Five marine biofacies based on conodont distributions are recognized for the Permian Phosphoria Formation and related rocks. They are: (1) facies with no conodonts, (2) facies with Hindeodus only, (3) facies with Hindeodus and (or) Neostreptognathodus and (or) Stepanovites and (or) Merrillina, (4) a transitional facies containing any of the components of biofacies 3 with either Neogondolella or Xaniognathus, (5) facies dominated by Neogondolella and Xaniognathus. These biofacies (1–5) represent progressive shore or nearshore to offshore differentiation of the conodont faunas. Intervals of phosphate deposition within the Phosphoria Formation correspond to shoreward encroachment of offshore biofacies during trasgressive events. Elements of these conodont faunas, including the new species Neostreptognathodus newelli , are described.

Abstract Owing to the lack of fossils, the subdivision and correlation of the dominantly continental Permian (Rotliegend and Zechstein groups) and the overlying epicontinental Germanic Triassic (Buntsandstein, Muschelkalk and Keuper groups) from Western and Central Europe, traditionally, relies on lithological criteria. From the combination of magnetic polarity records from The Netherlands, Germany and Poland, a well-documented magnetostratigraphical composite for the Zechstein–lowermost Buntsandstein has been constructed. This interval is dominantly of normal polarity with few reversed magnetozones, allowing a reliable correlation throughout the intracontinental Central European Basin. Moreover, together with available biostratigraphical data, this integrated stratigraphical approach facilitates detailed links to the marine realm. The basal Zechstein is most probably equivalent to the uppermost lower–upper Wuchiapingian. The overlying upper Zechstein and the lowermost Buntsandstein are equivalent to the entire Changhsingian. Present bio- and magnetostratigraphical data indicate a possible duration of the Zechstein of only 2.8–3.5 Myr. A distinct climatic change accompanied by a major shift in sediment sources and a palynofloral turnover constitute important proxies for the terrestrial extinction event within the Central European Basin. A transition from a short reversed to a longer normal magnetozone within the uppermost Zechstein, which predates both the end-Permian ecological crisis and the conodont-calibrated biostratigraphical Permian–Triassic boundary (PTB), represents a prime time-marker for global correlation. Above this reverse to normal (R/N) reversal, the continental PTB is located within the lowermost Buntsandstein. The integration of magnetostratigraphy with other stratigraphical data is a prerequisite to establishing causal links between Late Permian climatic events in the sea and on land.

Abstract: Forty Permian conodont biozones are summarized and 35 additional regional zones are correlated. The Lower Permian is largely zoned on the basis of partial range lineage interval zones of species of Streptognathodus , Sweetognathus , Neostreptognathodus and Mesogondolella . The Middle and Upper Permian are zoned, respectively, on the basis of partial range lineage interval zones of species of Jinogondolella and Clarkina . The ranges of all key taxa to develop this zonation are depicted in relation to the geochronological ages of Permian stages. The lowest Permian succession has been astronomically tuned with 400 kyr cyclothems linked to interpolated ages in the Uralian succession.

Abstract Conodonts have played an important role in the construction of a Triassic timescale. Each of the stage boundaries is reviewed in the context of their evolving conodont faunas. The base Triassic (Induan) is defined by the appearance of Hindeodus parvus , which developed from H. praeparvus ; a parallel zonation is provided by Neogondolella species. For the Induan–Olenekian boundary, the appearance of Neospathodus waageni sensu lato within a plexus of similar species is favoured as the defining datum; Borinella and Eurygnathodus also appear about this time. The base of the Middle Triassic Anisian stage lies close to the appearance of Chiosella , with Triassospathodus and Spathicuspus characterizing the late Olenekian, and Gladigondolella tethydis and Nicoraella confined to the Anisian. Proxies for the Anisian–Ladinian boundary, which is defined by an ammonoid, are the first Budurovignathus species. The basal Carnian, also defined by an ammonoid, lies close to the first metapolygnathids, including M. polygnathiformis and M. tadpole . The Carnian–Norian boundary interval is characterized by many new taxa in Canada, but only a few species are common to Tethys, notably Metapolygnathus ex gr. M. echinatus . The Norian–Rhaetian boundary is likely to be based on evolution in Misikella in Tethys, with concurrent changes recognized in North American Epigondolella .

