Radiolarian ecological diagnoses and rare earth element (REE) criteria are sensitive indicators of the evolution of paleo-ocean basins. We examined the radiolarian succession and biozonation, as well as the 6REE, La n /Ce n and Ce/Ce ¤ of chert samples from the Early Carboniferous to Middle Permian chert sequences in South China. Six radiolarian ecological facies (REFs) are distinguished: (1) a clear pelagic REF, with eupelagic radiolarians assemblage and the lowest Ce/Ce* (0.33-0.60, average 0.45); (2) a transitional REF containing mixed radiolarian assemblage of eupelagic and bathyal taxa and a moderate Ce/Ce ¤ (0.67-0.76, average 0.73); (3) a convergent continental margin REF containing bathyal radiolarians and a higher Ce/Ce ¤ (0.73-0.79, average 0.76); (4) a divergent bathyal REF containing bathyal radiolarians and a variable Ce/Ce ¤ (0.52-0.97, average 0.75); (5) a rifted-trough REF, with monotonous radiolarians and the highest Ce/Ce* (0.77-0.85, average 0.81); and (6) a crisis event REF containing mutated radiolarians as well as extreme and variation Ce/Ce ¤ values. Stacking of genesis-related REFs allowed for analysis of a radiolarian successional sequence (RSS) corresponding to an evolutionary cycle in a paleo-ocean basin. The complete RSS consisted of a basal rifted trough REF underlain by a crisis event REF, a lower divergent bathyal REF, a middle clear pelagic REF, and an upper transitional, possibly a convergent continental margin REF.