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How is the Permian Period divided into the Cisuralian Guadalupian and Lopingian epochs?
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Permian Period
Distribution of landmasses, mountainous regions, shallow seas, and deep ocean basins near the end of the Permian Period. Included in the paleogeographic reconstruction are the locations of the interval's subduction zones.
The Permian Period is divided into three epochsâthe Early (Cisuralian), Middle (Guadalupian), and Late (Lopingian)âwhich correspond to their respective rock series. These divisions are defined by the emergence of specific species of conodonts, which are primitive chordates with tooth-shaped fossil remains.1
Each epoch is further subdivided into internationally recognized ages based on these faunal successions:
- Cisuralian Epoch: Named for the Ural Mountains, it includes the Asselian, Sakmarian, Artinskian, and Kungurian ages.1
- Guadalupian Epoch: Named for the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas, it contains the Roadian, Wordian, and Capitanian ages.1
- Lopingian Epoch: Named for its type area in China, it consists of the Wuchiapingian and Changhsingian ages.1
While these conodont-based zonations are standard for paleoequatorial warm-water provinces, researchers use different zonations for colder regions like Gondwana, where local series and stage names remain necessary for identifying nonmarine successions.1