Foraminiferal Assemblage from the Karai Shale, Uttattur Group, Southern India

Abstract

To study the foraminiferal assemblage from the Karai shale, one hundred and nineteen surface sediment samples were collected systematically. The collected samples were processed using standard micropaleontological techniques. Ninety- eight species of well - preserved foraminifera were obtained from the samples. Of the ninety-eight species, eighty-nine were benthic foraminifera and nine were planktic foraminifera. The specific identification of the foraminifera was done after comparing them with those described and illustrated by various workers from the Cretaceous of Southern India. The age of the samples was assigned as Albian based on the presence of planktic foraminiferal species viz. Hedbergella delrioensis, Hedbergella planispira, Praeglobotruncana delrioensis, Praeglobotruncana stephani, Planomalina buxtorfi and Thalmanninella balernaensis.