Early Triassic conodont–palynological biostratigraphy of the Meishan D Section in Changxing, Zhejiang Province, South China

The Lower Triassic, consisting of the Yinkeng Fm., Helongshan Fm. and the lower part of the Nanlinghu Fm., is well developed at the Meishan D Section of Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, South China. Based on detailed study of the conodont biostratigraphy from the interval of the Permian–Triassic boundary and the Lower Triassic in the Meishan D Section, 8 conodont zones are recognized in ascending order as follows: the Neogondolella changxingensis yini– Hindeodus praeparvus Zone (beds 24a–24e, top of the Changxing Fm.), the Neogondolella meishanensis meishanensis– Hindeodus eurypyge Zone (beds 25–27b, base of the Yinkeng Fm.), the Hindeodus parvus Zone (beds 27c–27d, first conodont zone of Triassic, the global index for the base of Triassic), the Isarcicella staeschei Zone (beds 28–29a, lower part of the Yinkeng Fm), I. isarcica Zone (beds 29b–51, lower part of the Yinkeng Fm.), the Neogondolella tulongensis– N planata Zone (beds 52–72, from upper part of the Yinkeng Fm. to lower part of the Helongshan Fm.), the Neospathodus kummeli Zone (beds 73–92, middle part of the Helongshan Fm.), and the Neospathodus cristagalli– N dieneri Zone (beds 93–111, from upper part of the Helongshan Fm. to the base of the Nanlinghu Fm.). At the Meishan D Section, the palynological biostratigraphy is also studied herein. The palynological assemblage of Lundbladispora– Taeniaesporites– Equisetosporites is found in the intervals which contain the conodont Isarcicella isarcica Zone and the lower part of the Neogondolella tulongensis– N. planata Zone.