First Report of Charophytes from the Lower Miocene Sediments of Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India

The western Kachchh basin of India is known as pericratonic rift basin that was filled with clastic and non clastic sediments. These sediments and the fossils content represent Jurassic to present day. The present paper deals with studies on the occurrence of Charophytes-Gyragonites from limestone and shale belonging to Mithinadi section of lower Miocene Formation. The member of charophytes is well represented in fresh water and brackish environment. The morphological features of specimens resembles with the Chara sp. The fructifications i.e., Gyragonites are calcified and have range of sizes. The Charophyte assemblage described here is the first record from Lower Miocene of western Kachchh. The other associated fossils recorded from the same samples are foraminifers i.e. Rotalidium , Elphidium, Quinqueloculina and some Ostracods. The reported Charophytes of Rampar, Kachchh suggest that these were transported from interspersed lacustrine to marine environment.