoflora of Early Permian (Artinskian) Lower Barakar Formation. The assemblage suggests the continuity of older biozones into the younger ones. The palynoassemblage-IV equates the beds with composition V: Striatopodocarpites-Faunipollenites-Gondisporites assemblage zone of Tiwari and Tripathi (1992) of Late Permian (Lopingian) Raniganj Formation in Damodar Basin. The FAD's of Alisporites, Klausipollenites, Falcisporites, Arcuatipollenites pellucidus and Playfordiaspora cancellosa palynotaxa in this assemblage enhance the end Permian level of the Jhingurdah Top seam, as these elements are the key species to mark the transition of Permian into the Lower Triassic.

8 illus, 5 tables, 40 ref

018520   Chattopadhyay D (Earth Sciences Dep, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, Mohanpur-741 246, Email: devapriya@iiserkol.ac.in) : Predation to climate change: What does a fossil shell tell us?. Curr Sci 2017, 112(7), 1489-93.

Paleobiology is a growing field where researchers are primarily interested to reconstruct the past biosphere using a truly interdisciplinary approach. The effect of biotic and abiotic agents of natural selection influencing an organism's ecology and evolution is a question that intrigued ecologists and paleobiologists alike. Study of such interaction in deep time using the marine fossil record presents some unique challenges. In this article, I have tried to share my personal account of such challenges and subsequent developments where I was involved as a researcher working on this topic.

2 illus, 18 ref

008548   Ghodsi A A S (Faculty of Science, Geology Dep, Urmia Univ, Urmia, Iran, Email: Ehsanalizadeh89@yahoo.com) : Paleoclimate of tabriz sediments based on paleo flora northwest of Iran. Asian J Microbiol Biotechnol envir Sci 2016, 18(1), 139-43.

Lignite Beds are from Neogene formations in Tabriz region. These sediments have deposited in a lake environment. This research introduces plant macrofossils of a marl horizon of this paleo lake in Sari Dagh altitudes. Charophytes algae and untoothed plant fossils are among fossil samples including: Fraxinus, Salix and Elaeagnus. Charophyte algae and phragmites indicate a freshwater lake with lagoon area near this lake. Salix, Elaeagnus and Fraxinus represent a deciduous forest surrounding the lakeside. This demonstrates a dry climate and high mean annual temperature during upper Miocene through Lignite Beds precipitation time.

8 illus, 18 ref

006442   Singh A D;Naidu P D;Saraswat R (Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu Univ, Varanasi-221 005, Email: arundeosingh@yahoo.com) : Indian contributions to marine micropaleontology (2010-2015). Proc Indian Natn Sci Acad 2016, 82(3), 663-73.

An overview of the research contributions made during the last five years by the Indian scientists in the field of marine micropaleontology is presented. Large scale micropaleontological studies employing assemblages of various microfossil groups (mainly foraminifera, pteropods, ostracodes and nannoplanktons) and their geochemical proxies have been carried out on deep sea sediment cores from the Indian Ocean. These integrated studies provided better insights to our understanding of past changes in surface and deep ocean circulations on different time scales and their relationships to seasonal variations of monsoon climate. It was observed that the foraminiferal abundances and diversity in the Arabian Sea are mainly driven by the variation in monsoonal intensity. Within the present day oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), benthic diversity increased during the cold stadials when the monsoon circulation was weak, the productivity was low resulting to a weak OMZ. The enhanced inflow of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) ventilated the deep water column during this period. In the southern Bay of Bengal, the contribution of southern ocean deep water increased during the last glacial maximum, as compared to the Holocene with greater influence of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). For the first time boron isotopebased pCO₂ of seawater was reconstructed from the eastern Arabian Sea. The results obtained have major implications in understanding the effect of monsoon on the efficiency of carbon pump in geological records. Numerous studies have reconstructed the variability of the Indian monsoon by using several parameters suggest a significant spatial variability of the Indian monsoon rainfall triggered by natural and anthropogenic perturbations over different time scales.

71 ref

006441   Prasad G V R;Bajpai S (Geology Dep, Centre for Advanced Studies, Delhi Univ, Delhi-110 007, Email: guntupalli.vrprasad@gmail.com) : Overview of recent advances in the mesozoic-palaeogene vertebrate paleontology in the context of India's northward drift and collision with Asia. Proc Indian Natn Sci Acad 2016, 82(3), 537-48.

This review article summarizes the recent work done in India on fossil vertebrates from the Mesozoic-early Paleogene interval, with focus on the past five years. Advances made during this period highlight the importance of India's vertebrate fossil record in our understanding of the origin and evolutionary history of several vertebrate groups and the dynamics of intercontinental faunal dispersal and vicariance, especially in the context of India's former position in the Gondwanaland and its subsequent separation from the different Gondwana landmasses as it moved northward to finally collide with Asia in the early Paleogene. These studies have led to a better understanding of the mode of evolution of tetrapods on the drifting Indian plate and provide independent constraints to test the traditional models favouring India's physical isolation from all other landmasses, especially during the late Cretaceous phase of its northward drift. Recent data points to faunal interchanges between India, Africa and Europe at or near the K-Pg boundary and also suggests that the Indian landmass was the centre of origin/early evolution for several orders of modern mammals, including cetaceans (whales), perissodactyls (horses, tapirs) and primates.

^iia72 ref

006440   Patnaik R;Prasad V (Center for Advanced Study in Geology, Panjab Univ, Chandigarh, Email: rajeevpatnaik@gmail.com ) : Neogene climate, terrestrial mammals and flora of the Indian subcontinent. Proc Indian Natn Sci Acad 2016, 82(3), 605-15.

The present review compiles the work done in and around India during 2011-2015 on the terrestrial climate, fauna and vegetation changes during the Neogene. Tectonics that led to the final closure of Tethys, uplift of the Tibetan plateau, land connection between Africa and Eurasia played a major role in the climatic variability and paleobiogeographic history of fauna and flora of the Indian subcontinent. Though the timing of initiation of monsoon is still a debatable issue, establishment of seasonal reversal in wind direction pattern during summer and winter period and development of monsoonal climate in larger parts of the Indian subcontionent is characteristic of Neogene. Fossil records of flora and fauna provide evidence of warm and humid climate of early Neogene, which then shifted to cooler and drier conditions during the late Neogene. This shift in the climatic conditions resulted in a major vegetation change in the Indian subcontinent with Early and Middle Miocene being dominated by C₃ vegetation, and warm and humid tropical flora in low land areas while Late Miocene and Pliocene saw the dominance of C₄ grasslands. Influenced by this major vegetation and ecological shift around Late Miocene, several browsing mammals of the Early and Middle Miocene landscape gave way to mostly grazing mammals of the Late Miocene and Pliocene time.

