Abstract. The Alveolinoidea ('alveolinoids' herein) is a superfamily of larger benthic foraminifera (LBF) of the order Miliolida (= with porcelaneous test wall) that are common in the mid-Cretaceous shallow-water carbonate successions of Neotethys. They are encountered in suitable rocks in a broad belt centred around the Mediterranean region and the Arabian Plate but some taxa are found in the central American region. To improve their stratigraphic utility, the identities and distribution of 32 species are critically reviewed based on published records, these taxa having at least possible occurrences in Cenomanian strata. It is shown that misidentifications have overextended the ranges of some taxa, although there are indeed species that have long ranges. Nonetheless, some taxa have short ranges within the Cenomanian that mark them out as potential species to be used, alongside species from other LBF groups, in the development of a biozonation/bioevent scheme for Cenomanian LBF. Alveolinoids are amongst the most morphologically complex mid-Cretaceous LBF, and, as with modern members of the group, mostly lived in the shallow waters of inner carbonate platforms developed in tropical belts. This paleoenvironmental restriction means that their local stratigraphic ranges could often be incomplete compared to the total composite range. Speciations and extinctions within the group seem closely linked to paleoceanographic events including sea-level change, hypertermals and anoxia. As with almost all mid-Cretaceous LBF, work on the taxonomy/identity of alveolinoids is an ongoing task requiring access to pristine material, including types.
Keywords: Foraminifera, Biostratigraphy, Cenomanian, Neotethys, Cretaceous