Distribution of Vertebrate fauna in Indian Subcontinent in Mesozoic and Tertiary

1. Distribution of Vertebrates

2. Permian
Period
Triassic
Period
Jurassic
Period
Cretaceous
Period
Shiwalik
Fauna
Miocene
Pliocene
Pliestocene

3. Permian Period
• Bony and cartilaginous fishes
like sharks etc.
• Seymouria – tetrapod
combining characters of both
fishes and amphibians
• Labyrinthodonts (primitive
ampibians) also flourished in
lakes and ponds
• Dicynodon mammal like reptile
also flourished

4. India
• Amblypterus- Fresh water fish; fossilised
form discovered in Kashmir
• Small with pronounced snout
• Head protected by bony plates
• Had fins for swimming

5. • Archeosaurs, Labyrinthodonts
• Ancient lizards
• Long crocodile like snout
• Pair of eyes surrounded by a ring of
bony plate
• With mandibular and maxillary teeth
(lower and upper jaw teeth)
• Front pair of legs shorter than posterior
pair having 4 fingers
• Body covered like roofing tiles with
overlapping scales
• Inhabited shores of lakes in Kashmir
~300mya

6. • Actinodon, Labyrinthodonts
• Relative of Archeosaur
• Head triangular like of
modern frog
• Long tail
• Fossilized skeleton found in
Vihi, Kashmir

7. • Gondwanosaurs, Labyrinthodonts
• Meaning, Lizard of the Gondwanaland
• Not fully preserved
• Triangular skull
• 2 large eyes placed far behind
• Dentition indicated it might belong to amphibian
• Also continued to exist in lower Triassic in southern Asia

8. • Vertebrates further advanced
during Permian
• Marine forms like Cladoselachians
and Bradyodonts (Cat fish) were
less compared to fresh water
species
• Marine sharks also flourished like
Brachydonts, Hybodonts,
Actinopterigians, Palaeoniscoids,
Crossopterigians, Pleurocanths.

9. • Reptiles increased in variety
• Cotylosaurians persisted,
Therapsids like Dicynodon
appeared
• Eosuchia, forerunner of Crocodile
was already represented in
Permian
• Dimetrodon also persisted

10. Triassic Period
• Indian fauna consists of fishes, amphibians and reptiles
• Most are from Gondwana Formation of freshwater origin
• Some species of lung fishes like ceratodus are known from Tiki and
Maleri Beds, Andhra Pradesh
• Amphibians like Metaposauria and Gondwanosaurus were recorded
• Belodon (ancestor of crocodile) was also recorded
• Therapsids(mammals and their ancestors) like Dicynodon, Lystrosaurs
and Ptychosiagum are known
• Primitive dinosaurs like Epicampodon, Massospondylus have been
discovered from Tiki, Maleri and Panchet formations

11. Fish
• Backboned fish flourished in various
continents
• In Indian fossils are few and fragmented
• Salt range marine sediments yield remains of
shark like fishes
• Several varieties of fishes flourished on land
and sea where lung fishes progressed much
faster
• Lung fishes had bag like breathing organ like
terrestrial animals along with gills so if
sufficient water supply is there it can breath
through gills otherwise it can use bag like
lungs during dry seasons
• They are found in Tiki, MP and Marweli,
Maleri, Telangana in ancient lakes and ponds
• They are named Ceratodus which resemble
cigar shape with conical snout

12. Amphibians
• Rachitoini group persisted in Permian
• Capitosaurs was the most important
Triassic genus
• Labyrinthodonts which persisted during
Permian became extinct at the close of
Triassic
• In addition to dentition it possessed a tusk
like teeth
• Had 2 pair of short legs
• Was a queer looking ancestor of frog
~260mya
• Inhabited lakes in Denwa River near
Panchmari Hills

13. • Other amphibians include
Stereospondyl with fluted teeth and
triangular head
• Metoposaurs (which resembles
crocodiles) remains are also found
from Triassic sediments of Adilabad
district, Andhra Pradesh and also
Denwa valley of Panchmari Hills in
MP
• They are one of the largest
amphibians reported from India

14. Reptiles
• During Triassic reptiles began to predominate
• Several varieties were there and they had world wide distribution
in both fresh and marine waters
• In beginning the types were generalized
• Small in size, lizard or crocodile like, about 2-3 feet in length with
few reaching 4-5 feet
• Their evolution commenced from Triassic
• Few attempted to fly others were land dwellers

