Geobulletin alpha

Early Triassic Stomatopod 

Smith CPA, Aubier P, Charbonnier S, Laville T, Olivier N, Escarguel G, Jenks JF, Bylund KG, Fara E, Brayard A., 2023, Closing a major gap in mantis shrimp evolution - first fossils of Stomatopoda from the Triassic, Bulletin of Geosciences, volume 98, issue 1; pages: 95 - 110  Abstract:Mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda) are marine benthic predators well known for their raptorial claws that

Paris Biota Decapods 

The Paris Biota decapod (Arthropoda) fauna and the diversity of Triassic decapodsAbstractWe describe here the early Spathian (Early Triassic) Paris Biota decapod fauna from the western USA basin. This fauna contains two taxa of Aegeridae (Dendobranchiata), namely Anisaeger longirostrus n. sp. and Aeger sp. that are the oldest known representatives of their family, thus extending its

More exceptional fossil assemblages 

 Adding to localities where fossils like those in the Paris Biota are found.Smith, C.P.A., Laville, T., Fara, E., Escarguel, G., Olivier, N., Vennin, E., Goudemand, N., Bylund, K.G., Jenks, J.F., Stephen, D.A., Hautmann, M., Charbonnier, S., Krumenacker, L.J., & Brayard, A., 2021, Exceptional fossil assemblages confirm the existence of complex Early Triassic ecosystems during the early

An Early Triassic Starfish from Utah 

The Starfish shortly after mechanical decomposition of a limestone slab in the field near Torrey, Utah. Superstesaster promissor gen. et sp. nov., a new starfish (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) from the Early Triassic of Utah, USA, filling a major gap in the phylogeny of asteroids Loïc Villier, Arnaud Brayard, Kevin G. Bylund, James F. Jenks, Gilles Escarguel, Nicolas Olivier, Daniel A.

Early Triassic Red Beds 

Red beds between the lowest ammonoid bearing limestones and the basal conglomerates.  Commonly referred to the Black Dragon Formation (previously a member of the Moenkopi Fm.) or the Woodside Shale.  Exposed all over Utah, SE Idaho and SW Wyoming. In the San Rafael Swell the lowest (and only) Triassic Limestone contains the Anasibirites Fauna, so the red beds below are older than Late

Early Triassic Thaynes Group Isotopes 

A diagenetic control on the Early Triassic Smithian–Spathian carbon isotopic excursions recorded in the marine settings of the Thaynes Group (Utah, USA) C. Thomazo, E. Vennin, A. Brayard, I. Bour, O. Mathieu, S. Elmeknassi, N. Olivier, G. Escarguel, K. G. Bylund, J. Jenks, D. A. Stephen, E. Fara In the aftermath of the end-Permian mass extinction, Early Triassic sediments record some of

Basal Triassic Conglomerate 

The Permian-Triassic boundary in central and southern Utah is marked with Conglomerates.  Some are probably Permian, those deep in paleo channels, and some are earliest Triassic, those mixed in with the sand and silt at the base of the Black Dragon Formation red beds. In the East, there is a nice outcrop in Black Dragon Canyon coming off the San Rafael Swell. Close-up of conglomerate

Jim Jenks gets the 2014 Katherine Palmer Award 

My Friend and colleague Jim Jenks received PRI's 2014 Katherine Palmer Award. It is a pleasure working with Jim and I congratulate him on getting this well deserved

Two new papers on the Early Triassic rocks in Utah 

Evolution of depositional settings in the Torrey area during the Smithian (Early Triassic, Utah, USA) and their significance for the biotic recovery; Olivier, N., Brayard, A., Vennin, E., Escarguel, G., Fara, E., Bylund, K.G., Jenks, J.F., Caravaca G. and Stephen, D.A.; 2015, Geological Journal and Microbial deposits in the aftermath of the end-Permian mass extinction: A diverging case

Of tiny tyrants and Triassic big-heads: Tyrannosaurus rex and Garjainia madiba 

This week sees two new pictures of mine being 'released' in one way or another. Much as I'd like to go into lots of detail about each, that realistically isn't going to happen anytime soon. I'm going to attempt a sort of 'picture[s] of the day'-style writing. I'm sure I can do it... right?Chidumebi Browne's resting Tyrannosaurus teensTwo young adult old male (left) and female Tyrannosaurus on a break from pillaging and destroying the Cretaceous, distracted by a group of ruffian moths. [...]

