Source provenance

Afzal, J., Williams, M. & Aldridge, R.J. (2009). Revised stratigraphy of the lower Cenozoic succession of the Greater Indus Basin in Pakistan. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 28(1): 7-23.

Cited by 19 units (19 published) · 4 field-level citations · 19 revision notes.

Full-text primary source (user-supplied PDF, 17 p.). Integrated dinoflagellate/nannofossil/planktonic + shallow benthonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy for the Paleocene-Eocene Greater Indus Basin, correlated to standard chronostratigraphy (SBZ of Serra-Kiel et al. 1998 / Scheibner et al. 2005; PFZ of Berggren et al. 1995; CNZ of Martini 1971; Luterbacher et al. 2004). Authoritative recent zonation for Upper Indus Basin (Hangu, Lockhart, Patala, Margala Hill, Panoba, Nammal, Shekhan, Chorgali, Kuldana, Kohat, Sakesar) and Lower Indus Basin (Khadro, Bara, Lakhra, Dungan, Ghazij/Laki, Kirthar) units.

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Units citing this source

• Cenozoic Bahadurkhel Salt Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009): the Bahadur Khel Salt is an unfossiliferous evaporitic deposit overlying the late Ypresian (SBZ11) Shekhan Formation in the southwest Kohat area, laterally equivalent to the Jatta Gypsum; overlain by the mammal-bearing Kuldana Formation. Supports the curated Early Eocene age (post-Shekhan, late Ypresian).
• Cenozoic Bara Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) treat the Bara Formation (Shah 1977) as the lower sandstone/siltstone part of the Dungan Formation; it lacks age-diagnostic fossils (Shah 1977; Afzal 1996; Wakefield & Monteil 2002) and its Paleocene age rests on stratigraphic position between the P1 Khadro and the late Thanetian-early Ilerdian upper Dungan. Supports the curated Paleocene age.
• Cenozoic Chorgali Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Chorgali Formation to shallow benthonic Zones SBZ11-SBZ12 (late Ypresian to earliest Lutetian) on age-diagnostic larger benthonic foraminifera from the Kala Chitta, Hazara and eastern Salt ranges (Latif 1970, 1976; Shah 1977; Sameeni & Butt 2004). Consistent with the curated late Early to Middle Eocene age.
• Cenozoic Dungan Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) recognise a broad Dungan Formation (Kazmi 1995) that includes the Khadro, Bara and Lakhra formations of Shah (1977). Its upper limestone-shale part yields larger benthonic foraminifera of late Thanetian-early Ilerdian age, nannofossil Zones NP4/NP7/NP9 and planktonic Zones P3-P7 (Kothe et al. 1988; Afzal 1996; Jones 1997; Warraich et al. 2000), giving a Middle Paleocene to Early Eocene range. Extends the curated Late Paleocene age into the Early Eocene.
• Cenozoic Ghazij Group Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) recognise a Ghazij Formation (incorporating the Laki Formation of Shah 1977) dated by larger benthonic foraminifera (Assilina leymeriei, A. pustulosa, Orbitolites complanatus, Nummulites globulus) to shallow benthonic Zones SBZ8-SBZ13 and by planktonic foraminifera to Zones P7-P10 (Eames 1952; Nagappa 1959; Weiss 1993; Afzal 1996; Wakefield & Monteil 2002; Warraich & Nishi 2003), i.e. late Ypresian to early Lutetian. Extends the curated Early Eocene age into the early Middle Eocene.
• Cenozoic Hangu Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) treat the Hangu Formation as the basal Cenozoic (Early Paleocene) unit of the Greater Indus Basin. It is unfossiliferous in the Kohat area, Kala Chitta and Hazara ranges, where its chronostratigraphic position rests on regional context; only upper parts in the Salt Range yield age-diagnostic foraminifera, with a biota identical to the overlying basal Lockhart Formation. Curated age (Latest Cretaceous to Early Paleocene) retained.
• Cenozoic Khadro Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) treat the Khadro Formation (Shah 1977) as the lowermost sandstone-siltstone-shale part of the Dungan Formation, yielding planktonic foraminifera of Zone P1 (Early Paleocene, Danian; Nagappa 1959) and equated with the Cardita Beaumonti Beds. Consistent with, and refines, the curated Paleocene age to earliest Paleocene (P1).
• Cenozoic Kirthar Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) date the Kirthar Formation to planktonic foraminiferal Zones P12-P15? (late Lutetian to early Priabonian) and shallow benthonic Zones SBZ13-SBZ18 on Assilina spinosa, A. exponens, A. cancellata, Nummulites beaumonti and Discocyclina sowerbyi (Eames 1952; Nagappa 1959; Weiss 1993; Wakefield & Monteil 2002; Warraich & Nishi 2003), superseding the older broad Ypresian-Priabonian assignment of Shah (1977). Consistent with the curated Middle to Late Eocene age.
• Cenozoic Kohat Formation Paleogene
  Depositional environmentFossils
