Early Cambrian Ichnofossils from the Mussoorie Syncline and revision of Trace Fossil Biozonation of the Lesser Himalaya, India

A new locality bearing ichnofossils of the Cruziana Assemblage Zone-III from the Mussoorie syncline, Lesser Himalaya, is located in rocks of Member-B of the Dhaulagiri Formation, Tal Group, exposed along the Maldewta-Chhimoli fresh road cut section. The site yielded ichnofossils Bergaueria perata, Cochlichnus anguineus, ?Diplocraterion isp., Dimorphichnus obliquus, diplichnitiform Cruziana bonariensis, Diplichnites gouldi, Glockeria isp., Helminthopsis isp., Monomorphichnus lineatus, Phycodes palmatum, Palaeophycus striatus, Planolites beverleyensis, Planolites montanus, Treptichnus cf. T. pedum, scratch marks and an undetermined worm impression. An Early Cambrian age (Cambrian Series 2) is assigned to the ichnofossil-bearing strata based on the stratigraphic position between the Drepanuroides and Palaeoolenus trilobite zones. A revised Cambrian ichnofossil zonation is presented for the Tal Group of the Mussoorie syncline. Together with their occurrence on rippled surfaces, and the lateral displacement of some trackways (due to current action), a sub-aqueous shallow-marine depositional setting is proposed for the rocks of Member-B.