Youngest Permian Marine Macrofossil Fauna from Eastern Australia's Bowen and Sydney Basins

12 genera and 13 species of marine invertebrate macrofauna from the upper Permian strata of eastern Australia, including one newly recognised genus. The data, published by the Australian Ocean Data Network, establishes three biostratigraphic zones and correlates formations across the Bowen and Sydney Basins. Faunal diversity is described as relatively low, likely reflecting restricted marine conditions at the end of the open sea in these basins.

Use Cases

• Biostratigraphic correlation and dating of Permian rock units based on described fossil zones like Martiniopsis havilensis.
• Analyzing late Permian marine biodiversity trends based on the described low-diversity fauna relative to older deposits.
• Reconstructing paleoenvironmental conditions in the Bowen and Sydney Basins based on inferences about restricted marine settings.
• Taxonomic studies of Permian marine invertebrates, including the newly recognised genus Pseudonucula.

Strengths

• Includes taxonomic descriptions for 12 genera and 13 species, providing a concrete faunal inventory.
• Establishes three distinct biostratigraphic zones (Martiniopsis magna, M. pelicanensis, M. havilensis) for regional correlation.
• Provides geological interpretations, such as identifying a hiatus in the Blenheim Subgroup and correlating equivalent formations.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for quantitative analysis.
• Data is presented in PDF/HTML formats, which may require extraction for computational use.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Scientific description and analysis of collected fossil specimens.

Time Range

Late Permian period (younger than Kungurian, not likely younger than Kazanian).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-04 23:24:09.052697; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Bowen Basin and Sydney Basin, eastern Australia.