Eocene rodents of India: their palaeobiogeographic significance

Abstract

Rodents comprise a sizable component of theMiddle Eocene mammalian faunas recovered from maroon argillaceous sandstones at the top of the Subathu Formation, Jammu and Kashmir. They are representative of the family Paramyidae and are generically divisible into at least three taxa: Birbalomys woodi, Metkamys blacki and a small, presently unnamed genus (near Microparamys). The earlier reported occurrence of Franimys could not be substantiated by additional material. The rodents are generalised forms with bunodont, noncrested cusps and smooth enamel. The paleobiogeographic relationship of these Middle Eocene mammals with reference to the Indian Plate tectonic model has also been discussed.