| Peer-Reviewed

Foraminiferal Assemblage from Lockhart Limestone of the Lesser Himalaya, Abbottabad District, Northern Pakistan

Received: 3 July 2021     Accepted: 26 July 2021     Published: 9 August 2021
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

The Lockhart Limestone is well-established in different areas of division Hazara in the northern Pakistan. This study is an attempt to perform micropaleontological analysis of the Lockhart Limestone at the Changlagali section in district Abbottabad. The limestone at the study section is recorded to be 110 m thick, grey in color, medium-grained, hard, nodular and fossiliferous. It is thin to medium-bedded in the basal part, massive and brecciated to nodular in the middle part, and medium-bedded to massive and nodular in the upper part. It has been examined for foraminifers (planktic, smaller benthic and larger benthic) in order to outline foraminiferal biostratigraphy. A sum of 22 rock samples were collected from the Lockhart Limestone and thin sections were prepared for petrography. Subsequently, twenty-nine species, including five planktic, and eight smaller and sixteen larger benthic species, from fourteen genera were identified. Biostratigraphic zonations have been established on the basis of planktic foraminifers and integrated into standard planktic foraminiferal biozones. Biostratigraphically significant planktic foraminifers recorded were used to establish three biozones; Globorotalia angulata zone (Middle Paleocene age), Globorotalia pseudomenardii zone (late Paleocene age) and Morozovella velascoensis zone (Late Paleocene to Early Eocene age). Present micropaleontological analysis confirms that the Lockhart Limestone at the Changlagali section of Hazara area was deposited in the Middle to Late Paleocene age.

Published in Science Frontiers (Volume 2, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11
Page(s) 17-27
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Foraminifera, Biostratigraphy, Paleocene, Lockhart Limestone, Pakistan

