Triassic land vertebrate faunachrons

Land vertebrate faunachrons (LVFs) are biochronological units used to correlate and date terrestrial sediments and fossils based on their tetrapod faunas.[1] First formulated on a global scale by Spencer G. Lucas in 1998, LVFs are primarily used within the Triassic Period (252 - 201 Ma),[1] though Lucas later designated LVFs for other periods as well.[2] Eight worldwide LVFs are defined for the Triassic. The first two earliest Triassic LVFs, the Lootsbergian and Nonesian, are based on South African synapsids and faunal assemblage zones estimated to correspond to the Early Triassic. These are followed by the Perovkan and Berdyankian, based on temnospondyl amphibians and Russian assemblages estimated to be from the Middle Triassic. The youngest four Triassic LVFs, the Otischalkian, Adamanian, Revueltian, and Apachean, are based on aetosaur and phytosaur reptiles common in the Late Triassic of the southwestern United States.[1][3][4]

The LVF system, though widely used, is also a controversial application of biostratigraphy, as many Triassic tetrapods are rife with complications which endanger their utility as index fossils. Limited occurrences, inaccurate age estimates, overlapping LVF faunas, or taxonomic disagreement may jeopardize global correlations between Triassic tetrapods. This could render some LVFs as misleading assessments of Triassic faunal change through time.[5][6][7][8] Regardless, Late Triassic phytosaurs are considered to have strong biostratigraphic utility even among detractors of Lucas's system.[9]

  1. ^ a b c Lucas, Spencer G (1998-11-01). "Global Triassic tetrapod biostratigraphy and biochronology". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 143 (4): 347–384. Bibcode:1998PPP...143..347L. doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(98)00117-5. ISSN 0031-0182.
  2. ^ Lucas, Spencer G. (2005). "Permian Tetrapod Faunachrons". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 30: 197–201.
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  7. ^ Rayfield, Emily J.; Barrett, Paul M.; Milner, Andrew R. (2009-03-12). "Utility and validity of Middle and Late Triassic 'land vertebrate faunachrons'". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 29 (1): 80–87. doi:10.1671/039.029.0132. ISSN 0272-4634. S2CID 86502146.
  8. ^ Irmis, Randall B.; Martz, Jeffrey W.; Parker, William G.; Nesbitt, Sterling J. (March 2010). "Re-evaluating the correlation between Late Triassic terrestrial vertebrate biostratigraphy and the GSSP-defined marine stages" (PDF). Albertiana. 38: 40–53.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).