Contribution
Petrified wood remains from Neogene sediments of the Bengal Basin, India, with remarks on palaeoecology
Bera, Subir; Banerjee, Manju
Palaeontographica Abteilung B Band 260 Lieferung 1-6 (2001), p. 167 - 199
149 références bibliographiques
publié: Nov 5, 2001
Abstract
Twenty species of dicotyledonous woods and four species of monocotyledonous woods are described in the present study from five exposures of lateritic sediments scattered in the Southwest to Northwestern part (88° E, 22° 15' N-97°45' E, 24° N) of Western geoprovince of Bengal Basin, India. Among these woods, Shoreoxylon pentacmeoides sp. nov., Pahudioxylon garbetaense sp. nov., Combretoxylon bengalensis sp. nov., Palmoxylon birbhumense sp. nov. and P. senii sp. nov. are new records. Altogether thirty-four genera and fifty three species of petrified woods are now recorded including the earlier reports from Western geoprovince of Bengal Basin, India. The total assemblage of petrified woods suggests occurrence of a tropical forest with influence of high precipitation and intermittent marine inundation. A few semi-evergreen, deciduous forest elements in the assemblage are indicative of an upland topography in near vicinity. The synsedimentary ooid-like structures within the cell cavity of the petrified woods strongly suggest that permineralisation of the woods occurred under winnowing movement of water usually observed in the shallow marine condition. Close association of these petrified woods and ichnofossils of shallow marine environment suggests shallow marine palaeoecological conditions at the time of permineralisation of the woods during Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene epochs.
Mots-clefs
Petrified wood • palaeoecology • ooid-like structures • Late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene • West Bengal geoprovince • Bengal Basin • India