A brief review of the Middle Palaeozoic vertebrates from Southeast Asia

Abstract

Here we review the Silurian and Devonian vertebrates from Southeast Asia and their biogeographic affinities. These vertebrate remains are distributed in the Shan-Thai and Indochina terranes as well as the South China block, including the fossil fishes from western Yunnan (a part of the Shan-Thai terrane). The Devonian vertebrates from the Si Ka, Bac Bun and Mia Le formations of northern Vietnam resemble those from the Xitun Formation of Yunnan, South China, and thus belong to the Xitun fauna. The Late Silurian vertebrates from the Dia Giang Formation of My Duc (central Vietnam) are suggestive of the Xiaoxiang fauna of South China. Fossil vertebrate evidence shows the proximity between the South China block and the Indochina terrane in the Middle Palaeozoic and the close relationship between Shan-Thai and east Gondwana in the Middle Devonian.