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Warkali Formation
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Warkali Fm base reconstruction

Warkali Fm

Period: 
Neogene

Age Interval: 
Miocene


Province: 
S.India Kerala Konkan Basin

Type Locality and Naming

OUTCROP: Outcrop near Warkali. [Original Publication: King, W., 1882: The Warkali beds and associated deposits at Quilon in Travancore, Rec. Geol. Surv. Ind. Vol. 15 (2). pp. 93-102]. Reference section: Ambalapuzha, Interval between 620-220m and thickness is 400 m.

Synonyms: This sequence was called Warkhali Beds by King (1882). The name Ambalapuzha Fm was given by Raha and Rajendran, (1984). Subsequently Zushi et al., (1985) have maintained Warkali Fm giving preference to the established nomenclature.


Lithology and Thickness

Coarse-grained sandstone. Pebbly coarse sand, variegated and mottled clays and peat / Lignite in the onshore area. Alternation of sand sticky carbonaceous clay with lignite band and coarse pebbly sand occur near the base of the formation. Its thickness is 400 m in reference section.

[Figure 1: Lithostratigraphy of Kerala-Konkan Basin (from dghindia.gov.in)]


Lithology Pattern: 
Coarse-grained sandstone


Relationships and Distribution

Lower contact

Lower boundary is unconformably overlies Quilon Fm

Upper contact

Upper boundary is unconformably with Vembanad Fm.

Regional extent


GeoJSON

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Fossils

Kern et al., 2013 reported mangrove flora composed of Rhizophoraceae, Avicennia, Xylocarpus and Sonneratia from Warkali cliff section. Despite close similarity between Miocene and modern vegetation, they observed abundance of Nypa and absence of gymnosperms in the Miocene vegetation. They concluded that the paleo-vegetation of Early and Middle Miocene of southern India appears to be more uniform than today.


Age 

Miocene

Age Span: 
Beginning stage: TortonianFraction up in beginning stage: 0.1Beginning date (Ma): Ending stage: MessinianFraction up in ending stage: 1.0Ending date (Ma):

    Beginning stage: 
Tortonian

    Fraction up in beginning stage: 
0.1

    Beginning date (Ma): 
11.19

    Ending stage: 
Messinian

    Fraction up in the ending stage: 
1.0

    Ending date (Ma):  
5.34

Depositional setting

Marginal marine


Depositional pattern:  


Additional Information


Compiler:  

D.S.N Raju