Lameta Formation

Last updated
Lameta Formation
Stratigraphic range: Maastrichtian
~70–66  Ma
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Lameta Formation.tif
Exposure of the Lameta Formation at its type locality of Lameta
Type Geological formation
Underlies Intertrappean Beds, Deccan Traps deposits
Overlies Jabalpur Group or Precambrian Basement
Area5,000 km2 (1,900 sq mi)
ThicknessVariable, typically 18–45 m (59–148 ft)
Lithology
Primary Claystone, sandstone limestone
Other Conglomerate
Location
Coordinates 23°12′N80°00′E / 23.2°N 80.0°E / 23.2; 80.0
Approximate paleocoordinates 24°42′S63°12′E / 24.7°S 63.2°E / -24.7; 63.2
Region Western India
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
Extent Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
Type section
Named forLameta Ghat
India relief location map.jpg
Lightgreen pog.svg
Lameta Formation (India)

The Lameta Formation, also known as the Infratrappean Beds (not to be confused with the contemporaneous Intertrappean Beds), is a sedimentary geological formation found in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, India, associated with the Deccan Traps. [1] It is of the Maastrichtian age (Late Cretaceous), and is notable for its dinosaur fossils

Contents

History

The first fossils found in the Lameta Formation were discovered between 1917 and 1919. [2]

The Lameta Formation was first identified in 1981 by geologists working for the Geological Survey of India (GSI), G. N. Dwivedi and Dhananjay Mahendrakumar Mohabey, after being given limestone structures–later recognised as dinosaur eggs–by workers of the ACC Cement Quarry in the village of Rahioli near the city Balasinor in the Gujarat state of western India. [3]

Lithology

The formation is underlain by the Lower Cretaceous sedimentary "Upper Gondwana Sequence" also known as the Jabalpur Formation, and is overlain by the Deccan Traps basalt. The Lameta Formation is only exposed at the surface as small isolated outcrops associated with the Satpura Fault. The lithology of the formation, depending on the outcrop, consists of alternating clay, siltstone and sandstone facies, deposited in fluvial and lacustrine conditions. The environment at the time of deposition has alternatively been considered semi-arid, or tropical humid. [4] [5]

Fossil content

Many dubious names have been created for isolated bones, but several genera of dinosaurs from these rocks are well-supported, including the titanosaur sauropods Isisaurus and Jainosaurus and the Abelisaurs Indosaurus , Indosuchus , and Rajasaurus and Noasaurids Laevisuchus . [6] Mammals are also known form the formation, such as the possibly late surviving Avashishta , the possibly youngest know stegosaurian Deltapodus , madtsoiid snakes and other fossils.

Dinosaurs

Life restoration of dinosaurs in Lameta Formation in which a group of Rajasaurus (Middle) hunting an Isisaurus (Middle) with an Indosuchus (bottom left) watching it with her chicks and a Laevisuchus (Bottom right) running with two Jainosaurus (Top Left) in the background Morning hunting in India.jpg
Life restoration of dinosaurs in Lameta Formation in which a group of Rajasaurus (Middle) hunting an Isisaurus (Middle) with an Indosuchus (bottom left) watching it with her chicks and a Laevisuchus (Bottom right) running with two Jainosaurus (Top Left) in the background
Color key
Taxon Reclassified taxonTaxon falsely reported as presentDubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon
Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.
Sauropods
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Isisaurus I. colbertiDongargaon HillHolotype skeleton consists of cervical, dorsal, sacral, caudal vertebrae, ribs, pelvis, scapula, coracoid, left forelimb, and other bones. Other specimens such as skull, hindlimb, and foot bones are unknown.A titanosaur.
Isisaurus DB.jpg
Jainosaurus J. septentrionalisBara Simla"Basicranium and partial postcranial skeleton." [7] A titanosaur.
Jainosaurus septentrionalis life restoration.png
Titanosaurus T. blanfordi"Caudal vertebrae." [8] A titanosaur.
T. indicus"Teeth" [9]
Megaloolithus [10] M. cylindricusSauropod egg fossils
Fossils in the Indian Museum, Kolkata 13.jpg
M. dhoridungriensis
M. jabalpurensis
M. khempurensis
M. megadermus
M. problematica
M. walpurensis
M. sp.
Theropods
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Compsosuchus C. solus"Vertebrae"Previously considered a Noasaurid now considered an indeterminate Abelisaurid [11]
Coeluroides C. largusBara Simla"Isolated vertebrae." [12] A Indeterminate theropod also known from Dabrazhin Formation of Kazakhstan
Dryptosauroides D. grandisBara Simla"Vertebrae." [12]
Indosaurus I. matleyiBara SimlaPartial skeleton, including a partial skull. [13]
Indosuchus I. raptoriusBara SimlaCranial remains, including two braincases, as well as a nearly complete skeleton. [13] An abelisaurid theropod.
Indosuchus.jpg
Jubbulpuria J. tenuis"Vertebrae." [12] Likely junior synonym of Laevisuchus [14]
Lametasaurus L. indicusBara Simla"Sacrum, ilia, tibia." [12] "Sacrum, ilia, tibia, spines, armor." [15]
Laevisuchus L. indicusBara SimlaOnly vertebrae. [13] A noasaurid
Ornithomimoides O. barasimlensisBara Simla"Vertebrae." [12] An abelisaurid [14]
O. mobilisBara Simla"Vertebrae" [12]
Orthogoniosaurus O. matleyiBara Simla"Tooth" [12]
Rahiolisaurus R. gujaratensisRahioli VillageCervical, dorsal, sacral, and caudal vertebrae, portions of pectoral and pelvic girdles, and several hind limb bones of different individuals.An abelisaurid.
Rahiolisaurus restoration.png
Rajasaurus R. narmadensisTemple Hill, RahioliA partial skeleton consists of maxillae, premaxillae, braincase, and quadrate bone on the skull; and spine, hip bone, legs, and tail in post-cranial remains.An abelisaurid.
Rajasaurus restoration.jpg
Noasauridae IndeterminateA partial dentary [14] A noasaurid.
? Megalosaurus Referred to as the 'E' morphotypeA solitary tooth. [16] Originally identified as belonging to Megalosaurus, however may instead represent a troodontid. [17]
Ornithischian
GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Brachypodosaurus B. gravisChota Simla Hill"Humerus." [18] May not be dinosaurian
Spheroolithus ?sp.Polgaon,

