CHAPTER # 7:

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF SAKESAR LIMESTONE:

7.1 INTRODUCTION :
The Salt Range forms the Southern edge of adjoining hydrocarbon bearing
Potwar Basin. It is East West elongated trough between Jhelum and Indus
River. Beyond the Indus River, it has a North South trend which is
conventionally called the Trans-Indus Salt Range. The Salt Range is an
important geological feature because of it easy access and the attracting a
large no of researchers.
The Salt Range is an excellent area for the study of the Paleocene-Eocene
shallow marine succession and for micro paleontological research as the its
yields abundant, well preserved, free foraminiferal shells of stratigraphically
important species.
Sakesar Limestone belongs to Lower Eocene (Ilerdian SB 7-8).There are number of
microfossils that are found biofacies analysis of samples of sample of Sakessar
limestone, some of them are clearly identifiable even up to specie level. Fossils
belongs to Family Nummulitidae, Family Alveolinidae, Family Milliolidae , Family
Textularidae .

7.2 SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY

After detailed study of thon sections and loose specimens ,the following age
diagnostic species of larger foraminifers are recorded.

Alveolina globulaHOTTINGER ,1960

Alveolina canavarii ..HOTTINGER ,1960
Alveolina pasticillata SCHWAGER ,HOTTINGER ,1960
Alveolina regularis HOTTINGER 1962
Alveolina conradi SAMEENI 1997
Glomalveolina pilula SCHWAGER 1883
Nummulites mamillatus . FICHTEL&MOLL 1925
Nummulites globulus . LEYMERIE 1846
Nummulites atacicus LEYNERIE 1846

Phylum: Protozoa
Class: Sarcodina
Order: Foraminifera
Family: Alveolinidae

Genus: Alveolina
ALVEOLINA:
Species: Alveolina globulaHOTTINGER ,1960
Plate no. 05

Fig; 09
Fig; 10
Fig; 11

DIAGNOSIS:
The globular microspheric forms show 5-6 moderately flosculinized whorls
with rounded, voluminous chamberlets. Basel layer of senile stage gradually
diminishing in thickness. Chamberlets irregular in size and structure in the
latest whorls.
Megalospheric forms are globular and show a loosely coiled, some time
slightly flosculinized first stage of about 5 whorls followed by many regularly
and uniformly thickened senile whorls with large, upright oval chamberlets.
Diameter of megalosheric 200-300 .
Species: Alveolina canavarii ..HOTTINGER ,1960
Plate
Plate
Plate
Plate

no:
no:
no:
no:

07
08
12
13

Fig;
Fig;
Fig;
Fig;

19
20,21
26
27

DIAGNOSIS :
Medium sized to large subcylindrical forms with rounded or truncated poles
and the characteristics of the group. Megalospheric forms show a variable
proloculus of 350 -700 .
Index of elongation 2,5-3,2.Microspheric form are distinctly elongated
reaching an axial diameter of over 18 mm . Basal layer within the same
whorl irregularly thickened. Very few or no supplementary chamberlets in
basal layer.

REMARKS:
Specimens of Alveolina canavarri from the A.oblonga zone are smaller in size
and less elongated than the once from the A.dainelli zone .As the variation in

megalospheric forms is particularly important and as microspheric forms are

very rare , the specie has not been split into two zoner markers.
Species : Alveolina pasticillata SCHWAGER 1826
Plate no:05
Plate no.06
Plate no.07

Fig; 11,12
Fig; 13-16
Fig; 17,18

DIAGNOSIS:
Spherical flosculinides reaching a diameter of 4 mm.Megalospheric small,95175 in diameter .3-4 whorls in the spherical or some time slightly
enlongated juvenile stage. The number of juvenile whorls is partly
dependent ont the size of the proloculus.2 -3 whorls are flosculinized.
The chamberlet in those whorls are depressed ,the spatula very thin . In the
senile stage up to 7 regular whorls ,uniform in thickness of the basal layer
and in the height of whorls .Chamberlets circular or upright oval in axial
section ,uniform in size. Doubtful microspheric forms known from one
locality only.

