Cenozoic
Back to Mesozoic (~ 251 Ma)Representation and status
- Index
- cnz
- Color CMYK
- 5 / 0 / 90 / 0
- Color RGB
- R: 242 G: 249 B: 29
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Era
- Validity
- Unit is in Use
- Status
- valid formal name
Nomenclature
- Deutsch
- Känozoikum
- Français
- Cénozoïque
- Italiano
- Cenozoico
- English
- Cenozoic
- Historical Variants
- --- (Phillips 1841), Cénozoïque = Caenozoïque (Denizot et al. 1957), Erdneuzeit, Neuzeit, Neozoikum, Kaenozoikum
Hierarchy and sequence
- Subordinate units
-
Quaternary (2.58 Ma)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Period
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
- Geological period beginning with the Gauss/Matuyama palaeomagnetic reversal and largely influenced by successive glacials in a context of increased global ice volume. In Switzerland one can assume that all of the (peri)glacial deposits belong to the Quaternary.
- Age
- Gelasian
-
Holocene (11.7 ka)
- Name Origin
-
holos = fully, entirely , kaïno = recent
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Epoch
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Most recent stratigraphic unit referring to the warm episod that began with the end of the last glacial period.
- Age
- Holocene
-
Meghalayan (4.2 ka)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Last chronostratigraphic stage of the Holocene.
- Age
- Holocene
-
Subatlantic
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Current climatic/palynological stage of the European Quaternary (approximate age range: from 2800-2450 calBP = 850-500 BC to present).
- Age
- Holocene
-
Subboreal
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Palynological stage of the European Quaternary (approximate age range: 5500-2800 calBP).
- Age
- Holocene
-
Northgrippian (8.2 ka)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Middle chronostratigraphic stage of the Holocene.
- Age
- Holocene
-
Atlantic
- Name Origin
- Warm and moist climatic phase originally based on the study of Danish peat bogs.
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Palynological stage depicting a climatic optimum in Europe, and characterised by the presence of oak, elm, linden and iva (approximate range: 9000-5500 calBP).
- Age
- Holocene
-
Greenlandian (11.7 ka)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Subperiod
- Status
- local name (informal)
- In short
-
First chronostratigraphic stage of the Holocene.
- Age
- Holocene
-
Boreal
- Name Origin
- Cold climatic phase originally based on the study of Danish peat bogs.
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Palynological stage of the European Quaternary (approximate age range: 10200-9000 calBP).
- Age
- Holocene
-
Preboreal
- Name Origin
- Transitional climatic phase originally based on the study of Danish peat bogs.
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Palynological stage of the European Quaternary, at the base of the Holocene (approximate age range: 11650-10200 calBP).
- Age
- Holocene
-
Pleistocene (2.58 Ma)
- Name Origin
- pleistos = le plus , kaïno = récent
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Epoch
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- Gelasian
-
Late Pleistocene (129 ka)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
By definition, the Late Pleistocene corresponds to the last interglacial–glacial cycle (Gondiswil Interglacial and Birrfeld Glacial in Switzerland).
-
Younger Dryas
- Name Origin
-
Named after the cold-climate wildflower Dryas octopetala Linnaeus.
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Cold floral stage at the end of the Late Pleistocene (12900-11500 BP = 11000-9500 av. J.C.).
- Age
- Spätes Pleistozän
-
Allerød
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Allerød (Denmark).
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Warmer climatic oscillation of the late glacial Pleistocene (11800-11000 BP = 11400-10730 av. J.C.), identified on the basis of pollen analysis.
- Age
- Spätes Pleistozän
-
Older Dryas
- Name Origin
-
Named after the cold-climate wildflower Dryas octopetala Linnaeus.
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- (12000-11800 BP = 11590-11400 av. J.C.)
- Age
- Spätes Pleistozän
-
Bølling
- Name Origin
- série de tourbes découvertes au lac Bølling, dans le Jutland central
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Floral stage (13000-12000 BP = 11720-11590 av. J.C.).
- Age
- Spätes Pleistozän
-
Oldest Dryas
- Name Origin
-
Named after the cold-climate wildflower Dryas octopetala Linnaeus.
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Ab ca. 18'000-15'000 BP, je nach Autor.
