Serravallian

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System Series Stage Age (Ma)
Quaternary Pleistocene Gelasian younger
Neogene Pliocene Piacenzian 2.588–3.600
Zanclean 3.600–5.332
Miocene Messinian 5.332–7.246
Tortonian 7.246–11.608
Serravallian 11.608–13.65
Langhian 13.65–15.97
Burdigalian 15.97–20.43
Aquitanian 20.43–23.03
Paleogene Oligocene Chattian older
Subdivision of the Neogene Period according to the IUGS, as of July 2009.

The Serravallian is in the geologic timescale an age or a stage in the middle Miocene epoch/series, that spans the time between 13.65 ± 0.05 Ma and 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago). The Serravallian follows the Langhian and is followed by the Tortonian.[1]

It overlaps with the middle of the Astaracian European Land Mammal Mega Zone, the upper Barstovian and lower Clarendonian North American Land Mammal Ages and the Laventan and lower Mayoan South American Land Mammal Ages. It is also coeval with the Sarmatian and upper Badenian stages of the Paratethys time scale of Central and eastern Europe.

Contents

[edit] Definition

The Serravallian stage was introduced in stratigraphy by the Italian geologist Lorenzo Pareto in 1864. It was named after the town of Serravalle Scrivia in northern Italy.

The base of the Serravallian is at the first occurrence of fossils of the nannoplankton species Sphenolithus heteromorphus and is located in the magnetic chronozone C5ABr. The official GSSP for the Serravallian is in the Ras el Pellegrin section, close to the castle at Fomm ir-Riħ, southern Malta.

The top of the Serravallian (the base of the Tortonian stage) is at the last common appearance of calcareous nannoplanktons Discoaster kugleri and planktonic foram Globigerinoides subquadratus. It is also associated with the short normal polarized magnetic chronozone C5r.2n.

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Gradstein et al. (2004)

[edit] Literature

  • Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G. & Smith, A.G.; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
  • Pareto, L.; 1864: Note sur la subdivision que l'on pourrait etablir dans les terrains de l'Apennin septentrional, Bulletin de la Societé Géologique de France 2(22), p. 210-277. (French)

[edit] External links

Neogene Period
Miocene Pliocene
Aquitanian | Burdigalian
Langhian | Serravallian
Tortonian | Messinian
Zanclean | Piacenzian
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