Guanling Formation

Not to be confused with Guanling biota.

Guanling Formation
Stratigraphic range: early-mid Anisian (Pelsonian) ~247–245 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Geological formation
Underlies	Yangliujing Formation
Overlies	Jialingjiang Formation
Lithology
Primary	Mudstone, limestone
Other	Dolomite
Location
Coordinates	25°30′N 104°54′E / 25.5°N 104.9°E / 25.5; 104.9
Approximate paleocoordinates	11°42′N 94°12′E / 11.7°N 94.2°E / 11.7; 94.2
Region	Guizhou & Yunnan Provinces
Country	China
Extent	Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau
Guanling Formation (China) Show map of China Guanling Formation (Guizhou) Show map of Guizhou

The Guanling Formation is a Middle Triassic (Anisian or Pelsonian in the regional chronostratigraphy) geologic formation in southwestern China.

Geology

The formation encompasses two members. The first member is primarily calcareous mudstone and dolomite, indicative of a coastal environment. The second member is a thicker marine sequence of dark micritic limestone with some dolomite. Two distinct fossil assemblages are found in the second member. The older Luoping biota preserves abundant arthropods (including isopods,^[1] decapods,^[2] mysidaceans and thylacocephalans^[3]) along with fossils from other invertebrates and vertebrates, which are rare but well-preserved. The slightly younger Panxian fauna has a more diverse and common assortment of marine reptiles such as sauropterygians.^[4]

A tuff bed in the Luoping biota has been dated to 244.5 ± 2.2 Ma via U-Pb SHRIMP dating. The Luoping biota as a whole was deposited over a period of 340 ± 71 kyr. This estimate is justified by cyclostratigraphic evidence, as indicated by fluctuations of terrestrial proxy metals.^[5]

Fossil content

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Among others, the following fossils were reported from the formation:

Invertebrates

Arthropoda

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Arthropods of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes	Image
Acanthochirana[6]	A. spinifera	Luoping Biota	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	An early aegerid prawn
Anisaeger [6]	A. brevirostrus	Luoping Biota	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	An early aegerid prawn
Aeger	A. luxii	Luoping Biota	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	An early aegerid prawn
Distaeger[6]	D prodigiosus	Luoping Biota	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	An early aegerid prawn
Judahella[7]	J. leii	Yunnan	Upper Member	A specimen	An early ostracod
Koryncheiros	K. luopingensis	Luoping Biota	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	A clytiopsid
Protamphisopus [8]	P. baii	Dawazi, Luoping and Ranjiazhai village, Guizhou	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	An amphisopid
Sinopemphix	S. guizhouensis	Dawazi, Luoping	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	A pemphicid
Sinosoma	S. luopingense	Dawazi, Luoping	Member II	A preserved exoskeleton	A chilognatha
Tridactylastacus	T. sinensis	Luoping Biota	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	A litogastroid
Yunnanocopia	Y. grandis	Dawazi and Shangshikan Quarry, Luoping	Upper Member	A carapace	A eucopiid crustacean
	Y. longicauda			A carapace
Yunnanolimulus	Y. luopingensis	Dawazi, Luoping	Upper Member	A carapace	A limulid (horseshoe crab)
Yunnanopalinura	Y. schrami	Luoping Biota	Upper Member	A preserved exoskeleton	An early relative of spiny lobsters

Ammonoidea

Ammonites of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes	Image
Progonoceratites	P. pulcher	Guizhou		A fossilized shell	A ceratitid ammonite

Bivalvia

Bivalves of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes	Image
Asoella	A. illyrica
Eumorphotis	E. (Asoella) paradoxica
Myophoria	M. (Costatoria) goldfussi
Pleuromya	P. elongata

Brachiopoda

Brachiopods of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes	Image
Lingula	L. deitersensis
	L. marginia
	L. polaris
Pseudospiriferina	P. multicostata
	P. pinguis
Punctospirella	P. fragilis

Echinoidea

Sea Urchins of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes	Image
Yunnanechinus[9]	Y. luopingensis	Luoping Biota, Yunnan	Member II	A specimen	An early sea urchin

