First Report of Charophytes from the Lower Miocene Sediments of Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India

First Report of Charophytes from the Lower Miocene Sediments of Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article First Report of Charophytes from the Lower Miocene Sediments of Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India S. N. Kamble, M. A. Sonar, A. N. Salve, K. M. Wanjarwadkar This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6271633/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The western Kachchh basin of India is known as pericratonic rift basin that was filled with clastic and non clastic sediments. These sediments and the fossils content represent Jurassic to present day. The present paper deals with studies on the occurrence of Charophytes-Gyragonites from limestone and shale belonging to Mithinadi section of lower Miocene Formation. The member of charophytes is well represented in fresh water and brackish environment. The morphological features of specimens resembles with the Chara sp. The fructifications i.e., Gyragonites are calcified and have range of sizes. The Charophyte assemblage described here is the first record from Lower Miocene of western Kachchh. The other associated fossils recorded from the same samples are foraminifers i.e. Rotalidium , Elphidium, Quinqueloculina and some Ostracods. The reported Charophytes of Rampar, Kachchh suggest that these were transported from interspersed lacustrine to marine environment. Charophytes Mithinadi Miocene Kachchh Palaeo-environment Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Introduction Charophytes (Charales) are multicellular macroscopic green algae (Soulie-Marsche, 1999 , Mjelde et al 2020 ). Charophytes are freshwater land plants and also known from brackish environments, representing 678 species distributed world-wide (Guiry and Guiry 2020). Utricles and gyrogonites are fruiting bodies of charophytes composed of calcium carbonate, and more likely to found as fossils. Fossil charophytes found in Palaeozoic, Mesozoic or Cenozoic sediments were mainly studied for their taxonomical and biostratigraphical importance.(Riveline et al., 1996 ). Silurian to the present records of fossil gyrogonites from non-marine deposits are reported worldwide (Feist et al. 2005 ; Beilby et al. 2018 ). Specific morphology and significant evolutionary rates of charophytes makes them important non-marine biostratigraphic markers. Charophyte remains were reported since Early Cretaceous from non-marine-marls, clays and limestones and their biostratigraphic importance for continental record is well understood by Pérez et al. (2022). Charophytes occurrence from Neogene and quaternary sediments belonging to the Siwalik Group, north India is well recorded by Bhatia and Mathur ( 1970 , 1978 ); Tewari and Sharma ( 1972 ); Lakhanpal et al. (1976) and Bhatia ( 1982 ). However, these Siwalik charophytes were later revised by Bhatia ( 1999 ); Late Pliocene –Early Pleistocne charophyte gyrogonites were reported by Kundal ( 2022 ) from Northwest Himalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, India; Tiwari and Bhan ( 2021 ) recorded 13 species of charophyte from the Middle Siwalik strata of Mohand area, Dehradun sub-basin, NW Himalaya, India. Recent record of charophyte gygrogointes reported from Tapar, eastern Kutch, Gujarat by Singh et al. ( 2022 ) is belonging to Late Miocene. The present study of microfossils is carried out from the strata belonging to Lower Miocene Chhasra Formation exposed along the Mithinadi River channel with the aim of sedimentology and microfossil assemblage (such as charophyte, foraminifera and ostracoda). However, palaeoecological aspects of these sediments are unexplored. The charophyte flora documented and described here is the first record of Lower Miocene sediments of Kutch. The recovered charophytes from present locality comprises species, viz., Chara globularis globularis Thuillier, Chara sp. Using the paleoecological characterization of charophytes and other biota recovered from the present section the paleoenvironment of deposition is discussed. Geological setting In western Kutchh Neogene and Paleogene sequences are very well exposed and these were thoroughly explained by Biswas ( 1992 ). Paleogene sequence comprises Naredi Formation, Harudi Formation, Fulra, Maniyara Fort Formation followed by Neogene sequence comprising Kharinadi Formation, Chhasra Formation and Sandhan Formation respectively. The khaki coloured claystones alternated with argillaceous fossiliferous limestones belonging to lower claystone member of Chhasra Formation (Biswas, 1992 ) are well-exposed near Rampar (Abda) village in Mithi Nadi section (Fig. 1 A). The khaki coloured claystones/shale exposed here is alternated with argillaceous impure limestones (Fig. 1 B). These impure limestones constituted with microfossils. At places section shows light grey-yellowish silty claystone and shale. Materials and Methods For the present study