Ichnology of the Early Cambrian Tal Group, Mussoorie Syncline, Lesser Himalaya, India

The Lesser Himalayan sequence is considered as one of the best developed sections of Cambrian successions, exposed in five different synclines. Mussoorie Syncline, being one of the five synclines, exposes the Cambrian Tal Group. This paper describes nine ichnotaxa, viz., Dimorphichnus isp., ? Diplichnites isp., Monomorphichnus isp., Nereites isp., Palaeopasichnus isp., Palaeophycus isp., Planolites montanus, Planolites isp., Skolithos isp., Treptichnus isp. from the Dhaulagiri Formation of the Tal Group. A detailed analysis of the ichnofossils indicates that the entire succession of Tal Group reflects shallow marine conditions in general and Mussoorie Syncline in particular. The above ichnofossil assemblage along with earlier ichnofossils and other faunal occurrences substantiates the assignment of Early Cambrian age to the Dhaulagiri Formation.