Discovery of Trace Fossils from Lower Odania Member of Lathi Formation of Jaisalmer Basin, Akal area, District- Jaisalmer, Western Rajasthan, India

The Lathi Formation is the oldest lithostratigraphic unit unconformably overlying rocks of Malani Igneous suites, Birmania Formation, Marwar Supergroup and Bhadhura Formation and overlain by lower Hamira Member of Jaisalmer Formation of the Jaisalmer Basin. It is well developed mainly in the vicinity of Lathi, Odania, Thaiat and Akal area and divided into two members viz; Lower Odania Member and Upper Thaiat Member. The present investigations here documented eight trace fossils namely Thalassinoides suevicus, Thalassinoides paradoxica, Ophiomorpha nodosa, Ophiomorpha borneensis, Palaeophycus heberti, Palaeophycus tubularis, Gyrocrote and Phycodes palmatum from grayish yellow coarse to medium grained calcareous sandstone of Lower Odania Member of Lathi Formation of Jaisalmer Basin in Akal area. The trace fossils bearing Akal section is located about 18km south of Jaisalmer city on NH-15. The complete section is about 22m thick comprises glauconitic sandstone at the base, calcareous sandstone, petrified wood bed and ferruginous sandstone with box works and concretionary structures. These trace fossils are well -preserved and abundant in nature in Akal area and ethologically they represents domichnia and fodinichnia. The ichnological and sedimentological investigations suggest near-shore to shallow marine depositional environment of trace fossils bearing calcareous sandstone of Akal area. No age can be assigned on the basis of these trace fossils as they have long range (Precambrian to Recent)