Cretaceous oysters from North Africa: origin and distribution

Abstract.- An overview of the diversified North African Cretaceous oyster faunas, which have a faunal distribution from Peru to Central Asia, is given. The faunal associations known as the “African facies ” oysters originated in the uppermost Albian (Vraconian). These faunas present three main developmental stages: uppermost Albian to Upper Cenomanian, Coniacian-Santonian, Campanian-Maastrichtian. The first two stages are characterised by a probable west to east faunal migration. The Campanian-Maastrichtian interval shows a more complex pattern: it probably combines a east-west migration with an influence from the northern Tethys margin andlor from the Temperate.Realm. Huîtres crétacées d’Afrique du Nord: origine et distributio