中国三叠纪海生爬行动物化石研究始于20世纪50年代,近10年来取得了重要的进展。此类化石在华南分布广泛,已见于多个省区的十余处地点,涉及自下三叠统奥伦尼克阶至上三叠统诺利阶的至少7个层位,并显示出由东向西产出层位逐渐升高的趋势。我国的三叠纪海生爬行动物化石门类齐全,属种丰富,已知类群包括鱼龙类、海龙类、檐齿龙类、始鳍龙类、原龙类、初龙类和湖北鳄类,显示出典型的西特提斯动物群特征,同时也体现了与东太平洋动物群的某些联系,以及一定的地方色彩。这些化石为研究三叠纪海生爬行动物各个类群的起源、演化和绝灭以及海洋环境的变迁提供了新的材料。
This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review on the study of the Triassic marine reptiles of China. Research in this area can be dated back to the 1950s, and major progress has been made during the last decade. Fossils of marine reptiles are widespread in South China, including Anhui, Hubei, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi and Xizang. Up to now, at least 7 biozonations of marine reptiles have been recognized from the Lower Triassic (Olenekian) to the Upper Triassic (Norian) in this region. And from eastern to western regions, the marine reptile fossil-bearing horizons become pro gressively higher. These major groups, such as reptiles include all known ichthyosaurs, thalattosaurs, placodonts, eosauropterygians, protorosaurs, archosaurian and hupehsuchids. These are characteristic taxa of the western Tethys Fauna, and also bear relationship to the eastern Pacific Fauna, in addition to endemic feature. New material of these fossil groups have provided an opportunity for the study of the origin, evolution and extinction of Triassic marine reptiles, as well as the environmental changes in the Triassic marine ecosystem.