In this paper, the authors review the fundamentals, history, recent progress, problems and perspectives of Late Mesozoic non-marine ostracod biostratigraphy with a focus on the Lower Cretaceous. The application potential of these ostracods has long been known, as have been the considerations of reproductive, dispersal and speciation mechanisms. However, the accumulation of numerous studies of late Mesozoic non-marine ostracods in different parts of the world has produced a rich literature that is often confusing and contradictory. This not only applies to the taxonomical identities of the ostracods but also to their interpretation with respect to palaeoenvironments and phylogeny.