Vertebrates

Fish

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Actinopterygii

Ray-finned fish of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes	Image
Altisolepis	A. sinensis	Dawazi, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A peltopleurid bony fish	Frodoichthys luopingensis Luoxiongichthys hyperdorsalis
Diandongichthys[10]	D. ocellatus	Luoping, Yunnan	Upper Member	A complete, laterally compressed specimen	A basal ginglymodian
Diandongperleidus	D. denticulatus	Dawazi, Yunnan	Upper Member	A preserved skeleton	A perleidiform
Feroxichthys	F. panzhouensis	Xinmin, Panxian	Upper Member	A skeleton	A colobodontid
	F. yunnanensis	Luoping Biota, Yunnan		A skeleton
Frodoichthys	F. luopingensis	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	An early neopterygian
Fuyuanperleidus	F. dengi	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A fuyuanperleidid
Gimlichthys	G. dawaziensis	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	An early neopterygian
Gymnoichthys	G. inopinatus	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	An amiiform
Habroichthys	H. broughi	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A peltopleuriform
Kyphosichthys[11]	K. grandei	Luoping, eastern Yunnan Province	Upper Member	A complete preserved skeleton	A kyphosichthyiform
Lashanichthys[12]	L. sui	Yangjuan, Guizhou	Upper Member	A partial skeleton	A lashanichthyid
	L. yangjuanensis	Dawazi Village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton
Luopingichthys	L. bergi	Dawazi Village, Yunnan	Member II	A skeleton	A louwoichthyiform
Luoxiongichthys	L. hyperdorsalis	Luoxiong Town, Yunnan	Lower member	A nearly complete skeleton and skull, a partial skull, and other referred materials	A halecomorph
Louwoichthys	L. pusillus	Yunnan	Member II	A skeleton	A louwoichthyid fish
Luopingperleidus	L. sui	Dawazi, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A perleidid
Marcopoloichthys[13]	M. ani	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A complete specimen	A teleosteomorph
Panxianichthys	P. imparilis	Xinmin, Guizhou and Yanjuan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A panxianichthyiform
Perleidus[14]	P. sinensis	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A specimen	A perleidid
Platysiagum	P. sinensis	Dawazi, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A platysiagid
Pteronisculus	P. changae	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	An early ray-finned fish of uncertain affinites
	P. nielseni[15]	Luoping Biota, Yunnan		A skeleton
Robustichthys	R. luopingensis	Luoping Biota, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A Ionoscopiform
Saurichthys	S. dawaziensis	Dawazi village, Yunnan	Upper member	A broad skull and crushing dentition	A saurichthyiform
	S. spinosa
Sinosaurichthys	S. longimedialis	Yangjuan, Guizhou and Dawazi of Luoping, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A saurichthyiform
	S. longipectoralis			A skeleton
	S. minuta			A skeleton
Subortichthys	S. triassicus	Luoping biota, Yunnan	Member II	A skeleton	A subortichthyid
Venusichthys[16]	V. comptus	Luoping biota, Yunnan	Member II	Multiple skeletons	A neopterygian in the monotypic family Venusichthyidae
Yelangichthys	Y. macrocephalus	Xindian, Guizhou	Upper Member	A broad skull and crushing dentition.	A saurichthyiform
Yudaiichthys [12]	Y. eximius	Luoping biota, Yunnan	Member II	A skeleton	A lashanichthyid

Sarcopterygii

Lobe-finned fish of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes	Image
Luopingcoelacanthus	L. eurylacrimalis	Luoping Biota, Yunnan	Upper Member	Multiple skeletons	A coelacanthiform	Luopingcoelacanthus eurylacrimalis
Yunnancoelacanthus	Y. acrotuberculatus	Luoping Biota, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A coelacanthiform

