Cenomanian - Turonian transition in the Cretaceous of southern India

Abstract

The Cretaceous formations of southern India range from Upper Albian to Maastrichtian in age on the basis of their macro- and microfauna. A considerable number of fauna! elements are either identical or closely related to forms known from the European Cretaceous, and a precise correlation between the two areas is possible. In this paper the contact between the Cenomanian and Turonian in southern India is reviewed. Rocks of the Upper Cenomanian age consist of medium to coarse grained calcareous sandsto­nes and limestone bands, frequently crowded with fossils. They are interbedded with brown shales. These are overlain by Turonian limestone full of Exogyra, in turn overlain by fossiliferous calcareous concretions embedded in brown shales. Lower Turonian beds may overlap the uppermost Cenomanian in the northern part of the study area. The uppermost Cenomanian yielded Eucalycoceras pentagonum and Pseudocalyco­ceras harpex associated with Inoceramus pictus. The Lower Turonian yields Pseudaspidoceras conciliatum, Neoptychites cephalotus and Mytiloides myti/oides. Foraminifera are rare in the Turonian succession.