The Khari Nadi Formation is a geological formation in western India that dates back to the Early Miocene epoch. The formation is well known for its sirenian diversity and a fossilized whale fall.
Lithology The Khari Nadi Formation is preceded by Maniyara Fort Formation of Oligocene, which is mostly devoid of vertebrate fossils but has reports of Nummulites, Lepidocyclina, Clypeus, and Nannoplanktons, and succeed by Chhasra Formation of Middle Miocene, which has reports of gastropods, bivalves, echinoids, bryozoans and vertebrates.Kapur, Vivesh V.; Pickford, Martin; Chauhan, Gaurav; & Thakkar, M. G. (2019) "A Middle Miocene (~14 Ma) vertebrate assemblage from Palasava, Rapar Taluka, Kutch (Kachchh)District, Gujarat State, western India". Historical Biology, 33(1):1-21.doi:10.1080/08912963.2019.1648451
The type locality of Khari Nadi Formation is only known from western region of Kutch at Khari River in Gujarat, India.
The lithology typically vary by 3 parts, the Lower part has silty shale and thin beds of siltstone which are barren of mega and micro fossils and only have gypsum laminae which is parallel to bedding plane, Middle part is extensively burrowed silty shale and features various trace fossils like Skolithos, Diplocraterion, Arenicolites, Ophiomorpha, the Upper part consists of few impure limestone beds and is known for well preserved gastropods, oysters and barnacles.
Paleobiota Molluscs Cephalopods Cephalopods of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageAturiaHalder, K. (2012). "Cenozoic fossil nautiloids (Cephalopoda) from Kutch, western India". Palaeoworld 22(2):116-130.A. gujaratensisAidaPG/TNA1, a internal mould of the shell.A aturiid nautiloid. Gastropods Gastropods of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageZariaM. Harzhauser, M. Euter, W. E. Piller, B. Berning, A. Kroh and O. Mandic. 2009. Oligocene and Early Miocene gastropods from Kutch (NW India) document an early biogeographic switch from Western Tethys to Indo-Pacific. Palaeontologische Zeitschrift 83:333-372Z. angulataKhari RiverNHMW 2008z0256/0002, 10 specimensA turritellid gastropod.ProtomaP. deshayesiKhari RiverNHMW 2008z0256/0001, 1 specimenA turritellid gastropod.TurbinellaT. premekranicaKhari RiverNHMW 2008z0256/0003, 3 specimensA turbinellid gastropod.ConusC. brevisKhari RiverNHMW 2008z0256/0004, 1 specimenA conid gastropod.ArchitectonicaA. affinisKhari RiverNHMW 2008z0256/0005, 1 specimenA architectonicid gastropod.
Chondrichthyes Selachiis Selachiis of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageHemipristrisPatnaik, R.; Sharma, K. M.; Mohan, L.; Williams, B. A.; Kay, R. & Chatrath, P. (2014). "Additional Vertebrates remains from the Early Miocene of Kutch, Gujarat". Special Publication of the Paleontological Society of India, 335-351H. serraJangadiaKF-17E, an isolated toothA hemigaleid carcharhiniform.OtodusO. chubutensisJangadiaKF-17 A-B-C-D, several isolated teethAn otodontid lamniform, includes Megaselachus chubutensis.CarcharhinusC. sp.JangadiaKF-17 J-K, two isolated teethA carcharhinid carcharhiniform.CarcharodonC. carchariasJangadiaKF-17 G, an incomplete toothA lamnid lamniform.GaleocerdoG. cuvierBaadraKF-66, an isolated toothA galeocerdonid carcharhiniform.G. mayumbensisJangadiaKF-17 E, an isolated toothA galeocerdonid carcharhiniform, includes Carcharodon bigelowi.
Batomorphs Batomorphs of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageMyliobatisM. sp.JangadiaKF-17 H-I, isolated teethA myliobatid myliobatiform.RhinopteraR. sp.JangadiaKF-17 L, isolated toothA rhinopterid myliobatiform.PristisP. sp.JangadiaKF-17 G, isolated toothA pristid.
Actinopterygiis Actinopterygiis of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageLatidaeindet.JangadiaKF-30, neurocraniumA latid perciform.
Reptiles Pseudosuchians Pseudosuchians of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageRhamphosuchusCourville, E.; Métais, G.; Antoine, P.-O.; Marivaux, L.; Jouve, S. (2025). "Giant longirostrine crocodylians from the Lower Miocene of Pakistan: new material and taxonomic review". Papers in Palaeontology. 11 (3). e70010.R. cf. pachyrhynchusSamdaKF-40, snoutA large gavialoid, originally though to be an indeterminate tomistomine.
Tethytherians Proboscideans Proboscideans of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageDeinotheriumD. sp.SamdaKF-27, upper M1 and M2.A deinotheriid proboscidean.D. sindienseBhandari, A; Mohabey, D. M.; Bajpai, S.; Tiwari, B. N. & Pickford, M. (2010). "Early Miocene mammals from central Kutch (Gujarat), Western India: Implications for geochronology, biogeography, eustacy and intercontinental dispersals". Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen, 256(1):69-97.SamdaGSI A10, right m2A deinotheriid proboscidean.GomphotheriidaeindetPasudaKF-76, fragmentary molar enamels.A gomphotheriid proboscidean.
Sirenians Sirenians of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageKutchisirenK. cylindricaKotadaA dugongine dugongid.BharatisirenB. kachchhensisAidaA dugongine dugongid.B. indicaMatanomadhA dugongine dugongid.DominigiaD. sodhaeNangiaA dugongine dugongid.KharisirenK. cristataMatanomadhA dugongine dugongid.
Ungulates Perissodactyls Perissodactyls of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageBrachypotheriumB. sp.Jangadia, PasudaKF-9 A-B, m3 and p2 as for Jangadia Specimen; 216/GSI/PAL/CR/07 A-B-C, right upper second molar, right upper last deciduous molar and left anterior premolar as for Pasuda specimen. A rhinocerotid.
Artiodactyls Artiodactyls of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageParabrachyodusP. hyopotamoidesFategadGSI 18097, a partial snout with molar 2-3.An anthracotheriid.SivameryxS. palaeindicusPasuda217/GSI/PAL/CR/07 A-B-C, left upper M1 & m2 and left upper pm4A anthracotheriid .ConohyusC. cf. sindiensisPasuda218/GSI/PAL/CR/07, left lower pm4.A suid.LibycochoerusL. fategadensisFategadGSI 18098, a fragmentary mandible with pm4 to m3 teeth.A suidGiraffokeryxG. punjabiensisPasuda219/GSI/PAL/CR/07 A-B-C, fragmentary mandibles with teeth.A giraffid.DorcatheriumD. nauiTapar220/GSI/PAL/CR/07 A-B, fragmentary mandibles with teeth.A tragulid.CetaceaGoswami, P.; Das, S. & Panja, S. (2024). "Discovery of Miocene Whale Fall Fauna from India: Taphonomy and Palaeoecology of a Vertebrate-Invertebrate Assemblage". Historical Biology, 37(4): 1888-1901.indetRampar DargahA whale fall, includes several ribs, Vertebrae and other fragments, discovered alongside several molluscs and echinoids. There are several Osedax holes on the vertebrae.A cetacean.
Carnivorans Caniformes Caniformes of the Khari Nadi Formation Genus Species Location Materials Notes ImageMatanomictisM. maniyarensisMatanomadhIITR-SB 5135, a partial mandible A mustelid.
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