samples were collected at Rampar (Abda), Mithinadi section (23 0 20’ 11.7” N 68 0 48’43.5”E), which is 5.5m thick located at 1/2 km northern side of Rampar (Abda) village, western Kachchh, Gujarat. Shale and impure limestones were systematically sampled with approximately 1Kg, for recovery of microfossil assemblage. About 1/4th part of the sample was taken. A mixture of water, sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ), and concentrated hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was taken and this sample was soaked in this mixture for 48–72 hours to disaggregate shale and limestone samples. These samples were wet-sieved using mesh size 200 µm. Under a light binocular microscope Olympus SZ61 fixed with Magnus-Magcam DC59 (5.1MP) using magnifications of 0.67 to 4.5x10X, dried and sieved samples were studied to pick charophytes and other microfossils. Using a scanning electronic microscope (SEM-ZEISS), selected charophytes were photographed at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, Maharashtra, India. The material is registered at Post Graduate Department of Geology, Government Institute of Science, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. Systematic Classification of Charophytes Division – Charophyta Migula 1890 Class Charophyceae Smith 1938 Order – Charales Lindley1836 Family – Characeae Richard 1815ex Agardh, 1824 Subfamily – Charoidae Genus – Chara Vaillant 1719 Chara globularis globularis Thuillier (Figs. A1-A3 and B1-B3) Referred Material: GIS/ MF/K/Chara/2022 Locality Geological section along right bank of the Mithinadi River, 1/2 km north side from Rampar (Abda) village. Stratigraphic horizon Lower Miocene limestone of Mithinadi section, Chhasra Formation (Burdigalian), Western Kutch. Description The gyrogonites are medium sized (average 716 µm high and 560 µm wide) obovoid- ellipsoidal, slightly flat to rounded at the apex and somewhat tapering towards the base. Spiral cells are thick and convex, obliquely placed, showing 8 to 11 convolutions sinistrally coiled. Equatorial angle is low, basal portion slightly smaller than apex. The shape of the basal pore opening is pentagonal. Remarks The morphological features of specimen closely resemble with Chara globularis globularis Thuillier described by Bhatia (1999) from the Siwalik group. Chara globularis globularis Thuillier differ from Chara globularis aspera elongate prolate shape and in rounded concave spiral cells. Chara globularis globularis Thuillier described here is the first record from the Lower Miocene of western Kachchh, Gujarat. Discussion Bhatia (1999) described Chara globularis globularis Thuillier from Dhok Pathan, Tatrot, and Pinjor formations of Middle and Upper Siwalik Group belonging to Middle Miocene to Pliocene. Bhatia and Mathur (1978); Tiwari and Bhan (2021) mentioned the range for Chara globularis globularis and other charaophytes (Fig. 3) from Lower Siwalik (Chinji Formation) to Upper Siwalik (Pinjor Formation). However, Singh et al. (2022) reported this species from Late Miocene sediments belonging to Sandhan Formation at Tapar locality, eastern Kutch, India and inferred fluvial and near coastal environment. Present authors report charophyte flora along with foraminifera species belonging to Rotalidium, Elphidium, Quinqueloculina and some Ostracoda from Mithinadi section exposed near Rampar (Abda) village that falls within the Chhasra Formation belonging Burdigalian stage of Lower Miocene (Biswas, 1992) in western Kutch. Singh et al. (2022) recorded first appearance of charophytes from Late Miocene. Here on the basis of present record of charophyte recovered from Chhasra Formation we are further extending the first appearance datum (FAD) of Chara globularis globularis to the Early Miocene (Fig. 3). Conclusions The reported Charophytes of Rampar (Abda) suggest that these were first grown in shallow, warm, low energy meso-eutrophic and eutrophic lake (Bhatia 1996 ; Pelechaty et al.2004; Tiwari and Bhan 2021 ) and later transported from interspersed lacustrine environment to marine environment. The first appearance datum (FAD) of Chara globularis globularis should be extend to the Early Miocene. Declarations Acknowledgement: Authors are thankful to the Director,Government Institute of Science, Aurangabad, for providing necessary facilities and permission. Authors extend thanks to Mr. Irshad Kureshi and Dr. D.V. Wayal for preparation of map and range chart. Disclosure Statement: Funding: SNK is thankful to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI) Pune, for Research fellowship (No. BANRF-2018/19-20/3036). Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent to publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Data availability: The studied fossil samples and unstudied collected samples are preserved in the Department of Geology of the host Institute. References Beilby, M., Schneider, S.C., Puckacz, A., Martin-Closas, C. (2018) Towards an integrated understanding of charophyte biology and paleobiology. Botany Letters 165 (1), 7–10. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1080/23818 107. 2017. 14158 19 Bhatia, S.B. (1982) Post-Palaeozoic charophyta of India. In: Bharadwaj, D. C. (ed.) Recent advances in cryptogamic botany, pp. 268–286.The Palaeobotanical Society of India, Lucknow. Bhatia, S.B. (1996). The ostracode fauna and the charophyte flora of the Siwalik Group: palaeobiogeographic and palaeoecologic implications. Publ. Cent. Advanc. Study Geol. Panjab Univ., v. 5, pp.99-106. Bhatia (1999).Revision of the charophytes flora of the Siwalik group (Neogene-Quaternary) of the Lesser Himalaya, India. Austral. Jour. Bot. (47), 459-474. Bhatia S.B. and Mathur A.K. (1970) First record of Charophyta from the Upper Siwalik near Pinjor. Bull. Indian Geolog. Assoc., v. 3, pp.27-28. Bhatia S.B. and Mathur A.K. (1978) The Neogene Charophyte flora of the Siwalik Group, India, and its biostratigraphical significance.Geophytology, v.8, pp.79-97. Biswas S.K. (1992). Tertiary stratigraphy of Kutchh. Jour. Pal. Soc. India. (37),1-29. Feist M., Grambast-Fessard, N, Guerlesquin, M. Karol K., Lu, H. Mccourt, R.M., Wang,Q., Shenzen Z.(2005).Treatise on invertebrate paleontology. Part B. Protoctista 1. Charophyta. The Geological Society of America. The Univ. of Kansas, Kansas.1-170. Kundal (2022). Late Pliocene –Early Pleistocene Charophyte Gyrogonites from mudstone horizon underlying volcanic ash beds of northwestern Himalaya palaeontological and paleoenvironmental implications. Jour. of Geosciences Research.7(2), 172-178. Lakhanpal R.N. (1976). Some charophyte remains from the lower Siwalik Tankapur, District Nainital. Paleobotanist 23.40-43 Mjelde M., Swe,T. Langangen and Ballot A. (2020) A contribution to the knowledge of charophytes in Myanmar: Morphological and genetic identification and ecology notes. Botany letters.pp.1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/23818107.2020.1847189 Pérez-Cano, J., Bover-Arnal, T., Martín-Closas, C. (2022). Charophyte communities in Barremian Iberian wetlands. Facies 68, 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-022-00651-6 Riveline J, Berger J.P.,Bilan W, Feist M, Martin-Closas C, Schudack M, Soulie-Marsche, I. (1996). Eropean Mesozoic- Cenozoic charophyte biozonation. Bull. Soc. Geol. France 167(3): 453-468. Soulie-Marsche, I. (1999). Extant gyrogonite populations of charazeylanica and Charahaitensis: implications for taxonomy and paleoecology.Austral. Jour. Bot., (47) 371-382. Singh A.N., Singh N. P., Sharma M.K., Patnaik R., Tiwari R. P., Sehgal R.K., Kumar V., Wazir W. A., Singh Y. P.(2022). First report on late Miocene (Tortonian:~ 11–10 Ma) charophyte gyrogonites from Tapar, Kachchh District, Gujarat State, western India. Proc. Indian. Natl. Sci. Acad. 88, 439–455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-022- 00102-4 Tewari and Sharma (1972). Some fossil Charophyt a from Upper Siwalik near Chandigarh, India. Bull. Ind.Geolog. Assoc.(5), 1-22. Tiwari N and Bhan U (2021). Middle Siwalik charophyta from Mohand area, Dehradun Sub- basin, NW Himalaya, India.Jou. Paleontol.Soc.India. 66(1), 1-11. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6271633","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":452249254,"identity":"b01de105-2d03-4424-bddb-5d2afd52f2e3","order_by":0,"name":"S. N. Kamble","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Government Institute of Science, Caves Road, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"S.","middleName":"N.","lastName":"Kamble","suffix":""},{"id":452249257,"identity":"4e661878-0aef-4ca2-8d48-1c29baac7bc4","order_by":1,"name":"M. A. Sonar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Government Institute of Science, Caves Road, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"M.","middleName":"A.","lastName":"Sonar","suffix":""},{"id":452249259,"identity":"99ed35fe-58c6-4deb-9675-d2f967b42a0c","order_by":2,"name":"A. N. Salve","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Government Institute of Science, Caves Road, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"A.","middleName":"N.","lastName":"Salve","suffix":""},{"id":452249260,"identity":"ac0c236c-3de2-41d9-b697-3a135d7832af","order_by":3,"name":"K. M. Wanjarwadkar","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA6UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACCSA+wMBgw8PG3nwAxJchVkuaHB/PsQQQn4coLUBw2FhOIscAxCKsRXLaGcODP2qYE9sYcj6/ulFjwcPAfvjoBnxapKVzDA7zHGMDajm7zTrnGNBhPGlpN/BpkZPO3XCYgY0nsY2xd5txDhtQiwSPGUEtB3/8k0hsY+Z5Zpzzjwgt0kAtB3jbDIzZ2HiYH+e2EaFFcnb+h8O8fQlybDxsZsy5fRI8bIT8InE7Lfnjj2//eeTnP378OedbnRw/++FjeLUgAzZwJLERqxwEmD+QonoUjIJRMApGDgAAEkBFp8+RQVkAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Government Institute of Science, Caves Road, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"K.","middleName":"M.","lastName":"Wanjarwadkar","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-03-20 17:23:11","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6271633/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6271633/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":82036736,"identity":"92102ce7-63f4-4eb8-9429-031b980d0040","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-05-06 08:23:17","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":428267,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eA. Geological map of Western Kutch with sample locality. B. Lithosection at Rampar (Abda), Kutch.