Fossils
Fossils of Pakistan
Pakistan’s strata document the rise of apes and the birth of whales, alongside a billion years of marine life. Start with the landmark finds, or browse every fossil-bearing unit by group. 121 of 285 formations carry a recorded fossil note.
Landmark finds
Cenozoic
The first apes — Sivapithecus
The Potwar Siwaliks yielded Sivapithecus, an early great ape central to the debate over the origin of the orangutan lineage.
Cenozoic
The first whales
Eocene rocks of Punjab and Balochistan captured the move of mammals back to the sea — walking whales like Pakicetus and Ambulocetus.
Cenozoic
The Siwalik mammal fauna
River sediments shed off the rising Himalaya preserve one of Earth’s richest fossil-mammal records — elephants, rhinos, giraffes, horses, Deinotherium and Stegodon.
Mesozoic
Balochistan dinosaurs
Latest-Cretaceous beds of the Sulaiman region have produced titanosaur sauropod dinosaurs — among the few dinosaur finds in Pakistan.
Cenozoic
Eocene Nummulites
Coin-shaped larger foraminifera — Nummulites, Assilina, Alveolina — are so abundant they build entire limestones across the Eocene of Pakistan.
Precambrian
The earliest life — stromatolites
Layered microbial structures (stromatolites) and algal mats in the Precambrian record the oldest traces of life preserved in Pakistan’s rocks.
Browse by fossil group
Mammals
11Chinji Formation
NeogeneChitarwata Formation
PaleogeneDrug Formation
PaleogeneKamlial Formation
NeogeneKuldana Formation
PaleogeneLei Conglomerate
QuaternaryLitra Formation
NeogeneManchhar Formation
NeogeneMurree Formation
NeogeneNagri Formation
NeogeneVihowa Formation
NeogeneReptiles, fish & other vertebrates
9Chinji Formation
NeogeneGaj Formation
NeogeneKhadro Formation
PaleogeneMianwali Formation
TriassicNagri Formation
NeogeneNari Formation
PaleogeneRawat formation
PermianTredian Formation
TriassicVitakri Formation
CretaceousForaminifera
56Aghil Limestone
Triassic–JurassicAmb Formation
PermianAshtigar formation
JurassicBorom Formation
TriassicDarkot Group
Carboniferous–PermianDomanda Formation
PaleogeneDrazinda Formation
PaleogeneDrug Formation
PaleogeneDungan Formation
PaleogeneGaj Formation
NeogeneGoru Formation
CretaceousGurguri Formation
PaleogeneHabib Rahi Formation
PaleogeneHangu Formation
PaleogeneHoshab Formation
Paleogene–NeogeneKhadro Formation
PaleogeneKhyber limestone
Carboniferous–PermianKingriali Formation
TriassicKirthar Formation
PaleogeneLakhra Formation
PaleogeneLaki Formation
PaleogeneLockhart Limestone
PaleogeneLoralai Formation
JurassicMargala Hill Limestone
PaleogeneMughal Kot Formation
CretaceousNammal Formation
PaleogeneNari Formation
PaleogeneNisai Limestone
Cretaceous–PaleogeneOrmara Formation
NeogenePanjgur Formation
Paleogene–NeogenePanoba Formation
PaleogeneParh Group
CretaceousParh Limestone
CretaceousParkini Formation
NeogenePatala Formation
PaleogenePirkoh Formation
PaleogeneRanikot Formation
PaleogeneRanikot Group
PaleogeneReshit Formation
JurassicReshun Formation
CretaceousSaindak Formation
PaleogeneSakesar Formation
PaleogeneSamana Suk Formation
JurassicSangiali Formation
PaleogeneSembar Formation
CretaceousShaheed Ghat Formation
PaleogeneShaksgam formation
PermianShekhan Formation
PaleogeneShinawari Formation
JurassicSiahan Formation
PaleogeneSinjrani Volcanic Group
CretaceousTekri formation
JurassicWargal Limestone
PermianYashkuk formation
JurassicYasin group
CretaceousZaluch Group
PermianMolluscs
43Ashtigar formation
JurassicDarkot Group
Carboniferous–PermianDatta Formation
JurassicDrazinda Formation
PaleogeneGaj Formation
NeogeneGoru Formation
CretaceousGurguri Formation
PaleogeneHabib Rahi Formation
PaleogeneHumai Formation
CretaceousJiwani Formation
QuaternaryJutana Formation
CambrianKamlial Formation
NeogeneKhadro Formation
PaleogeneKhyber limestone
Carboniferous–PermianKingriali Formation
TriassicLakhra Formation
PaleogeneLaki Formation
PaleogeneLoralai Formation
JurassicLun Shale
TriassicMargala Hill Limestone
PaleogeneMianwali Formation
TriassicMughal Kot Formation
CretaceousMurree Formation
NeogeneMusakhel group
TriassicNari Formation
PaleogeneNowshera Formation
DevonianOrmara Formation
NeogenePab Sandstone
CretaceousPanjpir Formation