References
[1] Beck, R. A., Burbant, D. W., Sercombe, W. J., A. M. and Lawrence, R. D., 1996. Late Cretaceous ophiolite obduction and Paleocene India-Asia collision in the Western Himalaya. Geodynamic Acta, 9, 114-144.
[2] Akhtar, M., Butt, A. A., 1999. Microfacies and foraminiferal assemblages from the Early Tertiary rocks of the Kala Chita Range (Northern Pakistan). Geologic Mediterrance 26, 185-201.
[3] Latif, M. A., 1976. Stratigraphy and micropaleontology of the Galis group of Hazara, Pakistan. Geol. Bull. Punj. Univ., pp. 1-64.
[4] Lepping, U., 1988, Miscellanea, structure and stratigraphic distribution. Revue Paleobiol. Spec., 2, 691-694.
[5] Haque, A. F. M. M., 1956. The foraminifera of the Ranikot and the Laki of the Nammal Gorge, Salt Range: Pakistan Geol. Surv. Mem. G. S. P. Paleo., 1, 1-300.
[6] Kureshy, A. A., 1975. Taxonomic Studies of Larger Foraminifera of Pakistan. Geol. Surv. Pak. Rec., 38, 1-47.
[7] Afzal, J., Khan, F. R., Khan, S. N., Alam, S., Jalal, M., 2005. Foraminiferal biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of the Paleocene Lockhart Limestone from Kotal Pass, Kohat, Northern Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Hydrocarbon Research, 15, 9-24.
[8] Hylland, M. D., Riaz M., 1988. Stratigraphy and structure of Southern Ghandghar Range, Pakistan. Geological Bulletin, University of Peshawar, 21, 1-14.
[9] Shah, M. I., 2009. Stratigraphy of Pakistan; Memoirs of the Geologic Survey of Pakistan; Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources of Geologic Survey of Pakistan, 22.
[10] Shah, M. R., 2001. Paleoenvironments, sedimentology, and economic aspects of the peleocene Hangu Formation in Kohat-Potwar and Hazara area. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis submitted to NCE Geology Univ. of Peshawar, 208.
[11] Cheema, M. R., Raza, S. M., Ahmad, H., 1977. Cenozoic. In: S. M. I. Shah (ed.), stratigraphy of Pakistan. Geol. Surv. Pak., Mem., 12, 56-98.
[12] Davies, L. M., 1932. The genera Dictyoconoides Nutall, Lockhartia nov. And Rotalia Lamarck. Roy. Soc. Edin. Trans., 57 (2), 397-428.
[13] Nuttall, W. L. F., 1926. The Larger foraminifera of the Upper Ranikot Series (Lower Eocene) of Sindh, India. Geol. Mag. London, 63, 112-121.
[14] d’Archiac, A., Haime, J., 1853. Description des animaux fossiles dugroupe Nummulitique de 1. Gide et J. Baudry: Paris, 1-373.
[15] Davies, L. M., Pinfold, E. S., 1937. The Eocene beds of the Punjab Salt Range. Geol. Surv. India Mem. Paleont. India, New Series, 24, 1-79.
[16] Munir, M. U. H., 2003. Biostratigraphy and paleoecology of upper Cretaceous to Paleogene rock of Hazara and Azad Kashmir. Pak. Univ. Punjab., 103-271.
[17] Middlemiss, C. S., 1896. The geology of Hazara and the Black Mountains. Geol. Surv. India, Mem. 26: 302.
[18] Davies, L. M., 1927. The Ranikot beds at Thal. Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. London, 83, 260-290.
[19] Raza, S. M., 1967. Stratigraphy and Paleontology of Gandhian-Dartian area, Hazara District, West Pakistan. MSc dissertation, Geology Department, Punjab University.
[20] Smout, A. H., 1954. Lower Tertiary Foraminifera of the Qatar peninsula. Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist. London, 1-96.
[21] Jauhri, A. K., 1996. Ranikothalia nuttalli (Davies), a distinctive early Ilerdian marker in the South Shillong Plateau, north east, India. In: Pandey J, Azmi RJ, Bhandari A, Drave A (eds) Contributions to XV Indian Colloquium on Micropalaeontology and Stratigraphy Dehra Dun, 209-218.
[22] Loeblich, A. R., Tappan, H., 1957. Planktonic foraminifera of Paleocene and early Eocene Age from the Gulf and Atlantic coastal plains. In, Loeblich, A. R., Jr., Tappan, H., Beckmann, J. P., Bolli, H. M., Montanaro Gallitelli, E. & Troelsen, J. C. (eds) Studies in Foraminifera. U.S. National Museum Bulletin, 215, 173-198.
[23] Finlay, H. J., 1940. New Zealand Foraminifera: Key Species in Stratigraphy. No. 2. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 69, 89-127.
[24] White, M. P., 1928. Some Index Foraminifera of Tampico embayment area of Mexico. Journal of Paleontology, 29 (3), 177-215.
[25] Berggren, W. A., Norris, R. D., 1997. Biostratigraphy, phylogeny and systematics of Paleocene trochospiral planktonic foraminifers Micropaleontology, 43, 1-116.
[26] Blow, W. H., 1979. Late Middle Eocene to Recent planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy. Proc. 1. Internet. Confer. Planktonic Microfossils, Geneva, 1, 199-422.
[27] Berggren, W. A. Miller, K. G., 1988. Paleogene tropical Planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and magnetobiochronology. Micropaleontology, 34 (4), 326-380.
[28] Toumarkine, M., Luterbacher, H., 1985. Paleocene and Eocene planktonic foraminifera. In: Bolli, H. M., Saunders, J. B. & Perch-Nielsen, K. (eds). Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge Earth Science Series, Cambridge University Press, 1, 87-154.
[29] Berggren, W. A., Kent, D. V., Swisher, C. C. Aubry, M. P., 1995. A revised Cenozoic geochronology and Chronostratigraphy. Soc. Econ. Pal. Min., Special Publication, 54, 129-211.
[30] Olsson, R. K, Hem le ben, C., Berggren, W. A., Huber, B. T., 1999. Atlas of Paleocene Planktonic Foraminifera. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology, 85, 1-252.
[31] El Nady, H., Shahin, A., 2001. Planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and paleobathymetry of the Late Cretaceous- Early Tertiary succession at northeast Sinai. Egyptian Journal of Paleontology, 193-227.
[32] El-Nady, H., 2005. The impact of Paleocene/Eocene (P/E) boundary events in northern Sinai, Egypt: Planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and faunal turnovers. Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève, 24 (1): 1-16.
[33] Beckmann, J. P., El-Heiny, I., Kerdany, M. T., Said, R. Vibbti, C., 1969. Standard planktonic zones in Egypt. Proceeding first International Conference on planktonic Microfossils, Geneva, 92-103.
[34] Postuma, A. J., 1971. Manual of Planktonic Foraminifera. Royal Dutch Shell Group, the Netherlands.