Abstract: The reverse polarity Kiaman Superchron has strong evidence for at least three, or probably four, normal magnetochrons during the early Permian. Normal magnetochrons are during the early Asselian (base CI1r.1n at 297.94±0.33 Ma), late Artinskian (CI2n at 281.24±2.3 Ma), mid-Kungurian (CI3n at 275.86±2.0 Ma) and Roa"dian (CI3r.an at 269.54±1.6 Ma). The mixed-polarity Illawarra Superchron begins in the early Wordian at 266.66±0.76 Ma. The Wordian–Capitanian interval is biased to normal polarity, but the basal Wuchiapingian begins the beginning of a significant reverse polarity magnetochron LP0r, with an overlying mixed-polarity interval through the later Lopingian. No significant magnetostratigraphic data gaps exist in the Permian geomagnetic polarity record. The early Cisuralian magnetochrons are calibrated to a succession of fusulinid zones, the later Cisuralian and Guadalupian to a conodont and fusulinid biostratigraphy, and Lopingian magnetochrons to conodont zonations. Age calibration of the magnetochrons is obtained through a Bayesian approach using 35 radiometric dates, and 95% confidence intervals on the ages and chron durations are obtained. The dating control points are most numerous in the Gzhelian–Asselian, Wordian and Changhsingian intervals. This significant advance should provide a framework for better correlation and dating of the marine and non-marine Permian.

ABSTRACT Along the western flank of the Haushi-Huqf Upift in Oman, the upper Palaeozoic succession consists of (from oldest to youngest): (1) glaciogenic Upper Carboniferous-Lower Permian Al Khlata Formation; (2) marine Lower Permian Saiwan Formation (= Lower Gharif Member of subsurface Oman); (3) continental Lower and Middle Permian redefined Gharif Formation (= Middle and Upper Gharif members of subsurface Oman); and (4) lower part of the Middle Permian marine Khuff Formation. The succession overlies lower Palaeozoic-Proterozoic rocks, and the Khuff Formation is truncated by Triassic and younger unconformities. The Al Khlata Formation is about 100 m (328 ft) thick, and consists of a succession of diamictite, sandstone enclosing pebbles to boulders of sandstone, dolomite, black chert and pink granite clasts (ranging in diametre from a few centimetres to a metre). The overlying Saiwan Formation comprises two bioclastic units: lower ‘Bellerophon Limestone’ (10-18 m, 33-59 ft thick) and the upper ‘Metalegoceras Limestone’ (35-40 m, 115-131 ft thick). A basal Pachycyrtella Bed of the Saiwan Formation yielded Pachycyrtella omanensis associated with subordinate specimens of the genus Strophalosia indicating a mid-Sakmarian age. Brachiopod, ammonoid and bivalve assemblages in the main part of the Saiwan indicate a late Sakmarian age. The Saiwan Formation contains (5 metres above its base in the type section) Arabian Plate Maximum Flooding Surface MFS P10 of late Sakmarian age, and based on the latest Permian time scale is recalibrated at about 284 Ma (previously 272 Ma).The redefined Gharif Formation (70-100 m; 230-328 ft) lies unconformably above the Saiwan Formation, and consists of shale and sandstone deposited in floodplain and ephemeral shallow-lake environments. Uppermost Gharif ‘estuarine’ subunit B lies conformably below the first marine Khuff deposits, and contains a rich macroflora that is not diagnostic of a precise age, but is considered ?Roadian-?early Wordian. The incomplete Khuff Formation (30 m, 98 ft) consists of three informal members (1-3 from base up). The transition from Gharif subunit B to lowermost Khuff member 1 represents an environmental change from a distal fluviatile/estuarine system bordering a coastal plain, to a clastic transgressive shoal/barrier environment. Khuff members 2 and 3 reflect a carbonate shelf environment. The lower sequence boundary of the Khuff transgression is interpreted to be at the base of Gharif subunit B. Marine fauna in the Khuff Formation includes cephalopods, brachiopods, conodonts, ostracods and bivalves, which indicate a Middle Permian Wordian age. Conodont fauna from the uppermost levels of Khuff member 3 suggests a late Wordian age. The foraminifera indicate a Middle Permian age (Wordian and Capitanian).

