Santonian
The Santonian is an age in the geologic timescale or a chronostratigraphic stage. It is a subdivision of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series. It spans the time between 86.3 ± 0.7 mya (million years ago) and 83.6 ± 0.7 mya. The Santonian is preceded by the Coniacian and is followed by the Campanian.[3]
| Santonian | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronology | |||||||||
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| Etymology | |||||||||
| Name formality | Formal | ||||||||
| Usage information | |||||||||
| Celestial body | Earth | ||||||||
| Regional usage | Global (ICS) | ||||||||
| Time scale(s) used | ICS Time Scale | ||||||||
| Definition | |||||||||
| Chronological unit | Age | ||||||||
| Stratigraphic unit | Stage | ||||||||
| Time span formality | Formal | ||||||||
| Lower boundary definition | FAD of the Inoceramid Bivalve Cladoceramus undulatoplicatus | ||||||||
| Lower boundary GSSP | Olazagutia, Spain 42.8668°N 2.1968°W | ||||||||
| GSSP ratified | January 2013[2] | ||||||||
| Upper boundary definition | Not formally defined | ||||||||
| Upper boundary definition candidates | LAD of the Crinoid Marsupites testudinarius | ||||||||
| Upper boundary GSSP candidate section(s) |
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Stratigraphic definition
The Santonian Stage was established by French geologist Henri Coquand in 1857. It is named after the city of Saintes in the region of Saintonge, where the original type locality is located.
The base of the Santonian Stage is defined by the appearance of the inoceramid bivalve Cladoceramus undulatoplicatus. Its top (the base of the Campanian Stage) is marked by the extinction of the crinoid Marsupites testudinarius.[4] In 2009, a GSSP (official reference profile) for both base and top had not yet been appointed.
Subdivision
The Santonian is sometimes subdivided into Lower, Middle and Upper Substages. In the Tethys domain the Santonian is coeval with a single ammonite biozone: that of Placenticeras polyopsis. Biostratigraphy based on inoceramids, nanoplankton or forams is more detailed.
References
Notes
- International Commission on Stratigraphy. "ICS - Chart/Time Scale". www.stratigraphy.org.
- Lamolda, M.; Paul, C.; Peryt, D.; Pons, J. (March 2014). "The Global Boundary Stratotype and Section Point (GSSP) for the base of the Santonian Stage, "Cantera de Margas", Olazagutia, northern Spain". Episodes. 37 (1): 2–13. doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2014/v37i1/001. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- Gradstein et al. (2004)
- "GeoWhen Database - Barremian". Archived from the original on 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
Version 1.1.0.
Literature
- Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G. & Smith, A.G.; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
External links
- GeoWhen Database - Santonian
- Late Cretaceous timescale, at the website of the subcommission for stratigraphic information of the ICS
- Stratigraphic chart of the Late Cretaceous, at the website of Norges Network of offshore records of geology and stratigraphy