Pattern of marine mass extinction near the Permian-Triassic boundary in South China

The Meishan section across the Permian-Triassic boundary in South China is the most thoroughly investigated in the world. A statistical analysis of the occurrences of 162 genera and 333 species confirms a sudden extinction event at 251.4 million years ago, coincident with a dramatic depletion of delta(13)C(carbonate) and an increase in microspherules.