REMARKS:
This specie has often been confused with A.indicatrx or A.dainellii of the
Early Eocene .It is easily recognized able by its low number of septa; 6-7 in
the last flosculinized whorls compare to 10-12 in the Early Eocene forms.
Species: Alveolina regularis HOTTINGER 1962
Plate. No: 22

Fig; 22

DIAGNOSIS:
Sub globular form of small size with rounded poles. Megalospheric specimens with
spherical proloculus, then 2-3 initial whorls are tightly coiled, then latter whorls are
loosely coiled with equal thickening of basal layer.
Specie: Alveolina conradi

SAMEENI 1997

Plate.no:04
Plate.no:09
Plate.no.10

Fig; 08
Fig; 23
Fig; 24
3

Plate.no.11

Fig; 25

DIAGNOSIS:
Medium sized, porcelaneous, ovoid shells of about 5mm axial length with the
architecture of the genes Alveolina. About 14 flush septal sutures extended in
straight line from pole to pole in shells with an equatorial diameter of about 3mm.
In axial section, the megalospheric forms show pointed poles which get rounded in
the adult growth stages, but never truncated. Index of elongation 1.7-2.7 (mean
2.17,10 measures).
Megalosphere spherical, with a diameter of 0.25-0.5 mm (mean 0.35mm,13
measures).Chamberlets rounded in cross section, higher than broad, comparatively
regular in outline and size, and closely spaced.
The basal layer is always thinner than the height of the chamberlets in the same
chamber. In the columella in the coiling axis of the shell 3-6 early whorls are
distinctly elongated by the polar thickening of the basal layer, a feature producing
the pointed poles of the earlier growth stages.

REMARKS:
HOTTINGER 1971 DROBNE 1977 reported this species under the designation
Alveolina sp.1 from the salt range and from the Adriatic platform respectively
.SAMEENI and BUTT 1996 illustrated it with supplementary material from the Salt
Range .
Its coexistence with A.Pasticillata and A.Globula in the Salt Range and with
A.Moussoulensis on the Adriatic plate form permits to attribute an SBZ 6-7 age
range to this species.
Species: Glomalveolina pilula SCHWAGER 1883
Plate.no.08

Fig: 22

DIAGNOSIS:
Oval glomalveolinids with the characteristics of the group. Index of elongation 1,21,6.Diameter of proloculus 40-80. Sutures slightly depressed. A faint dimorphism
may be observed in the glomosphiral initial growth stage.

Remarks:

Oriented section of glomalveolinids are very difficult to obtain as they can be very
rarely isolated from the rock matrix.
Phylum:Protozoa
Class: Sarcodina
Order: foraminifera
Family: Nummulitidae
Genus: Nummulites
Species: Nummulites mamillatus ( FICHTEL&MOLL 1925)
Plate no:01

Fig:02,03

DIAGNOSIS:
Test planispiral involute ,strongly biconvex,thick from center, with septal
filaments,well developed marginal cord and presence of umbilical boss ,chambers
are overlaping each other, may be microspheric or megalospheric, alar
prolongation of chambers are common.This specie found in Paleocene and Eocene
rock.

REMARKS:
The stratigraphic range of this specie is from lower to middle Eocene.
Specie: Nummulites globulus

LEYMERIE 1846

Plate no:02

Fig:04

DIAGNOSIS:
Test palnispiral, involute, stongly biconvex ,thick from center with septal
filaments ,well developed marginal cord and presence of umbilical boss
,chambers are overlapping each other ,alar prolongation the chamber is
common shape is just like a globule. This specie found in Eocene age rock.
REMARKS:
The stratigrapic range of this specie lower to middle Eocene.
Species: Nummulites atacicus

LEYNERIE 1846

Plate.no:01

Fig:02

Plate no.03
Plate no:04

Fig: 06
Fig: 08

DIAGNOSIS:
Test palnispiral involutes ,having microspherical generation,strongly biconvex
,thick from center, with septal filaments, well developed marginal cord, umbonal
bars are not thick but are individually spaced ,chambers are overlapping each
other .this specie found in Eocene age rocks.
REMARKS:
The stratigraphic range of this specie from lower to middle Eocene.
Family: Textularidae
Genus: Bigenerina
Plate no: 14

Fig: 32

DIAGNOSIS:
It is a biserial-uniserial smaller foraminifera. it has two walled chambers that joins
one and other in coiled.
Family : Milliolidae
Genus : Milliolids
Plate no: 13 ,14

Fig; 28-31

DIAGNOSIS:
The specimen exhibit section almost all slides, the test show changing pattern of
development of chambers, it has three to four chambers wall calcareous and are
imperforated and their presence marks meteoric or brackish water conditions. Its
ranges in age from Paleocene to Eocene.