Permophiles Issue #<strong>46</strong> December 2005 Fig. 1. Photo <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitian Limest<strong>on</strong>e secti<strong>on</strong> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> bed <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitino Creek (Nikitin Ravine Secti<strong>on</strong>) taken in 1977. Fig. 2. Photo <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same locality taken in 1997. 24
could be found. Stratigraphically above <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitian Limest<strong>on</strong>e at this locality is a thick (about 65m) clastic (argillaceous shale) sequence with scattered, but well exposed algal carb<strong>on</strong>ate lenses. We believe that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitian Limest<strong>on</strong>e is clearly correlative in both localities, whereas <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> superposed clastic sequence varies greatly in thickness at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> two localities. Fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rmore, at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitino Creek locality, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is a thick carb<strong>on</strong>ate reef exposed above a much thinner (approximately 5 m) clastic plant bearing sequence that tops <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitian Limest<strong>on</strong>e. In summary, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitian Limest<strong>on</strong>e is well exposed at both localities, lithologically similar, and c<strong>on</strong>tains a similar fauna <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> foraminifers and brachiopods whose age is c<strong>on</strong>sidered to be Changhsingian (Pr<strong>on</strong>ina-Nestell and Nestell, 2001; Kotlyar et al., 1999, 2004). In spite <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dominati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> terrigenous facies in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Severnaya Ravine, we c<strong>on</strong>sider this unit to be <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same age as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nikitian Limest<strong>on</strong>e because both <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se facies c<strong>on</strong>tain similar brachiopod assemblages in which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> genera Neoch<strong>on</strong>etes (Huangich<strong>on</strong>etes), Cathyasia, Spinomarginifera and Crurithyris dominate. The presence in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> terrigenous facies in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Severnaya Ravine <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Late Changhsingian genus Dushanoceras (Kotlyar et al., 1999), <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pelecypods Claraioides caucasicus (Kulikov and Tkachuk), C. labensis Polubotko, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> rugose coral Waagenophyllum asperum Zhao also supports <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Late Changhsingian age for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se deposits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> northwestern Caucasus. We suggest to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> authors Drs. Gaetani and Angiolini that any additi<strong>on</strong>al questi<strong>on</strong>s about foraminiferal data be directed to Pr<strong>on</strong>ina-Nestell and Nestell, and that any additi<strong>on</strong>al questi<strong>on</strong>s about brachiopod and amm<strong>on</strong>oid data be directed to Kotlyar and Zakharov, respectively. References Gaetani, M. and Angiolini, L., 2005. The Upper <strong>Permian</strong> in NW Caucasus. Permophiles, 45, p. 26-27. Kotlyar, G.V., Nestell, G.P., Zakharov, Y.D. and Nestell, M.K., 1999. Changhsingian <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Northwestern Caucasus, Sou<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rn Primorye and Sou<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>astern Pamirs. Permophiles, 35, p. 18-22. Kotlyar, G.V., Zakharov, Y.D. and Polubotko, I.V., 2004. Late Changhsingian fauna <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Northwestern Caucasus Mountains, Russia. Journal <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pale<strong>on</strong>tology, 78, p. 513-527. Likharew, B.K., 1926. Palae<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>usulina nana sp. nov. from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> anthracolithic deposits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> North Caucasus. Izvestiya Geologicheskogo Komiteta, 45, p. 59-66. (in Russian) Likharew, B.K., ed., 1939. An atlas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> leading forms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fossil fauna <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> USSR. V. 6 <strong>Permian</strong> System. Leningrad-Moscow: Izdatelstvo GONTI NKTR, 268 pp. (in Russian) Miklukho-Maklay, K.V., 1954. Foraminifers <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Upper <strong>Permian</strong> deposits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rn Caucasus. Trudy VSEGEI. Leningrad, 123 pp. (in Russia) Pr<strong>on</strong>ina-Nestell, G.P. and Nestell, M.K., 2001. Late Changhsingian foraminifers <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> northwestern Caucasus. Micropale<strong>on</strong>tology 47. Shen, S.Z. and He, X.L., 1994. Brachiopod assemblages from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Changhsingian to lowermost Triassic <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Southwest China and correlati<strong>on</strong> over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Tethys. