Lopingian

EtymologyName formalityFormalSynonym(s)Late/Upper Permian
Usage informationCelestial bodyEarthRegional usageGlobal (ICS)Time scale(s) usedICS Time ScaleDefinitionChronological unitEpochStratigraphic unitSeriesTime span formalityFormalLower boundary definitionFAD of the ConodontClarkina postbitteri postbitteriLower boundary GSSP, Laibin, Guangxi, China
23°41′43″N109°19′16″E / 23.6953°N 109.3211°E / 23.6953; 109.3211Lower GSSP ratified2004Upper boundary definitionFAD of the Conodont Hindeodus parvus.Upper boundary GSSPMeishan, Zhejiang, China
31°04′47″N119°42′21″E / 31.0798°N 119.7058°E / 31.0798; 119.7058Upper GSSP ratified2001

The Lopingian, informally the Late or Upper Permian, is the uppermost series/last epoch of the Permian, and last epoch of the Paleozoic. The Lopingian was preceded by the Guadalupian and followed by the Early Triassic.

The name was introduced by Amadeus William Grabau in 1931 and derives from Leping, Jiangxi in China. It consists of two stages/ages. The earlier is the Wuchiapingian and the later is the Changhsingian.

The International Chronostratigraphic Chart (v2018/07) provides a numerical age of 259.1 ±0.5 Ma. If a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) has been approved, the lower boundary of the earliest stage determines numerical age of an epoch. The GSSP for the Wuchiapingian has a numerical age of 259.8 ± 0.4 Ma.

Evidence from Milankovitch cycles suggests that the length of an Earth day during this epoch was approximately 22 hours.