Pan-tropical distribution of the Jurassic ostreid bivalves

Abstract

Globally, the Jurassic cemented ostreid bivalves from northern Tibet, SW China, have a pan-tropical distribution pattern between palaeolatitudes of 60° South and North. Ostreid bivalves have tiny to large larvae, and nearly all of them have a cemented mode of life during their adult stage. The distribution pattern and the habits of the Jurassic ostreid bivalves revealed that, in the Jurassic time interval, all seas and oceans were interconnected, and ostreid bivalves were very capable of dispersion through their planktonic larval stage or as pseudoplankton during the post-larval stage, and even were able to cross the palaeo-Pacific Ocean from east to west. However, latitudinal temperature variation limited the distribution of these thermophilous bivalves to the lower and middle latitudes.