STUDIES OF THE TRIASSIC MARINE REPTILES OF CHINA: A REVIEW

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review on the study of the Triassic marine reptiles of China.Research in this area can be dated back to the 1950s,and major progress has been made during the last decade.Fossils of marine reptiles are widespread in South China,including Anhui,Hubei,Guizhou,Yunnan,Guangxi and Xizang.Up to now,at least 7 biozonations of marine reptiles have been recognized from the Lower Triassic(Olenekian) to the Upper Triassic(Norian) in this region.And from eastern to western regions,the marine reptile fossil-bearing horizons become progressively higher.These reptiles include all known major groups,such as ichthyosaurs,thalattosaurs,placodonts,eosauropterygians,protorosaurs,archosaurian and hupehsuchids.These are characteristic taxa of the western Tethys Fauna,and also bear relationship to the eastern Pacific Fauna,in addition to endemic feature.New material of these fossil groups have provided an opportunity for the study of the origin,evolution and extinction of Triassic marine reptiles,as well as the environmental changes in the Triassic marine ecosystem.

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Clc Number:

Q91