Miocene fauna of north eastern Paratethys

The largest mid miocene deposits in Ukraine are situated near Ternopil city. Here several species of corals, crabs, mollusks and whales have been found. One of the most interesting discoveries is a daira speciosa carapace with a haliotis shell. Probably it had symbiotic relationship with this crab.

13 million years ago the area was part of a shallow sea called the Paratethys, which is why there were found few vertebrate fossils. Grains of sedimentary rock were too large to preserve soft tissues or small and delicate bones. However, shells and crabs carapaces, because they were hard enough, survived.

Most of the fossils found there are displayed in the Kiev paleontological museum.