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Description
The Maastrichtian rocks of Lower Indus Basin (Mughal Kot Formation) have been investigated in detail to establish planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and assign age to the strata. Due to influence of local tectonics that forces the rate of Cretaceous sedimentation to be very high in the Eastern part of Tethys, very less number of taxa in these thick hemi-pelagic sediments has been preserved. Total of thirty one species of Planktonic Foraminifera were identified in thin section and through extraction technique and planktonic foraminiferal biozone of the Mughal Kot Formation is established. Based on presence of abundant planktonic foraminiferal species of Globotruncana, Globotruncanita and Hetrohelix, a single planktonic foraminiferal biozone has been reported, named as Globotruncana-Globotruncanita-Hetrohelix Assemblage Zone which corresponds to Maastrichtian age. This biozone is marked in the lower part of the Mughal Kot Formation which is of Maastrichtian age. In the upper part of this formation there is no preservation of marker planktonic foraminifera showing shallow shelfal deposition that might be the drastic influence of local tectonics at the region. However, it is assumed that the upper part also corresponds to the same age due to the overlying strata of Maastrichtian age.
