Cathaysia

Map of the world at the Carboniferous-Permian boundary (~ 300 million years ago) showing Cathaysia (pink)

Cathaysia was a microcontinent or a group of terranes that rifted off Gondwana during the Late Paleozoic. They mostly correspond to the modern territory of China, which was split into the North China and South China blocks.

Terminology

The terms "Cathaysia", "Cathaysialand" and "Cathaysia Terrane" have been used by various authors for different continental blocks or terranes and assemblages thereof. During the Devonian, the South China and Indochina continents had separated from Gondwana and they collided during the Carboniferous to finally form a superterrane in the Permian. "Cathaysia" has been used for some or all of the constellations involved in this tectonic journey.^[1] For example, in Li et al. 2010 South China formed from the amalgamation of the "Yangtse and Cathaysia Blocks", whilst Scotese & McKerrow 1990 groups North China, South China, and Indochina into the "Cathaysian terranes".^[2]

Cathaysia, sensu Scotese, are a few of the almost 70 microcontinents that are involved in the formation of Asia.^[3] Furthermore, Cathaysia, both sensu Scotese and Li et al., is grouped among the "lonely wanderers" of Meert 2014 — smaller continents whose position varies dramatically between plate reconstructions.^[4]

Paleoclimate

During the Permian Cathaysia/South China was located near the Equator and within the Paleo-Tethys Ocean together with the North China continent and these two small continents share what is often called the "Cathaysian floras and faunas" (in contrast to the "Gondwanan floras and faunas").^[5] As North and South China collided during the Late Triassic the Qinling Ocean closed.^[6] South China was covered with coal forests formed by seed ferns of the order Callistophytales, whilst tree-like Lycopodiophytes survived into the Permian.

See also

• Cimmeria (continent) – Ancient string of microcontinents that rifted from Gondwana
• Huaxia – Historical concept of China
• Wuyi Mountains – Mountain range in China

References

Notes

1. Metcalfe 2002, South China/Indochina Super Terrane, pp. 552, 554
2. Li et al. 2010, Geological setting, pp. 342–343; Scotese & McKerrow 1990, Table 1, p. 3
3. Rino et al. 2008, p. 54; Fig. 6, p. 59
4. Meert 2014, The lonely wanderers (North China, South China, Kalahari/Kaapvaal, Tarim), p. 161
5. Metcalfe 2002, Abstract
6. Scotese & McKerrow 1990, p. 17

Sources

• Li, W. X.; Li, X. H.; Li, Z. X. (2005). "Neoproterozoic bimodal magmatism in the Cathaysia Block of South China and its tectonic significance". Precambrian Research. 136 (1): 51–66. Bibcode:2005PreR..136...51L. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2004.09.008.
• Li, X. H.; Li, W. X.; Li, Z. X.; Liu, Y. (2010). "Ca. 850 Ma bimodal volcanic rocks in northeastern Jiangxi Province, South China: Initial extension during the breakup of Rodinia?". American Journal of Science. 310 (9): 951–980. Bibcode:2010AmJS..310..951L. doi:10.2475/09.2010.08. hdl:20.500.11937/18588. S2CID 131122167. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
• Meert, J. G. (2014). "Strange attractors, spiritual interlopers and lonely wanderers: the search for pre-Pangean supercontinents" (PDF). Geoscience Frontiers. 5 (2): 155–166. Bibcode:2014GeoFr...5..155M. doi:10.1016/j.gsf.2013.12.001. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
• Metcalfe, I. (2002). "Permian tectonic framework and palaeogeography of SE Asia". Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 20 (6): 551–566. Bibcode:2002JAESc..20..551M. doi:10.1016/s1367-9120(02)00022-6. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
• Rino, S.; Kon, Y.; Sato, W.; Maruyama, S.; Santosh, M.; Zhao, D. (2008). "The Grenvillian and Pan-African orogens: world's largest orogenies through geologic time, and their implications on the origin of superplume". Gondwana Research. 14 (1): 51–72. Bibcode:2008GondR..14...51R. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2008.01.001. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
• Scotese, C. R.; McKerrow, W. S. (1990). "Revised world maps and introduction". Geological Society, London, Memoirs. 12 (1): 1–21. doi:10.1144/gsl.mem.1990.012.01.01.
• Shu, L. S.; Faure, M.; Yu, J. H.; Jahn, B. M. (2011). "Geochronological and geochemical features of the Cathaysia block (South China): new evidence for the Neoproterozoic breakup of Rodinia" (PDF). Precambrian Research. 187 (3): 263–276. Bibcode:2011PreR..187..263S. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.382.3995. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2011.03.003. S2CID 53396754. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
• Wang, Q.; Liu, X. (1986). "Paleoplate tectonics between Cathaysia and Angaraland in inner Mongolia of China". Tectonics. 5 (7): 1073–1088. Bibcode:1986Tecto...5.1073Q. doi:10.1029/TC005i007p01073.