Rhaetian
Sign in to saveThe Rhaetian is the latest age of the Triassic Period (in geochronology) or the uppermost stage of the Triassic System (in chronostratigraphy). It was preceded by the Norian and succeeded by the Hettangian (the lowermost stage or earliest age of the Jurassic). The base of the Rhaetian lacks a formal GSSP, though candidate sections include Steinbergkogel in Austria (since 2007) and Pignola-Abriola in Italy (since 2016). The end of the Rhaetian (and the base of the overlying Hettangian Stage) is more well-defined. According to the current ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy) system, th
Key facts
- Geologic timespan.name
- Rhaetian
- Geologic timespan.color
- Rhaetian
- Geologic timespan.time_start
- 205.7
- Geologic timespan.time_start_prefix
- ~
- Geologic timespan.time_end
- 201.4
- Geologic timespan.time_end_uncertainty
- 0.2
- Geologic timespan.image_map
- File:205Ma Mollweide.png
- Geologic timespan.caption_map
- Mollweide map of Earth 205 million years ago, with black outlines depicting countries in their locations
- Geologic timespan.timeline
- Triassic
- Geologic timespan.name_formality
- Formal
- Geologic timespan.celestial_body
- earth
- Geologic timespan.usage
- Global (ICS)
- Geologic timespan.timescales_used
- ICS Time Scale
- Geologic timespan.chrono_unit
- Age
- Geologic timespan.strat_unit
- Stage
- Geologic timespan.timespan_formality
- Formal
- Geologic timespan.lower_boundary_def
- Not formally defined
- Geologic timespan.lower_def_candidates
- FAD of the Conodont Misikella posthernsteini Near FAD of the Ammonite genus Cochloceras Near FAD of the Conodont Epigondolella mosheri Near FAD of the Radiolarian Proparvicingula moniliformis
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
14 sectionsContents
- Stratigraphic definitions
- Index fossils and biotic events
- GSSP candidates
- Rhaetian-Hettangian boundary
- Duration
- Norian-Rhaetian boundary: "short Rhaetian" hypotheses
- Norian-Rhaetian boundary: "long Rhaetian" hypotheses
- Norian-Rhaetian boundary: Recent compromises
- Rhaetian-Hettangian boundary
- Notable formations
- See also
- References
- Literature
- External links
The Rhaetian is the latest age of the Triassic Period (in geochronology) or the uppermost stage of the Triassic System (in chronostratigraphy). It was preceded by the Norian and succeeded by the Hettangian (the lowermost stage or earliest age of the Jurassic). The base of the Rhaetian lacks a formal GSSP, though candidate sections include Steinbergkogel in Austria (since 2007) and Pignola-Abriola in Italy (since 2016). The end of the Rhaetian (and the base of the overlying Hettangian Stage) is more well-defined. According to the current ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy) system, the Rhaetian ended ± 0.2 Ma (million years ago).
In 2010, the base of the Rhaetian (i.e. the Norian-Rhaetian boundary) was voted to be defined based on the first appearance of Misikella posthernsteini, a marine conodont. However, there is still much debate over the age of this boundary, as well as the evolution of M. posthernsteini. The most comprehensive source of precise age data for the Late Triassic comes from astrochronologically-constrained terrestrial strata of the Newark basin in the eastern United States. Correlating the Newark basin to marine sections encompassing the Norian-Rhaetian boundary is mainly achieved via magnetostratigraphy, though such correlations are subject to debate and revision. Some authors have suggested that the Rhaetian lasted less than 5 million years using magnetostratigraphy from Turkish strata and a presumed gap or unconformity in Newark strata. However, both of these lines of evidence have been met with skepticism.