Skip to main content
Log in

Microflora from sauropod coprolites and associated sediments of Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Lameta Formation of Nand-Dongargaon basin, Maharashtra

Journal of the Geological Society of India Aims and scope

Abstract

Micofloral study of Lameta sediments and associated sauropod coprolites in the Nand-Dongargaon basin in Maharashtra was conducted to understand the diet and habitat of sauropods. The study revealed the presence of pollen, spores, algal and fungal remains, well-preserved cuticles of Poaceae, and testate amoebae. Vegetation during Lameta included tall arboreal taxa, such as conifers (Podocarpus and Araucaria), Cycads (Cycas), Euphorian and Barringtonia and herbs and shrubs, such as Cheirolepidiaceae (Classopollis), Arecaceae (Palmaepollenites), Poaceae (Graminidites), Asteraceae (Compositoipollenites), Caryophyllaceae (Cretacaeiporites and Periporopollenites), and Acanthaceae (Multiareolites). Data suggest that the sauropods ate soft tissues of angiosperms and gymnosperms. The intake of testate amoeba, algal remains, sponge spicules, and diatoms might be through water intake.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ambwani, K., Sahni, A., Kar, R. K. and Dutta, D. (2003) Oldest known nonmarine diatoms (Aulacoseira) from the Uppermost Cretaceous Deccan Intertrappean beds and Lameta formation of India. Review de Micropaleontology, v.46, pp.67–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atik, C. and Ates, S. (2012) Mass balance of silica in straw from the perspective of silica reduction in straw pulp. Bio Resources, v.7 (3), pp. 3274–3282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birader and Bonde (1979) On a fossil palm peduncle from Dongargaon, District Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India; Geophytology, v.9, pp.132–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonde and Birader (1981) On two palm woods from the Deccan intertrappean beds of Dongargaon, District Chandrapur, Maharashtra (India). Jour. Univ. Poona Sci., v.54, pp.247–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth, R.K., Lamentowicz, M. and Charman, D. J. (2010) Preparation and analysis of testate amoebae in peatland palaeoenvironmental studies. Mires and Peat, v.7 (2010/11), 02, pp.1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charman, D.J., Gehrels, W.R. and Roe, H. (2000) The use of <63µm sediment fractions in the separation and identification of testate amoebae in the intertidal zone. Proc. 5th Internat. Workshop on Agglutinated Foraminifera, Hart, M., Kaminski, M.A. & Smart, C. (Eds.), Grzybowski Foundation Special Publication no., v.7, pp.89–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charman, D.J., Roe, H.M. and Gehrels, W.R. (1998) The use of testate amoebae in studies of sea-level change: a case study from the Taf estuary, South Wales, UK. The Holocene, v.8, pp.209–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cookson, I.C., (1947a) Fossil fungi from Tertiary deposits in the Southern Hemisphere. Part I. Proc. Linnean Soc. New South Wales, v.72, pp. 207–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dutta, D. and Ambwani, K. (2007) Capers: A food for Upper Cretaceous dinosaurs of Pisdura, India. Curr. Sci., v.92 (7), pp. 897–899.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farooqui, A., Aggrawal, N., and Jha, N. (2014) Thecamoebians from Late Permian Gondwana sediments of peninsular India. Eur. Jour. Protistol., v.50 (1), pp. 89–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farooqui, A., Aggrawal, N., Jha, N. and Phartiyal, B. (2015) Oldest Record of Freshwater Diatom Frustules in Tests of Permian thecamoebians: Faithfulness of Sedimentary Record. Int. Jour. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci, v.4 (7), pp. 472–485.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh, P., Bhattachrya, S.K., Sahni, A., Kar, R.K., Mohabey, D.M. and Ambwani, K. (2003) Dinosaur coprolites from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Lameta Formation of India; isotopic and other marker suggesting a C3 plant diet. Cretaceous Res., v.24, pp.743–750.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helen, M.R. and Patterson, R. T. (2006) Distribution of the Thecamoebians (Testate Amoebae) in small lakes and ponds, Barbados, West Indies. Jour. of Foraminiferal Res., v.36 (2), pp. 116–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jain, S.L. (1989) Recent Dinosaur discoveries in India, including eggshells, nests, coprolites. In D. D. Gellette and M. G. Lockley, eds., Dinosaur tracks and traces. New York: Cambridge Univ. Press. pp.99–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jain, S.L. and Sahni, A. (1986) Some Cretaceous vertebrates from central India: Their palaeogeographical implications: Lucknow, Indian Association of Palynostratigraphers, Symp., BSIP, Lucknow, pp.66–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kar, R.K., Mohabey, D.M. and Srivastava, S. (2004a) Angiospermous fossils woods from the Lameta Formation (Maastrichtian), Maharashtra, India. Geophytol., v.33 (1&2), pp.21–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kar, R.K., Sharma, N. and Kar, R. (2004b) Occurrence of fossil fungi in dinosaur dung mass and its implication on food habit. Curr. Sci., v.87 (8).