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6271633/v1/d0dac57bdb15ac7c39fe7201.png"},{"id":82036715,"identity":"9b554ce4-213f-4352-9384-f6bd72002dc9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-05-06 08:23:16","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":183012,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eChara\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eglobularis globularis: \u003c/em\u003eA1, B1- lateral view; A2, B2- apical view; A3, B3 basal view\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6271633/v1/a65cf4a6edf9145b03c962f6.png"},{"id":82036758,"identity":"0d42d01e-db0a-4ff3-b7c5-265365d42aec","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-05-06 08:23:18","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":197082,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eBiostratigraphic range of Charophyte species (modified after Bhatia and Mathur 1978; Bhatia 1999; Tiwari and Bhan 2021; Singh et al. 2022)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6271633/v1/b09904427aaa40c1cf261b8e.png"},{"id":86323860,"identity":"09ba5f0c-b534-4b58-bf05-c6a41c87cd78","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-09 10:17:14","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1226099,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6271633/v1/e03b7f8e-abdf-4f8c-93b6-6243087868f6.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"First Report of Charophytes from the Lower Miocene Sediments of Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eCharophytes (Charales) are multicellular macroscopic green algae (Soulie-Marsche, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e, Mjelde et al \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Charophytes are freshwater land plants and also known from brackish environments, representing 678 species distributed world-wide (Guiry and Guiry 2020). Utricles and gyrogonites are fruiting bodies of charophytes composed of calcium carbonate, and more likely to found as fossils. Fossil charophytes found in Palaeozoic, Mesozoic or Cenozoic sediments were mainly studied for their taxonomical and biostratigraphical importance.(Riveline et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e). Silurian to the present records of fossil gyrogonites from non-marine deposits are reported worldwide (Feist et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e; Beilby et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Specific morphology and significant evolutionary rates of charophytes makes them important non-marine biostratigraphic markers. Charophyte remains were reported since Early Cretaceous from non-marine-marls, clays and limestones and their biostratigraphic importance for continental record is well understood by P\u0026eacute;rez et al. (2022). Charophytes occurrence from Neogene and quaternary sediments belonging to the Siwalik Group, north India is well recorded by Bhatia and Mathur (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1970\u003c/span\u003e,\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e); Tewari and Sharma (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1972\u003c/span\u003e); Lakhanpal et al. (1976) and Bhatia (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1982\u003c/span\u003e). However, these Siwalik charophytes were later revised by Bhatia (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e); Late Pliocene \u0026ndash;Early Pleistocne charophyte gyrogonites were reported by Kundal (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) from Northwest Himalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, India; Tiwari and Bhan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) recorded 13 species of charophyte from the Middle Siwalik strata of Mohand area, Dehradun sub-basin, NW Himalaya, India. Recent record of charophyte gygrogointes reported from Tapar, eastern Kutch, Gujarat by Singh et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) is belonging to Late Miocene.