15. • Those who attempted flight were bird
like forms – Pterodactyles
• They are known from Triassic beds of
India
• Rhyncosaurs – had bird like head and
lived in ponds and rivers
• Those who attemped to swim
developed fins – Ichthyosaurs
• Those who inhabited land –
Dinosaurs
• Some showed advance mammalian
features like Dromatherium and
Tritylodon
• 1st ancestor of tortoise was also
recorded
• From these records it can be said that
evolution of mammals started
~260mya

16. • Cotylosaurs became almost extinct at the end of this
period
• Theromorphs became dominant
• Balodon is considered as the earliest ancestor of India
Crocodile
• It extends for ~250my
• Fragmentary remains of Dicynodonts is known from
Damodar valley of Bengal
• Front part of the jaw was bent similar to that of a
tortoise
• It was a marsh loving herbivorous with short pair of
limbs
• Their abundance decreased in Triassic
• Parasuchus lived on the shores of Pranhita River in
Andhra Pradesh
• Dinosaurs appeared later. Earliest known of them is
Epicampodon, flesh eating reptile
• It had inhabited shores of a lake bear Panchet hills of
Bengal

17. Jurassic Period
• Predominating class was Reptiles
• Representative are known from Yemanapalli, Adilabad, Andhra
Pradesh

18. Fish
• Both marine and lung fishes are
known
• Elasmobranchs (cartilaginous fish)
and Selachians also appeared
• Actinopterigians progressed
• Palaeoconiscodes continued in small
numbers
• In Upper Jurassic Teleosteans made
their appearance
• Kota beds of Gondwana Rocks few
fish remains are recorded
• They are from MP and Andhra
Pradesh

19. Amphibians
• The class in very poorly represented in this period
• A few Labyrinthodont like creatures existed
• The ancestors of modern frog are known

20. Reptiles
• Marine forms are abundant
• Remains are found in Yemenapalli,
Andhra Pradesh
• Ichthyosaurs (fish like reptiles)
attained maximum development
• Plesiosaur long necked reptiles
• Marine crocodiles like
Metriorhyncus and Geosaurs

21. • Compared to land forms marine forms
were few
• Small sized carnivores Ornitholestas,
Compsognathus were abundant
• Large size bipeds were also abundant
like Megalosaurs, Allosaurs,
Ceratosaurs

22. • Among amphibious reptiles
Baraposaurs, Cetiosaurs,
Diplodocus, Brontosaurs,
Brachiosaurs were dominant
• The evolution of armed
dinosaurs commenced
• Lacertelia, the ancestors of
modern lizards appeared for the
first time
• Leading genera were
Pterodactyles and
Ramphorhynchus, they had
wings like that of birds, hence
known as flying reptiles

23. Birds
• Up to close of Triassic, traces of birds
were not found
• In Jurassic 2 genera are found
• Archaeopteryx and Archaeonis (not
represented in India)
• They had features of birds and reptiles
• They are forerunners of modern birds

24. Mammals
• Recovered from Yemenpalli,
Andhra Pradesh
• Mammal like reptiles
appeared in Triassic like
Dromatherium and Tritylodon
• Placental mammals of very
primitive type with triconodon
type of dentition are reported
• For example Amphitherium
and Plagiaulax

25. Cretaceous Period
• Fishes
• Selechians continued but Hybodonts
became extinct
• Modern genera like Carharodon,
Isurus and Carcharias appeared (more
advance sharks)

26. • Common fishes like skate, Raja, eagle
ray, Mayliobatis, sawfish (Pristis) are
also recorded (different kinds of ray
fishes)

27. • Palaeoniscoides which dominated Jurassic began to diminish in
number and gave place to more progressive genus
• Teleosts were making steady progress
• Makerals, eels and perches are also known
• Fresh water fishes are less compared to marine ones

28. Amphibians
• Appearance of tailed amphibians in cretaceous
• Urodele

29. Reptiles
• Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs continued but plesiosaurs became
extinct toward the end of Cretaceous Reptiles
• Pterosaurs attained maximum development and died out at the
end of the period Slide 16
• Sea turtles and lizards survived
• Crocodiles showing primitive characters during Jurassic indicated
modern features
• Ophidians (snake) appeared during this period
• Dinosaurs continued but not as numerous as in Jurassic
• Carnivores attained large dimensions but sauropods(herbivore,
long necked, quadruped) as a whole begun to decline
• Bird like dinosaurs armoured and horned were common
• Age of Reptiles came to close by the extinction of dinosaurs,
pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, Pliosaurs, plesiosaurs leaving only few
like snakes, crocodiles and turtles