Reptiles

Ichthyosauria

Ichthyosaurs of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Materials	Notes	Image
Barracudasauroides[17]	B. panxianensis	Yangjuan village, Xinmin	Upper Member[17][4]	A skeleton	A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur; either a member of its own genus[18] or a species of Mixosaurus.[4]	Barracudasauroides Phalarodon Mixosaurus
Mixosaurus	M. kuhnschnyderi	Xinzhai Village, Luoping	Upper Member	A specimen	A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur
	M. luxiensis	Huale Village, Luxi	Upper Member	A largely complete but disarticulated skeleton
	M. panxianensis	Yangjuan Hill locality	Middle Member	A skeleton
	M. xindianensis	Xindian, Qingshan Pu'an	Upper Member
Phalarodon[19][20]	P. atavus[20]		Upper Member[4]	A complete skeleton	A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur; might represent a member of its own genus, Contectopalatus.
	P. fraasi[19]	Yangjuan Village	Upper Member[4]	A skull with durophagous dentition.	A small mixosaurid ichthyosaur
Xinminosaurus[21]	X. catactes	Near Yangjuan Village, Guizhou	Upper Member[4]	A nearly complete skeleton	A medium-sized early ichthyosaur with durophagous dentition, possibly a member of Cymbospondylidae.

Pseudosuchia

Pseudosuchians of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Materials	Notes	Image
Chirotherium	C. bartheii	Zhenfeng County, Guizhou	Upper Member	Several trackways	A pseudosuchian archosaur	Qianosuchus
Qianosuchus	Q. mixtus	Xinmin, Panxian		Two nearly complete skeletons and a crushed skull	An aquatic poposauroid archosaur

Sauropterygia

Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon		Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited.

Nothosauria

Nothosaurs of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Materials	Notes	Image
Dawazisaurus	D. brevis	Dawazisaurus-type locality, Yunnan	Member II	A nearly complete skeleton exposed in dorsal view	A sauropterygian of possible nothosauroid affinities	Dawazisaurus Nothosaurus
Dikoposichnus[22]	D. luopingensis	Qingyuan Village, Guizhou, and Luoping Biota, Yunnan	Member I	12 trackways and footprints	A probable nothosaur ichnotaxon
Lariosaurus[23]	L. hongguoensis	Yangjuan village, Guizhou	Upper Member	A near-complete skeleton	A small Lariosaurinae nothosaur
Nothosaurus	N. rostellatus[24]	Panxian, Guizhou	Upper Member	A complete skull and incomplete postcranial skeleton	A nothosaur
	N. yangjuanensis	Panxian, Guizhou	Middle Member	A partial skeleton
	N. zhangi[25]	Bed 165 of the Dawazi section, Yunnan	Upper Member	A complete lower jaw associated with a partial postcranial skeleton
Sanchiaosaurus	S. dengi	Sanchiao in the vicinity of Guiyang and Chinchungchiao, Guizhou	Middle member	A partial skeleton	A nothosaur

Pachypleurosauria

Pachypleurosaurs of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Materials	Notes	Image
Diandongosaurus	D. acutidentatus	Dawazi, Yunnan	Member II	A complete and articulated skeleton with skull	A small pachypleurosaur	Luopingosaurus Wumengosaurus
Dianopachysaurus	D. dingi	Dawazi, Luoping	Member II	A near-complete articulated skeleton	A keichousaurid pachypleurosaur
Dianmeisaurus	D. gracilis	Luoping, Yunnan	Upper Member	A small skeleton likely belonging to an immature individual	A pachypleurosaur
	D. mutaensis	Northwest of Muta village, Luxi		A complete and articulated skeleton exposed in dorsal view
Honghesaurus	H. longicaudalis	Luxi, Yunnan	Member II	A skeleton	A pachypleurosaurid
Luopingosaurus[26]	L. imparilis	Luoping, Yunnan	Upper Member	A skeleton	A pachypleurosaurid
Panzhousaurus[27]	P. rotundirostris	Dapianpo Quarry from Yangjuan Village, Guizhou	Upper Member	A near-complete skeleton	A pachypleurosaur
Wumengosaurus	W. delicatomandibularis	Yangjuan Village, Xinmin	Member II	A skeleton	A small pachypleurosaur
	W. rotundicarpus	Panzhou, Guizhou	Member II	A specimen

