Exceptional vertebrate biotas from the Triassic of China, and the expansion of marine ecosystems after the Permo-Triassic mass extinction

Benton, Michael J.; Zhang, Qiyue; Hu, Shixue; Chen, Zhong‐Qiang; Wen, Wen; Liu, Jun; Huang, Jinyuan; Zhou, Changyong; Xie, Tao; Tong, Jinnan; Choo, Brian

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.05.014

Cited by 148 publications

(178 citation statements)

References 135 publications

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“…Among predators, decapod crustaceans, cephalopods, neopterygian fishes and reptiles were new forms that emerged in the Triassic, during recovery from the devastating Permo-Triassic mass extinction (Benton et al 2013). Many of these clades received a further setback during the end-Triassic extinction, and they were just recovering from that crisis when the T-OAE caused further environmental stress (Friedman & Sallan 2012;Danise et al 2015).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte reveals insights into Early Jurassic life

Williams

Benton

Ross

2015

JGS

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The Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte provides a rich insight into Early Jurassic marine vertebrate life, revealing exquisite anatomical detail of marine reptiles and large pachycormid fishes thanks to exceptional preservation, and especially the uncrushed, 3D nature of the fossils. The site documents a fauna of Early Jurassic nektonic marine animals (five species of fishes, one species of marine crocodilian, two species of ichthyosaurs, cephalopods and crustaceans), but also over 20 species of insects. Unlike other fossil sites of similar age, the 3D preservation at Strawberry Bank provides unique evidence on palatal and braincase structures in the fishes and reptiles. The age of the site is important, documenting a marine ecosystem during recovery from the end-Triassic mass extinction, but also exactly coincident with the height of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event, a further time of turmoil in evolution.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte reveals insights into Early Jurassic life

Williams

Benton

Ross

2015

JGS

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“…The new fish represents the most basal thoracopterid; although it seems that it was not a glider, its nearly complete skeletons provide us new and more comprehensive anatomical information of early thoracopterids. Along with the new fish, other taxa known from the same fossil beds include plants, invertebrates, marine reptiles, 'four-winged' thoracopterids [7,8], and several other kinds of fishes; this taxonomically diverse fossil assemblage has been referred to the Xingyi biota [9]. Study of the new fish from the Xingyi biota stimulates re-examinations of contemporary material from the Monte San Giorgio area in southern Switzerland [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Middle Triassic thoracopterid from China highlights the evolutionary origin of overwater gliding in early ray-finned fishes

Zhao

Shen

2015

Biol. Lett.

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Gliding adaptations in thoracopterid flying fishes represent a remarkable case of convergent evolution of overwater gliding strategy with modern exocoetid flying fishes, but the evolutionary origin of this strategy was poorly known in the thoracopterids because of lack of transitional forms. Until recently, all thoracopterids, from the Late Triassic of Austria and Italy and the Middle Triassic of South China, were highly specialized 'four-winged' gliders in having wing-like paired fins and an asymmetrical caudal fin with the lower caudal lobe notably larger than the upper lobe. Here, we show that the new genus Wushaichthys and the previously alleged 'peltopleurid' Peripeltopleurus, from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian, 235-242 Ma) of South China and near the Ladinian/Anisian boundary of southern Switzerland and northern Italy, respectively, represent the most primitive and oldest known thoracopterids. Wushaichthys, the most basal thoracopterid, shows certain derived features of this group in the skull. Peripeltopleurus shows a condition intermediate between Wushaichthys and Thoracopterus in having a slightly asymmetrical caudal fin but still lacking wing-like paired fins. Phylogenetic studies suggest that the evolution of overwater gliding of thoracopterids was gradual in nature; a four-stage adaption following the 'cranial specialization-asymmetrical caudal fin-enlarged paired fins-scale reduction' sequence has been recognized in thoracopterid evolution. Moreover, Wushaichthys and Peripeltopleurus bear hooklets on the anal fin of supposed males, resembling those of modern viviparious teleosts. Early thoracopterids probably had evolved a live-bearing reproductive strategy.