    Google Scholar 

  • Khosla, A., Chin, K., Alimohammadin, H. and Dutt, D. (2015) Ostracods, plant tissues, and other inclusions in coprolites from the Late Cretaceous Lameta Formation at Pisdura, India: Taphonomical and palaeoecological implications. Palaeogeo. Palaeoclimat. Palaeoeco., v.418, pp.90–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lodge, D.J. (1989) The influence of soil moisture and flooding on formation of VA-endo and ectomycorrhizae in Populus and Salix. Plant and Soil. v.117, pp.243–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mankar, R.S. and Srivastava, A.K. (2015) Salbardi–Belkher inland basin: a new site of Lameta sedimentation at the border of districts Amravati, Maharashtra and Betul, Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Curr. Sci., v.109 (7), pp. 1337–1343.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matley, C.A. (1939) The Coprolites of Pisdura, central province. Rec. Geol. Surv. India, v.74, pp.535–547.

    Google Scholar 

  • Medioli, F.S., Scott, D.B., Collins, E.S. and Wall, J.H. (1990) Thecamoebians from the Early Cretaceous deposits of Ruby Creek, Alberta (Canada). In: Hemleben, C., Kaminski, M. A., Kuhnt, W. & Scott, D. B. (eds.) Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Paleoecology, biostratigraphy, paleoceanography and taxonomy of agglutinated foraminifera. NATO ASI Series. Series D: Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 327. Dordrecht: Reidel Publishing Company, pp.793–812.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Medioli, F.S. and Scott, D.B. (1988) Lacustrine thecamoebians (mainly Arcellaceans) as potential tools for palaeolimnological interpretations. Paleogeo., Paleoeclimat., Paleoeco., v.62, pp.361–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medioli, F.S. and Scott, D.B. (1983) Holocene Arcellacea (thecamoebians) from eastern Canada: Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal research, Spec. Publ., v.21, pp.1–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. (1990a) Discovery of dinosaur nesting site in Maharashtra. Gondwana Geol. Mag., v.3, pp. 32–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. (1990b) Dinosaur eggs from Lameta Formation of Western and Central India; their occurrence and nesting behaviour. Symp. Workshop IGCP 216 and 245, Chandigarh, pp.18–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. (1996) Depositional environment of Lameta Formation (Late Cretaceous) of Nand-Dongargaon Basin, Maharashtra: The fossil and lithofacies evidences. Mem. Geol. Soc. India, no.37, pp.363–386.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. (2001, a) Dinosaur Eggs and Dung (Faecal mass) from Late Cretaceous of Central India: Dietary Implications. Geol. Surv. India Spec. Publ. No.64, pp.605–615.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. (2001, b) Indian Dinosaur Eggs: a review. Jour. Geol. Soc., India, v.58, pp.479–508.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. (2005) Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) nests, eggs, and dung mass (coprolites) of sauropods (titanosaurs) from India, in Tidwell, V., and Carpenter, K., eds., Thunder Lizards: The Sauropodomorph Dinosaurs: Bloomington, Indiana. Indiana Univ. Press, pp.466–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. and Samant, B. (2003) Floral Remains from Late Cretaceous Faecal Mass of Sauropods from Central India: Implication to their Diet and Habitat. Gondwana Geol. Magz., Spec. v.6, pp.225–238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. and Udhoji, S.G. (1990) Fossils occurrences and sedimentation of Lameta formation of Nand area, Maharashtra: Palaeoenvironmental, palaeoecological and taphonomical implications. In: Symp. Workshop IGCP-216 and 245, Chandigarh, pp. 30–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. and Udhoji S.G. (1996) Fauna and flora from Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) non marine Lameta Sediments associated with Deccan volcanic episodes, Maharashtra: its relevance to the K/T boundary problem, Palaeoenvironment and palaeogeography. Gondwana Geol. Mag., Spec. v.2, pp.349–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M. and Samant, B. (2005) Lacustrine facies association of a Maastrichtian lake (Lameta Formation) from Deccan volcanic terrain central India: implications to depositional history, sediment cyclicity and climates. Gondwana Geol. Mag., v.8, pp.37–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohabey, D.M., Udhoji, S.G. and Verma, K.K. (1993) Palaeontological and Sedimentological observations on non-marine Lameta Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Maharashtra, India: their palaeoecologiclal and palaeoenvironmental significance. Palaeogeo. Palaeoclim. Palaeoecol., v.105, pp.83–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukherjee, D. (2014) Evidence of Araucaria (Monkey-Puzzle) from Lameta Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Pisdura, Maharashtra, India. Internat. Jour. Geol., Earth and Envi. Sci. (Online), v.4 (1), pp. 174–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muravnik, L.E. and Shavarda, A.L. (2011) Pericarp peltate trichomes in Pterocarya Rhoifolia: Histochemistry, Ultrastructure and chemical composition. Internat. Jour. Plant Sci., v.172 (2), pp. 159–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, R.T. and Kumar, A. (2002) A review of current testate rhizopod (thecamoebian) research in Canada. Palaeogeo. Palaeoclimat. Palaeoeco., v.180, pp.225–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter, S.M. and Knoll, A.H. (2000) Testate amoebae in the Neoproterozoic Era: Evidence from vase-shaped microfossils in the Chuar Group, Grand Canyon. Paleobiology, v.26, pp.360–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad, V., Caroline, A.E., Stromberg, C.A.E., Alimohammadian, H. and Sahni, A. (2005) Dinosaur Coprolites and the Early Evolution of Grasses and Grazers; Science, v.310, pp.1177–1180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad, V., Stromberg, C.A.E., Leache, A.D., Samant, B., Patnaik, R., Tang, L., Mohabey, D.M., Ge, S. and Sahni, A. (2011) Late Cretaceous origin of the rice tribe provides evidence for early diversification in Poaceae. Nature Communication, v.2, 480/DOI:10.1038/ncomms1482.