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Newsletter</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Stratigraphy</strong>, 31, p. 151-160. Shen, S.Z. and Archbold, N.W., 2001. Ch<strong>on</strong>etoidea (Brachiopoda) from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Lopingian <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> South China. Alcheringa, 25, p. 327-350. Permophiles Issue #<strong>46</strong> December 2005 25 Xu, G.R. and Grant, R.E., 1994. Brachiopods near <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Permian</strong>- Triassic Boundary in South China. Smiths<strong>on</strong>ian C<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong> in Paleobiology, no. 76, 68 pp. Meeting report: Internati<strong>on</strong>al Symposium <strong>on</strong> Triassic Chr<strong>on</strong>ostratigraphy and Biotic Recovery T<strong>on</strong>g Jinnan China University <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 China (jnt<strong>on</strong>g@cug.edu.cn) Michael Orchard Geological Survey <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Canada, 101-605 Robs<strong>on</strong> Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 5J3, Canada (MOrchard@nrcan.gc.ca). The Internati<strong>on</strong>al Symposium <strong>on</strong> Triassic Chr<strong>on</strong>ostratigraphy and Biotic Recovery was held at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Tang Shan Hotel in Chaohu City, Anhui Province, China <strong>on</strong> 23-25 May 2005 with about 70 colleagues from 14 countries in attendance. The Symposium was co-sp<strong>on</strong>sored by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Subcommissi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Permian</strong> <strong>Stratigraphy</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Subcommissi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> Triassic <strong>Stratigraphy</strong>, IGCP-<strong>46</strong>7, Task Group <strong>on</strong> Induan-Olenekian Boundary, NSF- CHRONOS Project, as well as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Natural Science Foundati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> China and China Nati<strong>on</strong>al Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Stratigraphy</strong>. It was organized by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> China University <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Geosciences and hosted by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Government <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Chaohu City and Office <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Land and Resources, Anhui Province. Dr. Mike Orchard acted as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> chairman and Drs. Yuri Zakharov and Yin H<strong>on</strong>gfu as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> vice-chairmen, while Dr. T<strong>on</strong>g Jinnan served as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> secretary. The opening cerem<strong>on</strong>y was chaired by Pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Yin H<strong>on</strong>gfu and six opening speeches were addressed by Zhen Weiwen, Mayor <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Chaohu City, Tao Qingfa, <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficial <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Ministry <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Land and Resources <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> China, Yang Xianjing, vice-director <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Office <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Land and Resources <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Anhui Province, Mike Orchard, chairman <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Subcommissi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> Triassic <strong>Stratigraphy</strong> and IGCP-<strong>46</strong>7, Wang Yanxing, vice-president <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> China University <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Geosciences (Wuhan), and James Ogg, secretary general <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Internati<strong>on</strong>al Commissi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Stratigraphy</strong>. 47 oral reports were presented at 13 sessi<strong>on</strong>s during two and half days, and 15 posters were displayed at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Symposium. Most speeches at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> symposium expounded <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Permian</strong>- Triassic (P-T) transiti<strong>on</strong> with emphasis <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> nature and pattern <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> extincti<strong>on</strong> and events, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ecosystems and evoluti<strong>on</strong> during <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> crisis and recovery, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> processes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> biotic recovery and radiati<strong>on</strong>. Yin H<strong>on</strong>gfu addressed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> multiple phases <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> events leading to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extincti<strong>on</strong>. Yukio Isozaki expressed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> process <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> anoxia from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Late <strong>Permian</strong> to Middle Triassic. Pedro Marenco proposed a hypo<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>sis to explain <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sulfur isotopic excursi<strong>on</strong> around <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> P-T transiti<strong>on</strong>. Feng Qiao reported an idea about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> influence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> climate change <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mass extincti<strong>on</strong> according to a study <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> terrestrial P-T sequences. Shen Shuzh<strong>on</strong>g provided <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pattern <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> P-T events from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> peri- G<strong>on</strong>dwana facies. Richard Twitchett ascribed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fossil dwarfism (Lilliput Effect) to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> secular atmosphere oxygen-depleti<strong>on</strong> and oceanic anoxia during <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> transiti<strong>on</strong> and crisis. David Bottjer c<strong>on</strong>sidered <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> reducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> bioturbati<strong>on</strong> as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sparseness <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> benthic communities resulting from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> harsh envir<strong>on</strong>mental c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Early Triassic. He Weih<strong>on</strong>g assumed that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> brachiopod miniaturizati<strong>on</strong> was a special appearance and resulted from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>