Palaeobiogeography of the Late Carboniferous brachiopoda from Velebit Mt. (Croatia)

Abstract

An abundant and diverse Late Carboniferous brachiopod fauna from Velebit Mt. (Croatia) comprises 63 brachiopod taxa dominated by Productida and Spiriferida. The Spiriferinida, Athyridida, Orthotethida and Rhynchonellata are less common, while the Orthida, Dictyonellida and Terebratulida occur in very small numbers. Brachiopods are mostly preserved as casts and moulds in shales, limestones and sandstones. Associated fusulinid foraminifera and calcareous algae indicate a Kasimovian to Gzhelian age for the brachiopod–bearing deposits. The global biogeographic distribution of brachiopod taxa indicates the probable seaways and brachiopod migration routes, along the Euramerican shelves.

Keywords

• Brachiopoda, paleobiogeography, paleoecology, Late Carboniferous, Velebit Mt.