2 illus, 57 ref

005302   Sahay V K;Samant B;Mude S N (NO, MEPL Research Foundation, Chandrapur, Email: vinay.sahay@geologist.com) : Paleodepth and paleodepositional environment of green shale of gypeseous shale member (Naredi formation), Kutch, Western India. Indian J Geosci 2016, 70(2), 153-60.

Petrography and palynofossils of green shale of Lower Gypseous Shale Member of Naredi Formation have been studied and the results of such study are presented in this paper. The green shale contains well-rounded to ovoid, light to dark green glauconite, along with fine-grained material as matrix observed in thin sections. The green shale contains predominantly mangrove pollen Spinizonocolpites echinatus and Spinizonocolpites thanikaimonii both belonging to Family Arecaceae, affinity Palmae/Nypa, Marginipollis kutchensis (botanical Family Barringtonia) and few dinoflagellates. Petrographic and palynofossil evidences suggest that the green shale units were deposited in an inner shelf environment, at depth of less than 10-15 m within restricted conditions, most probably in a lagoon-type environment, favouring formation of glauconite. This study found that glauconite can form at much shallower depths than understood and suggested earlier. Brown shale was deposited during supratidal stage when sea water regressed.

5 illus, 45 ref

005301   Koley T;Anju C S;Parhi S;Das S (Palaentology Div, Eastern Region, Geologica Survey of India, DK-6, Sector-II, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700 091, Email: tarunkoley@rediffmail.com) : Report of foraminifera from the Andaman flysch group of rocks in South Andaman and its implication. Indian J Geosci 2016, 70(2), 161-8.

Benthic and planktonic foraminifera viz. Cibicides lobatus, C. lapjonicus, C. pacthyderma, C. refulgense, Calcarina calar, C. spengleri, C. sp., Amphistegina lessoni, Globigerina sp. G. corpulenta, G. sp. cf., G. galavisi and G. ciperoensis have been identified from two sections of Andaman Flysch Group of rocks exposed in west of South Andaman Island. Benthic foraminiferal assemblage indicates a shallow marine slope environment of deposition. Planktonic foraminiferal assemblage includes Globigerina ciperoensis, which indicates Oligocene age.

7 illus, 1 table, 15 ref

005300   Arjun R (Archaeology Dep, Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune-411 006, Email: arjunrao93@gmail.com) : Exploring South Indian iron age Megalithi burial site for its habitational and spatial distribution over the Kaveri landscape at Koppa, Karnataka, India. Curr Sci 2016, 110(12), 2268-75.

Intensive archaeological explorations during 2013-2015 in an area of 9 sq. km, centring Koppa mega-lithic burial site in Karnataka, India have resulted in studying the landscape and land use, cultural activities and distribution, and settlement pattern of Iron Age. Combination of archaeological and geographical data has helped in constructing a cultural and political ecological model. Here, the Iron Age society seems to have witnessed a frequent occupational shifts across the core and offsites; linterlands depending on the available natural resources at distinct locations for sustaining their subsistence economy and leading a dispersed settlement pattern way of life.

7 illus, 1 table, 26 ref

004375   Seetharam D S;Ramakrishna H (Palaeobotany & Palynology Research Laboratory, Botany Dep, College of Science Univ, Saifabad, Osmania Univ, Hyderabad, Telangana State, India-500 004, Email: dsdssiddhu8@gmail.com) : Palaeoclimatic significance of thecamoebians from Yellandu coalfield area, Godavari graben, Telangana state. Int J Sci Nat 2016, 7(2), 316-21.

The present preliminary palynological study deals with the first record of thecamoebians from sub-surface sediments of bore hole Q-563 of Yellandu coalfield area (Jawahar Khani-5 coal block), kothagudem sub-basin, Telangana State and used to determine the Palaeoclimatic significance and depositional environment of the study area. Total sixty samples were analyzed from the Jawahar khani-5 for the palynological investigation thoroughly. About one taxon protist (thecamoebian) Arcella artocrea belongs to the family Arcellidae was recorded. During palynological investigation, the dominance of non striate bisaccates pollen grains followed by striate bisaccates and the other stratigraphically significant palynomorphs, viz., Scheuringipollentites, Faunipollenites, Rhizomospora, Ibisporites, Striatites and Microbaculispora etc. in the sediments shows Barakar Formation of Early Permian affinity. The thecamoebian was recorded along with the palynostratigraphic markers of Permian sediments of the study area also shows the Early Permian affinity. Presence of these microfossils indicates the freshwater habitat and cooler climatic conditions prevailed at the time of deposition in the study area.

29 ref

001189   Mishra S;Jha N;Joshi H;Gahalain S S (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: shreyamishra1005@gmail.com) : Palynological dating of sub-surface Gondwana sediments in Sattupalli area, Godavari Graben, Telangana. Geophytology 2016, 46(1), 33-41.

In the present communication, palynological investigation for the dating of Gondwana sediments in a 350 m deep bore core MSP-21 from Sattupalli area, Chintalapudi sub-basin, Godavari Graben has been done. The studies revealed the presence of two distinct palynoassemblages, both belonging to Raniganj Formation of Late Permian age. Palynoassemblage I and II show a marked dominance of striate bisaccate pollen, chiefly Striatopodocarpites, Faunipollenites and Crescentipollenites along with some stratigraphically significant taxa, viz., Falcisporites, Klausipollenites, Chordasporites, Striasulcites, Densipo/lenites andStrotersporites. Palynoassemblage I differs from Palynoassemblage II in having the significant presence of Striasulcites along with Faunipollenites whereas Palynoassemblage II can be distinguished from the later by the presence of enveloping monosaccate pollen Densipollenites spp. in significant percentage. The present palynological investigation revealed the presence of Raniganj (=Late Permian) equivalent sediments in Chintalapudi sub-basin.

3 illus, 1 table, 40 ref

000144   Lalitha S;Trivedi G K;Patil S K;Ranhotra P S; Senthil Nathan D (Earth Sciences Dep, Pondicherry Univ, Puducherry) : Palynoflora of the Madhwali Nadi section near Matanomadh, Kutch, Gujarat: palaeoenvironment and age implications. J appl Biosci 2016, 42(1), 13-22.