Garjainia madiba, a new Erythrosuchid Archosauriform from the Early Triassic of South Africa 

Gower, D. J., Hancox, P. J., Botha-Brink, J., Sennikov, A. G., and R. J. Butler. 2014. A New Species of Garjainia Ochev, 1958 (Diapsida: Archosauriformes: Erythrosuchidae) from the Early Triassic of South Africa. PLoS ONE 9(11): e111154. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111154Abstract - A new species of the erythrosuchid archosauriform reptile Garjainia Ochev, 1958 is described on the basis

Types on loan from USNM to NHMU 

After a request to the US National Museum, they sent the first of three loans of Type Specimens to the Natural History Museum of Utah.  Types are the specimens used to compare to other specimens to verify the others are typical of the type.  Syntypes are usually from a series of types where neither a Holotype or Lectotype have been designated. Syntype of Wyomingites aplanatus (White

Recovery of benthic marine communities from the end‐Permian mass extinction at the low latitudes of eastern Panthalassa 

Richard Hofmann, Michael Hautmann, Arnaud Brayard, Alexander Nützel, Kevin G Bylund, James F Jenks, Emmanuelle Vennin, Nicolas Olivier, Hugo Bucher Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue) Fossils from the Early Spathian "Eumorphotis Bioevent".  These were found in the Confusion Range. More of our work on the Early Triassic of Utah and other

Smithian shoreline migrations and depositional settings in Timpoweap Canyon (Early Triassic, Utah, USA) 

NICOLAS OLIVIER,ARNAUD BRAYARD,EMMANUEL FARA,KEVIN G. BYLUND,JAMES F. JENKS,EMMANUELLE VENNIN,DANIEL A. STEPHEN and GILLES ESCARGUEL Geological Magazine FirstView Articles Triassic Rock Canyon Conglomerate and Sinbad Formations(formerly Timpoweap) in Timpoweap Canyon More from our work in the Triassic of

New Open Access Paper Discussing the Rise of Dinosaurs 

Benton, M.J., Forth, J., and M.C. Langer. 2014. Models for the rise of dinosaurs. Modern Biology 24:R87-R95. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.11.063 Abstract - Dinosaurs arose in the early Triassic in the aftermath of the greatest mass extinction ever and became hugely successful in the Mesozoic. Their initial diversification is a classic example of a large-scale macroevolutionary change.

Permian-Triassic Boundary Antarctic Forests Behaved Like Both Tropical and Arctic Trees 

Strange forests with some features of today's tropical trees once grew in Antarctica, new research finds. Some 250 million years ago, during the late Permian and early Triassic, the world was a greenhouse, much hotter than it is today. Forests carpeted a non-icy Antarctic. But Antarctica was still at a high latitude, meaning that just as today, the land is bathed in round-the-clock

Paleoecology of the Early Triassic Dinwoody Formation: Insights on Recovery After the End-Permain Extinction 

Hofmann, R., Hautmann, M. and H. Bucher. 2013. A New Paleoecological Look at the Dinwoody Formation (Lower Triassic, Western USA): Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Controls on Ecosystem Recovery After the End-Permian Mass Extinction Journal of Paleontology 87:854-880. 2013  doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1666/12-153Abstract - The Dinwoody Formation of the western United States represents an

An Absolutely Beautiful (and Incredible) Fossil from the Early Triassic of South Africa 

Fernandez, V., Abdala, F., Carlson, K.J., Cook, D.C., Rubidge, B.S., Yates, A., and P. Tafforeau. 2013. Synchrotron Reveals Early Triassic Odd Couple: Injured Amphibian and Aestivating Therapsid Share Burrow. PLoS ONE 8(6): e64978. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0064978. Abstract - Fossorialism is a beneficial adaptation for brooding, predator avoidance and protection from extreme climate.

New Record of the Carbon Cycle From Early Triassic Arabia 

A new high-resolution δ13C record for the Early Triassic: Insights from the Arabian Platform Authors: 1. M.O. Clarkson (a) 2. S. Richoz (b) 3. R.A. Wood (a) 4. F. Maurer (c) 5. L. Krystyn (d) 6. D.J. McGurty (a) 7. D. Astratti (e) Affiliations: a. The Grant Institute, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK

Ontology of archosauromorph datasets 

Playing around with a format for figures showing the flow of character information between datasets. I chose archosauromorphs for the small total number of analyses published. Citations: Benton and Allen (1997) Boreopricea from the Lower Triassic of Russia, and the relationships of the prolacertiform reptiles. Palaeontology 40(4): 931-954. Bhullar and Bever (2009) An archosaur-like laterosphenoid in early turtles (Reptilia: Pantestudines). Breviora 518: 1-11. Dilkes (1998) [...]