A brachiopod fauna from latest Permian to Induan of northern Guizhou, South China and its evolutionary pattern

Abstract

A new brachiopod fauna is reported from the Bozhou section spanning the latest Permian and Early Induan in Zunyi, northern Guizhou, South China. The brachiopods were collected from the Changhsingian Changhsing Formation and the Lower Induan Yelang Formation. The Changhsing Formation is composed of limestone and bioclastic limestone. The lower part of the Yelang Formation is composed of calcareous mudstone and argillaceous limestone intercalated with clay, and the upper part of the Yelang Formation comprises limestone intercalated with calcareous mudstone. After applying cluster analysis on the occurrence data of brachiopod species, three communities are recognized. FAS community mainly includes Fusichonetes, Acosarina, Spinomarginifera, and Araxathyris individuals. LP community mainly contains several Permian holdovers including Paracrurithyris, Orbicoelia, and Araxathyris, and disaster taxa like Lingularia. AP community is composed of Abrekia?, Paracrurithyris, and Prelissorhynchia. Shift of brachiopods from FAS community to LP community represents the extinction stage. LP community represents the survival stage. AP community is in the survival‐initial recovery stage. In the extinction stage, global brachiopod faunas showed similar patterns in that most brachiopod species and genera disappeared. In the survival stage, Lingularia quickly occupied the vacant ecospace and dominated the brachiopod community in the shallow‐water environment with soft substrate. In the survival‐initial recovery stage, Mesozoic‐type brachiopods appeared and were sporadically found in various environments.