Placodontiformes

Placodontiformes of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Materials	Notes	Image
Atopodentatus[28]	A. unicus	Dawazi, Yunnan	Upper Member and Member II[28]	Several well-preserved specimens	A bizarre, likely herbivorous[29] sauropterygian with possible placodontiform affinities[30]	Atopodentatus Placodus
Placodus[31]	P. inexpectatus	Yangjuan Village, Xinmin	Upper Member[31][4]	A skeleton	A medium-sized placodontid placodont, known from a[31]

Saurosphargidae

Saurosphargidae of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Materials	Notes	Image
Anshunpes[22]	A. aquacursor	Qingyuan Village, Guizhou	Songzikan Member (Member I)	A trackway consisting of 10 right and 9 left autopodial (?manus) imprints	An ichnotaxon of Saurosphargidae	Sinosaurosphargis
Largocephalosaurus	L. polycarpon[32]	Luoping, Yunnan	Upper Member [32][4]	A nearly complete and articulated skull and skeleton missing most of its tail	A mid-sized basal saurosphargid sauropterygian
	L. qianensis[33]	Panxian, Gauizhou	Upper Member [33][4]	Multiple specimens	A mid-sized basal saurosphargid sauropterygian
Sinosaurosphargis[34]	S. yunguinensis	Yangmazhai of Luoping County, Yunnan and Yangjian of Pan County, Guizhou	Upper Member [34][4]	Multiple specimens	A small armoured saurosphargid sauropterygian

Tanysauria

Tanysaurians of the Guanling Formation
Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Materials	Notes	Image
Austronaga[35]	A. minuta	Waina Village, Yunnan	Member II	A nearly complete skull articulated, the first six cervical vertebrae, and 65 caudal vertebrae	A trachelosaurid	Dinocephalosaurus Pectodens
Dinocephalosaurus[36]	D. orientalis	Paxian, Gaizhou and Luoping, Yunnan	Member II	Multiple specimens	A trachelosaurid
Gracilicollum[37]	G. latens	Near Xinmin Village in Panzhou, Guizhou	Member II	A skull and partial neck	A probable trachelosaurid
Luxisaurus[36]	L. terrestris	Near Suomeiluo in Luxi County, Yunnan	Upper Member	An articulated partial skeleton	A tanystropheid
Pectodens[36]	P. zhenyuensis	Luoping, Yunnan	Member II	A well-preserved and near-complete skeleton	A small trachelosaurid

