Palaeocene foraminifera from the Ariyalur area, southern India

Abstract

The Palaeocene sediments of the Ariyalur area, spread over 80 sq km, are exposed as isolated outcrops and consist mainly of marls, shelly and cream-coloured limestones on the northeastern part of Tiruchirapalli Cretaceous. The present study records well-preserved smaller foraminifera of both benthic and planktic nature. The planktic species suggest a Palaeocene age for the Niniyur Formation. The foraminiferal fauna in general reflects shallow marine to brackish water conditions of deposition. The paper also discusses the stratigraphic distribution and zoogeographic affinities of foraminifera of the Niniyur Formation with respect to equivalent horizons in India and abroad.