The well preserved Palaeogene-Neogene sediments of Kutch basin in western margin of India are being studied since decades for their faunal, floral and palynofloral assemblages with emphasis on ecology, environment and age. Still these vast deposits need to be focused more in order to unravel their depositional environment, age as well to understand the palaeoecology and climate of that time. In this regard a sedimentary sequence exposed along the Madhwali Nadi near Matanomadh village, western Kutch, Gujarat, has been analyzed palynologicaly to understand its depositional environment, age and the then existing ecology. The study is also supported by the environmental magnetic properties, which is an initial attempt for the pre-Quaternary deposits. The magnetic susceptibility (JO values correspond well with lithology of the sequence supporting the changes in depositional environment and sediment transport. The lower ferruginous claystone part shows higher x_if values followed by decline in the values corresponding to black carbonaceous clay, fine to gritty sandstone and white and purple clay at the top. Palynologicaly the whole sequence is much dominant by the marine dinoflagellate cysts followed by terrestrial pollen and spores, thus in general indicating marine depositional environment with the terrestrial inputs. However, the frequency change of dinoflagellate cysts and terrestrial pollen-spore taxa within the sequence indicates the episodic sea level changes. The palyno-assemblage is well represented by the algae, fungi, pteridophytes, angiosperms and gymnosperm. The area enjoyed warm, moist- humid, tropical climate and based on the recovered dinoflagellate assemblage an Early Eocene age has been assigned for these studied sediments.

3 illus, 2 tables, 33 ref

022313   Hughes N C (Earth Sciencesk Dep, Univ of California, Riverside, CA 32521, USA, Email: nigel.hughes@ucr.edu) : Soft-based fossil preservation in the Cambrian Parahio formation of Spiti. Curr Sci 2016, 110(5), 774-5.

1 illus, 24 ref

018200   Singh K J;Saxena A;Goswami S (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: anju_saxena2002@yahoo.co.in) : In situ occurrence of Vertebraria roots in the Raniganj formation of Singrauli coalfield and its palaeoecological significance. Curr Sci 2016, 110(3), 299-301.

3 illus, 26 ref

018199   Singh B P;Bhargava O N;Juyal K P;Negi R S; Virmani N;C A Sharma;Gill A (Center of Advanc3d Geology, Geology Dep, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160 014, Email: v_ruh@rediffmail.com) : Skeletal microfauna from the Cambrian Series 2 (Stage 4) Kunzum La Formation, Parahio valley, Spiti region (Tethyan Himalaya), India. Curr Sci 2015, 109(12), 2191-5.

3 illus, 59 ref

018198   Kar R;Bajpai R;Mishra K (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: ratankar@yahoo.com) : Modern pollen rain in Kedarnath: implications for past vegetation and climate. Curr Sci 2016, 110(3), 296-8.

25 ref

016335   Seetharam D S;Ramakrishna H;Ganga Kailash J; Prabhakar R (Palaeobotany & Palynology Research Laboratory, Univ College of Science, Osmania Univ, Saifabad, Hyderabad-500 004, Email: dsdssiddhu8@gmail.com) : Allergenic aerospora from the spider webs of Sanjeevaiah park in Hyderabad city, Telangana state. Pollut Res 2015, 34(4), 759-69.

Aeropalynological investigation was carried out at Sanjeevaiah Park near Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad during the winter season. The survey was performed by using palynological data collected from the spider webs. Six spider web samples were collected from Sanjeevaiah Park and processed by using HCL and HF then Erdtman's (1943) acetolysis technique. About 34 pollen grains along with fungal spores belonging to 14 families were trapped and identified. The predominant pollen are Ageratum conyzoides (7.75%), Manilkara zapota (6.43%), Vernonia ceneria (5.55%), Millingtonia hortensis (4.19%), Prosopis julifera (3.26%), Alternanthera sessilis (2.87%), Poaceae type (2.66%), Cocos nucifera (2.05%), Azadirachta indica (2.01%), Eucalyptus globulus (2%) and Syzygium cumini (1.94%) and the fungal spores viz., Pithomyces sp. (9.53%), Curvularia (8.89%), Alternaria (7.98%), Ascospores (8.21%), Torula sp. (5.09%) and Rust spores (2.92%). These fungal spores are recorded in high percentage than pollen grains. The following allergenic pollen viz., Peltophorum pterocarpum, Ageratum conyzoides, Eucalyptus globulus, Vernonia ceneria, Azadirachta indica, Millingtonia hortensis, Xanthium strumarium, Alternanthera sessilis, Abutilon indicum, Ricinus communis, Syzygium cumini, Cocos nucifera, Prosopis julifera, Sida cordifolia and Poaceae pollen were recorded in the present study. The dominance of fungal spores is due to the unhygienic, anthropogenic activities around Hussain Sagar Lake and also the polluted water of the lake. These signify the humid climatic conditions hence more fungal spores and pollen, which causes asthma, seasonal allergy (hay fever) and contact dermatitis. Hence spider webs are acting as natural pollen traps and are useful to know the incidence of allergy causing pollen and also regional vegetation growing in and around Sanjeevaiah Park.

11 illus, 1 table, 13 ref

015158   Bhadran A;Aglawe V A (NO, , Geological Survey of India, Paleontology Div, Eastern Region, Block DK 6, Sector II, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700 091) : First report of a theropod (Dinosauria) from upper cretaceous (Maastrichtian) lameta formation of Salbardi basin, Betul district, Madhya Pradesh. Indian J Geosci 2015, 69(2), 131-6.

Fossils were collected from Salbardi basin near Ghorpend village (latitude 21°25'47"N; longitude 78°00'20"E) in Betul District of Madhya Pradesh. The fossils occur in hard, green calcareous sandstone which is underlain by calcareous sandstone and pebbly beds of Lameta Formation. The fossil bone recovered from the sediments was identified by histological study. The histological study of the bone, which has a hollow shaft, shows a fibrolamellar structure and indicates that it belongs to a theropod dinosaur.

3 illus, 35 ref

011025   Chauhan M S (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow-226 007, Email: mschauhan_2000@yahoo.com) : Vegetation and climatic variability in southeastern Madhya Pradesh, India since mid-holocene, based on pollen records. Curr Sci 2015, 109(5), 956-65.

Pollen analysis of 1.75 m deep sediment core from Tula-Jalda (Amarkantak) in Anuppur district, Madhya Pradesh shows that around 4500-3600 cal years BP, this region supported open mixed tropical deciduous forests comprising chiefly Madhuca indica followed by Terminalia, Mitragyna parvifolia, Haldina cordifolia, Emblica officinalis and Acacia, under a warm and relatively less humid climate. The retrieval of Cerealia and other cultural plants, viz. Artemisia, Cheno/Am and Caryophyllaceae signifies that the region was under cereal-based agricultural practice. The open mixed deciduous forests got enriched and dense around 3600-2761 cal years BP with the expansion of trees that already existed coupled with invasion of Symplocos, Diospyros, Lannea coromandelica and Radermachera with the inception of a warm and moderately humid climate in response to increased monsoon precipitation. Around 2761-2200 cal years BP, much expansion of the forests took place owing to initiation of a warm and more humid climate, attributed to intensification of the southwest monsoon. The modern Sal (Shorea robusta) forests were established around 2200 cal years BP, as clearly deciphered by the steady presence of S. robusta along with close allies such as M. indica, Terminalia, H. cordifolia, E. officinalis, etc. This change in the vegetation scenario implies that a warm and relatively more humid climate prevailed with timely arrival of the more active southwest monsoon.

