The tiny survivors: diversity and preservation of Early Triassic ophiuroids of the Virgin Limestone of the Moenkopi Formation, Southern Nevada, United States.
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| Title: | The tiny survivors: diversity and preservation of Early Triassic ophiuroids of the Virgin Limestone of the Moenkopi Formation, Southern Nevada, United States. |
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| Authors: | Morgan, Natalie E.1 (AUTHOR) nmorga35@vols.utk.edu, Thuy, Ben2 (AUTHOR) ben.thuy@mnhn.lu, Pruss, Sara B.3 (AUTHOR) spruss@smith.edu |
| Source: | Facies. May2026, Vol. 72 Issue 2, p1-19. 19p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Taphonomy, *Echinodermata, *Geological formations, *Limestone, *Marine species diversity, *Biological extinction, *Triassic Period, *Mass extinctions |
| Geographic Terms: | United States, Nevada |
| Abstract: | During the end-Permian mass extinction, at least 90% of marine species were eliminated as global warming and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide caused increased ocean temperatures, acidification, and anoxia. The subsequent Early Triassic interval was characterized by opportunistic taxa, abundant microbialites, and delayed ecosystem recovery. Recent studies report Lower Triassic fossils preserved in unusual ways, including molded by apatite and iron-bearing minerals. This work examines the ophiuroid diversity and taphonomy at three localities of the Virgin Limestone Member: Lost Cabin Springs, Blue Diamond, and Muddy Mountains Overton. Ophiuroid lateral arm plates and arm vertebrae belonging to Ophiosuperstes praeparvus were collected from each locality. The taphonomy of the O. praeparvus specimens varies across localities: at the more offshore section of the Virgin Limestone at Lost Cabin Springs, specimens are primarily apatitic stereomic molds. Specimens from the Virgin Limestone at Blue Diamond are mostly silica stereomic molds with a few apatite examples and specimens from the Muddy Mountains Overton locality are all silica molds. These taphonomic differences may indicate environmental controls on preservation styles including specimen size, pore-water oxygen level, and/or sedimentation rate. Since O. praeparvus was the only ophiuroid found at these localities, we suggest that this species was tolerant of post-extinction conditions across the Panthalassa shelf. The warm, low-oxygen Triassic ocean likely contributed to the expansion of stress-tolerant generalists while fostering unusual taphonomic modes during early diagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: enr DbLabel: Energy & Power Source An: 192593713 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The tiny survivors: diversity and preservation of Early Triassic ophiuroids of the Virgin Limestone of the Moenkopi Formation, Southern Nevada, United States. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Morgan%2C+Natalie+E%2E%22">Morgan, Natalie E.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> nmorga35@vols.utk.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thuy%2C+Ben%22">Thuy, Ben</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ben.thuy@mnhn.lu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pruss%2C+Sara+B%2E%22">Pruss, Sara B.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> spruss@smith.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Facies%22">Facies</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 72 Issue 2, p1-19. 19p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taphonomy%22">Taphonomy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Echinodermata%22">Echinodermata</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geological+formations%22">Geological formations</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Limestone%22">Limestone</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marine+species+diversity%22">Marine species diversity</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biological+extinction%22">Biological extinction</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Triassic+Period%22">Triassic Period</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mass+extinctions%22">Mass extinctions</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nevada%22">Nevada</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: During the end-Permian mass extinction, at least 90% of marine species were eliminated as global warming and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide caused increased ocean temperatures, acidification, and anoxia. The subsequent Early Triassic interval was characterized by opportunistic taxa, abundant microbialites, and delayed ecosystem recovery. Recent studies report Lower Triassic fossils preserved in unusual ways, including molded by apatite and iron-bearing minerals. This work examines the ophiuroid diversity and taphonomy at three localities of the Virgin Limestone Member: Lost Cabin Springs, Blue Diamond, and Muddy Mountains Overton. Ophiuroid lateral arm plates and arm vertebrae belonging to Ophiosuperstes praeparvus were collected from each locality. The taphonomy of the O. praeparvus specimens varies across localities: at the more offshore section of the Virgin Limestone at Lost Cabin Springs, specimens are primarily apatitic stereomic molds. Specimens from the Virgin Limestone at Blue Diamond are mostly silica stereomic molds with a few apatite examples and specimens from the Muddy Mountains Overton locality are all silica molds. These taphonomic differences may indicate environmental controls on preservation styles including specimen size, pore-water oxygen level, and/or sedimentation rate. Since O. praeparvus was the only ophiuroid found at these localities, we suggest that this species was tolerant of post-extinction conditions across the Panthalassa shelf. The warm, low-oxygen Triassic ocean likely contributed to the expansion of stress-tolerant generalists while fostering unusual taphonomic modes during early diagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10347-026-00726-8 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Taphonomy Type: general – SubjectFull: Echinodermata Type: general – SubjectFull: Geological formations Type: general – SubjectFull: Limestone Type: general – SubjectFull: Marine species diversity Type: general – SubjectFull: Biological extinction Type: general – SubjectFull: Triassic Period Type: general – SubjectFull: Mass extinctions Type: general – SubjectFull: United States Type: general – SubjectFull: Nevada Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The tiny survivors: diversity and preservation of Early Triassic ophiuroids of the Virgin Limestone of the Moenkopi Formation, Southern Nevada, United States. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Morgan, Natalie E. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Thuy, Ben – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pruss, Sara B. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01729179 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 72 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Facies Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
