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Biogeography of early Mesozoic continental tetrapods: patterns and implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

Neil H. Shubin  and
Hans-Dieter Sues
Neil H. Shubin
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
Hans-Dieter Sues
Affiliation:
Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. 20560
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Abstract

The stratigraphic framework for Triassic and Early Jurassic continental strata has greatly changed in recent years. These revised correlations necessitate a review of traditional views of early Mesozoic continental faunal succession and biogeography. We have examined the relationship between tetrapod distribution and paleogeographic context during the Triassic and Early Jurassic on the basis of a data base comprising updated faunal lists for major early Mesozoic assemblages of continental tetrapods. Analysis of these data supports the hypothesis that there were few barriers to biotic interchange among continental tetrapods throughout the Triassic and Early Jurassic. Early Mesozoic tetrapod assemblages are dominated by widely distributed, often cosmopolitan families. Late Triassic patterns of latitudinal variation among tetrapod assemblages appear to be correlated to those seen among terrestrial plants and contrast with the extremely uniform distribution of Early Jurassic continental biotas.

Type
Articles
Information
Paleobiology , Volume 17 , Issue 3 , Summer 1991 , pp. 214 - 230
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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References

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