The idea of a continuum between the Hellenides and the Taurides is based on correlations between the platform series of the external parts of the Hellenides-Taurides system, as well as similarities between sedimentary sequences in southwestern Turkey and in the Dodecanese islands (Greece). In this system, the Lycian Nappes, and particularly the Tavas Nappe occupy a key area. The Tavas Nappe forms the lowermost unit in the Lycian pile and is classically divided into the Karada , Teke Dere, Köyce iz and Haticeana units. The lowermost Karada unit consists of a Gondwana-type platform succession ranging from the Late Devonian to the Late Triassic. A large hiatus exists between the Sakmarian and the Middle Triassic (deposition of sandstones, quartzites and limestones). The Carnian is marked by a general deepening of the platform prior to the deposition of a wildflysch-like formation. The discovery of the Cordevolian (early Carnian) Pseudofurnishius murcianus murcianus conodonts fauna on top of the platform is of crucial importance. This fauna characterizes the Westmediterran-Arabian Province and is a typical indicator for the Neotethyan domain. The Karada unit is always found structurally below the Teke Dere unit, this superposition being a possible result of the Late Triassic Eocimmerian orogenic event. The Teke Dere unit is formed by several slices including Kasimovian OIB-type basalts representing a Palaeotethyan seamount, Carboniferous MORB-type basalts, an Early Carboniferous wildflysch-like siliciclastic deep-water series and a Middle Permian arc sequence. Both the platform limestones associated to the seamount and the dolostones above the Early Carboniferous siliciclastic series yield shallow-marine microfauna and microflora sharing strong biogeographical affinities with the northern Palaeotethyan borders. The thick Mesozoic sequence formed by the Köyce iz and Haticeana series occupies a high structural position above the Karadag and Teke Dere units. The base of the series comprises a Late Triassic continental formation followed by Liassic shallow-marine limestones and a late Liassic Ammonitico Rosso. It continues with late Liassic to Maastrichtian pelagic limestones and calciturbidites. A Late Palaeocene to Lutetian flysch unconformably overlies it. Locally, volcanic rocks associated with Late Triassic pelagic limestones, turbiditic sandstones, and calcareous sandstones alternating with volcaniclastic sediments form the lowermost exposure of the Köyce iz series. Detailed fieldwork supported by numerous micropalaeontological evaluations suggest that the Tavas Nappe is in reality highly composite and includes dismembered units belonging to the Palaeotethyan, Neotethyan and Huglu-Pindos realms. The Karada unit belongs to the Cimmerian Taurus terrane and was part of the northern passive margin of the Neotethys (= East-Mediterranean); the Teke Dere succession is composed of several thrust sheets of Palaeotethyan origin. Palaeotethyan remnants found as subduction-accretionary complexes or reworked during the Eocimmerian orogenic event provide a strong means to identify and locate the Palaeotethyan suture zone; the sedimentological evolution of the Köyce iz and Haticeana series is in many points similar to classical Pindos sequences. These series originated in the Hu lu-Pindos Ocean along the northern passive margin of the Anatolian (Turkey) and Sitia-Pindos (Greece) terranes.