RECORD OF MIOCENE FAUNA FROM BARIPADA MARINE BEDS, ORISSA: PALEOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATION

Abstract

The tbssiliferous marine deposits of Baripada Beds are well known for their Miocenc vertebrate and invertebrate fauna. The fossil fish assemblage recorded in this contribution from these beds comprise of sharks (48%), batoids (3 1%) and teleosts (20%). The thesis reports the selachian species namely. Carcharadon carcharias and Ca,char/iinus longinianus from these marine beds. Telcost fish remains belonging to the family Sparidae and Sphyrnidae are reported from these beds. Extant counterparts of most of the fossil fish taxa described here are well adapted to anormal temperature of approximately 20°C isotherm. Palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental analyses based on the fossil fish assemblages in association with other vertebrate and invertebrate remains including those of foraminifers suggest presence of a shallow marine, nearshore coastal environment most likely representing the shallower part of the inner neretic linked to the open sea. The presence of a diverse fossil fish fauna corroborates well with an overall increase in the global hiodiversity during the Miocene, due to a change in the climate caused by widespead tectonism leading to the rise of the Alpine-Himalaya and closure of the Tethys Sea.