Abstract A middle Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) conodont fauna was used to identify the interval represented by the Lower Kittanning cyclothem across the North American continent. The conodonts show both a succession through the cyclothem and a geographic variation that is related to the water mass and depositional environment. The faunas can be divided into normal-marine, high- and (or) variable-salinity, and high-productivity assemblages. Normal-marine faunas are dominated by Idiognathodus , which can be further divided into low-diversity and high-diversity faunas. The low-diversity Idiognathodus faunas characterize the marine deposits of the nearshore, marginal environments of the Appalachian Basin, and also the bulk of the black and gray shale and carbonate depositional environments of Midcontinent cyclothems. The high-diversity Idiognathodus faunas characterize fossiliferous limy shale and shaly limestone depositional environments typical of the shale–limestone transition in Midcontinent cyclothems and the richly fossiliferous limestone deposition in carbonate sequences in much of the western U.S., within the dolomite beds associated with sandstone deposition of the Tensleep Sandstone, and in fossiliferous limestones between sandstones and carbonate mudstones of the Paradox Basin. High-salinity and (or) variable-salinity faunas are dominated by Neognathodus and (or) Adetognathus , and characterize carbonate deposition in the Bird Spring–Ely platform, southwestern U.S., and shallow-water, typically algal facies within the Midcontinent cyclothems. High-productivity faunas are dominated by Gondolella , are extremely rare, and characterize horizons of surface substrate accumulation within black-shale and mud depositional environments. Maximum flooding within the cycle, as indicated by the highest diversity of normal-marine macrobiota and conodont fauna, does not occur in black shales but at the shale–limestone transition. Sixteen species of conodonts in eight genera are recognized in the cyclothem. The following four species are new: Idiognathodus crassadens, I. ignisitus, Neognathodus intrala , and Hindeodus calcarus. Two of these new species, N. intrala and I. crassadens , together with I. robustus , define an assemblage zone that allows correlation of the marine portion of the Lower Kittanning cyclothem across North America.

Abstract Middle and Late Permian reefs flourished for about 20 million years in the Tethys, the Panthalassan ocean, the Delaware Basin, the Zechstein Basin, and the Northwest Pangean era tonic basin Eight reef types, which were differentiated on the basis of their taxonomic composition, belong to four significantly different reef environmental settings: (1) The Tethyan carbonate factory has the highest taxonomic diversity of macro-reefbuilders, yields massive, probably zooxanthellate rugose corals, and is mud-rich. Reef domains occur along the southwestern shelf margin and on Cimmerian as well as Cathyasian terranes. Typical representatives are sponge reefs found in Tunisia or Oman and coral reefs described from China. (2) Epeiric reefs are dominated by micro-framework (e.g., microbial precipitates and low-grawing metazoans), largeamounts of synsedimentary, marine-phreatic cements, and few macro-reefbuilders. Classic localities are known from the Delaware and the Zechstein basins. (3) Reefs of some Panthalassan oceanic buildups (e.g., Mino terrane, Japan) are composed of caleimicrobes, low-growing metazoans, and large amounts of sediment, but macro-reefbuilders (large coralline sponges and massive rugose corals) are absent. (4) Cool-water reefs differ significantly from their tropical counterparts by depositional geometries and taphonomic history. The ethinoderm-and bryozoan-rich associations, which lack cosmopolitan Archaeolilhoporella hidensis , accumulated in biostromes on slightly dipping ramps and did not develop structures with significant relief. The faunas are reworked due to moderate synsedimentary cementation and high turbulence and are well known from the Northwest Pangean cratonic basin. Important Permian reefbuilders are microbes, Archacolithoporclla, Shamovella (formerly Tubiphytes ), coralline sponges, rugose corals, calcareous algae, bryozoans, and brachiopods. Algal-cement reefs with various percentages of microbial precipitates are a common reef type, lacking only in the high latitudes, and have a cosmopolitan character; Shamovella, Archaeolithaparelta , and sponges are common and widespread reefbuilders. Permian reef evolution is discontinuous and characterized by pulses of growth as well as the final demise of late Paleozoic communities followed by the severe gap without true metazoan reefs during the Scythian, The end-Permian mass extinction is twofold, comprising a pre-Lopingian and a Changhsingian event. The latest Permian reefs are restricted to the equator and are characterized by high diversities Intercalated sediments enriched in calcareous algae indicate global warming. Middle and Late Permian reefs bear an underestimated hydrocarbon reservoir potential, especially in (1) epeiric basins with occasional upwelling of hypersaline waters, (2) karatified and dolomitized Tethyan reefs, (3) carbonates related to upwelling at continental margins, and (4) cool-water carbonates with reefbuilders. Productive reservoirs are known from Tethyan reefs, including China, Thailand, and Tunisia.