Stratigraphic and paleobiogeographic summary of Carboniferous marine bivalves of China

Carboniferous marine bivalves, especially those of early Late Carboniferous, are abundant and highly diversified in China. About 357 species, 76 genera in 29 families, of Carboniferous marine bivalves have been found from 103 localities throughout the country. This represents 83 percent of the genera (t = 92) and 85 percent of the families (t = 34) reported worldwide. These bivalve faunas are characterized by: 1) the high diversity of Aviculopectinidae and Myalinidae, in place of the highly diversified Pterineidae and Pterinopectinidae of the Devonian; 2) the presence of only three endemic genera (Cucullopsis, Palaeolucina, and Glyptoconcha); and 3) the endemic nature of most species, although some species are closely related to species in North America and Europe. The stratigraphic distribution of Carboniferous bivalves in the four faunal provinces of China is discussed stage by stage. All four faunal provinces of China had a close tie with the tropical to subtropical Tethys Realm during the Carboniferous. About 43.4 percent of the genera are epifauna with byssate attachment, which is almost four times more than the proportion present in living bivalve faunas.