4 illus, 3 tables, 34 ref

009012   Murthy S;Sarate O S (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: srikant_murthy22@rediffmail.com) : Early triassic palynomorphs from nand-besur coalfield, Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India. Geophytology 2015, 45(1), 1-8.

Present paper records, for the first time, Early Triassic palynomorphs from the subsurface sediments of Besur Area of Nand-Besur Coalfield, Nagpur District, Maharashtra. The study area represents the north-eastern extension of the-Bandar Coalfield, Chandrapur District, Maharashtra. Samples for the present study were collected from Borehole No. NP-50, which is located at about 2.5 km north-west of Nand village. The mudstone sample (at 113.10m depth) from this borehole yielded palynofloral assemblage, which is characterized by dominance of non-striated bisaccate palynotaxon Alisporites and subdominance of Krempipollenites followed by other Early Triassic marker palynotaxa, viz. Klausipollenites, Falcisporites, Brachysaccus, Arcuatipollenites, Chordasporites, Crustaesporites and Weylandites. Recovery of these palynotaxa suggests deposition of Early Triassic sediments in Nand-Besur Coalfield. The present palynoassemblage is quite different from the typical Triassic palynoassemblages known from the other Indian Gondwana basins, as it contains meagre representation of cavate cingulate trilete and striated bisaccate palynomorphs. This palynocomposition compares well with the previously known palynoassemblages from the Early Triassic sediments of Damodar, Wardha-Godavari, Rajmahal, Satpura, Son-Mahanadi and several other Indian Gondwana basins.

2 illus, 3 tables, 24 ref

009011   Gupta P;Sinha G P (Botanical Survey of India, Central Regional Centre, Allahabad-211 002, Email: poojaguptafri09@gmail.com) : Foliicolous lichens new to Uttar Pradesh, India. Geophytology 2015, 45(1), 77-80.

Six species of foliicolous lichens, viz. Bacidina apiahica (Mull. Arg.) Vezda, Byssoloma subdiscordans (Nyl.) P. James, Coenogonium dilucidium (Kremp.) Kalb & Lucking, C. minimum (Mull. Arg.) Lucking, Fellhanera rhapidophylli (Rehm) Vezda and F. semicarpi (Vain.) Vezda are reported for the first time from Uttar Pradesh along with a key to all known species in the state to facilitate their identification.

3 ref

004271   Quek L X;Jamil A;Ghani A A;Saidin M (Geology Dep, Asutosh College, 92 S.P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata-700 026, Email: de.keyur@gmail.com) : Highly potassic melagranite of Bintang Batholith, Main Range Granite, Peninsular Malaysia. Curr Sci 2015, 108(12), 2159-63.

4 illus, 1 table, 17 ref

004270   De K;Kundu A;Chauhan P;Dasgupta N (Geology Dep, Asutosh College, 92 S.P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata-700 026, Email: de.keyur@gmail.com) : Example of consistent palaeostress regime resulting in morphometric irregularity in the northwestern part of Noachis Terra, Mars. Curr Sci 2015, 108(12), 2156-8.

2 illus, 33 ref

003150   Srivastava G;Gaur R;Mehrotra R C (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: gaurav_jan10@yahoo.co.in) : Lagerstroemia L. from the middle Miocene Siwalik deposits, Northern India: implication for cenozoic range shifts of the genus and the family lythraceae. J Earth Syst Sci 2015, 124(1), 227-39.

Fossil leaves of Lagerstroemia (Lythraceae) are described from the Siwalik deposits (middle Miocene) of Kathgodam, Uttarakhand, India. The fossil records of the Lythraceae indicate its worldwide distribution in the Cenozoic. The family had its widest distribution during the Miocene but became less widespread during the Pliocene, followed by range expansion during the Quaternary. The present leaf fossil, along with the previous fossil records of Lagerstroemia, indicates that the genus followed the same pattern of expansion and retraction as the entire family Lythraceae suggesting that both the genus and the family adapted in similar ways. The fossil plant assemblage from the Lower Siwalik deposits indicates warm and humid climate with plenty of rainfall in the region during the depositional period.

6 illus, 1 table, 70 ref

022554   Tarafdar P;Kundu S;Roy S (Anthropology Dep, North Bengal Univ, Raja Rammhonpur, District: Darjeeling-734 013, Email: pinak_tarafdar@rediffmail.com) : Microlithic assemblages of Tapaban Pahar: an emerging mesolithic site of district Bankura, West Bengal. South Asian Anthrop 2014, 14(1), 47-58.

The Mesolithic of the Indian subcontinent is still an argument and of debatable by several authors. On the Indian background the term "Mesolithic" came to life with the British School of Archaeology. It was as early as 1867-68 when the term used by A. C. L. Carleyle, one of the pioneers of prehistoric research on the subcontinent, in reference to discoveries of microlithic tools. In 1939, N. G. Majumdar first recorded the Microlithic assemblages of West Bengal from Durgapur which lies to the North of Bankura district. The present article is an endeavour to understand the typological and technological characterization of Mesolithic assemblages collected from the 'Tapaban Pahar' site (near the famous palaeolithic site of Siulibona) of district Bankura, West Bengal. The study tried to explore and analyse the assemblages revealed from the site 'Tapaban Pahar' which seems to be an inclusion of Mesolithic sites in eastern India and particularly at Bankura district of West Bengal. Four consecutive years of field study equipped with surface collection and very short digging greatly resulted in a varied collection of artifacts and tools but the site mentioned above provided only an assemblage of only microliths.

5 illus, 3 tables, 28 ref

021637   Murthy S;Ram Awatar;Gautam S (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: srikanta_murthy22@rediffmail.com) : Palynostratigraphy of permian succession in the Mand-Raigarh Coalfield, Chhattisgarh, India and phytogeographical provincialism. J Earth Syst Sci 2014, 123(8), 1879-93.

