Survivor, Lazarus and progenitor taxa are sources of biotic recovery following mass extinction. Investigations of the benthic brachiopods through the latest Ordovician mass extinction shows that progenitors developed many evolutionary novelties and successful surviving mechanisms. They are superior to survivors and Lazarus taxa in their ability to adapt to environmental changes. They are the primary source of macroevolution and the ancestors of a number of new taxa. Three kinds of progenitors are recognized based on the Ordovician-Silurian brachiopods from South China: survivor-progenitors, crisis-progenitors and Lazarus-progenitors; the last has the strongest ability to resist adverse environments, and is the most diverse and abundant. Survivor, Lazarus and progenitor taxa are sources of biotic recovery following mass extinction. Investigations of the benthic brachiopods through the latest Ordovician mass extinction shows that progenitors developed many evolutionary novelties and successful surviving mechanisms. They are superior to survivors and Lazarus taxa in their ability to adapt to environmental changes. They are the primary source of macroevolution and the ancestors of a number of new taxa. Three kinds of progenitors are recognized based on the Ordovician-Silurian brachiopods from South China: survivor-progenitors, crisis-progenitors and Lazarus-progenitors the last has the strongest ability to resist adverse environments, and the the most diverse and abundant.