Abstract
An analysis of the palaeobiogeographic distribution of the Oligocene corals of the world reveals strong specific endemism whereas large generic pandemism. Four palaeobiogeographic provinces are identified here based on this distribution: the Western Indian Province (WIP) represented by Kutch, the Mediterranean-Iranian Province (MIP) consisting of Greece, Italy and Iran, the Caribbean-Northern South American Province (CNSAP) composed of Antigua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, and the Northwestern American Province (NAP) represented by the state of Washington, USA. Different basins within a province show some specific similarity whereas specific provincialism is nearly absolute. Genera show wide distribution—the WIP shows 82% similarity with the MIP and 36% with the CNSAP; the CNSAP has 69% similarity with the MIP. However, the NAP shows significant generic endemism. The tropical affinity, and wide and rapid dispersability of the Oligocene corals are evident from this distribution pattern. Dispersal beyond tropics was apparently limited. This explains the relatively higher endemism of the NAP. Generic exchange between the WIP and the MIP, both belonging to the Tethys Realm, has been known for gastropods. Affinity of these provinces with the CNSAP is worth noticing. This similarity reflects the presence of a trans-Atlantic current during the Oligocene. The circumtropical distribution of the coral genera also evinces protracted planktotrophic larval ontogeny. However, endemism in the species level indicates rapid evolution. This distribution pattern having tropical yet wide longitudinal extent of genera and provincialism of species resembles the present day distribution of corals. It reflects that the scleractinian coral biology had already attained modern aspects in the Oligocene.
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Acknowledgements
Tahthagata Roy Choudhury helped in drawing. KH got financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, India (Project No. SR/S4/ES-653/2012).
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Appendix 1
Appendix 1
Global distribution of Coral species reported from different basins/provinces of the Oligocene
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Sinha, P., Halder, K. (2018). The Oligocene Corals Had Circumtropical Distribution. In: Bajpai, S., Tripathi, S., Prasad, V. (eds) The Indian Paleogene. Society of Earth Scientists Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77443-5_12
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