Palynofloras have been recorded from the Barakar Formation in the Borehole MBKW-3, Barpali-Karmitikra Block, Mand-Raigarh Coalfield, Chhattisgarh. Three distinct palynoassemblages have been identified and referred to the following palynoassemblage zones - Gondisporites raniganjensis (Latest Permian); Faunipollenites varius (latest Early Permian), and Scheuringipollenites barakarensis (latest Early Permian). It is inferred that these deposits contain the representative palynoassamblages of Early to Permian in age. The First Appearance Datum (FAD)s of Arcuatipollenites pellucidus, A. ovatus, 1lapollenites hannonicus, Lundbladispora microconata, Alisporites opii, Klausipollenites sp., and inispora indica (at 41.95, 45.90, 98.35 m depths), indicate the closing phase of Permian, as these elements are the key species that mark a transition from Permian to the Lower Triassic. An attempt been made here to reconstruct the phytogeographical provincialism on the basis of Guttulapollenites recorded in this basin.

4 illus, 6 tables, 17 ref

021636   Bera S;Gupta S;Khan M A;De A;Mukhopadhyay R (Centre of Advanced Study, Botany Dep, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata-700 019, Email: berasubir@yahoo.co.in) : First megafossil evidence of Cyatheaceous tree fern from the Indian Cenozoic. J Earth Syst Sci 2014, 123(6), 1433-8.

Part of the compressed tree fern axis with leaf and adventitious root scars in unusual arrangement from Plio-Pleistocene sediments of Arunachal Pradesh, India is described as Cyathea siwalika sp. nov. This record suggests that Cyathea was an important component of tropical evergreen forest in the area during the Plio-Pleistocene and this group subsequently declined in importance within the local vegetation.

3 illus, 1 table, 59 ref

020577   Sayyed M R G;Pardeshi R G;Islam R (Geology Dep, Poona College, Camp, Savitribai Phule Univ of Pune, Pune-411 001, Email: mrgsayyed@yahoo.com) : Palaeoweathering characteristics of an intrabasaltic red bole of the deccan flood basalts near Shrivardhan of western coast of India. J Earth Syst Sci 2014, 123(7), 1717-28.

An intrabasaltic red bole horizon is studied for its weathering characteristics with respect to the underlying and overlying basalts. The study indicates that all the three units have been considerably weathered; the red bole unit, however shows some distinctive characteristics. The red boles show a higher cation exchange capacity (CEC) and lower sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and organic carbon (OC) as compared to the weathered basalts. The lower values of Al₂O₃, TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃(T) in red boles indicate their lesser weathering than the underlying and overlying basalts, which is further corroborated by the weathering intensity measured by the indices like chemical index of alteration (CIA) and statistical empirical index of chemical weathering (W). It is also evident that the red bole samples show more retention of original mafic and felsic components. While K₂O exhibits an erratic behaviour, the MgO and CaO do not show much leaching in red boles. Lesser leaching and salinity in the red boles is indicated by the higher values of calcification and lower values of salinization. The SiO₂-A1₂O₃ -Fe₂O₃ plot indicates that red bole samples are close to the basalt field, while the weathered upper basalt is more kaolinized than the weathered lower basalt. These observations reveal that the post-fonnational weathering processes have least affected the original palaeoweathering characters of the red bole horizon and hence the intrabasaltic palaeosols (weathering horizons) can effectively be used to constrain the palaeoweathering and palaeoclimates during the continental flood basalt episodes in the geologic past.

11 illus, 3 tables, 49 ref

020576   Pauline Sabina K;Jha N (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: paulinesabina@gmail.com) : Upper cisuralian palynology and palaeoclimate of Manuguru area Godavari Basin, India and their global correlation. J Earth Syst Sci 2014, 123(7), 1681-92.

The Permian system of the Palaeozoic Erathem is divided into three series, the Early Permian Cisuralian Series, the Middle Permian Guadalupian Series, and the Late Permian Lopingian Series. The Cisuralian Series encompasses the Asselian to Kungurian stages which constitute the basal part of the Gondwana supersequence I. In India, they are represented lithostratigraphically by the Talchir. Karharbari, and Barakar formations. This paper presents the palynological results from the Barakar Formation of the Upper Cisuralian Series from Manuguru which lies in the southeastern part of the Godavari basin. The succession studied comprises 35 subsurface samples from bore hole 1007 represented by clay, shale, sandstone, and coal. The palynofloras in this sequence have a homogenous composition demonstrating that not many significant floral changes took place through the considered stratigraphic range. The entire sequence is characterized by the dominance of nonstriate bisaccate genus Scheuringipollenites and sub-dominance of striate bisaccate genus Faunipollenites (=Protohaploxypinus). The other pollen genera among the nonstriate bisaccates are Rhizomaspora, Primuspollenites, Ibisporites, and Platysaccus. The striate bisaccates include Striatites, Striatopodocarpites, and Stroterospontes. The taeniate tax a arc represented by Lueckisporites and Lunatisporites. The common monosaccate genera include Caheniasaccites, Potoniesporites, and Barakarites. Spores are less common and include Latosporites, Brevitriletes, HOR-riditriletes, Microbaculispora, and Callumispora. They characterize the palynofioral composition of the Lower Barakar Formation. The correlation of this assemblage with some of the biostratigraphic palyno-zoncs proposed previously for the Cisuralian sequences of the Parana Basin of South America, Kalahari Karoo Basin of South Africa. Ruhuhu Basin of Tanzania, East Africa as well as palynoassemblages from South Victoria Land and Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica and Collie Basin of west Australia point out to their Early Permian (Late Sakmarian-Early Artinskian) age. Palynomorphs such as Botryococcus sp., Tetraporinia sp., Balmeela sp. and Leiosphaeridia sp. are also recorded which suggest that these sediments were deposited during post-glacial near shore, cool and humid environment.

3 illus, 3 tables, 61 ref

015574   Shome S;Chandel R S (Palaeontology Div-I, Central Headquarters, Geological Survey of India, 15 Kyd Street, Kolkata-700 016, Email: sabyasachi60@gmail.com) : Palaeontological studies of papro formation (infratrappean) of Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh-its age, correlation and palaeoecology. Indian J Geosci 2013, 67(1), 49-62.

