Dinoflagellate cyst evidence for the age of Kulakkalnattam Sandstone Member, Garudamangalam Formation, Cauvery Basin, southern India

Abstract

Rich and diversified dinoflagellate cyst assemblages comprising 42 genera and 68 species have been recovered from the Kulakkalnattam Sandstone Member of the Garudamangalam Formation exposed in and around Ariyalur, Cauvery Basin, and southern India. First and last appearances of dinoflagellate cyst taxa present in the assemblage, including Callaiosphaeridium asymmetricum, Circulodiniumm distinctum, Cribroperidinium aceras, C. edwardsii , C. cooksoniae, Conosphaeridium striatoconus, Cyclonephelium compactum, Florentinia cooksoniae, F. mantellii, Heterosphaeridium difficile, Litosphaeridium siphoniphorum and Palaeoperidinium pyrophorum, suggest that the age of the member ranges from Middle to Late Turonian.