PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE OC CURRENCE OF PSEUDEDOMIA (FORAM), IN THE MAASTRICHTIAN OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Several species of the genus Pseudedomia occur in the Campanian-Maastr ichtian of the Arabo-Iranian area. A new occurrence is described from small reefal outcrops of the Ori Valtou; the species (possibly related to P. multistriata) is associated with cosmopolitan foraminifera, tog ether with uncommon ones, known either from eastern areas (Loftusia, S ivasella), or from western regions (Nummofallotia, Clypeorbis). Thus, all the ''larger'' Tethyan benthic foraminifera are observed in these outcrops, with two exceptions: - the Rhapydionina liburnica associatio n that crowded large areas of the same platform at the same time; - th e endemic foraminifera from the distant Pyrenean area. This example un derlines the fact that palaeontologic occurrences give mixed palaeoeco logic and palaeobiogeographic information that must be carefully disti nguished. Taking into account scarcity of outcrops in many areas, simi larity-disparity of various associations are first to be considered as characterizing the environments. The palaeobiogeographic significance is only to be considered when a large range of various environments i s known from a given area.