Himalayan Geology, Vol. 43 (2), 2022, pp. 490-495, Printed in India
Chara vulgaris gyrogonites (charophytes) from the Doon Valley (Uttarakhand): links between living and Plio-Pleistocene fossils in the Kashmir Valley
NANDITA TIWARI1*, UDAY BHAN2
1Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow-226007, India
2University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun-248007, India
*Email (Corresponding author): nandita.tiwari1@gmail.com
Abstract: A well-preserved gyrogonite population of Chara vulgaris Linnaeus 1753 is described and illustrated here for the first time from the Sahastradhara area of the Doon Valley, (Uttarakhand, India). The present study provides new information about the gyrogonite morphology and polymorphism of this cosmopolitan aquatic plant, previously reported from Plio-Pleistocene Karewa deposits of the Kashmir Valley. The studied population contains prolate gyrogonites ranging in height and width between 601-472 μm and 416-320 μm, respectively, with 11 convolutions observed in lateral view on an average. The detailed morphological description of the gyrogonites of Chara vulgaris is essential for the correct identification of this species in the fossil record and in the interpretation of its biogeographic history. The observed morphometrical similarities between extant and fossil gyrogonites of C. vulgaris demonstrate their potential in reconstructing ancient ecosystems.
Keywords: Gyrogonites, polymorphism, palaeoecology, Chara vulgaris, Doon Valley, Fossil Charophyta.
