Ediacaran Biota from the Jarashi (Middle Krol) and Mahi (Lower Krol) Formations, Krol Group, Lesser Himalaya, India

Abstract: The Ediacaran biota is already known from the Kauriyala Formation (Upper Krol) of Krol Group, Lesser Himalaya, India. The present work records the Ediacaran biota from the underlying Jarashi (Middle Krol=Krol B) and Mahi (Lower Krol=Krol A) Formations. The biota occurs in the intercalated shale-Siltstone sequence deposited in a tidal flat environment. The biota from the Jarashi Formation includes soft-Bodied rmetazoans - Pteridinium sp cf P carolinaense(St Jean) and Charniodiscus sp cf Carboreus Glaessner. The biota of Mahi Formation is represented by Nimbia sp cf N occlusa Fedonkin. In the light of already known Ediacaran biota from the Kauriyala Formation (Upper Krol), this find extends the stratigraphic range of Ediacaran biota in the Krol Belt downward. The present biota is comparable with Late Neoproterozoic Ediacaran biota of Russian Platform, South Australia, Namibia, North Carolina and Canada N occlusa Fedonkin has also been recorded from the Cambrian rocks of Arctic Norway and Ireland.