Search results for " Triassic"

Late Carnian-Early Norian ammonoids from the GSSP candidate section Pizzo Mondello (Sicani mountain, Sicily).

2012

A small collection of ammonoids from the Upper Triassic Scillato Formation at Pizzo Mondello (Agrigento, Sicily) is studied. The specimens were collected in a framework of a project aimed at providing an integrated high-resolution bio-chronostratigraphic support to the Upper Carnian-Norian magnetostratigraphic scale defined at this site, that is located in an historical area from which G.G. Gemmellaro collected the Upper Triassic of ammonoids monographed at the beginning of the XX century. The specimens from Pizzo Mondello were bed-by-bed sampled and represent the first collection of Upper Triassic ammonoids described from Sicily since Gemmellaro time. Quite several levels of the Pizzo Mond…

EVOLUZIONE DIAGENETICA DELLE SUCCESSIONI PANORMIDI DEL LIMITE TRIASSICO/GIURASSICO

Lo studio sedimentologico e stratigrafico di alcune sezioni del Triassico Superiore-Giurassico Inferiore del dominio Panormide (Sicilia), ha contribuito all’elaborazione di un dataset che consente di avanzare nuove considerazioni sulla complessa evoluzione di questo dominio paleogeografico in prossimità del limite T/J. Sono stati studiati in dettaglio tre principali settori lungo la porzione nord-occidentale della Sicilia, dai Monti di San Vito alle Madonie, attraverso i Monti di Palermo. Nel settore più occidentale presso Monte Sparagio (penisola di Capo San Vito), l’analisi delle microfacies ha consentito di posizionare il limite T/J all’interno di una spessa successione di cicli peritida…

Genesis of the Lower Triassic bonebeds from Gogolin (S Poland): The impact of microbial mats on trapping of vertebrate remains

2017

Three bone-bearing horizons, consis ting of seven bone-bearing beds with fi sh and reptile remains, were recently discovered in the Uppermost Röt (Buntsandstein, Lower Tri assic) peritidal and shallow marine carbonates in the vi- cinity of Gogolin (S Poland). The aim of this study is to reco gnize the genesis and deposi tional environments of the bonebeds. Detailed fi eldwork, microfacies analysis, and SEM-EDS anal ysis reveal that the vertebrate remains occur to a great extent alongside evidence for former microbial activity. The reptile remains represent at least Dactylosaurus and Nothosaurus (Sauropterygia) genera, while the fi sh remains belong to the Chondrichthyes and Actinopterygii. …

Mandible histology in Metoposaurus krasiejowensis (Temnospondyli, Stereospondyli) from the Upper Triassic of Poland

2021

Recent studies that have systematically augmented our knowledge of dermal bones of the Late Triassic temnospondyl amphibian Metoposaurus krasiejowensis have mostly focused on shoulder girdle elements and the skull. So far, histological data on the mandible are still scant. For the present study, two mandibles have been examined, using 50 standard thin sections. Dermal bones of the mandible reveal a uniform diploë structure, with the external cortex consisting of moderately vascularised, parallel-fibred bone, as well as a distinct alternation of thick zones and thinner annuli. Dense bundles of well-mineralised Sharpey’s fibres are seen in the external cortex over the entire length of the man…

Exploring the major depletions of conodont diversity during the Triassic

2014

International audience; In this paper, we show that the Triassic fossil record reflects just two great depletions of conodont diversity before the Rhaetian, which occurred in the Smithian (Olenekian, Early Triassic) and in the Julian (Carnian, Late Triassic). By exploring this context, our results highlighted that they respond to different origination?extinction dynamics. Thus, while the Smithian diversity depletion can be interpreted as a consequence of elevated extinction, the Julian diversity depletion was triggered by fluctuations in origination regime. This evidence suggests that, despite the role of extinction on diversity losses, conodonts suffered crucial changes on the origination …

Depositional environment and biofacies characterisation of the Triassic (Carnian to Rhaetian) carbonate succession of Punta Bassano (Marettimo Island…

2007

AThe aims of this study are to reconstruct the geological setting of the Punta Bassano series (Marettimo Island, Egadi Archipelago, western Sicily) and its palaeogeographic evolution. The reference section for the Upper Triassic of Marettimo shows an alternation of marl and limestone beds together with brecciated levels. The limestones are both homogeneous mudstones with evaporite pseudomorphs and laminated with fenestrae. Foraminiferal, palynomorph, and ostracod associations constrain the Punta Bassano sequence to the Carnian-Rhaetian interval. The Punta Bassano succession represents a shallow inner ramp, ranging from open-marine environment with good water circulation to lagoonal and peri…

Gastropod evidence against the Early Triassic Lilliput effect

2010

4 pages; International audience; Size reduction in the aftermath of the Permian-Triassic mass extinction event has repeatedly been described for various marine organisms, including gastropods (the Lilliput effect). A Smithian gastropod assemblage from Utah, USA, reveals numerous large-sized specimens of different genera as high as 70 mm, the largest ever reported from the Early Triassic. Other gastropods reported from Serbia and Italy are also as large as 35 mm. Size frequency distributions of the studied assemblages indicate that they were not unusually small when compared with later Mesozoic and modern faunas. The occurrence of large-sized gastropods less than 2 Ma after the Permian-Trias…

Evolution of depositional settings in the Torrey area during the Smithian (Early Triassic, Utah, USA) and their significance for the biotic recovery

2015

This work focuses on well-exposed Lower Triassic sedimentary rocks in the area of Torrey (south-central Utah, USA). The studied Smithian deposits record a large-scale third-order sea-level cycle, which permits a detailed reconstruction of the evolution of depositional settings. During the middle Smithian, peritidal microbial limestones associated with a rather low-diversity benthic fauna were deposited seaward of the tidal flat siliciclastic red beds. Associated with siliceous sponges, microbial limestones formed small m-scale patch reefs. During the late middle to late Smithian interval, the sedimentary system is characterized by tidal flat dolostones of an interior platform, ooid-bioclast…

Permian-Triassic Osteichthyes (bony fishes): diversity dynamics and body size evolution

2014

The Permian and Triassic were key time intervals in the history of life on Earth. Both periods are marked by a series of biotic crises including the most catastrophic of such events, the end-Permian mass extinction, which eventually led to a major turnover from typical Palaeozoic faunas and floras to those that are emblematic for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. Here we review patterns in Permian-Triassic bony fishes, a group whose evolutionary dynamics are understudied. Based on data from primary literature, we analyse changes in their taxonomic diversity and body size (as a proxy for trophic position) and explore their response to Permian-Triassic events. Diversity and body size are investigate…

Coping between crises: Early Triassic–early Jurassic bivalve diversity dynamics

2011

The Triassic is bounded by two of the most severe biotic crises, but nevertheless this time was, for bivalves, both a recovery and a diversification period, and a moment to fully exploit some of their evolutionary novelties. Just how and when this was achieved is analyzed in this paper, which covers Induan to Sinemurian bivalve diversity, based on a newly compiled database. Taxonomic diversity and ecospace dynamics are examined separately. Diversity and evolutionary rates were assessed, extinction selectivity was tested using a resampling algorithm, and cohort analysis was used to study extinction patterns. During the Early Triassic most bivalve genera were survivors from the Permian and th…