Ordovician–SilurianParkini Formation
NeogenePirkoh Formation
PaleogeneRanikot Formation
PaleogeneRanikot Group
PaleogeneSaindak Formation
PaleogeneSakesar Formation
PaleogeneSangiali Formation
PaleogeneShaheed Ghat Formation
PaleogeneShekhan Formation
PaleogeneShinawari Formation
JurassicSurghar Group
JurassicTekri formation
JurassicToi Formation
PaleogeneWargal Limestone
PermianAmmonites & cephalopods
18Bdongo-La formation
JurassicChhidru Formation
PermianChidru Formation
PermianGoru Formation
CretaceousKhyber limestone
Carboniferous–PermianLoralai Formation
JurassicLun Shale
TriassicMianwali Formation
TriassicMughal Kot Formation
CretaceousMusakhel group
TriassicNowshera Formation
DevonianPanjpir Formation
Ordovician–SilurianParh Group
CretaceousReshit Formation
JurassicSembar Formation
CretaceousShinawari Formation
JurassicSurghar Group
JurassicWargal Limestone
PermianCorals
18Ali Masjid formation
DevonianBdongo-La formation
JurassicChalt formation
Carboniferous–PermianChiltan Limestone
JurassicDarkot Group
Carboniferous–PermianDungan Formation
PaleogeneJiwani Formation
QuaternaryJobra formation
OrdovicianLakhra Formation
PaleogeneNowshera Formation
DevonianPir Sabak formation
DevonianReshit Formation
JurassicReshun Formation
CretaceousSamana Suk Formation
JurassicShekhan Formation
PaleogeneShogram Formation
DevonianSinjrani Volcanic Group
CretaceousWargal Limestone
PermianBrachiopods
22Ali Masjid formation
DevonianAmb Formation
PermianAshtigar formation
JurassicBaroghil group
Ordovician–SilurianChalt formation
Carboniferous–PermianChhidru Formation
PermianChidru Formation
PermianDandot Formation
PermianDarkot Group
Carboniferous–PermianGircha formation
PermianJutana Formation
CambrianKhyber limestone
Carboniferous–PermianKussak Formation
CambrianNowshera Formation
DevonianReshit Formation
JurassicSamana Suk Formation
JurassicSardhi Formation
PermianShogram Formation
DevonianSurghar Group
JurassicWarcha Formation
PermianWargal Limestone
PermianZaluch Group
PermianEchinoderms
15Amb Formation
PermianAshtigar formation
JurassicDarkot Group
Carboniferous–PermianDrazinda Formation
PaleogeneHabib Rahi Formation
PaleogeneLaki Formation
PaleogeneMargala Hill Limestone
PaleogeneOrmara Formation
NeogenePanjpir Formation
Ordovician–SilurianPirkoh Formation
PaleogeneReshit Formation
JurassicSakesar Formation
PaleogeneSamana Suk Formation
JurassicSardhi Formation
PermianShekhan Formation
PaleogeneBryozoans
9Amb Formation
PermianChalt formation
Carboniferous–PermianDandot Formation
PermianDarkot Group
Carboniferous–PermianDrazinda Formation
PaleogeneKhyber limestone
Carboniferous–PermianSardhi Formation
PermianWarcha Formation
PermianZaluch Group
PermianTrilobites
5Baghanwala Formation
CambrianJobra formation
OrdovicianJutana Formation
CambrianKhewra Sandstone
CambrianKussak Formation
CambrianPlants
10Chitarwata Formation
PaleogeneDatta Formation
JurassicGhazij Group
PaleogeneIndus Formation
CretaceousManchhar Formation
NeogeneMurree Formation
NeogeneRanikot Formation
PaleogeneRanikot Group
PaleogeneToi Formation
PaleogeneTredian Formation
TriassicStromatolites & algae
9Abbottabad Formation
CambrianAghil Limestone
Triassic–JurassicHazara Formation
NeoproterozoicLaki Formation
PaleogeneNisai Limestone
Cretaceous–PaleogeneSalt Range Formation
EdiacaranSamana Suk Formation
JurassicSinjrani Volcanic Group
CretaceousYashkuk formation
JurassicTrace fossils
9Abbottabad Formation
CambrianBaghanwala Formation
CambrianDatta Formation
JurassicHoshab Formation
Paleogene–NeogeneIndus Formation
CretaceousKhewra Sandstone
CambrianPab Sandstone
CretaceousPanjgur Formation
Paleogene–NeogeneSiahan Formation
PaleogeneConodonts & ostracods
11Baroghil group
Ordovician–SilurianBorom Formation
TriassicJafar Kandao Formation
Devonian–CarboniferousKashala formation
TriassicMianwali Formation
TriassicNowshera Formation
DevonianPanjpir Formation
Ordovician–SilurianReshit Formation
JurassicShogram Formation
DevonianYashkuk formation
JurassicZait limestone
TriassicFossil groupings are derived from each unit’s recorded fossil note and are a guide for browsing, not a formal palaeontological classification. Source: GSP Memoir Vol. 24 and the wider literature.