Himalayan Geology, Vol. 42 (1), 2021, pp. 1-68, Printed in India

Stratigraphy and the Fossil record of the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Tethyan sequences of North-western Himalaya

SURAJ KUMAR PARCHA

Scientist (Rtd.), Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, GMS Road, Dehradun, 248006, India

Email: parchask@gmail.com/parcha_1@rediffmail.com

Abstract: The Tethyan sedimentary sequences is traced along the entire length of the Himalaya and preserves one of the most well defined and classical sections of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic lithostratigraphic units with diverse fossil record. The deposition of marine sediments of the Phanerozoic Eon was mostly restricted to Tethyan Himalayan regions. The Phanerozoic successions of Tethys Himalaya are well developed in three basins viz. Kashmir, Spiti-Zanskar and Kumaun-Garhwal. In the past few decades, several studies have improved our understanding in stratigraphy, fauna, and age of the Phanerozoic Tethyan sequences of the North-western Himalaya. Several studies have proposed various stratigraphic names and independent stratigraphic schemes on Tethyan sequences of North-western Himalaya. This review compile data for the Kashmir, Spiti-Zanskar and Kumaun Garhwal basins and present basin-wise descriptions of different lithostratigraphic units and their faunal elements in space and time. The stratigraphic schemes presented here may have significant implications for future investigations.

Keywords: Phanerozoic, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, Tethyan, Stratigraphy, Kashmir, Spiti, Zanskar and Kumaun - Garhwal