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe present study of microfossils is carried out from the strata belonging to Lower Miocene Chhasra Formation exposed along the Mithinadi River channel with the aim of sedimentology and microfossil assemblage (such as charophyte, foraminifera and ostracoda). However, palaeoecological aspects of these sediments are unexplored. The charophyte flora documented and described here is the first record of Lower Miocene sediments of Kutch. The recovered charophytes from present locality comprises species, viz., \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e Thuillier, \u003cem\u003eChara\u003c/em\u003e sp. Using the paleoecological characterization of charophytes and other biota recovered from the present section the paleoenvironment of deposition is discussed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGeological setting\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn western Kutchh Neogene and Paleogene sequences are very well exposed and these were thoroughly explained by Biswas (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1992\u003c/span\u003e). Paleogene sequence comprises Naredi Formation, Harudi Formation, Fulra, Maniyara Fort Formation followed by Neogene sequence comprising Kharinadi Formation, Chhasra Formation and Sandhan Formation respectively. The khaki coloured claystones alternated with argillaceous fossiliferous limestones belonging to lower claystone member of Chhasra Formation (Biswas, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1992\u003c/span\u003e) are well-exposed near Rampar (Abda) village in Mithi Nadi section (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eA). The khaki coloured claystones/shale exposed here is alternated with argillaceous impure limestones (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eB). These impure limestones constituted with microfossils. At places section shows light grey-yellowish silty claystone and shale.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Materials and Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eFor the present study samples were collected at Rampar (Abda), Mithinadi section (23\u003csup\u003e0\u003c/sup\u003e20\u0026rsquo; 11.7\u0026rdquo; N 68\u003csup\u003e0\u003c/sup\u003e 48\u0026rsquo;43.5\u0026rdquo;E), which is 5.5m thick located at 1/2 km northern side of Rampar (Abda) village, western Kachchh, Gujarat. Shale and impure limestones were systematically sampled with approximately 1Kg, for recovery of microfossil assemblage. About 1/4th part of the sample was taken. A mixture of water, sodium carbonate (Na\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eCO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e), and concentrated hydrogen peroxide (H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e) was taken and this sample was soaked in this mixture for 48\u0026ndash;72 hours to disaggregate shale and limestone samples. These samples were wet-sieved using mesh size 200 \u0026micro;m. Under a light binocular microscope Olympus SZ61 fixed with Magnus-Magcam DC59 (5.1MP) using magnifications of 0.67 to 4.5x10X, dried and sieved samples were studied to pick charophytes and other microfossils. Using a scanning electronic microscope (SEM-ZEISS), selected charophytes were photographed at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, Maharashtra, India. The material is registered at Post Graduate Department of Geology, Government Institute of Science, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSystematic Classification of Charophytes\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDivision\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ndash; Charophyta Migula 1890\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClass Charophyceae Smith 1938\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrder\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ndash; Charales Lindley1836\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFamily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ndash; Characeae Richard 1815ex Agardh, 1824\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubfamily\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ndash; Charoidae\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGenus\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026ndash; Chara Vaillant 1719\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThuillier\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Figs. A1-A3 and B1-B3)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eReferred Material: GIS/ MF/K/Chara/2022\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocality\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeological section along right bank of the Mithinadi River, 1/2 km north side from Rampar (Abda) village.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStratigraphic horizon\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLower Miocene limestone of Mithinadi section, Chhasra Formation (Burdigalian), Western Kutch.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe gyrogonites are medium sized (average 716 \u0026micro;m high and 560 \u0026micro;m wide) obovoid- ellipsoidal, slightly flat to rounded at the apex and somewhat tapering towards the base. Spiral cells are thick and convex, obliquely placed, showing 8 to 11 convolutions sinistrally coiled. Equatorial angle is low, basal portion slightly smaller than apex. The shape of the basal pore opening is pentagonal.