Palynology of the Barail (Oligocene) and Surma (Lower Miocene) sediments exposed along Sonapur-Badarpur Road Section, Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya) and Cachar (Assam). Part II. Fungal remains

Abstract

Fungal remains recovered from the Barail and Surma groups (Oligocene-Lower Miocene) exposed along the Sonapur Badarpur Road Section in Jaintia Hils, Meghalaya and Cachar, Assam have been described. The assemblage consists of 17 genera and 33 species. Of these, 6 genera and 9 species are of fungal bodies and 11 genera and 24 species of fungal spores. Five new species have been established. The important genera are Phragmothyrites, Notothyrites, Parmathyrites, Kutchiathyrites, Inapertisporites, Dicellaesporites, Multicellaesporites, Pluricellaesporites, Diporicellaesporites and Dyadosporonites. Quantitative analysis of the assemblage reveals that both fungal bodies and spores are richly represented in the Surma Group (Lower Miocene) while their frequency decreases in the Barail Group. The assemblage has been compared with the known fungal assemblages from the Tertiary rocks in India.