Academic literature on the topic 'Lopingien'

The uppermost 5–15 m of the Douling Formation in the southern Hunan area, South China, yields a diverse fauna comprised of ammonoids, bivalves, and brachiopods. The brachiopods reported in this paper consist of 51 species in 34 genera and are dominated by the Lopingian (Late Permian) species associated with a few species persisting from the underlying Maokouan (Late Guadalupian). This fauna is of earliest Wuchiapingian in age as precisely constrained by the associated conodontClarkina postbitteri postbitteriand the Guadalupian-type ammonoid fauna of theRoadoceras-DoulingocerasZone in the brachiopod horizon. The discovery of the Lopingian species-dominated brachiopod fauna in the earliest Wuchiapingian in southern Hunan suggests a much less pronounced effect of the pre-Lopingian crisis (end-Guadalupian mass extinction) than the end-Changhsingian mass extinction in terms of brachiopods, a contemporaneous onset of the Lopingian recovery/radiation during the pre-Lopingian crisis period, and taxonomic selectivity of the pre-Lopingian crisis in terms of different fossil groups. New taxa areEchinauris doulingensisn. sp.,Pararigbyella quadrilobatan. gen. and n. sp. andP. doulingensisn. gen. and n. sp.

Abstract The Karoo Basin of South Africa has the best global record of Lopingian (Late Permian) non-mammaliaform cynodonts, currently represented by five species. We describe Vetusodon elikhulu gen. et sp. nov., documented by four specimens from the Daptocephalus Assemblage Zone. With a basal skull length of ~18 cm, it is the largest Lopingian cynodont and is also larger than Induan representatives of the group. Vetusodon elikhulu has a cranial morphology that departs notably from that previously documented for Permo-Triassic cynodonts. It features a short and extremely wide snout, resembling that of the contemporaneous therocephalian Moschorhinus, and has large incisors and canines that contrast with the small unicusped postcanines, suggesting a more important role of the anterior dentition for feeding. The dentary is extremely long and robust, with the posterior margin located closer to the craniomandibular joint than in other Lopingian and Induan cynodonts (e.g. Thrinaxodon). The secondary palate morphology of V. elikhulu is unique, being short and incomplete and with the posterior portion of the maxilla partly covering the vomer. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that V. elikhulu is the sister taxon of Eucynodontia and thus the most derived of the Lopingian to Induan cynodonts yet discovered.

A global database of middle–upper Permian foraminiferal genera has been compiled from the literature for 75 Guadalupian and 62 Lopingian localities, grouped into 32 and 19 operational geographical units respectively. Cluster analysis reveals that five distinct Guadalupian provinces were reduced to four in the Lopingian, following the disappearance of the Eastern Panthalassa Province. Extinction magnitudes across the Guadalupian/Lopingian (G/L) boundary reveal that, in the remaining provinces, there is a strong regional variation to the losses at low paleolatitudes. The Central and Western Tethys Province experienced a markedly lower extinction magnitude, at both provincial and global levels, than the Eastern and Northern Tethys Province. Panthalassa experienced a high extinction magnitude of endemics, but a global extinction magnitude similar to that recorded in Central and Western Tethys. This regional bias is seen in both the fusulinacean and non-fusulinacean foraminifera, although fusulinaceans suffered much higher magnitudes of extinction. The regional selectivity also persisted during the subsequent Lopingian radiations, with the Central and Western Tethys Province recording the greatest magnitudes. Thus, of 35 new genera recorded globally from the Lopingian, 27 of these are recorded in Central and Western Tethys, compared to five and 12 genera respectively in Panthalassa and in Eastern and Northern Tethys. The Emeishan large igneous province erupted within the Eastern and Northern Tethys Province and may have been a factor in the high extinction–low radiation regime of this region. Regression (and consequent shallow-marine habitat loss) also appears to have been a significant factor. A major, but brief, late Guadalupian regression is best seen in those areas that suffered the greatest extinction losses.

