The Kaladongar Formation is the oldest Mesozoic geologic formation of the Kachchh Basin. It is found in Patcham Island, Kachchh, Gujarat, India. It is made up of limestone and sandstone. It was later intruded by an olivine gabbroic intrusion which baked and shattered the overlying limestone. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.Weishampel, et al. (2004). "Dinosaur distribution." Pp. 517-607.
Fossil content
Invertebrates
Ichnofossils IchnogenusIchnospeciesProvenanceMaterialNotesImagesArenicolitesA. carbonariusKaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet, Chappar Bet, Dingy Hills, Kuran village, Babia CliffVertical U-shaped burrowsSuspension feeder traces.AsterosomaA. radiciforme; A. ludwigaeKaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet, Chappar Bet and equivalent sectionsStar-shaped burrowsDecapod feeding structures.BeaconitesB. coronusKaladongar Formation outcrops (Kuar Bet, Dingy Hills)Meniscate burrowsMobile deposit feeder traces.BergaueriaB. hemisphericaKaladongar Hill range sectionsPlug-shaped or conical tracesAnemone Resting or dwelling traces.ChondritesC. targionii; C. intricatusKaladongar Formation (various sections including Chappar Bet)Dendritic feeding burrowsDeep-tier deposit feeders.CochlichnusC. anguineusKaladongar Hill rangeSinuous trailsLocomotion traces.DactylophycusD. isp.Kaladongar Hill rangeBranched tracesFeeding structures.DaedalusD. verticalisKaladongar Hill rangeComplex spreiten burrowsFeeding traces.DidymaulichnusD. lyelliiKaladongar Hill rangeBilobate trailsCrawling trail of molluscan origin.DiplocraterionD. parallelumKuar Bet, Chappar Bet, Babia CliffU-shaped spreiten burrowsEquilibrium tracesGordiaG. arcuataKaladongar Hill rangeMeandering trailsGrazing traces.GyrochorteG. comosaKaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet, Dingy HillsBilobate meandering tracesLocomotion/feeding.GyrolithesG. isp.Kaladongar Hill rangeHelical burrowsDecapod dwelling/escape traces.IchnocumulusI. radiatusKaladongar Hill rangeCumulus-like tracesFeeding structures.LaevicyclusL. isp.Kaladongar Hill rangeCircular tracesDwelling shaft and scraping circles of Scolelepis.LockeiaL. amygdaloides; L. siliquariaKaladongar Formation (bivalve-rich layers)Bivalve resting tracesShallow infaunal activity.MargaritichnusM. reptilisKaladongar FormationPear-shaped tracesWormlike sediment-eating animals.MonocraterionM. tentaculatumKuar Bet, Chappar BetSingle funnel-shaped burrowsDwelling structures of worm-like organisms.NereitesN. missouriensisKaladongar Hill rangeMeandering grazing tracesMade by worms, gastropods or crustaceans.OphiomorphaO. nodosaKaladongar Hill range, Kuar Bet and equivalentPelleted burrowsSquillidae, especially Oratosquilla-like.PalaeobulliaP. isp.Kaladongar Hill rangeGrazing trailsMade by gastropods.PalaeophycusP. isp.Kaladongar Formation sectionsSimple horizontal burrowsDwelling traces.PhoebichnusP. trochoidesKaladongar Hill rangeRadial tracesFeeding structures.PhycodesP. circinnatum; P. palmatumKaladongar Hill rangeBundled feeding burrows*Phycodes* assemblage.PilichnusP. dichotomusKaladongar Hill rangePiliform tracesFeeding traces.PlanolitesP. beverleyensis; P. striatus; P. tubularis; P. annulatusWidespread in Kaladongar Formation (Kuar Bet to Babia Cliff)Simple unlined burrowsWorm-like deposit feeder traces.ProtovirgulariaP. dichotomaKaladongar Hill rangeChevronate locomotion tracesMade by bivalves.RhizocoralliumR. jenense; R. irregulare; R. uralienseKaladongar Hill range, Chappar Bet, Dingy HillsSpreiten U-burrowsFeeding/dwelling.ScoliciaS. prisca; S. isp.Kaladongar Hill rangeMeniscate bilobate trailsDeposit feeder/locomotion activity of echinoids.SkolithosS. linearisKuar Bet, Chappar Bet, Babia Cliff and other high-energy sectionsVertical cylindrical burrowsMade by polychaetes like Nereis.TaenidiumT. serpentinumKaladongar Hill rangeMeniscate burrowsMobile deposit feeders.TeichichnusT. rectusKaladongar Hill rangeSpreiten burrowsDeposit feeder traces.ThalassinoidesT. horizontalis; T. suevicus; T. isp.Kaladongar Hill range and equivalent localitiesBranching boxwork burrowsCrustacean dwelling.WalcottiaW. devilsdingliKaladongar Hill rangeComplex tracesFeeding or locomotion traces.
