Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Upper Cisuralian palynology and palaeoclimate of Manuguru area Godavari basin, India and their global correlation

  • Published:
Journal of Earth System Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

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 Stroterosporites. The taeniate taxa are represented by Lueckisporites and Lunatisporites. The common monosaccate genera include Caheniasaccites, Potoniesporites, and Barakarites. Spores are less common and include Latosporites, Brevitriletes, Horriditriletes, Microbaculispora, and Callumispora. They characterize the palynofloral composition of the Lower Barakar Formation. The correlation of this assemblage with some of the biostratigraphic palynozones proposed previously for the Cisuralian sequences of the Paraná 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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anand-Prakash and Srivastava S C 1984 Miofloral studies of the lower Gondwana sediments in Johilla coalfield, Madhya Pradesh, India; Palaeobotanist 32 (3) 243–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Angiolini L, Brunton H and Gaetani M 2005 Early Permian (Asselian) Brachiopods from Karakorum (Pakistan) and their palaeobiogeographical significance; Palaeontology 48 69–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Archbold N W 2001 Pan-Gondwana, Early Permian (Asselian–Sakmarian–Artinskian) correlations; In: Contributions to Geology and Palaeontology of Gondwana in Honour of HelmutWopfner (ed.) Weiss R H, Geological Institute, University of Cologne, pp. 29–39.

  • Backhouse J 1991 Permian palynostratigraphy of the Collie basin, western Australia; Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 67 237–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balme B E 1995 Fossil in situ spores and pollen grains: An annotated catalogue; Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 87 81–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharyya A P 1997 Palynological recognition of the Karharbari–Barakar Formations in the subsurface sediments of Wardha Coalfield, Maharashtra India; Palaeobotanist 46 (1–2) 217–219.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blanford W T 1871 A note on plant bearing sandstones of the Godavari on the southern extension of rocks belonging to Kamthi Group to the neighbourhood of Eluru and Rajahmundry on the possible occurrence of coal in the same directions; Rec. Geol. Surv. India 4 (3) 59–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chakraborty C, Mandal N and Ghosh S K 2003 Kinematics of the Gondwana basins of peninsular India; Tectonophys. 377 299–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chandra S K and Ghosh D P 1990 Fish bearing facies in central Indian coal measures; Indian Mineral. 44 (2) 203–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra S K, Choudhury A and Ghosh D P 1988 Gondwana of Madhya Pradesh: Some aspects of stratigraphy and sedimentation; Indian Mineral. 42 (1) 71–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christopher R A and Goodman D K 1996 Introduction to biostratigraphy and time scales; In: Palynology: Principles and applications (eds) Jansonius J and Mcgregor D C, Am. Assoc. Stratigr. Palynol. Foundation 2 463–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Datta N R, Mitra N D and Bandyopadhyay N N 1983 Recent trends in the study of Gondwana basins of peninsular and extra-peninsular India; Petrol. Asia J., pp. 159–169.

  • Exploration Consultants Ltd 1990 Pan African Basin Study; Geological Survey of Botswana.

  • Fox C S 1931 Coal in India-II. The Gondwana system and related formations; Geol. Surv. India Memoir 58 1–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha N 2006 Permian palynology from India and Africa – A Phytogeographical paradigm; J. Palaeontol. Soc. India 51 (1) 43–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha N 2008 Permian–Triassic palynofloral transition in the Sattupalli area, Chintalapudi sub-basin, Godavari graben, Andhra Pradesh, India; J. Palaeontol. Soc. India 53 (2) 159–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha N and Aggarwal N 2010 Early and Late Permian palynoflora from Lower Gondwana sediments of Gundala area, Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh, India; Palaeobotanist 59 71–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha N and Aggarwal N 2011 Palynological correlation of coal bearing horizons in Gundala area, Godavari graben, India; J. Earth Syst. Sci. 120 (4) 663–679.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jha N and Aggarwal N 2012 Permian–Triassic palynostratigraphy in Mailaram area, Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh, India; J. Earth Syst. Sci. 121 (5) 1257–1285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jha N, Pauline Sabina K and Mehrotra N C 2011 Early Triassic palynomorphs from Manuguru area of Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh; J. Geol. Soc. India 78 167– 174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jha N and Srivastava S C 1996 Kamthi Formation palynofloral diversity; In: Gondwana Nine (eds) Guha P K S, Sengupta S, Ayyasami K and Ghosh R N (Calcutta: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co.), 1 355–368.

