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changes of specific carbonate facies types in time and space, which are controlled by phylogenetic, ecological and geological parameters), is introduced. This concept aims to define and interpret spatial and temporal changes of carbonate facies patterns. It is based on Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene shallow-water carbonate facies types from the circumalpine area (north-eastern Italy, northern Slovenia, Austria and southern Bavaria), which are compared with respect to dominating biogenic components and their distributions along a shelf gradient. This comparison has lead to the distinction and definition of 14 Major Facies Types (MFTs), which are dominated by coralline algae, larger and smaller foraminifera, corals and bryozoans. The presence and distribution of these MFTs from three different time slices (Middle Eocene, Late Eocene and Early Oligocene) is compared. Nine aspects of facies dynamics are distinguished: origination, extinction, immigration, emigration, expansion, reduction, stasis, shift, and replacement of MFTs. These changes are controlled by regional changes in ecological parameters, but also by global events, especially extinction patterns at the Middle/Late Eocene boundary and at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary

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Abstract. Traditionally, different diagnostic characters have been used in the identification of fossil and Recent coralline algal genera. The taxonomy of fossil coralline algae has focused on well calcified features such as basal filaments and conceptacle perforation. In contrast, the taxonomy of Recent material uses a combination of several features with a low fossilization potential, such as epithallial cells and structures of sexual reproductive organs. In the studied material of the Late Eocene Austrian Molasse Zone Lithoporella, Neogoniolithon, Spongites, Phymatolithon and Sporolithon are identified and described applying features of neontological taxonomic concepts. These features are: (1) the arrangement of basal filaments; (2) the occurrence of cell fusions; (3) the relative length of subepithellial initials; (4) the conceptacle perforation; (5) the orientation of filaments around the conceptacle pore; and (6) the type of conceptacle roof formation. Some of these features were thought to be unpresentable in fossil material until recently. The fossilization potential of diagnostic features and the identification of the documented genera and species are discussed in detail. Moreover, a checklist for the description of fossil taxa is provided.