Lakhra Fm

Kanikot Gr – upper formation. Holotype section: Lakhra-Bholari section, southern plunge of Lakhra anticline, Laki Range. Author: Ahmad and Ghani (written communication-1971, as in Shah, 2009). Reference section: None.

Synonym: Upper Ranikot sandstone

Limestone. In the type locality, the formation consists of dominant limestone, which is grey with yellowish staining, weathering brown and buff, at places orange brown and pinkish brown. It is thin to thick bedded, nodular and has a brecciated texture. The limestone is sandy, in places argillaceous and fossiliferous, at places coquina-like. Sandstone is present in the lower part while interbeds of sandstone and shale are present in the upper part. The sandstone is ferruginous, calcareous, and in places grades into arenaceous limestone; it is grey and chocolate, fine to coarse grained, ill sorted, sparingly fossiliferous, thin to thick bedded and cross-stratified.

Thickness: 50-242 m. It is 242 m at the type section, 135 m at the northern plunge of the Lakhra anticline, 140 m at Lakhra village, 50 m at Bara Nai and 60 m at Ranikot section

Foraminifera dominate the upper beds and include Nummulites nuttalli, N. thalicus, N. globulus, N. sindensis, Assilina ranikotensis, Miscellanea miscella, M. stampi, Lockahartia haimei, Lapidocyclina (Polylepidina) punjabensis and Discocyclina ranikotensis. Lowest beds are characterized by gastropod Calyptraphorus indicus, and are devoid of forams. Species of Alveolina and Operculina are abundant throughout.