Integrated Radiolarian and Conodont Biostratigraphy of the Middle to Late Permian Linghao Formation in Northwestern Guangxi, South China.

The Permian radiolarian zones and their correlations with conodont zones or other chronostratigraphic schemes are still under debate. In this study, four genera, 21 species and two subspecies of radiolarians together with one genus and six species of conodonts were recovered from the Linghao Formation cropping out at the Longwangpo (LWP) section, northwestern Guangxi, South China. Six radiolarian interval zones and one abundance zone are recognized in the section, namely in ascending order, the Follicucullus scholasticus, Albaillella cavitata, A. protolevis, A. levis, A. excelsa, A. triangularis Interval zones and A. yaoi Abundance Zone. They are correlated with the Clarkina dukouensis, C. guangyuanensis and C. orientalis conodont zones recognized at the same section. Based on our data, the F. scholasticus Interval Zone and the lowermost part of A. cavitata Interval Zone are recognized to be upper Capitanian age, whereas the four Albaillella Interval zones are of Lopingian age (Wuchiapingian to the late Changhsingian). Two previously known Changhsingian radiolarian zones, namely the A. triangularis and A. yaoi Interval zones, should be extended down to the uppermost Wuchiapingian in this studied section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]