On the Lopingian Series of the Permian System

Jin Yugan, Mei-Shilong, Wang Wei, Wang Xiangdong, Shen Shuzhong, Shang Qinghua and Chen Zhongqiang

pp. 1-18, in English

Abstract:

The Lopingian Series, as an official standard for the uppermost series of the Permian System, needs to be further enhanced through defining the GSSP for its basal boundary, refining the standard stratigraphic sequences, subdivisions and inter-regional correlation. Here we propose the Penglaitang Section at the eastern slope of the Laibin Syncline, Guangxi of China, as the stratotype with supplementary information from the Tieqiao Section at the western slope. Multidisciplinary biostratigraphic data confirm the completeness of the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary sequence of the stratotype, in which the proposed potential boundary levels can be precisely defined. This series is subdivided into the Wuchiapingian and Changhsingian Stage, each of which contains two substages. With assistance from an integrated sequence of magnetic polarity zones, isotopic age data and sequence stratigraphy, a tentative correlation of Lopingian deposits in major basins of the world is presented.

Keywords: Stratigraphy, Lopingian, Wuchiapingian, Changhsingian, Permian