Lower Dharmaram Formation

Lower Dharmaram Formation
Lower Dharmaram Formation
Stratigraphic range: Latest Norian–Rhaetian; ~211–202 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Unit of	Gondwana Group
Underlies	Upper Dharmaram Formation
Overlies	Upper Maleri Formation
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone, Mudstone
Location
Coordinates	19°12′N 79°36′E / 19.2°N 79.6°E
Approximate paleocoordinates	32°18′S 36°06′E / 32.3°S 36.1°E
Region	Telangana
Country	India
Extent	Pranhita–Godavari Basin
Type section
Named for	Dharmaram
	Lower Dharmaram Formation (India)

The Lower Dharmaram Formation is a sedimentary rock formation found in Telangana, India. It is one of the formations of the Pranhita–Godavari Basin. It is of latest Norian and Rhaetian ages (Upper Triassic), and is notable for its fossils of early dinosaurs.

Vertebrate fauna

cf. Paratypothorax, cf. Nicrosaurus, fragmentary remains of sauropodomorphs (ISI R279, 280, 281) and neotheropods (ISI R283) have also been recovered from it.

Color key

Taxon	Reclassified taxon	Taxon falsely reported as present	Dubious taxon or junior synonym	Ichnotaxon	Ootaxon	Morphotaxon

Notes
Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text
~~crossed out~~ taxa are discredited.

Saurischians reported from the Lower Dharmaram Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Jaklapallisaurus	J. assymetrica	Telangana		"ISI R279, distal end of right femur."	A unaysaurid, also found in the Upper Maleri Formation.
Sauropodomorpha	Indeterminate	Telangana		"ISIR 280, astragalus."	An Indeterminate Sauropodomorpha.
Neotheropoda	Indeterminate	Telangana		"ISIR 283, incomplete femur."	An Indeterminate Neotheropod.

Pseudosuchians reported from the Lower Dharmaram Formation
Genus	Species	Location	Stratigraphic position	Material	Notes	Images
Kuttysuchus	K. minor	Telangana			A typothoracine aetosaur.
Primisuchus	P. gillettei	Telangana			A leptosuchomorph mystriosuchine
Venkatasuchus	V. armatus	Telangana			A typothoracine aetosaur
cf. Paratypothorax	sp.	Telangana			A typothoracine aetosaur.
cf. Nicrosaurus	sp.	Telangana			A mystriosuchin parasuchid.
cf. Desmantosuchus	sp.	Telangana			A typothoracine aetosaur.
Desmatosuchinae indet.	Indeterminate	Telangana			Indeterminate typothoracine aetosaurs.

1 2 3 Novas et al., 2011, p.345
↑ Haldar, A.; Ray, S.; Bandyopadhyay, S. (2024). "A new paratypothoracin aetosaur (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) from the Upper Triassic Dharmaram Formation of India and its biostratigraphic implications". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e2439533. doi:10.1080/02724634.2024.2439533.
↑ Datta, D.; Sen, S.; Mukherjee, D.; Ray, S.; Bandyopadhyay, S. (2026). "First leptosuchomorph phytosaur (Diapsida, Archosauria) from the Upper Triassic of India reveals new insights on biostratigraphy and palaeobiogeography". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 208 (1) zlag143. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag143.
1 2 Haldar, A.; Ray, S.; Bandyopadhyay, S. (2023). "A new typothoracine aetosaur (Archosauria, Pseudosuchia) from the Upper Triassic of India with insights on biostratigraphy, diversification, and paleobiogeography". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e2253292. doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2253292.
1 2 Haldar, A.; Ray, S.; Bandyopadhyay, S. (2025). "First report of desmatosuchin aetosaurs (Diapsida, Archosauria) from the lower part of Dharmaram Formation and a biostratigraphic re-evaluation of the upper Triassic horizons of India". Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology: 1–30. doi:10.1080/08912963.2025.2569748.
↑ Novas et al., 2011, p.343