  • Read, D.J. (1984) The structure and function of the vegetative mycelium of the mycorrhizal roots, In: Jenny A.B.M. Rayner, D.H. (Eds.), the ecological and physiology of the fungal mycelium. Cambridge Univ. Press, pp.215–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Read, D.J. (1991a) Mycorrhizas in ecosystems. Experientia, v.47, pp.376–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Read, D. J. (1991b) Mycorrhizas in ecosystems-nature’s response to the Law of the minimum In: Hawksworth, D.L. (Eds.), Frontiers in mycology. Regensburg, CAB International, pp.101–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samant, B. and Mohabey, D.M. (2005) Response of Flora to Deccan Volcanism: A Case Study from Nand-Dongargaon Basin of Maharashtra, Implications to Environment and Climate. Gond. Geol. Magz., Spl. v.8, pp.151–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samant, B. and Mohabey, D.M. (2009) Palynoflora from Deccan volcanosedimentary sequence (Cretaceous-Palaeogene transition) of central India: implications for spatio-temporal correlation. Jour. Biosci., v.34, pp.811–823.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samant, B. and Mohabey, D.M. (2014) Deccan volcanic eruptions and their impact on flora: Palynological evidence. Geol. Soc. Amer. Spec. Papers; v.505, pp.171–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, A.R., Schonborn, W. and Schafer, U. (2004) Diverse fossil amoebae in German Mesozoic amber. Palaeontol., v.47, pp.185–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schonborn, W., Dörfelt, H., Foissner, W., Krienitz, L., Schäfer, U., (1999) A fossilized microcenosis in Triassic amber. Jour. Eukaryot. Microbiol., v.46, pp.571–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selkirk, D.R. (1975) Tertiary fossil fungi from Kiandra, New South Wales; Proc. Linn. Soc. Nw., v.100, pp.70–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, N., Kar, R.K., Agrawal, A. and Kar, R. (2005) Fungi in dinosaurian (Isisaurus) coprolites from the Lameta Formation (Maastrichtian) and its reflection on food habit and environment. Micropaleont., v.51, pp.73–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolonen, K., Warner, B.G., Vasander, H. (1992) Ecology of testaceans (Protozoa, Rhizopoda) in mires in Southern Finland.1. Autecology. Arch Protistenkd., v.142, pp.119–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tandon, S.K. (2002) Record of Influence of Deccan volcanisn on contemporary sedimentary environment in central India. Sediment. Geol., v.147, pp.172–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tandon, S.K. (2005) Sedimentary Environments of late Cretaceous Sequences of Central India: Influence of Deccan Volcanism. Gond. Geol. Magz., Spec., v.8, pp.1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tandon, S.K. and Andrews, J.E. (2001) Lithofacies associations and stable isotopes of palustrine and calcretes carbonate: examples from an Indian regolith; Sedimentology, v.48, pp.339–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tandon, S.K., Sood, A., Andrews, J.E. and Dennis, P.F. (1995) Paleoenvironment of the Dinosaur-Bearing Lameta Beds (Maastrichtian) Narmada Valley, central India. Palaeogeogr. Paleoclimatol. Paleoecol., v.117, pp.153–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, S.D., Friese, C.F. (1998) Plant mycorrhizal community dynamics associated with moisture gradient within a rehabilitated Prairie fern. Restoration Ecology, v.6 (1), pp. 1–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verma, A. (1990) Function and application of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Arid and Semi-Arid soils. In: Verma, A., Hock, B. (Eds.), Mycorrhiza, Structure, Function, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Springer-VerlagHeidelberg, pp.521–556.

  • Von Huene, F.B. and Matley, C.A. (1933) The Cretaceous Saurischia and Ornithischia of the Central Provinces of India. Palaeontographica Indica N.S. XXI, pp.4–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waggoner, B.M. (1996) The first fossil cyphoderiid testate amoeba, in Dominican Republic amber (Eocene Oligocene): PaleoBios, v.17, pp.17–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner, B.G. (1990) Testate Amoebae (Protozoa). Methods in Quaternary Ecology. Geoscience, Canada 5. Geol. Assoc. Canada, pp.65–74.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bandana Samant.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sonkusare, H., Samant, B. & Mohabey, D.M. Microflora from sauropod coprolites and associated sediments of Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Lameta Formation of Nand-Dongargaon basin, Maharashtra. J Geol Soc India 89, 391–397 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-017-0620-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-017-0620-0

Navigation