Review of fossil records of prehistoric reptiles, their distribution, and paleobiogeographic evolution in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13771832Keywords:
Fossil, Pakistan, Prehistoric, Paleobiogeography, ReptilesAbstract
Recent paleontological and geological research in Pakistan has found numerous fossils belonging to different groups of prehistoric organisms, including reptiles. Pakistan is rich in paleontological evidence of vertebrates, especially tracks/footprints of Mesozoic reptiles. These reptilian fossils are significant for paleo biogeographical studies because the region is connected to Asia in the north and east and Eurasia and Africa in the north and west. It was attached to Gondwana in the past (Jurassic and Pre-Jurassic), so Mesozoic vertebrates show distinct affinities with Gondwana, Cenozoic vertebrates show affinities with Eurasia and migrated from the Indo-Pak subcontinent via the ancient Indus system of the West Indus River (and vice versa). Neogene (Siwalik Age) deposits in India and Pakistan have produced prehistoric reptiles containing numerous fossils, many of which were named in the 19th century. Recent geological and paleontological research conducted in Pakistan at the beginning of the new millennium/third millennium (2000-2019) found more than 3,000 fossils divided into 45 biological groups (taxa).
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