High–resolution microbiostratigraphy has identified six conodont zones and five coeval radiolarian zones in the Guadalupian–Lopingian (G-L) transitional interval from a section of middle and upper Permian pelagic cherts at Dachongling, near Qinzhou city in Guangxi, South China. The basal Lopingian GSSP at Penglaitan, South China, is correlated with the base of bed Dch 45-21 at Dachongling on the basis of the first occurrence of the conodont Clarkina postbitteri postbitteri Mei and Wardlaw. The first appearances of the radiolarians Albaillella yamakitai Kuwahara and A. cavitata Kuwahara at the same level indicate that both FADs can be used for identifying theG–L boundary in radiolarian-bearing pelagic cherty facies. The appearance of both radiolarian species in the sections at Sasayama, Gujo-Hachima in Southwest Japan, and in the Quinn River Formation of north-central Nevada, indicates that both boundary-index fossils can be traced worldwide. We therefore suggest that Dachongling secion is a good candidate as an auxiliary reference section for the Guadalupian-Lopingian boundary.

AbstractThe Guadalupian (middle Permian) extinction may have triggered substantial ecological restructuring in level-bottom communities, such as turnover in dominant brachiopod genera or a shift from abundant brachiopods to mollusks, despite comparatively minor taxonomic losses. However, ecological changes in relative abundance have been inferred from limited data; as a result, constraints on important shifts like the brachiopod-mollusk transition are imprecise. Here, I reevaluate the magnitude of ecological shifts during the Guadalupian–Lopingian (G-L) interval by supplementing previous census counts of silicified assemblages with counts from non-silicified assemblages and global occurrence data, both sourced from the Paleobiology Database. Brachiopod occurrences are consistent with more pronounced faunal composition changes from the Guadalupian to Lopingian than among stages within those intervals, but only in Iran and South China, and not in Pakistan or a Tethys-wide data set. In Iran and South China, Bray-Curtis dissimilarity values comparing occurrence frequencies between adjacent stages were elevated across the G-L transition, although other intervals exhibited similarly large shifts. However, genus occurrence frequencies were less strongly correlated or were anti-correlated across the G-L transition, suggesting moderate faunal turnover among dominant brachiopod genera. In contrast to previous inferences from silicified faunas, abundances of brachiopods, bivalves, and gastropods remained consistent from the Guadalupian to Lopingian in non-silicified local counts and global occurrences, implying that the brachiopod-mollusk shift did not occur until the end-Permian extinction. Ecological and taxonomic consequences were both minor in level-bottom settings, suggesting that severe environmental perturbations may not be necessary to explain biotic changes during the Guadalupian-Lopingian transition.

AbstractSouth China has become the most important area to establish a global stratigraphic framework of the Wuchiapingian Stage because complete Wuchiapingian sequences include the GSSPs for the base and top of the stage. As the markers of the Wuchiapingian GSSP, conodonts are the most important fossil group to establish the Wuchiapingian biostratigraphic framework. However, few documents have investigated in detail the conodont biostratigraphic succession through the entire Wuchiapingian Stage. Furthermore, the conodont taxonomy of several WuchiapingianClarkinaspecies is still debated. Therefore, we here review all WuchiapingianClarkinaspecies from South China and figure ontogenetic growth series from juvenile to adult individuals for each valid and important species in order to revise both Wuchiapingian conodont taxonomy and the biostratigraphic succession. Based on the Penglaitan, Dukou, and Nanjiang sections, seven conodont zones (Clarkina postbitteri postbitteri,C.dukouensis,C.asymmetrica,C.leveni,C.guangyuanensis,C.transcaucasica, andC.orientalis) are recognized. The WuchiapingianClarkinaspecies lineage is also reviewed to confirm the conodont biostratigraphic framework. The Guadalupian-Lopingian boundary (GLB) interval represents a sequence boundary. The time framework of the pre-Lopingian extinction interval indicates that the beginning of the end-Guadalupian regression is in the upper part of theJinogondolella postserrataZone, and the beginning of the early Lopingian transgression is in the lower part of theClarkina dukouensisZone in South China.

