Abstract

Dickinsonia tenuis, an important Ediacaran element, reported from the Maihar Sandstone by Retallack et al. (2021) was reexamined in the field to ascertain the biogenicity of the purported fossils. Field observations, outcrop features, and laboratory analyses (XRD, Raman Spectroscopy) do not support the biogenicity and syngenecity of reported objects. Based on this discovery, the inferences drawn about the age of the Maihar Sandstone and the palaeogeographic position of India are therefore considered invalid. Indian Dickinsonia specimen described by Retallack et al. (2021) is a left-over impression after a fallen beehive which is further proven by the detailed Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses. 2