LATE CRETACEOUS (SANTONIAN-MAASTRICHTIAN) INTEGRATED COCCOLITH-GLOBOTRUNCANID BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF PELAGIC LIMESTONES FROM THE ACCRETIONARY PRISM OF MANIPUR, NORTHEASTERN INDIA

Employing special preparation techniques, a rich and moderately preser ved assemblage of planktonic foraminifera and coccoliths is documented from pelagic limestones of Melange Zone of Manipur ophiolite belt aro und Ukhrul area in northeastern India. Integrated biostratigraphy of f ive exotic limestone blocks encompassing a Late Santonian/Early Campan ian to Late Maastrichtian time slice is established; the low-latitude calcareous plankton zones of deep-sea facies identified in such a conv ergent plate margin terrain, are correlated with published new biostra tigraphic. geomagnetic and absolute time scale data. Initial rifting a nd birth of the Indo-Myanmar ocean took place prior to Latest Santonia n/Earliest Campanian and suturing was initiated by Latest Maastrichtia n, as suggested by our study.