This is a Paleobiology Database Online Systematics Archive on the classification of Permian, Triassic, Jurassic and Early Cretaceous radiolarians. The data accompany current data entry on taxonomic occurrences.

The project aims to an unbiased view on radiolarian diversity dynamics across two major mass extinctions (end-Permian and end-Triassic) and through an interval of significant ecological change (Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous). Analyses will be performed at different taxonomic levels (species to order) and need to be based on the best quality taxonomic data.

The author did his PhD on diversity patterns of Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous radiolarians. This 1995 dataset is largely available online. Higher classifications are extracted from De Wever et al. (2001). Data entry is still ongoing.

• P. De Wever, P. Dumitrica, J. P. Caulet, C. Nigrini, and M. Caridroit. 2001. Radiolarians in the Sedimentary Record. Gordon & Breach Sc., London.
• W. Kiessling. 1995. New radiolarians from the earliest Cretaceous of the Sultanate of Oman (Wahrah Formation, Jebel Buwaydah). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 69:321-342.
• W. Kiessling. 1999. Late Jurassic radiolarians from the Antarctic Peninsula. Micropaleontology 45, supplement 1:1-96.
• W. Kiessling. 2002. Radiolarian diversity patterns in the latest Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 187(1-2):179-206.

Wolfgang Kiessling
Museum für Naturkund
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Invalidenstr. 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 2093 8576
Fax: +49 30 2093 8868
e-mail: wolfgang.kiessling@museum.hu-berlin.de