Mesozoic paleogeography and facies distribution in the Northern Mediterranean Tethys from Western Carpathians view

West Carpathian Mesozoic paleogeographic development indicates the effect of a left lateral shift of the Alpine-Carpathian microcontinent along the European shelf since the Early Jurassic. The evolution during Late Triassic/Early Jurassic was controlled by convergence along the border of the Meliata Ocean and by contemporaneous divergence along the Middle Atlantic/Penninic rift. During Mid-Cretaceous, the convergence between Africa and Paleoeurope started, which finally resulted in collision of Alpine-West Carpathian microcontinent with the Paleoeuropean margin and in the formation of the Alpine Orogen.