A Unitary Association-based conodont biozonation of the Smithian-Spathian boundary (Early Triassic) and associated biotic crisis from South China Author Leu, Marc Paleontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland Author Bucher, Hugo Paleontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland Author Vennemann, Torsten Author Bagherpour, Borhan Author Ji, Cheng Author Brosse, Morgane Author Goudemand, Nicolas text Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 2022 19 2022-11-22 141 1 1 61 http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13358-022-00259-x journal article 10.1186/s13358-022-00259-x 1664-2384 PMC9681704 36439694 12000082 Novispathodus pingdingshanensis ( Zhao & Orchard, 2007 ) Fig. 17D–F; M–P, R, S, U, X , AA, AB, AD, AF *2007 Neospathodus pingdingshanensis n. sp. ; Zhao & Orchard, Zhao et al., p.36, pl. 1, fig. 4A–C. 2012a Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; Goudemand & Orchard in Goudemand et al., p. 1030–1031, figs. 2B, F, G, I–J, M, P, Q, AD, 3T-U, 6. 2013 Neospathodus pingdingshanensis Zhao & Orchard ; Chen et al., p 825, fig. 3.10, 3.12. 2013 Neospathodus waageni subsp. nov. A; Metcalfe et al., p. 1144, figs. 9.1–9.5, 9.7, 9.8, 9.10. 2014 Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; Maekawa & Igo in Shigeta, p. 239–240, figs. 171.13–171.31. 2015 Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; Chen et al., p. 111, 112, figs. 7.1–7.4, 8.5, 8.6. 2016 Novispathodus ex. gr. pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; Komatsu et al., p. 69, figs. 5.4a–5.5c. 2016 Neospathodus robustus Koike ; Chen & Kolar-Jurkovšek in Chen et al., p. 93, fig. 9.5 (only). 2018 Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; Maekawa in Maekawa et al., p. 36–37, figs. 20.2–20.18, 21.1–21.13. 2019 Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; Chen et al., fig. 3, nr. 8. 2019 Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; Liu et al., p. 13, pl. 3 fig. 5 (only). Material. > 100 specimens . Diagnosis (Zhao and Orchard, in Zhao et al., 2007 ; emended by Goudemand, in Goudemand et al., 2012b ). Small segminate P 1 elements characterized by a length/ height ratio in the range of 1.32–2.34, and about 4–9 robust, wide, mostly fused, and distinctively posteriorly recurved denticles. In lateral view, the basal margin is usually straight. A large, broadly expanded oval to sub-rounded basal cavity is upturned on the inner margin and flat to downturned on the outer margin. Remarks. Goudemand (in Goudemand et al., 2012b ) revised the original diagnosis by noticing that the basal margin is not necessarily straight and therefore, the most strikingly difference to Nv. waageni is the denticulation: the denticles axes are distinctively recurved posteriorly whereas in Nv. waageni and Nv. abruptus , the denticles are straight, inclined or radiating. Te two or three denticles anterior of the cusp are often clearly asymmetrical and the posterior edge of the element is much shorter than the anterior one. In most sections worldwide, Nv. pingdingshanensis first occurs within the positive δ 13 Ccarb excursion of the latest Smithian and may extend to the earliest Spathian ( Goudemand et al., 2019 ; Leu et al., 2019 ; Zhang et al., 2019 ). Some elements within our rich material resemble Ns. Pingdingshanensis , but appear to have a relatively small basal cavity, more posteriorly recurved denticles or more numerous denticles that what was previously described for this species. Tese elements ( Figs. 17C, J, K, T ; 18E, I–K ; 19O, Q ; 20H, N–O, S ; here assigned to N. ex gr. pingdingshanensis ) may deserve differentiation in the future. Two elements illustrated by Metcalfe et al., (2013, figs. 9.6, 9.9, p. 1144) as ‘ Neospathodus waageni subsp. nov. A’ display a higher anterior end and more recurved denticles than the other elements they included in ‘ Neospathodus waageni subsp. nov. A’, which we synonymized with Ns. pingdingshanensis : elements like these two elements do not seem to fit in Ns. pingdingshanensis and may deserve assignment to a new species. Some further elements resembling Ns. pingdingshanensis but distinctively shorter than Ns. pingdingshanensis are herein assigned to a new species ( Nv. gryphus n. sp. see below). (See figure on next page.) Fig. 17 Novispathodinae from Qiakong,Laren, Shanggang,and Lilong. Magnification is × 80.The scale bar is 400 μm. All elements are considered to be P 1 elements if not specifically identified otherwise. A–C , J , T , AA Novispathodus ex gr. pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; A , QIA138,PIMUZ 39226; B QIA138, PIMUZ 39227; C LAR202, PIMUZ 39228; J QIA136, PIMUZ 39229; T LIL504, PIMUZ 39230; AA LIL508,PIMUZ 39231. D–F , M–P , R , S , U , X , AB , AD Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (Zhao & Orchard) ; D QIA135, PIMUZ 39259; E LIL508,PIMUZ 39260; F LIL506, PIMUZ 39261; M LIL506, PIMUZ 39262; N LIL506,PIMUZ 39263; O LIL507, PIMUZ 39264; P LIL506, PIMUZ 39265; R LIL508,PIMUZ 39266; S LAR204,PIMUZ 39267; U LIL507, PIMUZ 39268; X LIL508, PIMUZ 39269; AB LIL508, PIMUZ 39270; AD LIL508, PIMUZ 39271. G , I , Q Novispathodus cf. ? gryphus n. sp. ; G QIA136, PIMUZ 39204; I QIA136, PIMUZ 39205; Q QIA135, PIMUZ 39206. H , K , L Novispathodus gryphus n. sp. ; H QIA135, PIMUZ 39243; K LIL506, PIMUZ 39244; L LIL506,PIMUZ 39245. V Novispathodus praebrevissimus n. sp. ; LIL507, PIMUZ 39273. W , Y , Z , AE Novispathodus ex gr. abruptus (Orchard) ; W LIL505, PIMUZ 39208; Y SHA346,PIMUZ 39209; Z LIL506, PIMUZ 39210; AE SHA346, PIMUZ 39211. AC sp. indet.; LIL504, PIMUZ 39295. AF Novispathodus pingdingshanensis (P 1 cluster) (Zhao & Orchard); QIA136, PIMUZ 39272 Fig. 17 (See legend on previous page.) Occurrence . Worldwide occurrence. China : Jinya/ Waili area, Guangxi ( Goudemand et al., 2012b ) Jiarong, southern Guizhou ( Chen et al., 2013 , 2015 ). Anshun Fm., Qingyan section, Guizhou ( Ji et al., 2011 ). Chaohu (Zhao et al., 2007, 2008). Daxiakou, Hubei ( Zhao et al., 2013 ). Vietnam : Bac Tuy Fm., Xenoceltites variocostatus and Tirolites beds, ( Komatsu et al., 2016 ; Shigeta et al., 2014 ). Canada : Scythogondolella mosheri zone, Wapiti Lake ( Orchard & Zonneveld, 2009 ). Australia : Hovea Member of Kockatea Shale, upper part of Neospathodus waageni Zone, Smithian substage ( Metcalfe et al., 2013 ).