KARTIK: started basic pg w/ infobox - done

2025-12-24T00:32:48Z

started basic pg w/ infobox - done

New page

{{Short description|Geological formation in Southern India
}}
{{Infobox rockunit
| name = Anaipadi formation
| type = [[Geological formation]]
| age = [[Coniacian]] <br />~{{fossil range|88|86}}
| period = Coniacian
| underlies=[[Ariyalur Group]]
| country = {{flag|India}}
| coordinates =
| extent =
}}

The '''Anapadi Formation''' is a [[geological formation]] dating back to the [[Late Cretaceous]] Period ([[Coniacian]]) of India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Verma |first=Omkar |date=2015 |title=Cretaceous vertebrate fauna of the Cauvery Basin, southern India: Palaeodiversity and palaeobiogeographic implications |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0031018215002229 |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |language=en |volume=431 |pages=53–67 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.04.021|bibcode=2015PPP...431...53V |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Description ==
The Anaipadi Formation preserves fossils from a [[Neritic zone|neritic environment]] (the relatively shallow part of the ocean above the drop-off of the [[continental shelf]]).<ref name=":0" /> The upper portion of the unit, which is marked by the presence of the ammonite [[Kossmaticeras|Kossmaticeras theobaldianum]].<ref name=:2>{{Cite journal |last1=Yadagiri |first1=P. |last2=Ayyasami |first2=K. |date=1979-11-01 |title=A New Stegosaurian Dinosaur from Upper Cretaceous Sediments of South India |url=https://doi.org/10.17491/jgsi/1979/201101 |journal=Journal of the Geological Society of India |volume=20 |issue=11 |pages=521–530 |doi=10.17491/jgsi/1979/201101 |bibcode=1979JGSI...20..521Y |issn=0974-6889|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The Anaipadi Formation preserves a rich mollusc fauna.<ref name=":0" /> including common fossils of ammonites and inoceramids, as well as brachiopods.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Ayyasami |first=Krishnan |date=2006 |title=Role of oysters in biostratigraphy: A case study from the Cretaceous of the Ariyalur area, southern India |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/BF02910367 |journal=Geosciences Journal |language=en |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=237–247 |doi=10.1007/BF02910367 |bibcode=2006GescJ..10..237A |issn=1226-4806|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Fossils of marine reptiles have also been found, although they are rare.<ref name=":0" /> It has been suggested that the abundant brachiopods and inoceramids in the upper Anaipadi Formation indicates a transgressive environment.<ref name=":1" />

In addition to the marine life found in the upper Anaipadi Formation, terrestrial matter was in the area evidently prone to being carried out to sea. Among other finds recovered in the unit are for instance a large amount of petrified wood.<ref name=":1" /> The presence of large quantities of wood indicates that land with dense vegetation was located relatively close a marine environment<ref name=":2" />

== Fossil Content ==
Rare fossils of [[Marine reptile|Marine Reptiles]] are found in the Anaipadi formation as well.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable" align="center" width="75%"
|-
! colspan="6" align="center" | [[Dinosaurs]] of the Anaipadi formation
|-
! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Material !! Notes !! Images
|-
|''[[Dravidosaurus]]''
|''D. blanfordi''
|West of the village of [[Siranattam]]
|GSI SR Pal 1, a partial skull, as well as fossils identified as an isolated tooth, a sacrum, an ilium, an ischium, ten armor plates, and a tail spike, designated (in order) as GSI SR Pal 2–7.[7] Yadigiri and Ayyasami identified several of the skull bones in GSI SR Pal 1, of which the most well-preserved were the parietals, frontals, supraorbitals, squamosal, and quadrate.In addition to the armor plate GSI SR Pal 6, nine other fossils identified as armor plates were found associated with the referred specimens.
|A possible late surviving [[Stegosauria|Stegosaur]]
|
[[File:Dravidosaurus_skull.png|thumb|Skull diagram of ''Dravidosaurus'']]
|}
{| class="wikitable" align="center" width="75%"
|-
! colspan="6" align="center" | [[Dinosaurs|Sharks]] of the Anaipadi formation
|-
! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Notes !! Material !! Images
|-
|''[[Squalicorax]]''
|''S''.sp.
|
|A [[Lamniformes|lamniform]] [[shark]]
|
|
[[File:Squalicorax falcatus.jpg|thumb|Squalicorax falcatus]]
|-
|''[[Dwardius]]''
|''D''. sp.
|
|A [[Cardabiodontidae|cardabiodontid]] lamniform shark
|
|[[File:NHMUK PV OR 39053.png|thumb]]
|-
|''[[Cretalamna]]''?
|''C''.? sp.
|
|An [[Otodontidae|Otodontid]] lamniform shark
|
|[[File:Cretalamna reconstruction.png|thumb|''Cretalamna'']]
|-
|''[[Eostriatolamia|Eostritolamia]]''
|''E''. sp.
|
|An [[Sand shark|Odontaspitid]] lamniform shark
|
|
|-
|''[[Protosqualus]]''
|''P''. sp.
|
|A [[Squalidae|dogfish]]
|
|[[File:Protosqualus argentinensis tooth (Simple).svg|thumb]]
|-
|''[[Gladioserratus]]''?
|''G''.? sp
|
|A [[cow shark]]
|
|
|}
{| class="wikitable" align="center" width="75%"
|-
! colspan="6" align="center" | [[Molluscs]] of the Anaipadi formation
|-
! Genus !! Species !! Location !! Material !! Notes !! Images
|-
|''[[Kossmaticeras]]''
|''K. theobaldianum''
|
|
|A [[Kossmaticeratidae|Kosmaticeratid]] [[Ammonoidea|ammonite]]
|}
The formation also contains fossils of other [[Ammonoidea|ammonites]], [[Inoceramidae|inoceramids]] and [[Brachiopod|brachiopods.]]<ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Geologic formations]]
[[Category:Geology of India]]

Anaipadi Formation - Revision history

KARTIK: started basic pg w/ infobox - done