Discovery of a new vertebrate fauna in Tadkeshwar Lignite mine, India

Since 2004, a join Indian-American-Belgian team excavated the Vastan Lignite Mine in the Gujarat Province of India thanks to the support of the National Geographic Society. This locality yielded a rich early Eocene vertebrate fauna from the Cambay Shale Formation that showed the first mammals of European affinities. In March 2014, our field crew composed by members from RBINS, UGent, UNamur, Johns Hopkins University, Garhwal University, and Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology has discovered new vertebrate layers in the nearby mine of Tadkeshwar. Among the facinating vertebrates are taxa with Gondwanian affinities mixed with taxa of European affinities. Moreover, Tadkeshwar mine yielded the first large vertebrates of the early Eocene of India.