References

1. Fu, Wan-Lu; Wilson, George D. F.; Jiang, Da-Yong; Sun, Yuan-Lin; Hao, Wei-Cheng; Sun, Zuo-Yu (September 2010). "A New Species of Protamphisopus Nicholls (Crustacea, Isopoda, Phreatoicidea) from Middle Triassic Luoping Fauna of Yunnan Province, China". Journal of Paleontology. 84 (5): 1003–1013. doi:10.1666/10-042.1. ISSN 0022-3360.
2. Feldmann, Rodney M.; Schweitzer, Carrie E.; Hu, Shixue; Zhang, Qiyue; Zhou, Changyoing; Xie, Tao; Huang, Jinyuan; Wen, Wen (May 2012). "Macrurous Decapoda from the Luoping Biota (Middle Triassic) of China". Journal of Paleontology. 86 (3): 425–441. doi:10.1666/11-113.1. ISSN 0022-3360.
3. Feldmann, Rodney M.; Schweitzer, Carrie E.; Hu, Shixue; Huang, Jinyuan; Zhou, Changyong; Zhang, Qiyue; Wen, Wen; Xie, Tao; Maguire, Evin (November 2015). "Spatial distribution of Crustacea and associated organisms in the Luoping Biota (Anisian, Middle Triassic), Yunnan Province, China: evidence of periodic mass kills". Journal of Paleontology. 89 (6): 1022–1037. doi:10.1017/jpa.2015.60. ISSN 0022-3360.
4. Benton, Michael J.; Zhang, Qiyue; Hu, Shixue; Chen, Zhong-Qiang; Wen, Wen; Liu, Jun; Huang, Jinyuan; Zhou, Changyong; Xie, Tao; Tong, Jinnan; Choo, Brian (2013-10-01). "Exceptional vertebrate biotas from the Triassic of China, and the expansion of marine ecosystems after the Permo-Triassic mass extinction". Earth-Science Reviews. 125: 199–243. Bibcode:2013ESRv..125..199B. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.05.014. ISSN 0012-8252.
5. Ma, Zhixin; Wu, Huaichun; Hu, Shixue; Fang, Qiang; Liu, Xiting; Zhou, Changyong; Wen, Wen; Zhang, Qiyue; Huang, Jinyuan; Min, Xiao (2023-09-26). "Temporal duration and preservation mechanism of the Middle Triassic Luoping biota from South China constrained by geochronology and cyclostratigraphy". Global and Planetary Change. 229 104254. Bibcode:2023GPC...22904254M. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104254. ISSN 0921-8181. S2CID 263214751.
6. Schweitzer, Carrie E.; Feldmann, Rodney M.; Hu, Shixue; Huang, Jinyuan; Zhou, Changyong; Zhang, Qiyue; Wen, Wen; Xie, Tao (May 2014). "Penaeoid Decapoda (Dendrobranchiata) from the Luoping Biota (Middle Triassic) of China: Systematics and Taphonomic Framework". Journal of Paleontology. 88 (3): 457–474. Bibcode:2014JPal...88..457S. doi:10.1666/13-039. S2CID 128636280. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
7. Marie-Béatrice Forel, Jinyuan Huang, Jianxin Yu, Junyu Wan, Qiyue Zhang, et al.. Middle Triassic ostracods from Yunnan, South China. Alcheringa, 2025, pp.1-16. ⟨10.1080/03115518.2025.2488055⟩. ⟨hal-05210996⟩
8. W. L. Fu and G. D. F. Wilson. 2010. Taxonomic names, in A new species of Protamphisophus Nicholls (Crustacea, Isopoda, Phreatoicidea) from Middle Triassic Luoping fauna of Yunnan Province, China. Journal of Paleontology 84(5):1003-1013
9. J. R. Thompson, S. X. Hu, Q. Y. Zhang, E. Petsios, L. J. Cotton, J. Y. Huang, C. Y. Zho, W. Wen, and D. J. Bottjer. 2018. A new stem group echinoid from the Triassic of China leads to a revised macroevolutionary history of echinoids during the end-Permian mass extinction. Royal Society Open Science 5:171548
10. Xu, G.-H.; Ma, X.-Y. (2023). "A new basal ginglymodian fish (Holostei: Neopterygii) from the Middle Triassic (Anisian) Luoping Biota, Yunnan, China". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad144.
11. Xu, Guang-Hui & Wu, Feixiang. (2012). A deep-bodied ginglymodian fish from the Middle Triassic of eastern Yunnan Province, China, and the phylogeny of lower neopterygians. Chinese Science Bulletin. 57. 10.1007/s11434-011-4719-1.
12. Guang-Hui Xu; Xin-Ying Ma; Fei-xiang Wu; Yi Ren (2019). "A Middle Triassic kyphosichthyiform from Yunnan, China, and phylogenetic reassessment of early ginglymodians". Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 57 (3): 181–204. doi:10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.190319.