AbstractThe final 10 Myr of the Paleozoic saw two of the biggest biological crises in Earth history: the middlePermian extinction (often termed the Guadalupian–Lopingian extinction [GLE]) that was followed 7–8 Myr later by Earth's most catastrophic loss of diversity, the Permian–Triassic mass extinction (PTME). These crises are not only manifest as sharp decreases in biodiversity and—particularly for the PTME—total ecosystem collapse, but they also drove major changes in biological morphological characteristics such as the Lilliput effect. The evolution of test size among different clades of foraminifera during these two extinction events has been less studied. We analyzed a global database of foraminiferal test size (volume) including 20,226 specimens in 464 genera, 98 families, and 9 suborders from 632 publications. Our analyses reveal significant reductions in foraminiferal mean test size across the Guadalupian/Lopingian boundary (GLB) and the Permian/Triassic boundary (PTB), from 8.89 to 7.60 log10 μm3 (lg μm3) and from 7.25 to 5.82 lg μm3, respectively. The decline in test size across the GLB is a function of preferential extinction of genera exhibiting gigantism such as fusulinoidean fusulinids. Other clades show little change in size across the GLB. In contrast, all Lopingian suborders in our analysis (Fusulinina, Lagenina, Miliolina, and Textulariina) experienced a significant decrease in test size across the PTB, mainly due to size-biased extinction and within-lineage change. The PTME was clearly a major catastrophe that affected many groups simultaneously, and the GLE was more selective, perhaps hinting at a subtler, less extreme driver than the later PTME.

Two new species of therocephalian therapsids are described from the upper Permian Teekloof Formation of the Karoo Basin, South Africa. They include two specimens of a whaitsiid, Microwhaitsia mendrezi gen. et sp. nov., and a single, small whaitsioid Ophidostoma tatarinovi gen. et sp. nov., which preserves a combination of primitive and apomorphic features. A phylogenetic analysis of 56 therapsid taxa and 136 craniodental and postcranial characters places the new taxa within the monophyletic sister group of baurioids—Whaitsioidea—with Microwhaitsia as a basal whaitsiid and Ophidostoma as an aberrant whaitsioid just outside the hofmeyriid+whaitsiid subclade. The new records support that whaitsioids were diverse during the early-late Permian (Wuchiapingian) and that the dichotomy between whaitsiid-line and baurioid-line eutherocephalians was established early on. The oldest Gondwanan whaitsiid Microwhaitsia and additional records from the lower strata of the Teekloof Formation suggest that whaitsioids had diversified by the early Wuchiapingian and no later than Pristerognathus Assemblage Zone times. Prior extinction estimates based on species counts are reflected in an analysis of origination/extinction rates, which imply increasing faunal turnover from Guadalupian to Lopingian (late Permian) times. The new records support a growing body of evidence that some key Lopingian synapsid clades originated near or prior to the Guadalupian-Lopingian boundary ca. 260–259 million years ago, but only radiated following the end-Guadalupian extinction of dinocephalians and basal therocephalian predators (long-fuse model). Ongoing collecting in older portions of the Teekloof Formation (e.g., Pristerognathus Assemblage Zone) will shed further light on early eutherocephalians during this murky but critical time in their evolutionary diversification.

AbstractThe discovery and dating of a volcanic ash bed within the upper Phosphoria Formation in SE Idaho, USA, is reported. The ash occurs 11 m below the top of the phosphatic Meade Peak Member and yielded a 206Pb/238U date of 260.57 ± 0.07 / 0.14 / 0.31 Ma, i.e. latest Capitanian, Guadalupian. The stratigraphic position of this ash near the top of the Meade Peak phosphatic Member of Phosphoria Formation indicates plausible completeness of the sedimentation within the Guadalupian–Lopingian and probably at the Permo-Triassic (P-T) transitions. The new radiometric age reveals that the regional biostratigraphy and palaeontology of Phosphoria and Park City formations requires serious reconsideration, particularly in cool water conodonts, bryozoans and brachiopods. The new age proposes that the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary (GLB) coincides with the Meade Peak – Rex contact and consequently with the end-Guadalupian extinction event. The lack of a major unconformity at the P-T transition suggests that the effects of the Sonoma orogeny were not as extensive as has been assumed.