[35] Stainforth, R. M., Lamb, J. L., Luterbacher, H., Beard, J. H., Jefords, R. M., 1975. Cenozoic planktonic foraminiferal zonation and characteristics of Index forams., Paleontol. Contrib. Univ. Kansas, 62, 425.
[36] Davies, L. M., 1926. Remarks on carter’s genus Conulites. Geol. Surv. India, 59, 237-253.
[37] Gill, W. D., 1953. Facies and fauna in the Bhadar beds of the Punjab Salt Range, Pakistan. Journal of Paleontology, 27, 824-844.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Khalid Khan, Khalid Latif, Muhammad Azhar Farooq Swati, Muhammad Rafiq, Syed Mamoon Syar, et al. (2021). Foraminiferal Assemblage from Lockhart Limestone of the Lesser Himalaya, Abbottabad District, Northern Pakistan. Science Frontiers, 2(2), 17-27. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Khalid Khan; Khalid Latif; Muhammad Azhar Farooq Swati; Muhammad Rafiq; Syed Mamoon Syar, et al. Foraminiferal Assemblage from Lockhart Limestone of the Lesser Himalaya, Abbottabad District, Northern Pakistan. Sci. Front. 2021, 2(2), 17-27. doi: 10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Khalid Khan, Khalid Latif, Muhammad Azhar Farooq Swati, Muhammad Rafiq, Syed Mamoon Syar, et al. Foraminiferal Assemblage from Lockhart Limestone of the Lesser Himalaya, Abbottabad District, Northern Pakistan. Sci Front. 2021;2(2):17-27. doi: 10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11,
      author = {Khalid Khan and Khalid Latif and Muhammad Azhar Farooq Swati and Muhammad Rafiq and Syed Mamoon Syar and Mohibullah Mohibullah and Hafiz Shahid Hussain},
      title = {Foraminiferal Assemblage from Lockhart Limestone of the Lesser Himalaya, Abbottabad District, Northern Pakistan},
      journal = {Science Frontiers},
      volume = {2},
      number = {2},
      pages = {17-27},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sf.20210202.11},
      abstract = {The Lockhart Limestone is well-established in different areas of division Hazara in the northern Pakistan. This study is an attempt to perform micropaleontological analysis of the Lockhart Limestone at the Changlagali section in district Abbottabad. The limestone at the study section is recorded to be 110 m thick, grey in color, medium-grained, hard, nodular and fossiliferous. It is thin to medium-bedded in the basal part, massive and brecciated to nodular in the middle part, and medium-bedded to massive and nodular in the upper part. It has been examined for foraminifers (planktic, smaller benthic and larger benthic) in order to outline foraminiferal biostratigraphy. A sum of 22 rock samples were collected from the Lockhart Limestone and thin sections were prepared for petrography. Subsequently, twenty-nine species, including five planktic, and eight smaller and sixteen larger benthic species, from fourteen genera were identified. Biostratigraphic zonations have been established on the basis of planktic foraminifers and integrated into standard planktic foraminiferal biozones. Biostratigraphically significant planktic foraminifers recorded were used to establish three biozones; Globorotalia angulata zone (Middle Paleocene age), Globorotalia pseudomenardii zone (late Paleocene age) and Morozovella velascoensis zone (Late Paleocene to Early Eocene age). Present micropaleontological analysis confirms that the Lockhart Limestone at the Changlagali section of Hazara area was deposited in the Middle to Late Paleocene age.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Foraminiferal Assemblage from Lockhart Limestone of the Lesser Himalaya, Abbottabad District, Northern Pakistan
    AU  - Khalid Khan
    AU  - Khalid Latif
    AU  - Muhammad Azhar Farooq Swati
    AU  - Muhammad Rafiq
    AU  - Syed Mamoon Syar
    AU  - Mohibullah Mohibullah
    AU  - Hafiz Shahid Hussain
    Y1  - 2021/08/09
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11
    T2  - Science Frontiers
    JF  - Science Frontiers
    JO  - Science Frontiers
    SP  - 17
    EP  - 27
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2994-7030
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sf.20210202.11
    AB  - The Lockhart Limestone is well-established in different areas of division Hazara in the northern Pakistan. This study is an attempt to perform micropaleontological analysis of the Lockhart Limestone at the Changlagali section in district Abbottabad. The limestone at the study section is recorded to be 110 m thick, grey in color, medium-grained, hard, nodular and fossiliferous. It is thin to medium-bedded in the basal part, massive and brecciated to nodular in the middle part, and medium-bedded to massive and nodular in the upper part. It has been examined for foraminifers (planktic, smaller benthic and larger benthic) in order to outline foraminiferal biostratigraphy. A sum of 22 rock samples were collected from the Lockhart Limestone and thin sections were prepared for petrography. Subsequently, twenty-nine species, including five planktic, and eight smaller and sixteen larger benthic species, from fourteen genera were identified. Biostratigraphic zonations have been established on the basis of planktic foraminifers and integrated into standard planktic foraminiferal biozones. Biostratigraphically significant planktic foraminifers recorded were used to establish three biozones; Globorotalia angulata zone (Middle Paleocene age), Globorotalia pseudomenardii zone (late Paleocene age) and Morozovella velascoensis zone (Late Paleocene to Early Eocene age). Present micropaleontological analysis confirms that the Lockhart Limestone at the Changlagali section of Hazara area was deposited in the Middle to Late Paleocene age.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Exploration Department, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited, Islamabad, Pakistan

  • National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

  • Department of Geology, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

  • Department of Geology, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

  • Department of Geology, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

  • Department of Geology, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan

  • National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

  • Sections