6.6 crore years old fossils found Asifabad

Hyderabad: The New Telangana History Group has found what turned out to be 6.6-crore-year-old fossil remains of snails and molluscs in the agricultural fields in the outskirts of Borilalguda, Kerameri Mandal in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.

The New Telangana History Group members Ahobilam Karunakar, B.V. Bhadra Girish, S. Venugopalacharyulu and residents of Kerameri Tirugeethe have made the exploration. During the exploration,

The group during its exploration found fragments of chert (a type of sedimentary rock) containing fossils. The fossils were examined by Dr Ch. Venu Gopalarao, former deputy director-general, Geological Society of India (GSI) who found them to be silicified gastropods (snails, etc) and pelecypods (molluscs with shells).

The fossils were of Physa principii and Physa terpolensis (small, air-breathing freshwater snails) and unidentified micro gastropods with dextral coiling. The pelecypods were somewhat triangular in shape without any ornamentation, and were stated to be possibly unidentified species of Unio.

The group stated that the area looked to be rich in fossils and it was worth taking up further studies. Other microfossils, possibly Ostracodes and Charophytes are likely to be there considering the abundance of gastropods, the group stated.

It was estimated that the age of the fossils was Upper Maastrichtian, which occurred 6.6 crore years ago. The area falls between the Nagpur and Asifabad areas where palaeogeographic significance can be studied.