  • King W 1881 The geology of the Pranhita–Godavari Valley; Geol. Surv. India Memoir 18 (3) 1–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutty T L 1969 Some contributions to the stratigraphy of the Upper Gondwana formations of the Pranhita-Godavari valley, central India; J. Geol. Soc. India 10 (1) 33–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kyle R A 1977 Palynostratigraphy of the Victoria Group, south Victoria Land, Antarctica; NZ J. Geol. Geophys. 20 1081–1102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lakshminarayana G 1996 Stratigraphy and structural framework of the Gondwana sediments in the Pranhita–Godavari Valley; In: Ninth International Gondwana Symposium, Hyderabad (eds) Guha P K S, Sengupta S, Ayyasami K and Ghosh R N, Geological Survey of India, Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi–Calcutta, pp. 311–330.

  • Laksminarayana G and Murti K S 1990 Stratigraphy of the Gondwana Formations in the Chintalapudi sub-basin, Godavari Valley, Andhra Pradesh; J. Geol. Soc. India 36 (1) 13–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laskar B and Mitra N D 1976 Palaeoclimatic vicissitudes in India during Lower Gondwana sedimentation; Geophytology 6 (2) 162–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lele K M 1976 Palaeoclimatic implications of Gondwana floras; Geophytology 6 (2) 207–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindstrom S 1995a Early Late Permian palynostratigraphy and palaeo-biogeography of Vestfjella, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica; Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 86 157–173.

  • Lindstrom S 1995b Early Permian palynostratigraphy of the northern Heimefrontfjella mountain range, Dronning Maud land, Antarctica; Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 89 359–415.

  • Mahesh S, Pauline Sabina K and Mahesh Bilwa L 2008 Permian sediments from the subsurface sediments of Lower Gondwana of Wardha Valley Coalfield, Maharashtra, India; Gondwana Geol. Mag. 23 (1) 63–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahesh S, Pauline Sabina K and Mahesh Bilwa L 2011 Palynodating and correlation of subsurface sediments from bore hole CMWY-95 of Wardha Valley Coalfield, Maharashtra, central India; Pal. Bot. 60 299–307.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meena K L 2000 Palynodating of subsurface sediments of borehole IBH-6 in IB River Coalfield, Orissa, India; Geophytology 29 (1–2) 111–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Modie B N and Le Hérissé A 2009 Late Palaeozoic palynomorph assemblages from the Karoo Supergroup and their potential for biostratigraphic correlation, Kalahari Karoo Basin, Bostwana; Bull. Geosci. 84 (2) 337–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay G, Mukhopadhyay S K, Roychowdhury M and Parui P K 2010 Stratigraphic correlation between different Gondwana basins of India; J. Geol. Soc. India 76 251–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pauline Sabina K, Mahesh Bilwa L and Mahesh S 2007 A palynostratigraphic study of Lower Gondwana sediments from Bandar Coalfield, Nagpur District, Maharashtra; J. Geol. Soc. India 69 834–840.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raiverman V, Rao M R and Pal D 1985 Stratigraphy and structure of the Pranhita–Godavari Graben; Petrol. Asia J. 8 (2) 174–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raja Rao C S 1982 Coalfields of India: Vol. II, Coal resources of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Maharashtra; Bull. Geol. Surv. India, Ser. A 45 62– 100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramanamurthy B V and Madhusudan Rao C 1996 A new lithostratigraphic classification of Pranhita–Godavari basin with special reference to Ramagundam coal belt, Andhra Pradesh, India; In: Gondwana Nine, Vol. I (eds) Guha P K et al., Oxford & IBH Publ. Co., pp. 67– 78.

  • Ram-Awatar, Mukhopadhyay A and Adhikari S 2003 Palynostratigraphy of subsurface Lower Gondwana, Pali sediments, Sohagpur Coalfield, Madhya Pradesh; India Pal. Bot. 53 51–59.

  • Sastri V V, Sinha R N, Gurucharan Singh and Murty K V S 1973 Stratigraphy and tectonics of sedimentary basins on the east coast of peninsular India; Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. 57 (4) 655–678.