La position de la limite Guadalupien - Lopingien (GLB) a longtemps été un sujet de controverse Parmi les nombreuses coupes étudiées, trois régions spécifiques : Julfa (coupe d'Ali-Bashi), Tabas (coupe de Bagh-e-Vang) et Abadeh (coupe de Baghuk) ont été choisies pour une étude ciblée. La coupe d'Ali-Bashi a fait l'objet d'un échantillonnage et d'une vaste collecte de plus de 240 échantillons de roche sur une épaisseur mesurée de 189 mètres et dans la coupe de Bagh-e-Vang, plus de 160 échantillons sur 200 mètres d'épaisseur dans la Formation de Jamal. L'échantillonnage de la section Baghouk a rencontré des obstacles spécifiques qui ont entravé notre progression, notamment : les conditions climatiques, la crise économique en Iran et la pandémie de covid-19. Une étude lithostratigraphique très détaillée de la Formation de Khachik sur la coupe d'Ali-Bashi a permis d'identifier 14 unités rocheuses distinctes au sein des trois membres principaux. Ceci permet un nouvel inventaire lithostratigraphique de ces séquences, qui peut être compré avec les recherches existantes sur la Formation de Khachik. De plus, dans la section Bagh-e-Vang, 10 unités de la Formation de Jamal appartenant aux trois membres ont également été identifiées. De plus, des méthodes d'extraction, au CH₂O₂, au CH₃COOH, l'acétolyse à chaud et les protocoles à l'HF, ont été testées pour l'extraction des microfossiles. Après d'importants efforts de préparation et un protocole soigneusement élaboré destiné à l'obtention de conodontes, l'application des techniques CH₂O₂ et CH₃COOH, les coupes d'Ali-Bashi et Bagh-e-Vang, n'ont pas livré de conodontes. Trois autres méthodes ont été testées pour l'extraction d'ostracodes sur des échantillons de la coupe d'Ali-Bashi. Les échantillons ont été préparés avec de l'acide formique à 10 % (CH₂O₂) et de l'acide acétique à 15 % (CH₃COOH). Le protocole CH₂O₂ a été productif avec des ostracodes bien conservés, avec dix taxons dans des calcaires dolomitisés durs, tandis que les autres processus (CH₃COOH à froid) n'ont rien donné. L'application du protocole d'acétolyse à chaud s'est avérée efficace pour extraire une quantité importante de carapaces d'ostracodes bien conservées, conduisant à l'identification d'un total de 56 espèces. La technique à l'HF dans le traitement de 12 échantillons de cherts des coupes d'Ali-Bashi et Bagh-e-Vang n'a pas permis d'isoler de radiolaires. L'analyse des microfaciès dans la coupe d'Ali-Bashi a permis d'identifier 15 microfaciès distincts subdivisés en 28 sous-microfaciès. L'assemblage de groupes de microfaciès sont de MKL1 à MKL2 (milieu lagunaire), de MKR2 à MKR3 (restreint) présente des caractéristiques d'un cadre restreint de rampe intérieure, MKO1 à MKO4 (marine ouvert) en zone de rampe interne. Les microfaciès MKM1 à MKM3 se sont déposés dans un environnement marin ouvert, dans les zones de la rampe médiane, tandis que MKT1 à MKT3 ont été identifiés dans les parties inférieures de la rampe extérieure, correspondant à la position du pied de pente de la plate-forme carbonatée. De plus, en se rapportant aux microfaciès standards défnis par Flugel (2010), l'étude propose 10 microfaciès de type RMF, ainsi que leurs 4 SMF correspondants. De plus, sur la base des zones de faciès standard (ZF) introduites par Wilson (1975), trois ZF présentant une tendance ascendante peu profonde, à savoir FZ8, FZ7 et FZ3, ont été délimitées avec succès