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRemarks\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe morphological features of specimen closely resemble with \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e Thuillier described by Bhatia (1999) from the Siwalik group. \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e Thuillier differ from \u003cem\u003eChara globularis aspera\u003c/em\u003e elongate prolate shape and in rounded concave spiral cells. \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e Thuillier described here is the first record from the Lower Miocene of western Kachchh, Gujarat.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eBhatia (1999) described \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e Thuillier from Dhok Pathan, Tatrot, and Pinjor formations of Middle and Upper Siwalik Group belonging to Middle Miocene to Pliocene. Bhatia and Mathur (1978); Tiwari and Bhan (2021) mentioned the range for \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e and other charaophytes (Fig. 3) from Lower Siwalik (Chinji Formation) to Upper Siwalik (Pinjor Formation). However, Singh et al. (2022) reported this species from Late Miocene sediments belonging to Sandhan Formation at Tapar locality, eastern Kutch, India and inferred fluvial and near coastal environment. Present authors report charophyte flora along with foraminifera species belonging to \u003cem\u003eRotalidium, Elphidium, Quinqueloculina\u003c/em\u003e and some Ostracoda from Mithinadi section exposed near Rampar (Abda) village that falls within the Chhasra Formation belonging Burdigalian stage of Lower Miocene (Biswas, 1992) in western Kutch. Singh et al. (2022) recorded first appearance of charophytes from Late Miocene. Here on the basis of present record of charophyte recovered from Chhasra Formation we are further extending the first appearance datum (FAD) of \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e to the Early Miocene (Fig. 3).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe reported Charophytes of Rampar (Abda) suggest that these were first grown in shallow, warm, low energy meso-eutrophic and eutrophic lake (Bhatia \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e; Pelechaty et al.2004; Tiwari and Bhan \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) and later transported from interspersed lacustrine environment to marine environment. The first appearance datum (FAD) of \u003cem\u003eChara globularis globularis\u003c/em\u003e should be extend to the Early Miocene.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgement:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthors are thankful to the Director,Government Institute of Science, Aurangabad, for providing necessary facilities and permission. Authors extend thanks to Mr. Irshad Kureshi and Dr. D.V. Wayal for preparation of map and range chart.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisclosure Statement:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSNK is thankful to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI) Pune, for Research fellowship (No. BANRF-2018/19-20/3036).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e Not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to publication\u003c/strong\u003e Not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e The authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability: The studied fossil samples and unstudied collected samples are preserved in the Department of Geology \u0026nbsp;of the host Institute.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBeilby, M., Schneider, S.C., Puckacz, A., Martin-Closas, C. (2018) Towards an integrated understanding of charophyte biology and paleobiology. Botany Letters \u003cstrong\u003e165\u003c/strong\u003e(1), 7\u0026ndash;10. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1080/23818 107. 2017. 14158 19\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBhatia, S.B. (1982) Post-Palaeozoic charophyta of India. In: Bharadwaj, D. C. (ed.) Recent advances in cryptogamic botany, pp. 268\u0026ndash;286.The Palaeobotanical Society of India, Lucknow.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBhatia, S.B. (1996). The ostracode fauna and the charophyte flora of the Siwalik Group: palaeobiogeographic and palaeoecologic implications. Publ. Cent. Advanc. Study Geol. Panjab Univ., v. 5, pp.99-106.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBhatia (1999).Revision of the charophytes flora of the Siwalik group (Neogene-Quaternary) of the Lesser Himalaya, India. Austral. Jour. Bot. (47), 459-474.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBhatia S.B. and Mathur A.K. (1970) First record of Charophyta from the Upper Siwalik near Pinjor. Bull. Indian Geolog. Assoc., v. 3, pp.27-28.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBhatia S.B. and Mathur A.K. (1978) The Neogene Charophyte flora of the Siwalik Group, India, and its biostratigraphical significance.Geophytology, v.8, pp.79-97.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBiswas S.K. (1992). Tertiary stratigraphy of Kutchh. Jour. Pal. Soc. India. (37),1-29.