[N] 2004 Survivorship across the Permian - Triassic boundary
20040417
Ketchum, H.F. and Barrett, P.M. (2004) New reptile material from the Lower Triassic of Madagascar: implications for the Permian–Triassic extinction event Canadian Jour. Earth Sciences 41(1): 1-8
Abstract: Recently discovered reptile specimens from the \\\"Eotriassic\\\" deposits of Madagascar (Lower Triassic) are reported, adding valuable information to our knowledge of Malagasy faunas and providing additional data on tetrapod survivorship across the Permian - Triassic boundary. Four specimens are attributable to the terrestrial procolophonoid Barasaurus besairiei Piveteau 1955, whereas the remainder are referable to the aquatic younginiform family Tangasauridae, including some individuals identifiable as Hovasaurus boulei Piveteau 1926. These specimens represent the geologically youngest tangasaurid and Barasaurus specimens to be described from Madagascar and suggest that these small reptiles passed unaffected through the end Permian mass extinction event, when ~78% of amniote families disappeared.