ABSTRACTThe objectives of the study are to establish evolutionary trends in the miogypsinid foraminifera from Mediterranean Tethyan carbonates in Turkey. Taxa classified under the genera Miogypsinella, Postmiogypsinella and Miogypsina and their assemblages closely resemble the fauna described from European marine sequences. The foraminiferal assemblages, studied in thin sections, are interpreted as representative of the Shallow Benthic Zones (SBZ) 21–22, of Rupelian-early Chattian age, and include Archaias kirkukensis, Austrotrillina asmariensis, Nephrolepidina praemarginata, Nummulites cf. vascus, Heterostegina assilinoides, Borelis pygmaea, Neoplanorbulinella malatyaensis, N. matsumarui, Risananeiza crassaparies, Neorotalia lithothamnica, Nephrolepidina sp. and others. The late Chattian SBZ 23 is represented by Miogypsinella borodinensis, M. akcadagensis, M. cf. complanata, Postmiogypsinella intermedia and Nephrolepidina morgani. SBZ 25, of Burdigalian age, includes Miogypsina globulina, M. cf. polymorpha, M. cf. thecideaeformis, Borelis curdica, Austrotrillina howchini, Planorbulinella caneae and Dendritina cf. rangi. A depositional hiatus in the Aquitanian SBZ 24, is also recorded using planktonic foraminifera and nannoplankton assemblages. Miogypsina globulina, widely reported from Central America, Mediterranean Tethys and Indo-Pacific areas, is a key species for the Burdigalian but Miogypsina cf. polymorpha is only reported from Indo-Pacific. A marine connection between the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean Tethys is supported by these Burdigalian two species in the Malatya Basin. This study, which was carried out in Mediterranean Tethys, in the eastern part of Turkey could reveal an example of polyphyletic origin and geographical speciation or a local evolution during the migration of miogypsinids. The phylogenetic hypothesis in this study imply that Miogypsina is polyphyletic genus, originated twice (Miogypsinella-Postmiogypsinella-Miogypsina // Miogypsinoides-Miogypsinodella-Miogypsina).