The position of the Guadalupian-Lopingian Boundary (GLB) has long been a subject of contention among researchers. Among the numerous sections investigated, three specific regions Julfa (Ali-Bashi section), Tabas (Bagh-e-Vang section), and Abadeh (Baghuk section) have been chosen for focused study in this project. The Ali-Bashi section where sampling and an extensive collection of over 240 rock samples from a measured thickness of 189 meters and in the Bagh-e-Vang section a meticulous effort resulted in the collection of more than 160 rock samples from an outcrop measuring 200 meters in thickness in the Jamal Formation. Sampling the Baghuk section, encountered specific obstacles that impeded our progress including: climatic conditions, economic crisis in Iran and covid-19 pandemic. High-detailed lithostratigraphical investigation of the Khachik Formation in the Ali-Bashi section, led to identified 14 distinct rock units within the three main members. This discovery has the potential to stimulate the creation of a new lithostratigraphic inventory for these sequences, which can be aligned with the existing background research on the Khachik Formation in this particular section. Furthermore, in the Bagh-e-Vang section, 10 rock units from Jamal Formation strata's belonging to the three members have also been identified. Moreover, Various extraction methods, including CH₂O₂, CH₃COOH, hot acetolysis, and HF protocols, were evaluated for the isolation of microfossils. After extensive preparation efforts and carefully crafted protocol intended for conodont element identification, applying both the CH₂O₂ and CH₃COOH techniques, in the Ali-Bashi and the Bagh-e-Vang sections were not achieved any conodonts. Three other methods were tested for ostracod extraction from Ali-Bashi section samples. The samples were prepared with cold 10% formic acid (CH₂O₂) and 15% acetic acid (CH₃COOH). The CH₂O₂ protocol was productive with well-preserved ostracods, allowed us to determine ten taxa were obtained exclusively through the diluted CH₂O₂ protocol from the hard dolomitized limestones, while the other cold CH₃COOH procedures were unsuccessful. The application of the hot acetolysis protocol proved successful in extracting a significant quantity of excellently preserved ostracods, leading to the identification of a total of 56 species. Despite our unwavering commitment to the recommended protocol applied the HF technique in the processing of 12 cherty samples obtained from the Ali-Bashi and Bagh-e-Vang sections yielded a disheartening outcome for the radiolarian microfossils. Microfacies analysis in the Ali-Bashi section led to identified 28 sub-microfacies which, derived with 15 distinct microfacies. The assemblage of microfacies groups are, ranging from MKL1 to MKL2 (lagoonal environment), MKR2 to MKR3 (restricted), MKO1 to MKO4 (open-marine) of the inner ramp zone. The MKO1 to MKO4, suggests a confined setting, occurring in the final part of the inner ramp under an open marine environment. Microfacies groups MKM1 to MKM3 are inferred to have been deposited in open marine environment, within the mid-ramp zones, whereas MKT1 to MKT3 were identified in the basal parts of the outer ramp, corresponding to the lower part of the slope within the carbonate shelf setting. Additionally, adhering to the standard microfacies designated by Flugel (2010), the study proposes 10 microfacies of the RMF type, along with their corresponding 4 SMFs for the studied strata. Besides, based on the standard facies zones (FZ) introduced by Wilson (1975), three FZs exhibiting a shallowing-upward trend, namely FZ8, FZ7, and FZ3, have been successfully delineated