- Age
- Spätes Pleistozän
-
Eemian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the river Eem in the area of the city of Amersfoort (Netherlands).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- Nomenclatorial Remarks
- Riss-Würm interglacial (Alps), Ipswichian (United Kingdom), Mikulin interglacial (Russia), Valdivia interglacial (Chile), Sangamonian (North America)
- In short
- Initial palynostratigraphic subdivision of the Late Pleistocene («Tarantian») of NW Europe, roughly corresponding to MIS-5e and to the Riss-Würm Interglacial.
- Age
- Spätes Pleistozän
-
Middle Pleistocene (774 ka)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
In Switzerland the age of the Hochterrasse deposits roughly coincides with the Middle Pleistocene.
-
Chibanian
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
New stage name for the Middle Pleistocene.
- Age
- Mittleres Pleistozän
-
Saalian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the river Saale (Deutschland).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Terminal substage of the Middle Pleistocene of NW Europe, between Holsteinian and Eemian, characterised by cold climate (culminating in the Alpine region with the Riss glaciation).
- Age
- Mittleres Pleistozän
-
Holsteinian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Holstein region (N Germany).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- Nomenclatorial Remarks
- Hoxnian (United Kingdom), Likhvinian (Russia)
- In short
- Palynostratigraphic subdivision of the Middle Pleistocene (Ionian) of NW Europe, corresponding to MIS-11 and to the Mindel-Riss Interglacial.
- Age
- Mittleres Pleistozän
-
Elsterian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the river Weisse Elster (E Germany), a tributary of the river Saale.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- Nomenclatorial Remarks
- Anglian (United Kingdom), Okian (Russia)
- In short
- Substage of the Middle Pleistocene of NW Europe, corresponding to MIS-12 and characterised by a cold climate (culminating in the Alpine region with the Mindel glaciation).
- Age
- Mittleres Pleistozän
-
Cromerian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the East Anglian town of Cromer (UK).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Initial palynostratigraphic subdivision of the Middle Pleistocene («Ionian») of NW Europe, encompassing several glacial/interglacial cycles under a relatively mild climate (Günz-Mindel Interglacial).
- Age
- Mittleres Pleistozän
-
Early Pleistocene (2.58 Ma)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphy
- In short
- Geological subepoch characterised by a predominantly reversed polarised paleomagnetic field (Matuyama) and the onset of large glacial fluctuations.
- Age
- Gelasian
-
Calabrian (1.80 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Calabria region (Italy).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
- Second substage of the Early Pleistocene.
- Age
- Frühes Pleistozän
-
Sicilian
- Name Origin
-
Named after Sicilia (Italia).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Substage
- Status
- valid
- In short
- Regional substage (= late Calabrian, Early Pleistocene) in Italy.
- Age
- Calabrian
-
Emilian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Emilia region (Italia).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Substage
- Status
- valid
- In short
- Regional substage (= middle Calabrian, Early Pleistocene) in Italy.
- Age
- Calabrian
-
Santernian
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Substage
- Status
- valid
- In short
- Regional substage (= early Calabrian, Early Pleistocene) in Italy.
- Age
- Calabrian
-
Gelasian (2.58 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Gela (Italia), Sicilia.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- Frühes Pleistozän
-
Neogene (23.03 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
neos = new , genos = birth
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Period
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Formal name for the «late Tertiary» period (Miocene and Pliocene).
- Age
- Aquitanian
-
Pliocene (5.333 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
plios = plus , kaïno = récent
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Epoch
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- Zancléen
-
Piacenzian (3.600 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the village of Piacenzia (Italia).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- spätes Pliozän
-
Zanclean (5.333 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Derived from Zancla, the pre-Roman name for the town of Messina in Sicily (Italy).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
First stage of the Pliocene.
- Age
- Pliozän
-
Miocene (23.03 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
meios = less, kaïno = recent
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Epoch
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- Aquitanian
-
Messinian (7.246 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Messina (Italia), Sicilia.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Last stage of the Miocene.
- Age
- spätes Miozän
-
Tortonian (11.63 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the city of Tortona (Italia), Piemonte.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Stage of the Late Miocene.
- Age
- spätes Miozän
-
Serravallian (13.82 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Serravalle Scrivia (Italia), Piemonte.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Stage of the Middle Miocene.
- Age
- mittleres Miozän
-
Langhian (15.97 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Langhe area north of Ceva (Italy).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- Nomenclatorial Remarks
- <p>le Langhe (plural)</p>
- In short
-
Stage of the Middle Miocene.