    Google Scholar 

  • Semkiwa P, Kalkreuth W, Utting J, Mpanju F and Hagemann H 2003 The geology, petrology, palynology and geochemistry of Permian coal basins in Tanzania: 2. Sonwe-Kiwira Coalfield; Int. J. Coal Geol. 55 157– 186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sengupta S 1970 Gondwana sedimentation around Bheemaram, Pranhita–Godavari Valley, India; J. Sedim. Petrol. 40 (1) 140–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh I B 1976 Mineralogical evidences for climatic vicissitudes in India during Gondwana times; Geophytology 6 (2) 174–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith A G, Hurley A M and Briden J C 1981 Phanerozoic palaeocontinental world maps; Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza P A and Marques-Toigo M 2003 An overview on the palynostratigraphy of the Upper Paleozoic strata of the Brazilian Paraná Basin; Rev. Mus. Arg. Cienc. 77 353–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Souza P A and Marques-Toigo M 2005 Progress on the palynostratigraphy of the Permian strata in Rio Grande do Sul State, Parana Basin, Brazil; Ann. Brazilian Acad. Sci. 77 (2) 353–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasa Rao K, Subbaraju M, Md Khan I A and Srinivasarao T 1977 Sedimentation and tectonic evolution of parts of Godavari valley, Andhra Pradesh, India ; Abst. IVth Int. Gond. Symp., Calcutta.

  • Srivastava S C 1973 Palynostratigraphy of the Giridih Coalfield; Geophytology 3 (2) 184–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava S C and Jha N 1993 Palynostratigraphy of Lower Gondwana sediments in Chintalapudi sub-basin, Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh; Geophytology 23 (1) 93–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava S C and Jha N 1992a Permian palynostratigraphy in Ramakrishnapuram area, Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh, India; Geophytology 20 (2) 83–95.

  • Srivastava S C and Jha N 1992b Palynostratigraphy of Permian sediments in Manuguru area, Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh; Geophytology 22 103–110.

  • Srivastava S C and Jha N 1989 Palynostratigraphy of Lower Gondwana sediments in Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh, India; Palaeobotanist 37 (22) 199–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava S C and Jha N 1995 Palynostratigraphy and correlation of Permian–Triassic sediments in Budharam area, Godavari Graben, India; J. Geol. Soc. India 46 647–653.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suttner L J and Dutta P K 1986 Alluvial sandstone composition and palaeoclimate. II. Authegenic mineralogy; J. Sedim. Petrol. 56 346–358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tewari R and Jha N 2006 Occurrence of plant mega- and microfossils from Barakar and Raniganj formations of Manuguru Area, Godavari Graben, Andhra Pradesh; J. Geol. Soc. India 67 101–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tewari R C and Veevers J J 1993 Gondwana basins of India occupy the middle of a 7500 km sector of radial valleys and lobes in central–eastern Gondwanaland; 8th Proc. Gondwana Symp., Hobart, Australia.

  • Tiwari R S and Tripathi A 1987 Palynological zones and their climatic inference in the coal bearing Gondwana of peninsular India; Palaeobotanist 36 87–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari R S and Tripathi A 1992 Marker assemblage zones of spores and pollen species through Gondwana Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sequence in India; Palaeobotanist 40 194–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi A and Tiwari R S 1982 Barakar miofloral from Jharia Coalfield; Geophytology 12 195–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijaya 1996 Advent of Gondwana deposition on Indian peninsula: A palynological reflection and relationship; In: Ninth International Gondwana Symposium, Hyderabad (eds) Guha P K S, Sengupta S, Ayyasami K and Ghosh R N, Geological Survey of India, Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi–Calcutta, pp. 283–298.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to the Director, BSIP for granting permission and making the needed facilities available to carry out this work. They are grateful to the authorities of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) Sri M Basavachari, Former GM (Exploration), Sri Murthy, GM (Exploration) and Y S Babu Rao, In-charge (Exploration division) and other members of the SCCL for their assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow, 226 007, India.

    Pauline Sabina K & Neerja Jha

Authors
  1. Pauline Sabina K
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Neerja Jha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pauline Sabina K.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

K, P.S., Jha, N. Upper Cisuralian palynology and palaeoclimate of Manuguru area Godavari basin, India and their global correlation. J Earth Syst Sci 123, 1681–1692 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0492-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0492-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation