Jurassic bivalves from the Spiti area of the Himalayas, northern India

Abstract

The present study describes and illustrates six bivalve taxa from the Early Bathonian to Early Callovian Ferruginous Oolite Formation and 24 taxa from the Callovian to basal-most Cretaceous Spiti Shale Formation of the Spiti and Zanskar areas in the Indian Himalayas. The Spiti Shale Formation contains a low-diversity bivalve fauna that is concentrated in few horizons, particularly in the lower member of the formation. With few exceptions, the bivalves are poorly preserved. Bivalve taxa recorded by earlier studies are revised wherever possible. Several of the taxa, most of which are from mid- to outer shelf environments, are characteristic of the south-eastern margin of the Neotethys, but some are also closely related to forms occurring in Kachchh, a rift basin situated at the western margin of the Indian Craton.