The northernmost Deccan Trap-associated sedimentary sequence occurring as infratrappean is known as Papro Formation and is located near Papro village of Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh. The 10- to 15-m thick Papro Formation unconformably overlies the Vindhyan Supergroup (Kaimur sandstone). It comprises 5- to 6-m thick unconsolidated conglomerate, 3- to 4-m-thick soft, fine grained sandstones, 1-m thick marlite and 1- to 2-m thick chert in this order of superposition and is in turn overlain by Deccan Traps. The Papro Formation is rich in fossils such as gastropods, charophytes and micro-vertebrate remains. In the present work, eleven species of gastropod belonging to five genera (Viviparus, Valvata, Melania, Platyphysa and Lymnaea), four genera of charophytes (Stephanochara, Chara, Nemegtichara and Microchara) and four genera of fish teeth and scales (Lepisosteus, Pycnodus, Phareodus and Eomuraena) are described. Besides, few bone fragments and isolated vertebrae of amphibians were also recorded. The Papro Formation is correlatable with the Upper Cretaceous infratrappean beds of Pisdura, Maharashtra, intertrappean beds of Naskal and Asifabad (Andhra Pradesh) and Gurmatkal (Karnataka). The Infratrappean beds were deposited in a freshwater lacustrine domain.

7 illus, 50 ref

014642   Kulagina M A;Kozyra S A;Radko E V;Gontova T M (Botany Dep, National Pharmacy Univ, 116, Str, Email: kulaginaMariya@mail.ru) : Morpho anatomic investigation of vegetative organs of water avens (Geum Rivale L.). Int J pharm Sci Res 2015, 6(1), 111-6.

Species of Geum L. genus (avens) of Rosaceae L. family belong to perspective sources of medicinal plant raw material for obtaining medicines with the anti-microbic and anti-inflammatory action. They are characterized by such an important feature as the presence of biologically active substances, particularly the polyphenol compounds. According to the aim of present work, morphologic and anatomic investigation of leaves, stems, rhisomes with roots of Geum rivale L. of Rosaceae L. family has been carried out. In order to obtain the data by scientific investigation, the morphologic and anatomic methods of analysis of medicinal plants have been used. In the process of our investigation the diagnostic features of vegetative organs have been determined. The results of morpho-anatomic features can be used in developing analytic and regulatory records intended for incorporation of the additional sources of medicinal herbal raw materials in the practical field. Research of anatomical structure of aboveground and underground parts of G. rivale L with the identification of diagnostic features may be needed during the development of the relevant sections of quality control methods.

10 ref

009577   Das U;Sathyanarayanan V;Lakshmaiah K C;Kumar R V (NO, , No. 5, OPD Block, Medical Oncology Dep, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru-560 029, Email: drumesh.das07@gmail.com) : Case of tonsillar anaplastic large cell lymphoma-anaplastic lymphoma kinase negative: an unusual site of involvement with review of literature. J Scient Soc 2014, 41(3), 183-5.

We present this unusual case of the clinical importance of a 5O-year-old male patient who presented with foreign body sensation in the throat and halitosis of 20 days duration. On examination, there were no palpable lymph nodes and oral cavity revealed an ulcero proliferative growth over the right tonsil. Computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses and neck revealed a heterogeneously enhancing mass involving the right tonsil measuring 3.8 cm x 3 cm. Biopsy of the tonsillar mass was suggestive of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with neoplastic large cells positive for CD30, epithelial membrane antigen and CD3 and negative for Tdt, CD56, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and cytokeratin. A diagnosis of ALK negative ALCL Stage 1A was made and the patient was started on chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone every 3 weeks. He received six cycles of chemotherapy followed by 33 gray involved region radiotherapy and reassessment showed total regression of the tonsillar lesion. The patient is in complete remission and now under follow-up for the last 2 years.

^ccr3 illus, 10 ref

006527   Babu R;Mehrota N C;Shome S;Nath S;Mathur V K (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 Univ Road, Lcuknow-226 007, Email: rupendra_b@yahoo.com) : Early Ediacaran (terminal neoproterozoic) sponges and additional associated microbiota from Chambaghat formation, Krol group, Himachal Lesser Himalaya. Curr Sci 2013, 104(6), 702-5.

^ssc4 illus, 16 ref

002392   Singh H;Samant B;Adatte T;Khozyem H (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: bandanabhu@gmail.com) : Diverse palynoflora from Amber and associated sediments of Tarkeshwar lignite mine, Surat district, Gujarat, India. Curr Sci 2014, 106(7), 930-2.

3 illus, 23 ref

002391   Ram Awatar;Tewari R;Agnihotri D;Chatterjee S; Pillai S S K;Meena K L (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, Road Univ, Lucknow-226 007, Email: rajni.tewari@gmail.com) : Late permian and triassic palynomorphs from the allan hills, central transantarctic mountains, south victoria land, Antarctica. Curr Sci 2014, 106(7), 988-96.

Palynology is an established tool for age determination and correlation of sedimentary sequences. The palynomorphs retrieved from the Weller and Lashly formations of Allan Hills, central Transantarctic Mountains, South Victoria Land, Antarctica have been studied for precise age determination. Forty-five different groups of palynomorphs have been recovered from the Weller and Lashly formations. The palynoflora of Weller Formation shows dominance of striate bisaccate pollen taxa, mainly Striatopodocar-pites, Faunipollenites (Protohaploxypinus), Crescenti-pollenites, Striatites and Verticipollenites in association with Horriditriletes, Cuneatisporites, Alisporites, Plicatipollenites, Gnetaecaepollenites, Sahnites, Tiwari-asporis, Rhizomaspora, Pretricolpipollenites, Chor-dasporites and sporadic occurrence of Lundbladispora, Klausipollenites and Densoisporites. In the present study, a Late Permian age based on palynological evidences has been suggested for the Weller Formation, which was earlier assigned an Early Permian age. The Late Permian age of the Weller Formation is corroborated by similarity of its palynoassemblage with that of the Upper Stage-5 (Late Permian) of Australia. Additionally, the palynoflora of Weller Formation is comparable with the Late Permian palynoassemblages of India and South Africa. The younger palynoassemblage of the Lashly Formation contains Klausipollenites, Falcisporites and Alisporites in prominence and shows rare occurrence of Minutosaccus, Goubinispora, Lundbladispora, Densoisporites, Aulisporites and Chor-dasporites, indicating Early to Middle Triassic age and showing affiliation with Aratrisporites parvispino-sus zone of Australia, Alisporites zone (A&B) of Feather Conglomerate and Fremouw Formation of Antarctica.

4 illus, 51 ref

001230   Mohabey D M;Sen S;Wilson J A (Geological Survey of India, , Northern Region, Lucknow-226 004, Email: wilsonja@umich.edu) : India's first donosaur, rediscovered. Curr Sci 2013, 104(1), 34-7.

Reasoning from analogy at Jubbulpore, where some of the basaltic cappings of the hills had evidently been thrown out of craters long after this surface had been raised above the waters, and become the habitation both of vegetable and nimal life, I made the first discovery of fossil remains in the Nerbudda valley. I went first to a hill within sight of my house in 1828, and searched exactly between the plateau of basalt that covered it, and the stratum immediately below; and there I found several small trees with roots, trunks, and branches, - 60 - all entire, and beautifully petrified. They had been only recently uncovered by the washing away of a part of the basaltic plateau. I soon after found some fossil bones of animals.

