FRENCH VERTEBRATE FAUNAS AND THE TRIASSIC-JURASSIC BOUNDARY

The study of vertebrate fossils, mainly microremains, between the Nori an and the Hettangian in 13 outcrops in France and Luxembourg shows no catastrophic extinction at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in this are a. This study suggests an ecological re-organization following the gre at Rhaetian trangression which reduced the distribution area of large terrestrial assemblages and favoured the development of new lineages o f fishes. Such a result is of limited geographic and stratigraphic val ue and has to be extended to all Europe and to the Carnian to confirm the proposed scheme.