Y.N. Jha¹, H.N. Sinha^1*, R.C. Patel² and K. Chandra¹                                                                                      

¹Department of Geology, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribag-825 301, India

²Department of Geophysics, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136 119, India

*E mail: hnsinha2003@gmail.com

Abstract

Well preserved, dominant and matured forms of Leiosphaeridia (acritarchs) group of palynofossils were recovered along with pollen grains from the Talchir Formation of West Bokaro coalfield, Jharkhand. The acritarcha assemblage includes L. minutissima, L. tenuissima, L. crassa and L. jacutica in which L. tenuissima dominates the assemblage. The dominance of Leiosphaerids along with pollen grains in the assemblage suggests a definite shallow marine incursion and transgression in the Talchir Formation of west Bokaro coalfield. The inferred paleoenvironment of palynofossils assemblage correspond to present day analogue of shelf zone which is also strengthened by the record of several ichnofossils, bioturbation and wave generated sedimentary structures. The marine transgression in the west Bokaro coalfield corresponds with the well known global transgressions during Permian.

Keywords: Leiosphaeridia (acritarchs), Permian, Palaeoenvironment, West Bokaro coalfield