Abstract Substantial advances by numerous researchers over the past 20 years have made it possible to develop a composite biochronological scheme for the Triassic based on the bivalves Claraia , Peribositria , Enteropleura , Daonella , Halobia , Eomonotis and Monotis . These bivalves exhibit temporal durations nearly equal to ammonoids and conodonts. Widely distributed across the Tethys, Panthalassa and Boreal regions, these bivalves occur in a wide variety of marine facies and water depths, but are most notable for their thick shell accumulation in deeper-water oxygen deficient environments. They were most likely resting or reclining benthos, may have housed chemosymbionts, and were part of episodic opportunistic palaeocommunities in or near oxygen deficient settings. A new biochronological zonation for bivalves is presented that encompasses the entire Triassic and is integrated with standard ammonoid schemes. The Lower Triassic is characterized by 2–3 zones of Claraia , most notably from the eastern Tethys representing the entire Induan and lower portion of the Olenekian. Later in the Olenekian, and most notably from the Boreal realm, species of Peribositria (included by some workers within Bositra ) provide useful zonal indexes. The Middle Triassic is well represented by Enteropleura (Middle Anisian) and Daonella (Upper Anisian through Ladinian) in the Tethys and North America with significant occurrences throughout the circum-Pacific and Boreal realms. The Upper Triassic can be subdivided into 8–13 bivalve zones based on the succession of Halobia , Eomonotis and Monotis sensu lato species with best representation in the Tethys, Boreal and eastern Panthalassa regions.