Evolution of Permian conodont provincialism and its significance in global correlation and paleoclimate implication

The main components of Asselian through Artinskian conodont faunas found around the world are basically the same, and the provincialism is indicated only by less common endemic elements such as Gondolelloides and New Genus A Henderson in North Pangea, Sweetognathus bucaramangus around the equator and Vjalovognathus in eastern Gondwana. Provincialism is marked by differences at the species level of Mesogondolella, Neostreptognathodus and Sweetognathus during the Kungurian, and becomes very distinct with differences at the genus level during the Guadalupian and Lopingian. Three provinces of Permian conodonts, referred to as the North Cool Water Province (NCWP), the Equatorial Warm Water Province (EWWP) and the peri-Gondwana Cool Water Province (GCWP), are recognized. The NCWP is marked by Gondolelloides in the early Cisuralian, dominance of Neostreptognathodus and no or rare Sweetognathus in the late Cisuralian, dominance of Merrillina and Mesogondolella and absence of Sweetognathus in the Guadalupian, and dominance of Merrillina and Mesogondolella and absence of Iranognathus in the Lopingian. The EWWP is characterized by the absence of Gondolelloides and Vjalovogonthus in the Cisuralian, abundance of Sweetognathus and Pseudosweetognathus in the Kungurian (late Cisuralian), Jinogondolmichael and Sweetognathus in the Guadalupian, and Clarkina and Iranognathus in the Lopingian. The GCWP is marked by Vjalovognathus, Merrillina in the Cisuralian, Vjalovognathus, Merrillina and Mesogondolella in the Guadalupian, and Vjalovognathus and Merrillina in the Lopingian. Mixed faunas are recognized in regions bordering between the EWWP and GCWP including Western Timer during the Artinskian, Pamirs during the Kungurian and the Salt Range during the Guadalupian and Lopingian. Three different conodont zonations: art: proposed, one for each of the three conodont provinces. Four potential horizons for inter-provincial correlation of Permian conodonts are recognized. They are in ascending order: (1) the first appearance of Sweetognathus whitei, which is closely related to the last occurrence of Carboniferous-type conodonts such as Streptognathodus and Adetognathus; (2) the first appearance of Neostreptognathodus pequopensis; (3) the base of the Jinogondolella nankingensis Zone; and (4) the base of the Clarkina postbitteri-Iranognthus erwini Zone. The spatial and temporal distribution pattern of Permian conodonts suggests that temperature is the primary controlling factor. Evolution of Permian conodont provincialism reveals a glaciation during the Asselian and Sakmarian, a global warming during the Artinskian, a climate cooling in North Pangea during the Kungurian, a continuation of Kungurian climate trends in the Guadalupian, a relatively minor warming during the Wuchiapingian, a returned cooling in the Changhsingian and Lower and Middle Griesbachian, and a global warming in the Late Griesbachian, which ended the Permian conodont lineage. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.