Introduction :

The Tethys Ocean /ˈtiːθɪs, ˈtɛθɪs/ (Greek: Τηθύς Tēthús), also called the Tethys Sea or the Neo-Tethys,
was a prehistoric ocean during much of the Mesozoic Era and early Cenozoic Era, located between the
ancient continents of Gondwana and Laurasia, before the opening of the Indian and Atlantic oceans
during the Cretaceous Period.

The sea was named after Tethys, who, in ancient Greek mythology, was a sea goddess, a sister and
consort of Oceanus, mother of the Oceanid sea nymphs and of the world’s great rivers, lakes and
fountains.

⭕ Divisions :

Paleotethys(Cambrian – Early Triassic).

Mesotethys.

Cenotethys

Neo-tethys (Late Triassic – early Eocene 50 Ma.)

⭕ Sub-divisions :

#⃣ Paratethys (Eocene-Oligocene)

{Western Tethys Ocean, or Alpine Tethys Ocean} .

Paratethys was a large shallow inland sea that stretched from the region north of the Alps over Central
Europe to the Aral Sea in Central Asia.)

Dried in pliocene 5 Ma.

Mediterranean Sea & Black Sea are remnants of the Paratethys Ocean.

The eastern part of the Tethys Ocean is sometimes referred to as Eastern Tethys. The western part of
the Tethys Ocean is called Tethys Sea, Western Tethys Ocean, or Paratethys or Alpine Tethys Ocean

#⃣ Prototethys

History :

🔴 Triassic :
150 Mya

Cimmeria finally collided with Laurasia.

Laurasia and Gondwana began drifting apart, opening an extension of the Tethys Sea between them
which today is the part of the Atlantic Ocean between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

🔴 Late Cretaceous :

100 Mya

Gondwana began breaking up, pushing Africa and India north across the Tethys and opening up the
Indian Ocean.

🔴 Cenozoic :

Throughout the Cenozoic (66 million to the dawn of the Neogene, 23 Mya), a combination of the
northern migration of Africa and global sea levels falling eventually led to the connections between the
Atlantic and Indian Oceans across the Tethys being closed off in what is now the Middle East during the
Miocene

During the Oligocene (33.9 to 23 Mya), large parts of central and eastern Europe were covered by a
northern branch of the Tethys Ocean, called the Paratethys. The Paratethys was separated from the
Tethys with the formation of the Alps due to the alpine Orogeny.

The Paratethys gradually disappeared, and became an isolated inland sea.

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