Tethyan Crinoids in the Panthalassa Ocean

Three late Anisian (Etalian) and five late Ladinian (Kaihikuan) crinoids are known to occur in a sequence exposed at Caroline Cutting, Oreti Valley, Southland, New Zealand - ‘Isocrinus’ carolinensis, ‘Isocrinus’ balrnacaanensis, Dadocrinus gractlis (late Anisian - Etalian), Holocrinus trechmanni, Encriniis undatus, Encrinus ternio, Holocrinus quinqueradiatus, Tollmannicrinus sakltbelensts (Late Ladinian - Kaihikuan). Crinoids D. gracilts, E. ternto, H. quinqueradiatus, and T. saklibelensis are known to occur elsewhere, albeit in the Northern Hemisphere. These species are also known from intermediate migratory points on a Tethys Ocean route between New Zcaland and Europe. ‘Isocrinus’ occurs at Caroline Cutting about thc time when it has been proposed that thc Isocrinidae radiated from the Holocrinidae. It is suggested that the offshore Gondwanaland environment of Caroline Cutting was the locus of some of the earliest Isocrinidae known in the Southern hemisphere. This biogeographic situation suggests an ongoing interchange of migratory crinoid faunas from Northern Hemisphere basinal peri-Tethys, along a Tethys Ocean route, to an offshore Gondwanaland Middle Triassic point now called Caroline Cutting.