1990/01/01 by Richard K. Bambach, R. K. Bambach
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Marine Biology and Ecology Research #Marine and coastal plant biology #Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
paper · doi:10.1144/gsl.mem.1990.012.01.30
openalex publication_date 1990/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Abstract Biogeographic units commonly recognized in large-scale palaeontological studies are usually related to realms, not provinces as recognized in modern zoogeography. In this study the geographic distribution of the Rugosa, Tabulata, Bivalvia, Ammonoidea, Strophomenida, pedunculate Articulata, Bryozoa, and Crinoidea are used to recognize a set of realms and provinces (based on 30% or more generic endemism in the combined fauna within a province) for the Early and Late Carboniferous and Early and Late Permian. Between 12 and 18 provinces in four or five realms are identified in each interval of the Late Palaeozoic. The recently stated view than the Late Palaeozoic was a time of increasing provinciality is related to a decrease in the average range of regionally distributed genera, not an increase in either endemism or in the number of recognizable biogeographic units.