Early Triassic terrestrial tetrapod fauna: a review

Peer Review #3 of "Archosauriform footprints in the Lower Triassic of Western Alps and their role in understanding the effects of the Permian-Triassic hyperthermal (v0.2)"

“…In this framework, and although some uncertainties on the chronological attribution persists, the Gardetta ichnosite provides important evidence to the low latitude distribution of archosauriforms during the Early Triassic period, soon after the PTME, corroborating the pattern described by Bernardi et al (2018) and Romano et al (2020). In particular, the new discovery provides further evidence for an early recovery terrestrial ecosystems and the presence at low latitudes of archosauriformes during the Early Triassic.…”

“…Such evidences support a model in which the EPME did not completely vacate low-latitude lands from tetrapods that, therefore would, have been able to cope with the extreme hot temperatures of Pangaea mainland. In particular, by integrating both skeletal and ichnological material, recently Romano et al (2020) restricted the PeerJ reviewing PDF | (2020:08:51782:4:0:NEW 15 Nov 2020)…”

Archosauriform footprints in the Lower Triassic of Western Alps and their role in understanding the effects of the Permian-Triassic hyperthermal

“…The Permian-Triassic mass extinction (PTME) was the most severe biotic crisis of all times ( Erwin, 1993 ), eliminating >90% of marine and terrestrial species ( Erwin, 1993 ; Song et al, 2013 ; Song et al, 2015 ; Romano et al, 2020 ). After the mass extinction, totally new clades emerged, which include decapods and marine reptiles in the oceans and new tetrapods on land ( Chen & Benton, 2012 ).…”

“…By compiling literature evidence on the main skeletal findings, Sun et al (2012) suggested that, in the Early Triassic, terrestrial vertebrates totally vacated the equatorial belt, the so-called ‘vertebrate equatorial-gap’, as a consequence of the extreme hot temperatures. More recently, Bernardi et al (2015) , Bernardi, Petti & Benton (2018) and Romano et al (2020) reviewed the late Permian-Early Triassic terrestrial tetrapod record integrating skeletal and track data and concluded that tetrapod geographic distribution was much wider than previously suggested. In the Early Triassic it included also the low latitudes, though polarward dispersals were detected in the Early Triassic and possibly linked to the development of super-hot temperatures in the equatorial belt ( Bernardi, Petti & Benton, 2018 ).…”

Figure 6: Colour-coded, contour line and interpretative drawing of the GT-7 trackway.

“…By compiling literature evidence on the main skeletal findings, Sun et al (2012) suggested that, in the Early Triassic, terrestrial vertebrates totally vacated the equatorial belt, the so-called 'vertebrate equatorial-gap', as a consequence of the extreme hot temperatures. More recently, Bernardi et al (2015), Bernardi, Petti & Benton (2018) and Romano et al (2020) reviewed the late Permian-Early Triassic terrestrial tetrapod record integrating skeletal and track data and concluded that tetrapod geographic distribution was much wider than previously suggested. In the Early Triassic it included also the low latitudes, though polarward dispersals were detected in the Early Triassic and possibly linked to the development of super-hot temperatures in the equatorial belt (Bernardi, Petti & Benton, 2018).…”