New ophiuroids from the Permian/Triassic boundary beds of South China

A new genus of ophiuroid, Huangzhishania, is created based on new material from the Permian/Triassic boundary beds at the Huangzhishan section, South China. The age of the new genus is constrained as earliest Griesbachian by means of faunal correlation of the associated bivalves and stratigraphical correlation with the Mixed Fauna Beds of the neighbouring Meishan section. Taphonomic and palaeoecological evidence suggest that the collapse of the ophiuroid association was related to a catastrophic event, and Huangzhishania was rapidly buried in life position.