- Age
- mittleres Miozän
-
Burdigalian (20.44 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Bordeaux = Burdigala (Gironde, France).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- Nomenclatorial Remarks
- <p>Latin: Burdigalia</p>
- In short
-
Second stage of the Miocene.
- Age
- frühes Miozän
-
Aquitanian (23.03 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Aquitaine region (France).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
First stage of the Miocene Series, and hence base of the Neogene System.
- Age
- frühes Miozän
-
Palaeogene (66.0 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
palaeos = ancient , genos = birth
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Period
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Formal name for the «early Tertiary» period (Paleocene, Eocene and Oligocene).
- Age
- Danian
-
Oligocene (33.9 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
oligos = peu , kaïno = récent
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Epoch
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- Rupélien
-
Chattian (27.82 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Chatti tribe (Deutschland).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- Oligozän
-
Rupelian (33.9 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Rupel river (Belgium).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
First stage of the Oligocene. Its definition was originally based on the Rupel Group.
- Age
- frühes Oligozän
-
Eocene (56.0 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
eos = aurore, début , kaïno = récent
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Epoch
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- Yprésien
-
Priabonian (37.71 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the village of Priabona (Italia), Vicenza.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- Nomenclatorial Remarks
- <p>Parastratotypes à Ghenderle, Brendola, Mossano et Possagno (Cita 1969) ; calcaires marneux à Echinides de Priabona (Boussac 1909a)</p>
- In short
-
Last stage of the Eocene. Definition originally based on the «assises de la Granella», «groupe des couches à Orbitoides de Priabona» and «marnes de Brendola».
- Age
- spätes Eozän
-
Bartonian (~41 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the village of Barton-on-Sea (Hampshire, UK).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Second stage of the Middle Eocene. Its definition was originally based both on the Barton Beds (Hampshire) and the Sables d'Auvers-Beauchamp (Paris Basin).
- Age
- mittleres Eozän
-
Marinesian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the village of Marines (Val-d'Oise, France)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Substage
- Status
- local name (informal)
- In short
-
Second substage of the Bartonian in the Paris Basin. Original definition based on the «Sables de Marines». It corresponds to the Late Bartonian of the International Time Scale.
- Age
- Bartonien
-
Auversian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Auvers-sur-Oise (Val d'Oise, France) ; le stratotype des sablières du Bois-le-Roi est en cours d'aménagement.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Substage
- Status
- local name (informal)
- Valid term
- Bartonian
- In short
-
First substage of the Bartonian in the Paris Basin. It corresponds to the Early Bartonian of the International Time Scale.
- Age
- frühes Bartonien
-
Lutetian (47.8 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Paris = Lutetia (France).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Second stage of the Eocene.
- Age
- mittleres Eozän
-
Ypresian (56.0 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the village of Ypres = Ieper(Belgium).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
First stage of the Eocene.
- Age
- frühes Eozän
-
Cuisian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the village of Cuise-la-Motte (Oise, France).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Substage
- Status
- local name (informal)
- In short
- Last, informal substage of the Ypresian.
- Age
- spätes Yprésien
-
Sparnacian
- Name Origin
-
Named after the town of Épernay = Sparnacum (Marne, France).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Substage
- Status
- local name (informal)
- In short
- Early Ypresian of the Paris Basin.
- Age
- frühes Eozän
-
Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM)
- Rank
- climato/palynostratigraphy
- Status
- informal term
- In short
- Global thermal maximum marked by a strong negative anomaly in δ13C values at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary.
-
Paleocene (66.0 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
palaeos = ancient , eos = dawn, kaïno = recent (i.e. Palaeo-Eocene, see Pulvertaft 1999)
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Epoch
- Status
- valid formal name
-
Thanetian (59.2 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Isle of Thanet (Kent, UK).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
Last stage of the Paleocene.
- Age
- spätes Paläozän
-
Selandian (61.6 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Zealand island (Denmark).
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- Age
- mittleres Paläozän
-
Danian (66.0 Ma)
- Name Origin
-
Named after the Latin name for Denmark.
- Rank
- chronostratigraphic Stage
- Status
- valid formal name
- In short
-
First stage of the Paleocene (and hence of the Cenozoic as well).
- Age
- frühes Paläozän