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Metaphyte and Metazoan Fossils from Precambrian Sediments of India a Critique

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Metaphyte and Metazoan Fossils from Precambrian Sediments of India a Critique Metaphyte and Metazoan fossils from Precambrian sediments of India a critique Mukund Sharma, Manoj Shukla & B. S. Venkatachala Sharma M, ShukJa M & Venkatachala BS, 1992 Metaphyte and Metazoan fossils from Precambrian sediments of India a critique. Palaeobotanist 40 : 8· 51 Evidences of multicellular life from the Indian Precambrian sediments have been reviewed. Their nature, morphology, biogenecity and syngenecity are evaluated in the light of associated evidences. The published records have been grouped under 13 categories, viz., Archaeocyatha, Chuaria·Tawuia group, fror,doid forms, Hyolithoides, Longfengshania, medusoids, metaphytic algae, Sekwia excentrica, shelly forms, spiral forms, trace fossils, trilobitoid and eurypteroid and enigmatic group. Contrary to the world wide records of multicellular organisms only at the Terminal·Precambrian (eo 600 Ma), some of the Indian reports are 1,000·2,500 Ma old. This older antiquity needs proper explanation. In the present review after reassessment, all the records have been classed as true fossil, non·fossil and dubiofossil. In few cases, it has not been possible to comment upon the structure reported due to non·availability of specimen and poor photOgraphic reproductiOn in print, such records have been grouped separately without any comments. ln several cases synaeresis and mud cracks have been described as trace fossils. Sedimentary structures have also been described as Sekwia, LongJengshania, Cyclomedusa, Archaeocyatha, Dasycladaceae algae, Epiphyton, lamellibranchs and such other forms Some records though of undoubted biogenic nature, viz., Katnia singhi and Vindhyavasinia misrai and Ajaicicyatha (from Krol sediments) need reassessment concerning their taxonomic affinity. The oldest authentic biogenic structures in this review are considered to be about 1,000 Ma old. These records of metaphytes and metazoans-Ramapuraea vindhyanensis, vendotaenid forms, trace fossils, megascopic spiral algal forms and Chuaria·Tawuia assemblage, are mostly from the base of Kaimur and top of Semri groups. Trace fossils from Bhander limestOne of Vindhyan Supergroup; a metaphytic alga Renalcis from the Calc·Zone of Pithoragarh, and frondoid forms, trace fossils as well as small shelly fauna from the Krol·Tal sequence belonging to younger sediments of probable Vendian·Tommotion age are authentic records. The multicellular plants and animals undoubtedly proliferated during the Vendian, but there are a few authentic exceptional records of multicellular life prior to 600 Ma from India. Similar earlier records are also known from China and Canada. These records are important in understanding the antiquity of multicellular life. Key-words-Metaphyte, Metazoans, Morphology. Biogenecity, Syngeneciry, Precambrian, India. Mukund Sharma, Mano} Shukla & B. S. Venkatachala. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow 226007, India. m-d'~T ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~"lf-~ 'mO <l; ~-"J.'i ~ ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ 'rrqf, C(Gi ~ ~ ~ ~~,~, ~ ~-¥ ~ ~T$hr ~ <t -$1fIlTOl1 'dir 'dir TTt I IfIlTOl1 -$ 3!T!lR '" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~'IT, ~ ~ ~ "11q"lf.1cNil ,PIT q;r f<:l;m 1'J'llT I 11'l\t m-m 13 'G' f'lf'llTfu'c; f<:l;m 1'J'llT it ~~,~ ~,~t1-~, ~;iF11"'!{ ~3!Thm'-~~, gi-;si':rgr~. ~, ~~nm-, ~s. ~ (<11T~ ~-~o) ~ ~--.u ~~ ~I ~. ?"H oficrr!ftf, ?1$"f1fitd<ls C(Gi ~s (f'IT f'<rFf'\IT it -$ 600 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~u ~ ~'3 ~ 3!f~ ((1'l'-~o -$ '.000-2.500 '!'f'l t I -.-.r 'dir l.P-lT'Ifirr t<1; 'dir t I "l'3'G' Four Decades of Indian Palaeobotany Edirors: B. S. Venkatachala & H. P. Singh Publisher: Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow SHARMA et al-METAPHYTES AND METAZOANS FROM PRECAMBRlAN SEDIMENTS OF INDIA 9 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ tp:~ ~ ~ 'f m-.t $ cmur (f~ 'f <:<TC<l m-.t i1 '1ft <w -g I 'I<N<: $ <R 31<'flT "i{>{ fum "If/lT -g I ~ ~ ~ ~~:if ~ ~~nm-, ~ ~ ~ if m< 3!Tfu <R ;;ftcrr!f11 $ if ClfUkr fu;m TT'IT -g 1 <R til .."') Ii s,tll, ~ (f~ ~1 ~ ~ ~~~~ ~~, ~lfI<HMlmrn. ~fq",,~l", 3frll M $ if qfUfo fu;m "If/lT-g1 ~ ~ ~ tJ:<l' f'q.~ f\:m-u"t (f~ ~~ *t IBlfu I ~ ~ ~~ ~ iti!Iq;I~fcljl ~ ~mU-'l"'f if <'flT'lfTf 100 tJ:'f-tJ:O 3lTl! *t llRT tl tJ:<i <$ tt ~-~ f'q.