The chondrichthyan fauna from the Middle-Late Triassic of Guanling (Guizhou province, SW China)

Abstract

Teeth of Polyacrodus contrarius are reported from the Anisian/Carnian of the Guanling area, as well as a tooth of ?Parvodus from the Anisian, and a tooth of an indeterminate elasmobranch, possibly with neoselachian affinity, from the Ladinian/Carnian. Dermal denticles similar to Arctacanthus are also relatively common in the Ladinian/Carnian interval. They are much smaller than the Permian Arctacanthus, and the structure of their root prevent them for being hybodont cephalic spines. They might represent frontal clasper denticles of a holocephalan. This fauna confirms the survival of Palaeozoic chondrichthyan lineages into the Triassic.