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Kohat Formation to shallow benthonic Zones SBZ14-SBZ16 (Lutetian-Bartonian, Middle Eocene), on Assilina exponens (Akhtar & Butt 2001) and foraminifera of intermediate age between SBZ10 and SBZ17 (Weiss 1993). It marks the last episode of marine sedimentation in the Kohat area, Kala Chitta and Hazara ranges, overlain by non-marine Miocene Murree molasse. Consistent with the curated Middle Eocene (Lutetian-Bartonian) age.
• Cenozoic Kuldana Formation Paleogene
  Age
  • Age: Superseded the vague curated value 'Eocene' with Early to Middle Eocene (late Ypresian-Lutetian). Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Kuldana Formation to shallow benthonic Zone SBZ13 or older, on larger benthonic foraminifera (Latif 1970, 1976) and mammal faunas (Raza 2001a; Gingerich 2003). It is a continental red-bed / shale succession stratigraphically coeval with the upper Subathu Formation / Kalakot Zone of India. Prior epoch field (Early-Middle Eocene) was already consistent.
• Cenozoic Lakhra Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) treat the Lakhra Formation (Shah 1977) as part of the upper Dungan Formation (limestone and shale), yielding larger benthonic foraminifera (Miscellanea miscella, Discocyclina ranikotensis, Lockhartia haimei, Ranikothalia nuttalli, Assilina dandotica) indicating a late Thanetian to early Ilerdian age (Late Paleocene to earliest Eocene), with nannofossil Zones NP4-NP9 and planktonic Zones P3-P7. Extends the curated Paleocene age into the earliest Eocene.
• Cenozoic Laki Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) subsume the Laki Formation (Shah 1977; Wakefield & Monteil 2002) into their Ghazij Formation, dated to shallow benthonic Zones SBZ8-SBZ13 and planktonic Zones P7-P10 (late Ypresian to early Lutetian). Consistent with the curated Early Eocene age; nomenclatural equivalence noted (not a duplicate of ghazij-group).
• Cenozoic Lockhart Limestone Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Lockhart Formation to shallow benthonic Zones SBZ3-SBZ4 (Thanetian, Late Paleocene), correlated with calcareous nannofossil Zones NP6-NP8 and planktonic foraminiferal Zones through the Kohat area. Key larger benthonic foraminifera: Miscellanea miscella, Ranikothalia sindensis, Lockhartia conditi, Lockhartia haimei and Operculina jiwani (Kotal Pass, Kohat). Represents widespread carbonate-platform deposition. Consistent with the curated Middle-Late Paleocene age.
• Cenozoic Margala Hill Limestone Paleogene
  Depositional environment
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Margala Hill Formation to shallow benthonic Zones SBZ8-SBZ11 (early-middle Ypresian, Early Eocene) on larger benthonic foraminifera (Latif 1970, 1976; Akhtar & Butt 1999, 2001). It overlies the Patala Formation unconformably (hiatus equivalent to upper Zone P5-P6a) in the Kala Chitta and Hazara ranges. Consistent with the curated Early Eocene (Ypresian) age.
• Cenozoic Nammal Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Nammal Formation to planktonic foraminiferal Zones P7-P9, with nannofossil Zones NP11-NP12 and equivalent dinoflagellate zones (Weiss 1993; Afzal & Butt 2000; Sameeni & Butt 2004; Kothe et al. 1988), i.e. Ypresian (Early Eocene). Consistent with the curated Early Eocene (Ypresian) age.
• Cenozoic Panoba Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Panoba Formation to shallow benthonic Zone SBZ10 (Ypresian, Early Eocene) on larger benthonic foraminifera (Meissner et al. 1968, in Shah 1977). It conformably overlies the Patala Formation in most of the Kohat area and is overlain by the Shekhan Formation or the Jatta Gypsum / Bahadur Khel Salt. Consistent with the curated Early Eocene age.
• Cenozoic Patala Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) show the Patala Formation spans the Paleocene-Eocene boundary: shallow benthonic Zones SBZ4-SBZ6, planktonic Zones P4c-P6b, nannofossil NP8-NP12, giving a late Thanetian to early Ypresian range (maximum age late Thanetian-early Ypresian). It represents deep-marine clastics that buried the underlying Lockhart carbonate platform. This extends the curated Late Paleocene (Thanetian) assignment slightly into the earliest Eocene; curated age retained pending review.
• Cenozoic Sakesar Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) regard the Sakesar Formation (limestone and marl) as the marine correlative of the Kuldana Formation in the western Salt Range and Surghar Range; it conformably overlies the Nammal Formation and marks the end of marine deposition there, being overlain unconformably by Miocene molasse. Supports the curated Early Eocene (Ypresian) age with an Early-Middle Eocene marine top.
• Cenozoic Shekhan Formation Paleogene
  • Age: Afzal, Williams & Aldridge (2009) assign the Shekhan Formation a late Ypresian age: shallow benthonic Zone SBZ11 (Nagappa 1959; Pascoe 1963; Shah 1977; Weiss 1993), with Assilina laxispira and the planktonic foraminifera Morozovella aragonensis indicating planktonic Zones P8-P9 (Meissner et al. 1974). It is barren of nannofossils and dinoflagellates. Refines the curated Early Eocene age to late Ypresian.