13. Tintori, Andrea; Sun, Zuo-Yu; Lombardo, Cristina; Jiang, Da-Yong; Sun, Yuan-Lin; Rusconi, Marco; Hao, Wei-cheng (2007). "NEW SPECIALIZED BASAL NEOPTERYGIANS (ACTINOPTERYGII) FROM TRIASSIC OF THE TETHYS REALM". Geol. Insubr. 10 (2) – via ResearchGate.
14. Yuan, Z.; Xu, G.; Dai, X.; Wang, F.; Liu, X.; Jia, E.; Miao, L.; Song, H. (2022). "A new perleidid neopterygian fish from the Early Triassic (Dienerian, Induan) of South China, with a reassessment of the relationships of Perleidiformes". PeerJ. 10 e13448. doi:10.7717/peerj.13448. PMC 9121871. PMID 35602899.
15. Xu, Guang-Hui; Shen, Chen-Chen; Zhao, Li-Jun (2014). "Pteronisculus nielseni sp. nov., a new stem-actinopteran fish from the Middle Triassic of Luoping, Yunnan Province, China". Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 52: 364–380.
16. Xu, Guang-Hui; Zhao, Li-Jun (February 2016). "A Middle Triassic stem-neopterygian fish from China shows remarkable secondary sexual characteristics". Science Bulletin. 61 (4): 338–344. doi:10.1007/s11434-016-1007-0.
17. Jiang, Da-Yong; Schmitz, Lars; Hao, Wei-Cheng; Sun, Yuan-Lin (March 30, 2006). "A new mixosaurid ichthyosaur from the Middle Triassic of China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 26 (1): 60–69. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2006)26[60:ANMIFT]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR 4524536. S2CID 55171917.
18. Maisch, Michael W. (2010). "Phylogeny, systematics, and origin of the Ichthyosauria - the state of the art". Palaeodiversity. 3: 141–214.
19. Jiang, Da-Yong; Lars, Schmitz; Motani, Ryosuke; Hao, Wie-Cheng; Sun, Yuan-Lin (2007). "The Mixosaurid Ichthyosaur Phalarodon cf. P. fraasi from the Middle Triassic of Guizhou Province, China". Journal of Paleontology. 81 (3): 602–605. Bibcode:2007JPal...81..602J. doi:10.1666/05092.1. JSTOR 4498810. S2CID 54761545.
20. Liu, Jun; Motani, Ryosuke; Jiang, Da-Yong; Hu, Shi-Xue; Aitchison, Jonathan C.; Rieppel, Olivier; Benton, Michael J.; Zhang, Qi-Yue; Zhou, Chang-Yong (2013). "The first specimen of the Middle Triassic Phalarodon atavus (Ichthyosauria: Mixosauridae) from South China, showing postcranial anatomy and peri-Tethyan distribution". Palaeontology. 56 (4): 849–866. Bibcode:2013Palgy..56..849L. doi:10.1111/pala.12021.
21. Jiang, Da-Yong; Motani, Ryosuke; Hao, Wei-Cheng; Schmitz, Lars; Rieppel, Olivier; Sun, Yuan-Lin; Sun, Zuo-Yu (2008). "New primitive ichthyosaurian (Reptilia, Diapsida) from the Middle Triassic of Panxian, Guizhou, southwestern China and its position in the Triassic biotic recovery". Progress in Natural Science. 18 (10): 1315–1319. Bibcode:2008PNSMI..18.1315J. doi:10.1016/j.pnsc.2008.01.039.
22. Xing, Lida; Klein, Hendrik; Lockley, Martin G.; Wu, Xiao-chun; Benton, Michael J.; Zeng, Rong; Romilio, Anthony (November 2020). "Footprints of marine reptiles from the Middle Triassic (Anisian-Ladinian) Guanling Formation of Guizhou Province, southwestern China: The earliest evidence of synchronous style of swimming". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 558 109943. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109943.
23. Jiang, Dayong & Sun, Zuoyu & Sun, Yuan-lin & Hao, Wei-Cheng. (2006). A new species of Lariosaurus (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Middle Anisian (Middle Triassic) of southwestern China. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 242. 19-42. 10.1142/9789812774484_0003.
24. Shang, Qinghua & Palasiatica, Vertebrata. (2006). A new species of Nothosaurus from the early Middle Triassic of Guizhou, China. Vertebrata Palasiatica. 44.
25. Jun Liu; Shi-xue Hu; Olivier Rieppel; Da-yong Jiang; Michael J. Benton; Neil P. Kelley; Jonathan C. Aitchison; Chang-yong Zhou; Wen Wen; Jin-yuan Huang; Tao Xie; Tao Lv (2014). "A gigantic nothosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the Middle Triassic of SW China and its implication for the Triassic biotic recovery". Scientific Reports. 4 7142. doi:10.1038/srep07142. PMC 4245812. PMID 25429609.