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“…Although we note that the cited publication date of Tintori et al's article [5] is 29 October 2012 (2 days before the online publication of Xu et al [1]), we also note that Gortania might be less accessible (as it is a print-only journal that publishes once each year and is not indexed on common bibliographic databases) and perhaps less well known than several other journals that publish articles on palaeontology. As our paper was rapidly cited in other studies [9][10][11], it appears that our descriptions and naming of these fossils [1] have been generally accepted by the palaeontological community.…”

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confidence: 91%

“…Holotypes of Potanichthys and Wushaichthys (figure 1d,e,h,i) were collected at Xiemi locality in 2009, and were prepared at Xu's laboratory by G-H Xu and his colleague Z Wang. Along with Potanichthys and Wushaichthys, other fossils collected at Xiemi locality at least include ray-finned fishes Asialepidotus (figure 1f ) and Guizhouniscus (figure 1j), and marine reptile Keichousaurus ( figure 1g); all these taxa are characteristic members of the Xingyi Biota [9]. The Nimaigu locality mentioned by Tintori rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org Biol.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The fossil beds (Zhuganpo Member of Falang Formation) of the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) Xingyi Biota are widely exposed in Wusha, Xingyi, Guizhou Province [9], and fossil collections at this area have a long history. Holotypes of Potanichthys and Wushaichthys (figure 1d,e,h,i) were collected at Xiemi locality in 2009, and were prepared at Xu's laboratory by G-H Xu and his colleague Z Wang.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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From Potanichthys to Wushaichthys : resolving the evolutionary origin and reproductive strategy of the Thoracopteridae: a reply to Tintori (2015)

Zhao

2015

Biol. Lett.

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Our recent studies on Potanichthys [1] and Wushaichthys [2] from China shed new light on the evolutionary origin and reproductive strategy of the Thoracopteridae. Tintori commented on our taxonomic assignment of Wushaichthys and on our hypotheses of gradual evolution of over-water gliding adaption and internal fertilization of thoracopterids [3][4][5]. Moreover, he questioned the provenance and age of Potanichthys [1] and Wushaichthys [2], and claimed that Potanichthys xingyiensis was a younger synonym of Thoracopterus wushaensis [5]. However, we do not agree with him on these points because Tintori's commentary is not based on a phylogenetic analysis and lacks supportive evidence.The taxonomy should be based on the results of phylogenetic analysis, not the reverse. Our phylogenetic studies [2] indicate that the traditional, poorly defined family Peltopleuridae is paraphyletic; the previously alleged 'peltopleurid' Peripeltopleurus [6] and the recently described Wushaichthys [2] are more closely related to four-winged thoracopterids than to Peltopleurus because they possess ambiguous features of Thoracopteridae. We have summarized five synapomorphies of Thoracopteridae in our recent contribution [2], and Wushaichthys is recovered as the most basal member of this family (figure 1a). The diagnosis of Wushaichthys starts from 'a basal thoracopterid distinguished from others of this family ' [2, p. 2]. That means the genus should first possess five synapomorphies of Thoracopteridae. The additional features listed in the diagnosis are enough to distinguish Wushaichthys from others of this family. Additionally, our phylogenetic studies suggest that Potanichthys [1] and Gigantopterus [3] are more derived than Thoracopterus [3] in having an almost naked body, median and fused premaxillae, and more than one supraorbitals. Thus, Potanichthys and Gigantopterus are not synonyms of Thoracopterus.Uniformitarianism, the concept that the present is the key to the past, has been recognized as a principle of geology and virtually all fields of science [7]. Under this concept, the differentiation of phenotypic traits in thoracopterids and peltopleurids has been interpreted as sexual dimorphism; those individuals with hooklets (claws) on the anal fin are supposed males and those without hooklets females [2,6]. Analogous to that in modern viviparous teleosts [8], the specialized anal fin in supposed males of thoracopterids and peltopleurids might function as a gonopodium and play an important role in sperm transfer, and consequently indicate a reproductive strategy of internal fertilization in these extinct taxa. Tintori's interpretation [5] of those thoracopterid individuals with hooklets on anal fin as females contrasts the condition observed in living fishes and, therefore, violates the concept of uniformitarianism, and his comment on our hypothesis of internal fertilization in thoracopterids lacks the support of evidence.

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Exceptional vertebrate biotas from the Triassic of China, and the expansion of marine ecosystems after the Permo-Triassic mass extinction

Cited by 148 publications

References 135 publications

The Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte reveals insights into Early Jurassic life

The Strawberry Bank Lagerstätte reveals insights into Early Jurassic life

A Middle Triassic thoracopterid from China highlights the evolutionary origin of overwater gliding in early ray-finned fishes

From Potanichthys to Wushaichthys : resolving the evolutionary origin and reproductive strategy of the Thoracopteridae: a reply to Tintori (2015)

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