Triassic ammonoids of Northeast Asia: Diversity and evolutionary stages

The history of Triassic ammonoids in the Siberian Province of the Boreal Paleobiogeographic Realm is recorded in detail in sections of Northeast Asia. In this region there are known at present 123 Triassic ammonoid genera of 41 family and 3 orders. Six stages and 14 substages are defined based on main levels of taxonomic restructuring of Triassic ammonoids, changes in their genera and families diversity, and changes in percentage of endemic and cosmopolitan taxa in assemblages. Each stage and substage is characterized by individual taxonomic composition of ammonoids, dominant groups, trends of changes in taxonomic diversity, and percentages of endemic and cosmopolitan taxa. Boundaries of ammonoid evolution stages coincide as a rule with boundaries of series and stages, whereas boundaries of evolutionary substages match those of substages. In the history of Triassic ammonoids of Northeast Asia, the periods of a rather monotonous fauna represented mainly by cosmopolitan or panboreal taxa (early Induan, early Olenekian, early Anisian, late Anisian, early Carnian, early and middle Norian) alternated with periods, typical of which were higher rates of taxa origination and endemism of ammonoids (late Induan, late Olenekian, middle Anisian, Ladinian, late Carnian). Changing degree of cosmopolitism and endemism of Triassic ammonoid faunas from Northeast Asia is shown to be connected with global eustatic sea-level fluctuations and climatic changes.