The conodont biostratigraphy of the upper Carnian (Upper Triassic) in the Tethys Himalaya area, South Tibet

The conodonts from the Carnian have been well studied in western Tethys, eastern Tethys, middle and eastern Panthalassa. However, in the Tethys Himalaya, namely the northern periphery of Gondwana, the Carnian conodont data is limited. Our conodont biostratigraphic investigation was conducted at Jiesheng (JS) section of the Tethys Himalaya area, south Tibet. The majority of the conodont species found in the JS section, such as Paragondolella(=Quadralella) polygnathiformis, P. praelindae, P. noah, P. oertlii, Carnepigondolella cf. zoae, C. tuvalica, C. pseudoechinata, Metapolygnathus cf. linguiformis, M. praecommunisti, Primatella triangulare, Pr. subquadrata, and Ancyrogondolella quadrata, represent the first record in this region. According to the conodont biostratigraphy, large part of the measured JS section can be assigned to middle Tuvalian to uppermost Tuvalian (upper Carnian); the topmost strata can be assigned to lower Lacian (lower Norian). In addition, the puzzle of Carnian conodont taxonomy should be brought to the forefront of Upper Triassic conodont research. The over-simplified Tethyan and the over-complicated North American taxonomic concepts hamper the classifications of Carnian conodonts and chances of global correlation. A taxonomic revision including previously overlooked morphological features is necessary, in which microreticulation may have the potential to serve as one of the distinguishing characteristics between taxa of the Carnian-Norian boundary interval.