Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian ( ) is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) geologic timescale, the latest age (uppermost stage) of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series, the Cretaceous Period or System, and of the Mesozoic Era or Erathem. It spanned the interval from . The Maastrichtian was preceded by the Campanian and succeeded by the Danian (part of the Paleogene and Paleocene). It is named after the city of Maastricht, the capital and largest city of the Limburg province in the Netherlands.
Key facts
- Geologic timespan.name
- Maastrichtian
- Geologic timespan.color
- Maastrichtian
- Geologic timespan.time_start
- 72.2
- Geologic timespan.time_start_uncertainty
- 0.2
- Geologic timespan.time_end
- 66.0
- Geologic timespan.image_map
- Opening of western Indian Ocean 70 Ma.png
- Geologic timespan.caption_map
- Opening of the western Indian Ocean in the Maastrichtian
- Geologic timespan.timeline
- Cretaceous
- Geologic timespan.name_formality
- Formal
- Geologic timespan.celestial_body
- earth
- Geologic timespan.usage
- Global (ICS)
- Geologic timespan.timescales_used
Article
13 sectionsContents
- Stratigraphic definitions
- Definition
- Subdivision
- Palaeogeography
- Climate
- Paleontology
- Dinosaurs
- Birds
- Pterosaurs
- Flora
- Notes
- References
- External links
The Maastrichtian ( ) is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) geologic timescale, the latest age (uppermost stage) of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series, the Cretaceous Period or System, and of the Mesozoic Era or Erathem. It spanned the interval from . The Maastrichtian was preceded by the Campanian and succeeded by the Danian (part of the Paleogene and Paleocene). It is named after the city of Maastricht, the capital and largest city of the Limburg province in the Netherlands.
The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (formerly known as the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event) occurred at the end of this age. In this mass extinction, many commonly recognized groups such as non-avian dinosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs, as well as many other lesser-known groups, died out. The cause of the extinction is most commonly linked to an asteroid about wide colliding with Earth, ending the Cretaceous.