PalaeobiogeographyofEarlyJurassicLithiotis-typebivalvebuildupsasrecoveryeffectafterTriassic/JurassicmassextinctionandtheirconnectionswithAsianpalaeogeograph

Thehuge,upto40-50cmlongbivalves,Lithiotis,CochlearitesandLithioperna,whichdominatedwithin“Lithiotis”facies(sensu–Fraseretal.,2004withlit-eraturecitedtherein),aremostsignificantrepresenta-tivesofbuildup-makerofshallowmarine/lagoonalbivalvemounds(reefs)innumerousplacesofTethyan-PanthalassamarginsduringPliensbachian-EarlyToar-ciantimes.ThedistributionofLithiotis-faciesbivalvesfromWestern(Spain,Italy)andMiddleEurope(Slo-venia,Croatia,Albania)troughnorthAfrica(Morocco)andArabianPeninsula(Oman,ArabianEmirates)uptoTimorIsland,HimalayaMts(Nepal,China)andwest-ernmarginofbothAmericas(USA,Peru)indicatesworld-wide,rapidexpansionofsuchLithiotis-typebivalves(Leinfelderetal.,2002;Fraseretal.,2004;Krobickietal.,2008).TheEarlyJurassicmigrationrouteswereconnectedbothwithbreak-upofPangeaandoceaniccirculation,whichfacilitatedhighspeedofdistributionoflarva’sofsuchoyster-likebivalves.