Late Cretaceous (100.5 Ma)

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Representation and status

Color CMYK
35 / 0 / 75 / 0
Color RGB
R: 166 G: 216 B: 74
Rank
chronostratigraphic Epoch
Validity
Unit is in Use
Status
valid formal name

Nomenclature

Deutsch
Späte Kreide
Français
Crétacé tardif
Italiano
Cretacico tardo
English
Late Cretaceous (100.5 Ma)
Historical Variants

Série néocrétacique (Revil 1911), Crétacé supérieur (Gignoux & Moret 1944)

Hierarchy and sequence

Subordinate units
Units at roof

Age

Age at top
  • Maastrichtian
Age at base
  • Cenomanian

  • Maastrichtian (72.1 +/-0.2 Ma)

    Name Origin

    Named after the town of Maastricht (Netherlands).

    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Stage
    Status
    valid formal name
    In short

    Last stage of the Cretaceous (and hence of the Mesozoic as well).

    Age
    Maastrichtian
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  • Campanian (83.6 +/-0.2 Ma)

    Name Origin

    Named after the Champagne de Saintonge (Charentes, France), near Cognac.

    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Stage
    Status
    valid formal name
    Age
    Campanian
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  • Santonian (86.3 +/-0.5 Ma)

    Name Origin

    Named after the former province of Saintonge (Charentes, France).

    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Stage
    Status
    valid formal name
    Age
    Santonian
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  • Coniacian (89.8 +/-0.3 Ma)

    Name Origin

    Named after the town of Cognac (Charente-Maritime, France), where the historical stratotype lies.

    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Stage
    Status
    valid formal name
    In short

    Initially defined as the basal stage of the «Craie supérieure» (chalk ; cf. Cretaceous).

    Age
    Coniacian
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  • Turonian (93.9 Ma)

    Name Origin

    Named after Turonia, the Latine name for Tours (France), Indre-et-Loire.

    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Stage
    Status
    valid formal name
    Age
    Turonian
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  • Bonarelli level (OAE-2)

    Name Origin

    Named after the Italian geologist Guido Bonarelli (1871-1951).

    Rank
    Oceanic Anoxic Event
    Status
    valid
    In short

    Oceanic anoxic event at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary (around 93 Ma ago) with a major impact on the chemistry of the oceans worldwide. This event correlates with a marine extinction event.

    Age
    Late Cenomanian
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  • Cenomanian (100.5 Ma)

    Name Origin

    Named atfer Cenomanum, the Latine name for Le Mans (France), Sarthe.

    Rank
    chronostratigraphic Stage
    Status
    valid formal name
    In short

    First stage of the Late Cretaceous.

    Age
    Cenomanian
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