Tidkepar

Egg fossilsQuestionably assigned to this genus [19]
Deltapodus [20] sp.JetholiSolitary footprintPossibly a Late Cretaceous Stegosaur, Like Dravidosaurus
Ankylosauria?IndeterminateRahioliIsolated vertebrae, scapulocoracoid, humerus, femur, and several armor fragments such as hollow lateral spikes and solid dorsal scutes. [21] Described as a nodosaurid, but the limb bones are titanosaurian. [22]
Ceratopsia?IndeterminateKhedaHorncore base.Originally described as a ceratopsian horncore [23] , but likely represents a theropod limb element or a dorsal rib of a theropod or a titanosauriform. [24]

Reptile

Snakes

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Sanajeh S. indicusA skull, precloaca vertebrae and ribs.A madtsoiid snake
Sanajeh about to attack a titanosaur hatchling Sanajeh attacking sauropod.png
Sanajeh about to attack a titanosaur hatchling
Madtsoia M. pisdurensis [25] A madtsoiid snake

Turtles

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Jainemys J. pisdurensisA bothremydid side-necked turtle

Mammals

GenusSpeciesLocationStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages
Avashishta A. bacharamensisA Haramiyida Mammal

Mollusca

GenusSpeciesLocationNotes
Mollusca Indeterminate
Gastropoda Indeterminate
Viviparus V. normalis
Physa P. normalis

sp.

Paludina P. deccanensis
Lymnaea L. subulata
Unio U. deccanensis

sp.

See also

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References

  1. Wilson Mantilla, Gregory P.; Renne, Paul R.; Samant, Bandana; Mohabey, Dhananjay M.; Dhobale, Anup; Tholt, Andrew J.; Tobin, Thomas S.; Widdowson, Mike; Anantharaman, S.; Dassarma, Dilip Chandra; Wilson Mantilla, Jeffrey A. (2022-04-01). "New mammals from the Naskal intertrappean site and the age of India's earliest eutherians". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 591: 110857. Bibcode:2022PPP...59110857W. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.110857. ISSN   0031-0182.
  2. F. v. Huene and C. A. Matley, (1933), "The Cretaceous Saurischia and Ornithischia of the Central Provinces of India", Palaeontologica Indica (New Series), Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India 21(1): 1-74
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  17. https://www.theropoddatabase.com/Troodontidae.htm
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  20. Galton, Peter M.; Ayyasami, Krishnan (2017-07-01). "Purported latest bone of a plated dinosaur (Ornithischia: Stegosauria), a "dermal plate" from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of southern India". Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 285 (1): 91–96. doi:10.1127/njgpa/2017/0671. ISSN   0077-7749.
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  23. Dwivedi, G. N.; Ghevariya, Z. G. (1984). "Discovery of Dinosaurian Horncore from the Infra-Trappean Rocks of Kheda District, Gujarat". Current Science. 53 (21): 1148–1150. ISSN   0011-3891.
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Bibliography