Smithian and Spathian (Early Triassic) conodonts from Oman and Croatia and their depth habitat revealed

Abstract

Conodont ecology of the Early Triassic Smithian–Spathian transition is still poorly understood. Here we use oxygen isotope ratios of monogeneric conodonts from Omani samples to reveal the differences of oxygen isotopic composition between different taxa. Oxygen isotope analyses from Oman reveal that Neogondolella inhabited a deeper part of the water column relative to neospathodids and Icriospathodus. This indicates that species of Neogondolella lived in an environment ca. 1.7 °C cooler than where neospathodids lived. The investigation of conodonts from these Smithian and Spathian sections has also enabled the first recovery of some rarely reported species (e.g., Icriospathodus zaksi, Paullella omanensis sp. nov. Chen and Gladigondolella laii sp. nov. Chen) from Oman. Paullella omanensis sp. nov. was further recovered from Plavno, Croatia, indicating a large geographic distribution, and its value for biostratigraphic correlations. The discovery of these species in both Oman and Croatia expands their geographical distribution.