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eFeist M., Grambast-Fessard, N, Guerlesquin, M. Karol K., Lu, H. Mccourt, R.M., Wang,Q., Shenzen Z.(2005).Treatise on invertebrate paleontology. Part B. Protoctista 1. Charophyta. The Geological Society of America. The Univ. of Kansas, Kansas.1-170.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eKundal (2022). Late Pliocene \u0026ndash;Early Pleistocene Charophyte Gyrogonites from mudstone horizon underlying volcanic ash beds of northwestern Himalaya palaeontological and paleoenvironmental implications. Jour. of Geosciences Research.7(2), 172-178.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eLakhanpal R.N. (1976). Some charophyte remains from the lower Siwalik Tankapur, District Nainital. Paleobotanist 23.40-43\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMjelde M., Swe,T. Langangen and Ballot A. (2020) A contribution to the knowledge of charophytes in Myanmar: Morphological and genetic identification and ecology notes. Botany letters.pp.1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/23818107.2020.1847189\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eP\u0026eacute;rez-Cano, J., Bover-Arnal, T., Mart\u0026iacute;n-Closas, C. (2022). Charophyte communities in Barremian Iberian wetlands. \u003cem\u003eFacies\u003c/em\u003e 68, 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-022-00651-6\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRiveline J, Berger J.P.,Bilan W, Feist M, Martin-Closas C, Schudack M, Soulie-Marsche, I. (1996). Eropean Mesozoic- Cenozoic charophyte biozonation. Bull. Soc. Geol. France 167(3): 453-468.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSoulie-Marsche, I. (1999). Extant gyrogonite populations of charazeylanica and Charahaitensis: implications for taxonomy and paleoecology.Austral. Jour. Bot., (47) 371-382.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSingh A.N., Singh N. P., Sharma M.K., Patnaik R., Tiwari R. P., Sehgal R.K., Kumar V., Wazir W. A., Singh Y. P.(2022). First report on late Miocene (Tortonian:~ 11\u0026ndash;10 Ma) charophyte gyrogonites from Tapar, Kachchh District, Gujarat State, western India. Proc. Indian. Natl. Sci. Acad. 88, 439\u0026ndash;455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-022- 00102-4\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTewari and Sharma (1972). Some fossil Charophyt a from Upper Siwalik near Chandigarh, India. Bull. Ind.Geolog. Assoc.(5), 1-22.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTiwari N and Bhan U (2021). Middle Siwalik charophyta from Mohand area, Dehradun Sub- basin, NW Himalaya, India.Jou. Paleontol.Soc.India. 66(1), 1-11.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Charophytes, Mithinadi, Miocene, Kachchh, Palaeo-environment","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6271633/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6271633/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe western Kachchh basin of India is known as pericratonic rift basin that was filled with clastic and non clastic sediments. These sediments and the fossils content represent Jurassic to present day. The present paper deals with studies on the occurrence of Charophytes-Gyragonites from limestone and shale belonging to Mithinadi section of lower Miocene Formation. The member of charophytes is well represented in fresh water and brackish environment. The morphological features of specimens resembles with the \u003cem\u003eChara \u003c/em\u003esp. The fructifications i.e., Gyragonites are calcified and have range of sizes. The Charophyte assemblage described here is the first record from Lower Miocene of western Kachchh. The other associated fossils recorded from the same samples are foraminifers i.e. \u003ca href=\"http://www.marinespecies.org/foraminifera/aphia.php?p=taxdetails\u0026amp;id=527933\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eRotalidium\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e, \u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eElphidium, Quinqueloculina \u003c/em\u003eand some Ostracods. The reported Charophytes of Rampar, Kachchh suggest that these were transported from interspersed lacustrine to marine environment.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"First Report of Charophytes from the Lower Miocene Sediments of Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-05-06 08:23:11","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6271633/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"003c868f-e09c-47ce-b844-12d5fd5ece5c","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 6th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-07-09T10:09:07+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-05-06 08:23:11","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6271633","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6271633","identity":"rs-6271633","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}