3 illus, 48 ref

001229   Bhattacharyya A;Nageswara Rao K;Misra S; Nagakumar K C V;Demudu G;Malini B H (Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow 226 007, , , Email: amalava@yahoo.com) : Palynological indicators of mangrove habitat in the Kolleru Lake region during the Early to Middle Holocene. Curr Sci 2013, 104(1), 121-5.

Auger drilling up to about 10-12 m depth at four locations in the periphery of the Kolleru Lake revealed three sediment units - upper coastal alluvium (Unit 3), middle black sticky clay with decomposed plant material (Unit 2) and lower yellow amorphous clay with concretions and dark brown hard clay with gypsum crystals (Unit 1). Palynological analysis and 14C dating of sediments revealed prevalence of mangrove pollen in Unit 2 during 10,842-6,068 cal yrs BP. Subsequently, absence of mangrove pollen and presence of charcoal pieces in Unit 3 indicate terrigenous inputs into the area thereafter. The study reports on the possible occurrence of mangrove habitat in the Kolleru Lake region during the Early to Mid-Holocene.

4 illus, 1 table, 25 ref

000144   Sehgal R K (NO, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology 33, General Mahadeo Singh Road Dehradun-248 001, Email: rksehgal@wihg.res.in) : Revised mammalian biostratigraphy of the lower Siwalik sediments of Ramnagar (J.& K.), India and its faunal correlation. J Palaeont Soc India 2013, 58(1), 87-92.

Revision of the mammalian biostratigraphy of the Lower Siwalik sediments of Ramnagar (J.&K.) has been attempted, in view of the recent fossil findings, especially micro-mammals. This locality is famous for primate fossils, and has yielded a rich and diversified mammalian assemblage. In all, 46 mammalian species are recorded from the area and, among these 12 species have been reported for the first time from this area during the present research. Bulk of the fauna depicts a Lower Siwalik age for the sediments, and there are at least 11 taxa in the assemblage which are found to be restricted within the Chinji Formation of the type section in Potwar Plateau, Pakistan. No fauna belonging to the Kamlial Formation (older part of the Lower Siwalik) has yet been - 45 - reported from India. Therefore, the Ramnagar locality can be safely regarded as the oldest fossil yielding locality for The Siwalik sediments in India. The faunal assemblage from Ramnagar has been compared to various other Lower Siwalik localities including the Chinji Type Section and Daud Khel (both in Pakistan), Kalagarh (India) and Dang Valley (Nepal). It shows a very close faunal resemblance with the Chinji Type Section, Daud Khel and Dang Valley. However, the Kalagarh assemblage is comparatively younger and represents Lower/Middle Siwalik transition.

2 illus, 3 tables, 38 ref

000143   Rai J;Singh A;Garg R (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany; 53, University Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: jyotsana_rai@yahoo.com) : Calcareous nannofossils of Albian age from Tanot well 1, Jaisalmer basin, Rajasthan and its palaeobiogeographic significance. J Palaeont Soc India 2013, 58(1), 67-73.

The present paper deals with the record of well preserved and diverse early-middle Albian nannofossils recovered from Tanot <35> 1 (Oil India Limited), drilled in the Jaisalmer Basin, Rajasthan, western India. Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) marine sediments are known from the western (Jaisalmer and Kachchh basins) and the eastern continental margins (Mahanadi, Krishna-Godavari, Palar and Cauvery basins) of the Indian Plate. Early-middle Albian nannofossils are known from sandy, fossil-fauna depleted; Upper Member of Bhuj Formation in Kachchh (Biswas, 1977). Aptian to Turonian nannofossils are recorded from fossiliferous Cauvery Basin, southern India. The Tanot <35> 1 samples are available from 1104-1899m depth; however, only a part of the interval between depths 1899m-1596m is studied herein. The occurrence of Tranolithus orionatus from the oldest sample (1899m) upwards is used here to assign it to CC8 Zone (Sissingh, 1978) and NC8 Zone (Roth, 1978) of middle Albian age. FAD of T. orionatus is a middle Albian marker both in the Tethyan and the Boreal provinces in various zonation schemes. FAD of Axopodorhabdus albianus at 1656m marks base of NC9 Zone (Roth, 1978) in the section as well. The dominance of Nannoconus spp. suggests shallow water environment and nearness to shore.

4 illus, 49 ref

000142   Prasad M;Singh H;Singh S K;Mukherjee D;Ruiz E E (NO, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, Univ Road, Lucknow-226 007, Email: mahesh_bsip@yahoo.com) : Early eocene arecoid palm wood, Palmoxylon vastanensis N. SP. from vastan lignite, Gujarat, India: its palaeoenvironmental implications. J Palaeont Soc India 2013, 58(1), 115-23.

New species of fossil palm wood, Palmaxylon vastanensis is reported and described from the Vastan Lignite Mine, Surat, Gujarat, India. The fossil wood is - 44 - characterized by highly lacunar ground tissue with very large air spaces indicating that plants were growing in an aquatic or the marshy environment. A detailed anatomical study revealed its affinities with the extant arecoid taxa belonging to the family Arecaceae. Among them, it closely resembles Areca catechu as both fossil and living species possess similar anatomical features such as highly lacunar ground tissue, reniform, dorsal sclerenchymatous sheath of the fibrovascular bundles with the frequency of 30-35 per cm^{2. Based on the anatomical characters of the fossil and present day ecology of its modern equivalent, the palaeoenvironmental implications have been discussed.}

4 illus, 41 ref

000141   Pandey B;Pathak D B;Jai Krishna (Geology Dep, Banaras Hindu Univ, Varanasi-221 005, Email: drbpandey@yahoo.co.in) : Calliphylloceras heterophylloides (oppel, 1856) from the Basalmost Jurassic succession of Sadhara dome, Kachchh, India. J Palaeont Soc India 2013, 58(1), 61-5.

Authors record and illustrate a septate (85 mm D) Calliphylloceras heterophylloides (Oppel, 1856) from the basalmost sediments of Sadhara Dome near the eastern end of Goradongar, Patcham 'Island', Kachchh, India. This is the oldest ammonoid-bearing horizon of the exposed Mesozoic sediments in the Kachchh Basin. In view of the correlation of the Late Bajocian Leptosphinctes bed of Kaladongar to the base of bed 32 of our column which is about 164 m younger than the Calliphylloceras-bearing bed 2, the age of present Calliphylloceras-bearing horizon is suggested here as Early Bajocian or older.