26. Xu, G.-H.; Shang, Q.-H.; Wang, W.; Ren, Y.; Lei, H.; Liao, J.-L.; Zhao, L.-J.; Li, C. (2023). "A new long-snouted marine reptile from the Middle Triassic of China illuminates pachypleurosauroid evolution". Scientific Reports. 13 (1). 16. Bibcode:2023NatSR..13...16X. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-24930-y. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 9816097. PMID 36604433.
27. Lin, Wenbin & Jiang, Dayong & Rieppel, Olivier & Motani, Ryosuke & Tintori, Andrea & Sun, Zuoyu & Zhou, Min. (2021). Panzhousaurus Rotundirostris Jiang et al., 2019 (Diapsida: Sauropterygia) and the Recovery of the Monophyly of Pachypleurosauridae. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 41. e1901730. 10.1080/02724634.2021.1901730.
28. Cheng, Long; Chen, Xiao-Hong; Shang, Qing-Hua; Wu, Xiao-Chun (2014). "A new marine reptile from the Triassic of China, with a highly specialized feeding adaptation". Naturwissenschaften. 101 (3): 251–259. Bibcode:2014NW....101..251C. doi:10.1007/s00114-014-1148-4. PMID 24452285. S2CID 7770583.
29. Chun, Li; Rieppel, Olivier; Long, Cheng; Fraser, Nicholas C. (2016). "The earliest herbivorous marine reptile and its remarkable jaw apparatus". Science Advances. 2 (5) e1501659. Bibcode:2016SciA....2E1659C. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1501659. PMC 4928886. PMID 27386529.
30. Wolniewicz, Andrzej S.; Shen, Yuefeng; Li, Qiang; Sun, Yuanyuan; Qiao, Yu; Chen, Yajie; Hu, Yi-Wei; Liu, Jun (2023). "An armoured marine reptile from the Early Triassic of South China and its phylogenetic and evolutionary implications". eLife. 12 e83163. doi:10.7554/eLife.83163. PMC 10499374. PMID 37551884.
31. Jiang, Da-Yong; Motani, Ryosuke; Hao, Wei-Cheng; Rieppel, Olivier; Sun, Yuan-Lin; Schmitz, Lars; Sun, Zu-Yu (2008). "First Record of Placodontoidea (Reptilia, Sauropterygia, Placodontia) from the Eastern Tethys". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (3): 904–908. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[904:FROPRS]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR 20491013. S2CID 9784064.
32. Cheng, Long; Chen, Xiahong; Zeng, Xiongwei; Cai, Yongjian (2012). "A new eosauropterygian (Diapsida: Sauropterygia) from the Middle Triassic of Luoping, Yunnan Province". Journal of Earth Science. 23 (1): 33–40. Bibcode:2012JEaSc..23...33C. doi:10.1007/s12583-012-0231-z.
33. Li, Chun; Jiang, Da-Yong; Cheng, Long; Wu, Xiao-Chun; Rieppel, Olivier (2014). "A new species of Largocephalosaurus (Diapsida: Saurosphargidae), with implications for the morphological diversity and phylogeny of the group". Geological Magazine. 151 (1): 100–120. Bibcode:2014GeoM..151..100L. doi:10.1017/S001675681300023X.
34. Li, Chun; Rieppel, Olivier; Wu, Xiao-Chun; Zhao, Li-Jun; Wang, Li-Ting (2011). "A new Triassic marine reptile from southwestern China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 31 (2): 303–312. Bibcode:2011JVPal..31..303L. doi:10.1080/02724634.2011.550368.
35. Wang, W.; Lei, H.; Li, C. (2023). "A small-sized dinocephalosaurid archosauromorph from the Middle Triassic of Yunnan, southwestern China". Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 62 (1): 13. doi:10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.231013.
36. Lu, Yu-Ting; Liu, Jun (2023-10-02). "A new tanystropheid (Diapsida: Archosauromorpha) from the Middle Triassic of SW China and the biogeographical origin of Tanystropheidae". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 21 (1). Bibcode:2023JSPal..2150778L. doi:10.1080/14772019.2023.2250778. ISSN 1477-2019. S2CID 263634664.
37. Wang, W.; Spiekman, S. N. F.; Zhao, L.; Rieppel, O.; Scheyer, T. M.; Fraser, N. C.; Li, C. (2023). "A new long-necked archosauromorph from the Guanling Formation (Anisian, Middle Triassic) of southwestern China and its implications for neck evolution in tanystropheids". The Anatomical Record. doi:10.1002/ar.25216. PMID 37029530. S2CID 258028261.