Localidades contendo tetrápodes fósseis do Permiano são conhecidas para a Formação Rio do Rasto (FRR) no sul do Brasil desde a década de 1970. Posteriormente, elas foram agrupadas em três “faunas locais”, correlacionáveis com as ocorrências de tetrápodes do Guadalupiano e do Lopingiano da África do Sul e da Rússia. Contudo, os fósseis de tetrápodes no Brasil ocorrem em afloramentos dispersos, isolados e discontínuos, de maneira que a maioria deles não possui dados precisos referentes ao seu posicionamento estratigráfico no sítio de coleta. Sugere-se que seja suspenso o uso do termo “fauna local” para as localidades contendo tetrápodes da FRR, pois elas provavelmente agrupam táxons que não são contemporâneos. A presente tese reconheceu dez localidades contendo tetrápodes nesta formação, mas apenas em quatro delas há o registro de terápsidos (Serra do Cadeado-EFCP, Fazenda Fagundes, Fazenda Boqueirão e Tiarajú-Barro Alto). Até o momento, terápsidos permianos são reportados na América do Sul apenas na FRR e compreendem anomodontes e dinocefálios. Aqui são relatadas duas novas ocorrências de terápsidos para esta unidade. O espécime UFRGS-PV-0487P foi identificado como um Tapinocephalidade indeterminado (Dinocephalia) e provém da localidade Serra do Cadeado-EFCP. Comparação com outros Tapinocephalidae indicam que UFRGS-PV-0487P é um espécime juvenil ou sub-adulto, semelhante a Moschops e Moschognathus da Zona de Assembleia (ZA) de Tapinocephalus da África do Sul. A segunda ocorrência de terápsido reportada aqui é baseada no espécime UNIPAMPA-PV-317P, reconhecido como um novo gênero e espécie de anomodonte (especificamente um dicinodonte). Características diagnósticas do novo táxon incluem cristas bem desenvolvidas (em norma ventral) a partir da placa mediana do pterigoide e ao longo dos ramos anteriores do pterigoide, ângulo marcado da porção posterior dos ramos do pterigoide, presença de pequenas presas caniniformes a partir de uma pequena incisura levemente posterior a cada processo caniniforme e presença de um processo retro-articular bem desenvolvido e em forma de bulbo na mandíbula. Não está claro ainda se o tamanho reduzido das presas caniniformes é devido à ontogenia, patologia ou a dimorfismo sexual. A análise filogenética indicou que UNIPAMPA-PV-317P é o membro mais basal de Bidentalia, um clado cosmopolita que inclui a maioria dos dicinodontes permianos e triássicos. Em relação às correlações bioestratigráficas possíveis para as localidades contendo tetrápodes na FRR, não é possível correlacionar estas localidades com apenas uma das ZAs da África do Sul ou mesmo da Plataforma Russa no momento, por que a FRR parece abrigar múltiplas assembleias de tetrápodes, das quais um retrato muito tendenciado é conhecido. Apenas a localidade de Aceguá Sítio 1 indica um pequeno refinamento, visto que os níveis abaixo da ocorrência de Provelosaurus americanus (um pareiassaurídeo) foram datados com métodos radiométricos e indicaram ser mais recentes do que 265 Ma, demonstrando que este sítio é correlacionável a partir da ZA de Tapinocephalus.
Permian tetrapod-bearing localities have been recovered from the Rio do Rasto Formation (RRF) in southern Brazil since the 1970s. Posteriorly, they have been grouped into three ‘local faunas’, correlated with the Guadalupian and Lopingian tetrapods of South Africa and Russia. However, tetrapod findings in the Brazilian deposit occur in disperse, isolated and discontinuous outcrops and most specimens lack precise data regarding their stratigraphic provenance. We suggest that the term ‘local fauna’ be discontinued for the tetrapod-bearing localities of the RRF, since they may be grouping non-contemporaneous taxa. The present study recognized ten tetrapod-bearing localities in this formation, but only four of them bear therapsid remains (Serra do Cadeado-EFCP, Fagundes Farm, Boqueirão Farm and Tiarajú-Barro Alto). Until date, Permian therapsids in South America are only known from the RRF and comprise anomodonts and dinocephalians. Here we report two new therapsid occurrences for this unit. The specimen UFRGS-PV-0487P was identified as a Tapinocephalidae indet. (Dinocephalia), from the Serra do Cadeado-EFCP locality. Comparison with other tapinocephalids indicates that UFRGS-PV-0487P is a juvenile or sub-adult specimen, which most closely resembles the ‘moschopines’ Moschops and Moschognathus from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone (AZ) of South Africa. The second occurrence is based on the specimen UNIPAMPA-PV-317P, recognized as a new genus and species of anomodont (namely a dicynodont). Diagnostic features of the new taxon include well-developed ridges extending from the crista oesophagea anteriorly along the pterygoid rami, strong posterior angulation of the posterior pterygoid rami, small tusks erupting from a short incisure slightly posterior to each caniniform process and well-developed bulbous retroarticular process of the articular. It is not clear whether the reduced size of the tusks represents pathology, an ontogenetic feature or sexual dimorphism. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that UNIPAMPA-PV-317P is the most basal member of Bidentalia, a cosmopolitan clade that includes most of the Permian and Triassic dicynodonts. It is not possible at the moment to constrain the time interval of the tetrapod-bearing localities of the RRF to only one biozone of South Africa or Russia because the RRF seems to bear incomplete but multiple faunal assemblages. Aceguá Site 1 age is better constrained due to radiometric dating, but it only indicates that the levels bearing the pareiasaurid Provelosaurus americanus are younger than 265 My and can be correlated with the Tapinocephalus AZ.