Cretaceous corals from Tibet (China) - stratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic aspects

The spatial and temporal distribution of Cretaceous coral faunas from the T ibet range is reviewed in detail. The relationship of the Tibetan faunas to other Tethyan or Caribbean faunas is discussed. Obviously the faunas had c loser relationships with Tethyan faunas in Asia and Europe than with Caribb ean faunas. The rather large number of new species results from a general a bundance of corals in certain time spans. The paper is complemented by an a ppendix, which lists all formations with their localities and coral occurre nces. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.