Abstract The Carboniferous Foraminifera are composed of representatives of three classes: Fusulinata, Miliolata and Nodosariata. Despite ample literature on Paleozoic Allogromiata and Textulariata, the real presence of these classes remains questionable during the Carboniferous and they are thus excluded herein. The main biostratigraphical markers belong to the superfamilies Archaediscoidea, Lasiodiscoidea and Bradyinoidea, even if many genera among the archaediscoids still have a controversial nomenclature, as well as do some lasiodiscids and bradyinoids. Secondary biostratigraphical markers belong to Lituotubelloidea (= ‘Tournayelloidea’ of the authors), Endothyroidea and Loeblichioidea (these latter giving rise to the primitive Fusulinida). The Miliolata appear at the Visean/Serpukhovian boundary interval. The typical Carboniferous miliolates are primitive nubeculariins and cornuspirinins. Tubiphytids might be miliolate and cyanobacterium consortia, derived from the nubeculariin Palaeonubecularia . The most primitive nodosariates (syzraniids) appeared in the Moscovian; and gave rise, in the latest Carboniferous, to Protonodosaria , Nodosinelloides and possibly Polarisella , Paravervilleina and the oldest Geinitzinoidea. Palaeobiological data are mainly provided by the genera Bradyina , Tetrataxis and Climacammina . Palaeobiogeographical distributions of Pojarkovella , Janischewskina, Eosigmoilina , Brenckleina , Spireitlina , Hemigordius and Syzrania testify to the successive foraminiferal migrations between the Palaeotethys, Ural and Panthalassan oceans. Two taxa are created: Eoparastaffellidae and Banffellinae.

Abstract: This review has been undertaken in order to present some interpretations about the biostratigraphy of the smaller foraminifers belonging to four classes present during the Permian: Fusulinata, Miliolata, Nodosariata and Textulariata. Biostratigraphic markers of these classes are principally known in the orders and superfamilies of Lasiodiscoidea, Bradyinoidea and Globivalvulinoidea (Fusulinata), Cornuspirida (Miliolata), and in the entire class Nodosariata. The class Textulariata is too little known during the Permian to play a significant biostratigraphical role: nevertheless, the appearance of the order Verneulinida is probably an important bioevent. The main genera among the lasiodiscids are Mesolasiodiscus , Lasiodiscus , Lasiotrochus , Asselodiscus , Pseudovidalina , Xingshandiscus and Altineria ; the bradyinoids Bradyina and Postendothyra ; the globivalvulinoids Globivalvulina , Septoglobivalvulina , Labioglobivalvulina , Paraglobivalvulina , Sengoerina , Dagmarita , Danielita , Louisettita , Paradagmarita , Paradagmaritopsis and Paremiratella ; the miliolates Rectogordius , Okimuraites , Neodiscus , Multidiscus , Hemigordiopsis , Lysites , Shanita and Glomomidiellopsis , and the tubiphytids and ellesmerellids, which might be specialized miliolate and cyanobacterium consortia, with reference to microstructures and phylogenies of these groups. The Nodosariata markers belong to Nodosinelloides , Tezaquina , Polarisella , Geinitzina , Pachyphloia , Rectoglandulina , first true Nodosaria , Langella , Pseudolangella , Calvezina , Cryptoseptida , Cylindrocolaniella , Colaniella , Frondina and Ichthyofrondina , but their lineages are too poorly understood to permit an accurate biostratigraphic use at the present time. The superfamily Geinitzinoidea is emended. Finally, palaeobiogeographical implications based on Shanita , Colaniella and Altineria are given.