List of Diapsid reptile genera and families that survived the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event 252 Million Years ago

[Joseph Fossil]

The Permian-Triassic Extinction event of 252 Million Years (caused by massive volcanic eruptions in what is now Siberia) was one of the biggest mass extinctions in Earth's history (killing 75% of all land genera and 95% of all marine genera). The event marked the end of the Paleozoic and the beginning of the Mesozoic. Famous survivors of the extinction event include the Dicynodont Lystrosaurus, the Therocephalians Moschorhinus, Promoschorhynchus, and the Cynodont Thrinaxodon.
 
But one group of terrestrial survivors of the extinction event which would have a massive ecological impact in the Mesozoic are the Diapsida or the Diapsid reptiles. 
 
The Diapsids emerged during the Pennsylvanian stage of the Carboniferous era 302 Million Years ago and includes the Archosaurs. This resilient group not only survived the extinction event but experienced a rapid period of diversification during the Triassic and gave rise to the non-avian dinosaurs, the crocodilians, and eventually the avian dinosaurs the birds. Luckily for all of us, this remarkable group continues to thrive today. Here’s a list of all currently known Diapsid reptile genera and families that survived the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event.

 

If I forget any examples, please let me know and I'll add the examples to the list promptly.
 

 

Neodiapsida

 

 

 

Palacrodon (Neodiapsid) (Late Permian-Late Triassic, 252.3-205.6 Million Years ago)

 

http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=37821

 

https://bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/1/555/files/2021/03/2020Romano.pdf

 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/joa.13770
 

 

 

Drepanosauromorpha

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320327662_A_bird-like_skull_in_a_Triassic_diapsid_reptile_increases_heterogeneity_of_the_morphological_and_phylogenetic_radiation_of_Diapsida

 

 

 

Weigeltisauridae

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225192300_New_data_on_the_morphology_of_permian_gliding_weigeltisaurid_reptiles_of_Eastern_Europe

 

https://www.palass.org/sites/default/files/media/publications/palaeontology/volume_31/vol31_part4_pp951-955.pdf

 

 

 

Younginiformes

 

 

Tangasauridae

 

Hovasaurus (Tangasaurid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-247.2 Million Years ago)

 

http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=37802

 

https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/cjes/article-abstract/41/1/1/53678/New-reptile-material-from-the-Lower-Triassic-of

 

 

Kenyasaurus (Tangasaurid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-247.2 Million Years ago)

http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=37805

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237169170_New_reptile_material_from_the_Lower_Triassic_of_Madagascar_Implications_for_the_Permian-Triassic_extinction_event

 

 

 

Lepidosauromorpha

 

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2021.1084

 

 

Archeosauriformes

 

 

Ichthyosauromorpha

 

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(22)01990-X

 

 

 

Proterosuchidae

 

Proterosuchus (Proterosuchid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-247.2 Million Years ago)

 

http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=80904

 

https://nasmus.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Modesto-and-Botha-Brink-2008.pdf

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4820772/

 

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/33528314.pdf

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233304760_Osteohistology_of_the_Triassic_Archosauromorphs_Prolacerta_Proterosuchus_Euparkeria_and_Erythrosuchus_from_the_Karoo_Basin_of_South_Africa

 

https://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/120/11/1749.pdf

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346735054_The_origin_of_endothermy_in_synapsids_and_archosaurs_and_arms_races_in_the_Triassic

 

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230387

 

 

Vonhuenia (Archosaurid, possible Proterosuchid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-250 Million Years ago)

 

https://bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/1/555/files/2021/03/2020Romano.pdf

 

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.230387

 

 

Microcnemus (Protersuchid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-247.2 Million Years ago)

 

http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=37535

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321853963_Sequence_of_Permian_Tetrapod_Faunas_of_Eastern_Europe_and_the_Permian-Triassic_Ecological_Crisis

 

http://www.palaeontologia.pan.pl/PP65/PP65_203-234.pdf

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226333243_New_Tanystropheids_Reptilia_Archosauromorpha_from_the_Triassic_of_Europe

 

https://bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristol.ac.uk/dist/1/555/files/2021/03/2020Romano.pdf

 

 

Prolacertidae

 

Prolacerta (Prolacertid) (Late Permian-Early Triassic, 252.3-251.3 Million Years ago)

 

http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=38193

 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.2018.1536664

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4450940/

 

https://nasmus.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Modesto-and-Botha-Brink-2008.pdf

 

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.170499

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346735054_The_origin_of_endothermy_in_synapsids_and_archosaurs_and_arms_races_in_the_Triassic

 

https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app68/app010672023.pdf

 

I hope you all found this helpful!!!

[Psittacosaur9]

Interesting! I thought that Archosaurus was a genus which survived the main Permian extinction, but is that not true?

[Joseph Fossil]

On 11/6/2023 at 11:36 PM, Psittacosaur9 said:

Interesting! I thought that Archosaurus was a genus which survived the main Permian extinction, but is that not true?

 

@Psittacosaur9 Good Question!!! Archosaurus is at least known for Late Permian deposits in what is now Russia, but I've not heard of any Triassic records so far. There's a definite possibility it may have, but there are records of Proterosuchus and Prolacerta (and the other Archosaurs on this list) from Permian and Triassic Formations globally.

[Psittacosaur9]

12 hours ago, Joseph Fossil said:

 

@Psittacosaur9 Good Question!!! Archosaurus is at least known for Late Permian deposits in what is now Russia, but I've not heard of any Triassic records so far. There's a definite possibility it may have, but there are records of Proterosuchus and Prolacerta (and the other Archosaurs on this list) from Permian and Triassic Formations globally.

Makes sense. Thanks for the response!