30. Birds
• Compared to Jurassic, Cretaceous had
bird with few modern aspects than
having only teeth and feathers
• Eg. Ichthyornis and Hespionis with
teeth and modern arrangement of
feathers
• The link between Jurassic birds and
modern birds is still missing

31. Mammals
• Multi-tubercultes continued (Plagiaulax and
allied forms)
• Triconodonts (3 cusped molar teeth) and
Panthotheres disappeared
• Few placentals of primitive type had already
arrived

32. SHIWALIK FAUNA
• Large mammals inhabited Shiwalik
hills at the foot of Himalayas
• Most of them are extinct while few
which have survived are modernized
forms
• 1st known Mammal in India is
Kirtharia, goat like creature
belonging to
anthracotheres(hippopotamus like
ungulates/hoofed animals)
• Their remains are found from Bugati
Hills, Baluchistan
• 4 types of mammals have been
identified
• Telmatodon
• Brachyodus
• Hemimeryx
• Anthracotherium
• Occurrence of Paleomastodon
(primitive elephant) is known from
India based on dentition
• Rhinoceros inhabited Shiwaliks and
one of them is named Teloceras
• Forest fauna are represented by
Carnivores and Herbivores
• During Miocene Primates became
dominant

33. Miocene
• Primitive representatives of Mammals disappeared,
for eg.
• Titanotheras (large hoofed animals), Hyracodonts
(odd toed ungulates like rhino), Primitive
proboscideans (primitive elephants), ambliyopods,
anoplotheres, artiodactyles (Giraffes, Lama etc),
Xiphidonts, early ruminanats, rodents, Primitive
Primate
• More than 50% of Miocene families are known at
present
• The fauna shows similarity with Asia and Europe
than America indicating intermigration between
older continents
• Creodonts which disappeared in North America still
persisted in Asia
• Amphicyon (bear like dog) and Hemicyon persisted

34. • Felids and Procyinids (raccons) flourished in
Asia and Europe
• Diceratherium and Aceratherium are confined o
America but Baluchitherium is confined to Asia
• Anthracotheres were abundant in Eurasia
• Several genera of Equidae such as Parahippus
lived in America and Europe while in Asia
Carmohipparion is recorded
• Chalicotherium and Macrotherium occurred in
Eurasia

35. • Ruminants were prolific in
Asia
• Cervids (deer family) like
Palaeotragus were
common
• Proboscideans like
Denotherium, Serrdentinus
and Synconolophus were
common
• Among highly advance
primates, anthropoids are
confined to Asia and Africa
• Sivapithecus and
Ramapithecus are 2
common homonids from
Miocene

36. • True dogs and true bears did not appear in India
• Hyaenas and civet cat which are numerous now are poorly
represented in Miocene
• Only genus Vishnufelis of Felidae is known from Shiwaliks
• Among Suidae (pigs, hogs, bores), horse like hippohyus did not
appear till next period
• Stegodon and Elephantidae appeared late in India
• Rodents are represented by Rhizomys and Sivacanthion

37. Pliocene
• The fauna assumed a modern aspect compared to Miocene
• About 80% of genera found in Miocene is present today
• There was a fair intermigration of animals between Europe and Asia but
less between North America and Europe
• A land bridge might have been present between north and south America
during this time which gave support to some south American forms like
brown ground sloth to move to North America
• In Eurasian Pliocene fauna bovids (domestic cattles) are predominated
• True Rhinoceros, anthracotheres Slide 34 , cervids, suidae, giraffids and
tragulids appeared
• Hipparrion was the common equine in Europe and Asia
• Hippopotamus made its appearance
• Several species of elephants are found from Shiwalik hills whereas only one
variety of elephant namely Elephas indicus is present today

38. Carnivores
True dogs –
canis, sivacyon
Bear like –
Agriotherim,
Idarctos,
Melursus
Mustelids
(Weasels, otters,
wolves)
Promellivora
Lutra
Enhydriodon
Sivaonyx
Civet Cat
Vishnuictis
Few Hyaenas Tiger Family
Mellivorodon
Aeluropsis
Paramachaeodu
s
Panthera
Sivafelis
Characteristic fauna found from Dhok Pathan Stage, Pakistan of Shiwaliks