2 illus, 43 ref

000140   Jaitly A K;Mishra S K (Center of Advances Study, Geology Dep, Banaras Hindu Univ, Varanasi-221 005, Email: akjaitly@gmail.com) : Discovery of the oyster Hyotissa semiplana (Sowerby, 1813) from the campanian (late cretaceous) of South India. J Palaeont Soc India 2013, 58(1), 17-20.

The oysters are the most dominant elements in terms of diversity and preservation in the Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) bivalve benthic palaeocommunities of Ariyalur (south India). These oysters belong to the families Gryphaeidae, Exogyridae and Oystreidae. Here, the oyster genus Hyotissa and the species Hyotissa semiplana (Sowerbyl813) has been for the first time recorded from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of south India or even from the Indian subcontinent. The taxonomic status of the genus Hyotissa has been reviewed and H. semiplana has been systematically described with a brief autecological note.

36 ref

000139   Jaitly A K (Centre of Advanced studies, Geology Dep, Banaras Hindu Univ, Varanasi-221 005, Email: akjaitly@gmail.com) : Comments on the middle Jurassic pholadomyoids of kachchh, Western India. J Palaeont Soc India 2013, 58(1), 51-60.

The pholadomyoids (Anomalodesmata:Bivalvia) in Kachchh is represented by the genera Pholadomya, Pholadomya (Bucardiomya), Pholadomya (Indomya), Agrawalimya, Homomya, Pachymya, Pachymya (Arcomya), Ceratomya, Ceratomyopsis, Gerardotia, Goniomya, Machomya, Osteomya, Pleuromya, Platymoidea and Thracia. All of these pholadomyoids have been earlier recorded from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian-Callovian) sediments of the different parts of Kachchh Mainland as well "islands". The genus Agrawalimya and the subgenus Indomya are endemic, while others are cosmopolitan in distribution and common elements of the Ethiopian Faunal Province. The pholadomyoids have been reviewed comprehensively and accordingly, the diagnostic morphological characters of some of these genera/species have been emended.

3 illus, 1 table, 56 ref

000138   Badam G L (NO, , 26/1-4, Hermes Paras 3, Kalyani Nagar, Pune-411 006, Email: glbadam@yahoo.com) : An integrated approach to the quaternary fauna of South and Southeast Asia. J Palaeont Soc India 2013, 58(1), 93-114.

The Quaternary fauna of South and South East Asia as a whole is well known for its significance in hominid evolution, biodiversity (of ecosystems and of species), migration patterns, evolutionary trends and other related aspects. In this geographical region, diverse ecosystems like the savanna, wetlands, deserts, mountain forests, etc. are amply present and provide a suitable ambience for the growth and diversity of the faunal material. These environmentally sensitive areas with richness of both endemic and exotic species, have been successfully mapped. The most well-known Quaternary faunal site complexes in India include the Siwaliks (the NW and the NE regions), the Indogangetic region, the Peninsular India (notably, the river valleys of Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, etc., and cave deposits of Andhra Pradesh) and other isolated fossiliferous pockets. The Nepal Siwaliks, fossiliferous regions of Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Indonesia also constitute important prehistoric hot spots in S. Asia and SE Asia which throw important light on the migration patterns and man/land relationship in the past. A large variety of faunal remains comprising mammals, birds (especially the ostrich egg shells pieces), reptiles, amphibians, fishes, microvertebrates and molluscan shells have been obtained from the above-mentioned deposits, many of these in association with Stone Age tools manufactured by Early Man and this occurrence helps in a better interpretation of man-land relationship. A brief account of the fossiliferous sites and fossils found therein is provided in the paper with remarks on migration patterns, evolutionary history, palaeoenvironmental aspects, causes of extinction and allied factors that offer a challenging field of investigation for the geologist as well as palaeobiologists. As mentioned above, the subject matter has been discussed only briefly here leaving the details for a separate treatment of the subject elsewhere encompassing the prehistoric environments in S and SE Asia.

20 illus, 2 tables, 67 ref

022347   Verma S K;Sharma B D (NO, , Nawab Bag Colony, Police Line Road, Bhagalpur-812 001, Email: bdsharma14@yahoo.com) : Enigmophyllum cycadoides gen. et sp. nov. from the Rajmahal hills, Jharkhand, India. Geophytology 2013, 43(1), 75-7.

New fossil leaf genus Enigmophyllum (Type: E. cycadoides), having cycadean affinity, is proposed here. It is based on two leaf impressions collected from Dhokuti in the Rajmahal Hills, Jharkhand. The leaves bear lateral ovules (?) like structures and the midrib has parallel striations. No - 65 - similar fossil leaf genus has been described so far, hence new name is given.

4 illus, 11 ref

022346   Sharma B D;Bohra D R;Suthar O P;Harsh R (NO, , Kath Mandi, Narnaul-123 001, Email: bdsharma14@yahoo.com) : Morphology, anatomy and phylogenetic studies on the Indian mesozoic bennettitalean stems. Geophytology 2013, 43(1), 1-11.

Deals with morphology and anatomy of the extinct Mesozoic bennettitalean stems. In most of the cases, the stem surface is covered with rhomboid leaf bases arranged in spiral rows. The stems are branched or unbranched. The branching may be monopodial, sympodial or dichotomous. Vascular cylinder is either monoxylic of polyxylic with the wood manoxylic or pycnoxylic. Wood rays are long and uni- to triseriate. Tracheids have scalariform to multiseriate bordered pits on radial walls with circular or elliptical pit pores resembling those of cycadophytes and homoxylous angiosperms (Magnoliales). In phloem, sieve areas are circular, uniseriate and each with many sieve pores. Fructifications like Williamsonia, Wielandiella, Williamsoniella, Weltrichia and Amarjolia were associated with the bennettitalean stems. Phylogenetic relationship is suggested with cycadeoideas, cycads and vessel-less angiosperms.

52 ref

022345   McLoughlin S (Palaeobotany Dep, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden, Email: steve.mcloughlin@nrm.se) : Glassopteris damraensis, a new name for Glossopteris truncata Chauhan et al. 2011, non McLoughlin 1994. Geophytology 2013, 43(1), 13-15.

New name, Glossopteris damraensis, is here established to replace Glossopteris truncata Chauhan, Agrawal & Tiwari 2011, which is illegitimate being a junior homonym of Glossopteris truncata McLoughlin 1994 described from Australia. The leaves previously attributed to G truncata from the Late Permian of Australia and India are morphologically distinguishable from each other. The new name applied to the Indian material denotes its geographic source.

1 illus, 6 ref