Mekran beds (Gwadar Stage) - nodular shales of Ormara (Pliocene of Pakistan)

Where: Pakistan (25.2° N, 64.6° E: paleocoordinates 24.2° N, 63.9° E)

• coordinate stated in text

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Mekran Formation, Early/Lower Pliocene (5.3 - 3.6 Ma)

• STRATIGRAPHIC RELATIONS: Overlies the Gaj beds. AGE: Somewhat unclear. Younger than Early Miocene Gaj beds (Aquitanian-Burdigalian), and younger than the Gwadar beds (Pliocene), so probably ranging from Middle to Late Miocene in age. Age will be amended following consideration of taxonomic similarities with Indonesian faunas. STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION: Nodular shales.

• group of beds-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: coastal; poorly lithified, concretionary shale

• ENVIRONMENT: Not stated in text, but presumably shallow shelf siliciclastic.
• SPECIFIC LITHOLOGY: Nodular shales. LITHIFICATION: Poorly-lithified, based on figured specimens.

Size class: macrofossils

Collected by Vredenburg

Collection methods: surface (in situ),

• COLLECTORS: Multiple collectors including W. Blanford, Wynne, Hira Lal, Ram Singh, and Noetling (staff of Geological Survey of India) during the early 1900's. REPOSITORY: Geological Survey of India, with voucher specimens possibly at the BMNH.

Primary reference: E. Vredenburg. 1925. Description of Mollusca from the post-Eocene Tertiary formation of north-western India: Cephalopoda, Opisthobranchiata, Siphonostomata. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India 50(1):1-350 [A. Hendy/A. Hendy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 77138: authorized by Austin Hendy, entered by Austin Hendy on 21.12.2007

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• COVERAGE: Exhaustive for gastropoda, bivalvia, and scaphopoda. NOMENCLATURE: Antiquated, but from an authoritative publication, with use of species and subgenus resolution assignments. Nomenclature can be updated through reference to Harzhauser and Swarko publications.
Gastropoda
 Cerithioidea - Turritellidae
"Turritella bandongensis" = Turritella (Turritella) bandongensis
"Turritella bandongensis" = Turritella (Turritella) bandongensis Martin 1879 turret shell
 Neogastropoda - Muricidae
Cymia sacellum Chemntiz 1788 murex snail
SUBSPECIES: C. sacellum burrowsi
Purpura (Thalessa) mekranica Vredenburg 1925 murex snail
"Murex (Acupurpura) troscheli" = Murex (Murex) troscheli Liscke 1868 murex snail
 Sorbeoconcha - Tonnidae
Dolium (Eudolium) ormarense Vredenburg 1925 tun shell
 Sorbeoconcha - Bursidae
"Ranella (Apollon) elegans" = Bufonaria elegans
"Ranella (Apollon) elegans" = Bufonaria elegans Sowerby 1836 frog shell
 Sorbeoconcha - Xenophoridae
"Tugurium mekranense" = Xenophora (Xenophora) mekranensis
"Tugurium mekranense" = Xenophora (Xenophora) mekranensis Newton 1905 carrier shell
Bivalvia
 Pectinida - Pectinoidae
Pecten nearchi Vredenburg 1928 scallop
 Cardiida - Cardiidae