39. • Another important group of
Shiwalik fauna is of first horses,
Hipparion and Nestoritherium
• They had three digits in each leg
and were more advance than 4 toed
horses
• Among 3 digits the middle one was
most developed and the whole
weight of the body rested on it,
while the other two did nit reach
the ground
• True rhinoceros and few giant pigs
like Tetraconodon made their
appearance

40. • Several forms of Bovidae
appeared in Shiwaliks in
Pliocene and migrated into
other continents
• Eg. Boselaphus(Nilgai),
Taurotragus, Tragocerus,
Permia (in Dokh Pathan stage)
• In Upper Pliocene, Kobus,
Capra, Bucapra,
Proleptobos(ancient bison),
Probubalus, Leptobos, Hemibos,
Bubalus, Bison, Bos etc made
their appearance (Domestic
animals)

41. • Dinotherium of Miocene persisted during
Pliocene
• Primitive elephants with small teeth were
also present – Mastodonts with peculiar
head and dentition
• Their jaws broadly resembled birds
• Eg Rhynchotherium (Beaked Beast)
• Tipper jaw elongated with lower jaw bent
downwards and outwards
• This gave the head appearcnce of a birds
beak

42. • Trilophodon
• They had 3 ridged teeth
• Long jaws unlike modern elephants
• Trunk was restricted in size
• 2 pair of tusk, one in each jaw
• Ones on the upper jaw were flattened and
recurved while lower were rounded and
subtriangular
• Pair of tusk might be straight or even
absent

43. • Short jawed Mastodonts were also
reported which resembled modern
elephants – Synconolophus
• They had 2 pairs of tusks, lower ones
disappearing in adult stage
• In adults the tips of upper tusks turned
upwards
• Cheek teeth represented those of pigs
• More modern like elephants were also
reported - Stegodonts

44. • Pig Family was represented by a dozen of species
• Some were large as a bore others were small as a cat
• Few had horse like face and its dentition
• Anthracotheres (artiodactyls related to hippopotamus and whale)
continued to thrive on a smaller scale
• Largest of them was as large as modern cow

45. • Giraffe Family
• It is known that giraffes are
not found in india but are
confined to African continent
• In Pliocene they were
common in forests around
the foot hills of Himalayas
and northern Punjab
• Namely- Bramatherium,
Vishnutherium,
Hydaspitherium,
Indratherium,
Helladotherium

46. • Timid Chevrotians, small deer like
animals were also present
• Dorcatherium and Dorcabune were
mouse deers
• Higher mammals like Homonoidea
thrived (monkey, apes and men)

47. • This period was marked by giant extinction
of Baluchitherium (Rhinoceros)
• It appears to be of 18ft in height
• They rivalled the largest elephants in
height and size
• The length of this animal from tip of nose
to hip was 25ft
• Head was 4 ft and neck was 7ft
• Face appeared to be horse like
• Upper jaw had 2 tusk like teeth
• Limbs were massive elephant like
• It was a slow moving, ponderous creature
and defenceless against ferocious
carnivores
• Similar to Baluchitherium, but smaller in
size was Paraceratherium, preserved in
Indian Museum Calcutta

48. • Most common was bear like dog,
Amphicyon
• Head teeth and nails resembled
dogs while, limbs and tail were like
bear
• Powerful carnivores belonging to
tiger family are also known on the
basis of jaws and dentition

49. Pliestocene
• Extreme climatic conditions prevailed
around the world with 4 glacial periods
and 3 inter glacials
• Due to sudden change in climate, the
equilibrium in evolution of life was
disturbed
• May genera which flourished in
Pliocene disappeared altogether
• Eg Cereodonts, Anthracoheres, many
genera of Rhinocerotoidae, Mastodont,
Hipparion, Anthrapoid apes, Sabre-
toothed tiger, giraffes etc
• A quick migration and intermigration of
animals between the continents was
reported
• Rodents, Equus, dogs, cats, Mustelids,
Bos, Elephas, Felids thrived
• Similarly between Asia and Europe
there might have been intermigration
as common genera is observed
• Mastodonts are not known in India, so
it is possible that during glaciation they
might have migrated southwards to
Africa and in India we find fossils of
Elephas.
• The most important event during
pliestocene is the appearance of
primitive man, Homo erectus in Java
and in China, Neanderthal and
Rhodesian man in Europe around 100k
ya.
• Neanderthals are not know from India

50. - Nishi Shah