A Palm Fruit of Cocos from the Sediments Near the Cretaceous-palaeogene (K/Pg) Boundary in Central India

Abstract

The Deccan Traps from the Indian subcontinent represent one of the largest and most spectacular outpouring of continental flood basalts which is often linked with the Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K/Pg) boundary. In many of their exposed sections, the time gap between consecutive lava flows is reflected as thin bands of carbonate clay succession popularly termed as Intertrappean beds. These layers host a considerable quantum of fossils. From the same Intertrappean horizon, we report a previously undocumented permineralized coconut drupe from Dhangaon, representing the earliest known fossil evidence of the genus Cocos for the first time from Dhangaon, central India.  It demonstrates the typical traits of Arecaceae/Palmae defined by a fibrous mesocarp surrounding a smooth pyrene. Along with the other reports of the same genera elsewhere in the central India, it represents the world’s oldest fossil record of Cocos and also provides an evidence of tropical conditions and winters without frost in the geological record around K/Pg boundary whereas dry to moist deciduous forests is now dominated in the central India. The mentioned shift in the climate reflected by the ancient and modern flora can be attributed to the changing latitude driven by the northward movement of Indian plate, uplift of Western Ghats and a corresponding decrease in the sea level.