Recent discoveries of Fossil Algae in India

Abstract

Ever since the discovery of abundant fossil algae in the Niniyur group (Danian) of the Trichinopoly Cretaceous, S. India, was reported in 1931, a large amount of work on fossil algae from the Cretaceous and Eocene rocks of India has been done. Several new genera and species belonging to the two important families, Dasycladaceae and Corallinaceae, have been figured and described, which constitute substantial additions to our knowledge of fossil algae in general. The present paper gives a brief review of these investigations and discusses their stratigraphical and palaeontological importance on the background of similar work done outside India. The great scope and immense possibilities in India for further research in this field are indicated.