The Triassic in Pakistan
252 – 201 Ma
From 252 to 201 million years ago — life recovering from the greatest of all mass extinctions, with the supercontinent Pangaea at its height.
In Pakistan
The Triassic opens with the Mianwali Formation’s celebrated ceratite beds — ammonoids recording the recovery after the end-Permian extinction — and continues through the Tredian and Kingriali formations of the Salt Range and Trans-Indus ranges. Marine Triassic is also developed in Chitral and the Karakoram.
This reference records 33 units assigned to the Triassic across 6 basins, most commonly limestone, metamorphic rocks, sandstone.
At a glance
- 33
- units
- 6
- basins
- 11
- provinces
- 7
- georeferenced
- 15
- with fossils
- 24
- type localities
- 4,000 m
- max thickness
- 30
- sources
Rock types
- limestone (18)
- metamorphic rocks (7)
- sandstone (3)
- igneous rocks (2)
- conglomerate (1)
Based on the primary lithology recorded for each unit; some units span more than one rock type.
Fossils recorded
- Foraminifera
- Algae
- Megalodontidae (bivalves)
- Benthic foraminifera (Aulotortus friedli, Agathammina)
- Fusulinid foraminifera (Nankinella, Sphaerulina)
- Dasyclad alga (Permocalculus)
- Tubiphytes
- Conodonts
- Neospathodus dieneri
- Triassospathodus homeri
- Conodonts (Neospathodus homeri)
- Meandrospira pusilla
- megalodontid bivalves (Triassic)
- colonial scleractinian corals (Triassic)
- Parafusulina sp. (Permian base)
- Megalodont bivalves
- Gastropods
- Claraia bivalves
- Ophiceras ammonoids
- Fish remains
- Gyronites
- Ambites
- Proptychites
- Koninckites
+13 more across the Triassic units.
Units of the Triassic
- Aghil Limestone Middle Triassic–Early Jurassic
- Ailak Formation Karakoram-Hindukush Basin
- Borom Formation Early–Middle Triassic
- Burawai Formation Northern Indus Suture
- Chak Jabbi Limestone Kohat-Potwar Basin
- Chapursan Group Karakoram-Hindukush Basin
- Chikchi-ri Shale Karakoram-Hindukush Basin
- Duma Formationreview Northern Indus Suture
- Guhjal Dolomite Late Triassic
- Gwal Formation Kirthar Basin
- Kaniguram Slate NW Indian plate margin
- Kashala Formation Northern Indus Suture
- Kathwai Member Early Triassic
- Khanozai Group Sulaiman Basin
- Kharari Formation Late Triassic (?) to Early Jurassic
- Khatkiara Sandstone Member Triassic
- Kingriali Formation Late Triassic
- Landa Member Triassic
- Landai Formation Northern Indus Suture
- Mianwali Formation Early Triassic
- Mittiwali Member Early Triassic
- Musakhel Group Kohat-Potwar Basin
- Narmia Member Early-Middle Triassic
- Nikanai Ghar Formationreview Northern Indus Suture
- Saidu Formation Northern Indus Suture
- Shirinab Formation Early Jurassic (Pre-Toarcian); maybe into late Triassic
- Sikaram Series NW Indian plate margin
- Spalga Formation Late Triassic
- Spingwar Formation Kirthar Basin
- Tredian Formation Middle Triassic
- Wirokhun Formation Karakoram-Hindukush Basin
- Wulgai Formation Kirthar Basin
- Zait Limestone Karakoram-Hindukush Basin
Provinces — Hazara Basin · Hindukush-Chitral · Karakoram · Khyber–Nowshera Belt · Kirthar Range · Kohat Basin · Potwar Basin · Salt Range · Sulaiman Fold Belt · Swat–Malakand · Zhob-Muslim Bagh.