Anthozoa Genus Species Provenance Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Cyathophora C. bourgueti KachchhBabia Cliff Sandstone Eleven specimens Cyathophorinae coral
Dinosaurs Genus Species Provenance Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Camarasauromorpha indet. Indeterminate Kachchh Fragmentary remains belonging to an animal 20 metres in length. A large indeterminate camarasauromorph Ceratocaudia C. antiqua Kachchh Pliensbachian to Bajocian IITBR 3-59, partial skeleton consisting of several cervical and caudal vertebrae, an isolated chevron, and elements of the appendicular skeleton including an interclavicle, an ulna, metacarpals, femora, tibiae, fibulae, and a metatarsal. A macronarian sauropod Sauropoda indet. Indeterminate Kachchh Aalenian to Bajocian A partial skeleton, consisting of 12 vertebrae, several limb bones and 80 other elements reported by 2000. The fossil were deposited at Border Security force HQ. An indeterminate sauropod
Fish Genus Species Provenance Stratigraphic position Material Notes Images Strophodus S. atlasensis; S. magnus; S. sp. Kachchh Bajocian to Bathonian Teeth A durophagous acrodontid hybodont
Flora Genus Species Provenance Stratigraphic position Material Notes ImagesAlisporitesA. sp. A; A. sp. BKuar BetDingi Hill MemberPollenCorystospermaceaeAraucariacitesA. australisKuar BetDingi Hill MemberPollenAraucariaceaeAraucaritesA. sp.Kuar BetDingi Hill MemberCone scaleAraucariaceaeCallialasporitesC. dampieri; C. sp.Kuar BetDingi Hill MemberPollenAraucariaceaeConcavissimisporitesC. sp. cf. C. variverrucatusKuar BetDingi Hill MemberSporeFilicopsidaConiopterisC. kuarbetensisKuar BetDingi Hill MemberFrondsPolypodiidaeCyathiditesC. australis; C. concavusKuar BetDingi Hill MemberSporeCyatheaceaeDensoisporitesD. sp.Kuar BetDingi Hill MemberSporeFilicopsidaDictyophylliditesD. harrisiiKuar BetDingi Hill MemberSporeDipteridaceaeGinkgocycadophytesG. sp.Kuar BetDingi Hill MemberPollenGinkgoaceaeKlukisporitesK. sp.Kuar BetDingi Hill MemberSporeSchizaeales?Podocarpidites?P. sp.Kuar BetDingi Hill MemberPollenPodocarpaceaePachypterisP. haburensisKuar BetDingi Hill MemberFrondsCorystospermaceae?Sphagnumsporites?S. sp.Kuar BetDingi Hill MemberSporeSphagnaceae Sphenopteris S. specifica Kuar BetDingi Hill Member Fronds Incertade sedis
See also
List of dinosaur-bearing rock formations List of stratigraphic units with indeterminate dinosaur fossils
Footnotes
References Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. 861 pp. .