Micro and mega-vertebrate fossils from the late triassic Tiki Formation, South Rewa Gondwana Basin, India: Palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiogeographic implications

Abstract

The predominantly red bed sequence of Tiki Formation, representing a significant lithostratigraphic unit of the South Rewa Gondwana Basin of India, is well known for its vertebrate fossil assemblage of Late Triassic age. The present study reports the teeth remains of anuran, Eodiscoglossus sp. and primitive fish Coelacanthidae, for the first time from the Late Triassic deposits of India. Fossils of Sphenodontidae (Rhynchocephalia) and Cladodus sp. (fish) are also reported here for the first time from Tiki Formation. The present work also records certain micro and mega vertebrate remains from Tiki Formation comprising of disarticulated fragments of phytosaurid (Parasuchus hislopi); isolated tooth of ornithischian dinosaur; dromatherid cynodont and mammalian teeth; teeth, scales and clavicles of piscean remains including those of actinopterigian fish, hybodont shark teeth including Lissodus duffini, Parvodus tikiensis, several broken and complete isolated teeth of Ceratodus sp., semionid fish, etc. The vertebrate faunal assemblage of Tiki Formation is correlated with coeval Maleri Formation of the Prahnita-Godavari basin and also with other equivalent deposits from certain parts of the globe. The present study gives the global palaeobiogeographic scenario of Late Triassic time which is well supported by closely correlatable Late Triassic taxa in different continents which might have served a relatively rapid intercontinent passage of the vertebrate community extending across the ancient supercontinent, Pangea.