The Luoping biota: exceptional preservation, and new evidence on the Triassic recovery from end-Permian mass extinction

Abstract

The timing and nature of biotic recovery from the devastating end-Permian mass extinction (252 Ma) are much debated. New studies in South China suggest that complex marine ecosystems did not become re-established until the middle–late Anisian (Middle Triassic), much later than had been proposed by some. The recently discovered exceptionally preserved Luoping biota from the Anisian Stage of the Middle Triassic, Yunnan Province and southwest China shows this final stage of community assembly on the continental shelf. The fossil assemblage is a mixture of marine animals, including abundant lightly sclerotized arthropods, associated with fishes, marine reptiles, bivalves, gastropods, belemnoids, ammonoids, echinoderms, brachiopods, conodonts and foraminifers, as well as plants and rare arthropods from nearby land. In some ways, the Luoping biota rebuilt the framework of the pre-extinction latest Permian marine ecosystem, but it differed too in profound ways. New trophic levels were introduced, most notably among top predators in the form of the diverse marine reptiles that had no evident analogues in the Late Permian. The Luoping biota is one of the most diverse Triassic marine fossil Lagerstätten in the world, providing a new and early window on recovery and radiation of Triassic marine ecosystems some 10 Myr after the end-Permian mass extinction.

The oldest ionoscopiform from China sheds new light on the early evolution of halecomorph fishes

“…However, the discovery of Robustichthys extends the geographical distribution of this group into the Middle Triassic of South China (figure 2), demonstrating a much older origin and a wider distribution than previously appreciated for this group. In the Middle Triassic, a vast supercontinent of Pangaea existed, and South China was a part of Palaeotethys Ocean [13][14][15] rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org Biol. Lett.…”

“…These, however, are based on poorly preserved specimens. Here, we report the discovery of a new ionoscopiform from the Middle Triassic Luoping Biota [13][14][15][16], Yunnan, China. This represents the first record of this clade in Asia.…”

“…Ophiopsis [10]) from the Kimmeridgian (152-157 Ma) of Europe by approximately 90 Ma. The fossil beds at this locality, composed of thinly laminated micritic limestone alternating with silty limestone, indicate a semi-enclosed intraplatform deposit environment [14,15]. Holotype.…”

Earliest occurrence of lophogastrid mysidacean arthropods (Crustacea, Eucopiidae) from the Anisian Luoping Biota, Yunnan Province, China

“…Mysidaceans are the most numerous animals within the Luoping biota (Hu et al, 2011). More than ten thousand individuals have been recovered so far.…”

“…Thylacocephalans and a single myriapod are currently under study. The depositional environment of the Luoping biota is interpreted as a semi-closed intraplatform basin, and the exceptional preservation of fossils is interpreted to have been due to anoxia of bottom water and microbial sealing (Hu et al, 2011;Luo et al, 2013).…”