Cricetid rodents from the Lower Siwalik Subgroup of Jammu, India: Biochronological significance

We describe the cricetid rodents represented by Megacricetodon daamsi, Megacricetodon sivalensis, and Myocricetodon sivalensis, recovered from two localities, Dehari and Jhajjar Kotli, lying in the upper part of the Lower Siwalik Subgroup of Jammu Province. The cricetid fauna is similar to that reported from the Pakistan Siwaliks. Based on the species identifications and the stratigraphic range of the cricetid taxa in the Siwalik succession of Pakistan, the age of the Dehari locality is correlated to between 13.8 and 13.2 Ma, whereas an age of 13.8-12.5 Ma would be assigned to the Jhajjar Kotli rodent yielding level. The occurrence of similar rodent taxa at the two investigated sites points to the homotaxial nature of the fossiliferous beds.