~, ~'s1Sf'1S ~, '~ ~ '!3\lttlrr-~ ~ ~ ~ Pr ;;j'r-qrrll. tJ:<i $ 3lTmft 'llT'T ~ it~mrn(f~~(fl'<'f (f~ il>rt't",¥ $ ~ 'llT'Tittl ~!Jl ~<$ ~~~itPr;;ftcrr~'1;N~<$ ~-~ ~ ~ ~ ~. ;;ftcrr~ '~ ~ tp:~ it Pr <f WZ ;;ft'f ';;it 3lTl! <$ t. tl ~ ~ ~ ~~:if ~3lT1 ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ if tJ:<i 'llm q;r f'<r<mr 'llTT(f it 600 tJ:'f-tJ:o it <$ ~-~ 'lit tl ~ tJ:<i~it '1ft ~ 1J<m:<$ ~P#:crtl ~~*t«~~~~it~'~ ~tl THE advent of multicellular life was a landmark 1. Archaeocyatha transition achieved in the course of evolution. As a 2. Chuaria- Tawuia group result, there was considerable change in the 3. Frondoid forms morphologies ultimately leading to the advent of 4. Hyolithoides skeletogenous organisms. Evidences available from 5. Longfengshania the palaeontological records suggest a phase where 6. Medusoids in major transition occurred during the Terminal 7_ Metaphytic algae Precambrian System. These evidences of fossil 8. Sekwia excentrica metaphytes and metazoans help us to understand 9. Shelly forms their advent, proliferation and also about the 10. Spiral forms organismal experimentations and advancing 11. Trace fossils organisations in the course of their evolution. It is, 12. Trilobitoid and Eurypteroid therefore, necessary to critically evaluate fossil 13. Enigmatic torms records from Precambrian sedimentary successions Additional remarks are also proVided to and to put them in a proper taxonomic order. It is highlight salient features that may aid proper also necessary, to look into the reproduciblity of assessment of the records. Attempts have been made these records. It is pertinent to assess the records to study most of the original specimens. In cases with reference to the age of the host rock and the where the original specimens could not be studied, palaeoecological conditions under which the comments are based on the descriptions and organisms lived vis-a-vis deposition of sediments. illustrations proVided by the authors in their Consideration of fossil records without such publications. Records of multicellular life from Kroi assessment may lead to incorrect inference on the belt of Himalaya, which have already been reviewed antiquity and distribution of metaphytes and by Singh (1981) published up to 1980, have not metazoans. been re-reviewed. Each citation of a record includes The present review, discussess the biogenecity, the original name of the fossil, author's name, year syngenecity and affinity of macrofossil records from of publication, illustration, figure number, Precambrian sediments of India published up to repository when known (as given in the publication) 1990. New information is added in the form of and description. It is followed by remarks on the observations. The fossil records are classified as true specimen incorporating our observations and critical fossil (definitely biogenic); dubiofossil (probably comments based on the restudy of the specimen and biogenic but whose nature is still not certain), and supplimenting it with fresh photodocumentation. non-fossil (definitely non-biogenic). In few cases it Line diagrams are added to substantiate our views in has not been possible to categorise the records into cases of those specimens which could not be any of the above three categories due to non­ located. The results of our study are tabulated (Table availability of specimens or insufficient evidences, 1) summarising the present status of Precambrian hence, no comments have been offered. True metaphyte and metazoan records from India. phyletic position of most of the Precambrian fossils are not yet confidently established or known; they ARCHAEOCYATHA have, thus, been grouped here into the following 13 categories for easy reference based on their Members of the group Archaeocyatha are morphologies. considered inhabitants of coastal Cambrian shallow 10 THE PALAEOBOTANIST Table I-Present status of metazoan and metaphytic records of India FORM (GENERIC OR SPECIFIC NAME) STRATIGRAPHIC LOCALITY REFERENCE DUBIO FOSSILS Ajacicyathus Topmost part of Krol E Singh & Rai, 1983 Archaeocyatha & Korgaicyatha Topmost part of Krol E Tewari 1988, 1990 Beltanella sp. d. B. gi/esi Upper part of Krol Formation Mathur & Shanker, 1990 Beltane//ijormis sp. d. B. brunsae Upper part of the KIol Formation Mathur & Shanker, 1989 Bhanrerichnus damohensis Maihar Quartzite Formation Mathur & Verma, 1983 Brachiopod shell Kajrahat Limestone Formation Prakash, 1966 Dasycladaceae algae Limestone of Cuddaph Supergroup Rao, 1943 Drag markings, Lonzenge-shaped bodies, Bhander Group Chakrabarti, 1990. Mud volcanoes like structures Epiphyton Upper part of Krol Formation Singh & Rai, 1983 Hyolithes rohitaswei Rohtas Limestone Formation Rode, 1949 Jelly fish Nimbahera Limestone Formation Sisodlya, 1982 Misracyathus vindhyanus Rohtas Limestone Formation Misra, 1949 Organic plates Different stages of Dharwar, Venkatachala & Rawat, 1972, Bhima & Kaladgi 1973; Viswanathiah et ai, 1975, 1976, 1977 cf. Podolithus sp. Suket Shale ,'vlember Shukla & Sharma, 1990 Renalcis Upper part of Krol Formation Singh & Rai, 1983 Sajania Calc·zone of Pithoragarh Shukla, 1984 Sonjiwashman basuhariensis Basuhari Sandstone Formation Mathur, 1982 Trace fossi Is Dodguni Formation, Shivarudrappa, 1981 Dharwar Supergroup FOSSILS Aulichnites Lower Tal Formation Banerjee & Narain, 1976 Burrow Rohtas Limestone Formation Misra & Awasthi, 1962 Burrows Bhander Limestone Formation Chakrabarti, 1990 Burrows Morwan Sandstone Formation Sisodiya & Jain, 1984 Chuaria
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