Aptian
System/ Period | Series/ Epoch | Stage/ Age | Age (Ma) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paleogene | Paleocene | Danian | younger | |
Cretaceous | Upper/ Late | Maastrichtian | 66.0 | 72.1 |
Campanian | 72.1 | 83.6 | ||
Santonian | 83.6 | 86.3 | ||
Coniacian | 86.3 | 89.8 | ||
Turonian | 89.8 | 93.9 | ||
Cenomanian | 93.9 | 100.5 | ||
Lower/ Early | Albian | 100.5 | ~113.0 | |
Aptian | ~113.0 | ~125.0 | ||
Barremian | ~125.0 | ~129.4 | ||
Hauterivian | ~129.4 | ~132.9 | ||
Valanginian | ~132.9 | ~139.8 | ||
Berriasian | ~139.8 | ~145.0 | ||
Jurassic | Upper/ Late | Tithonian | older | |
Subdivision of the Cretaceous system according to the ICS, as of 2017.[1] |
The Aptian is an age in the geologic timescale or a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early or Lower Cretaceous epoch or series and encompasses the time from 125.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma (million years ago), approximately. The Aptian succeeds the Barremian and precedes the Albian, all part of the Lower/Early Cretaceous.[2]
The Aptian partly overlaps the upper part of the regionally used (in Western Europe) stage Urgonian.
The Selli Event, also known as OAE1a, was one of two oceanic Anoxic events in the Cretaceous period, which occurred around 120 Ma and lasted approximately 1 to 1.3 million years.[3][4] The Aptian extinction was a minor extinction event hypothesized to have occurred around 116 to 117 Ma.[5]
Contents
1 Stratigraphic definitions
1.1 Subdivision
2 Lithostratigraphic units
3 Palaeontology
3.1 †Ammonitida
3.2 †Belemnitida
3.3 Nautilida
3.4 †Orthocerida
3.5 †Phylloceratida
3.6 Sepiida
3.7 †Ankylosaurs
3.8 Birds (avian theropods)
3.9 †Ceratopsians
3.10 †Choristoderans
3.11 Crocodylomorpha
3.12 Fish
3.13 Mammalia
3.14 †Ornithopods
3.15 †Plesiosaurs
3.16 †Pterosaurs
3.17 †Sauropods
3.18 †Stegosaurs
3.19 †Non-Avian Theropods
4 See also
5 References
5.1 Notes
5.2 Literature
6 External links
Stratigraphic definitions
The Aptian was named after the small city of Apt in the Provence region of France, which is also known for its crystallized fruits. The original type locality is in the vicinity of Apt. The Aptian was introduced in scientific literature by French palaeontologist Alcide d'Orbigny in 1840.
The base of the Aptian stage is laid at magnetic anomaly M0r. A global reference profile for the base (a GSSP) had in 2009 not yet been appointed. The top of the Aptian (the base of the Albian) is at the first appearance of coccolithophore species Praediscosphaera columnata in the stratigraphic record.
Subdivision
In the Tethys domain, the Aptian contains eight ammonite biozones:
- zone of Hypacanthoplites jacobi
- zone of Nolaniceras nolani
- zone of Parahoplites melchioris
- zone of Epicheloniceras subnodosocostatum
- zone of Duffrenoyia furcata
- zone of Deshayesites deshayesi
- zone of Deshayesites weissi
- zone of Deshayesites oglanlensis
Sometimes the Aptian is subdivided in three substages or subages: Bedoulian (early or lower), Gargasian (middle) and Clansayesian (late or upper).
Lithostratigraphic units
Examples of rock units formed during the Aptian are:
Antlers Formation, Cedar Mountain Formation, Cloverly Formation, Elrhaz Formation, Jiufotang Formation, Little Atherfield, Mazong Shan, Potomac Formation, Santana Formation, Twin Mountains Formation, Xinminbao Group and Yixian Formation.
Palaeontology
†Ammonitida
- Eogaudryceras
- Georgioceras
- Lithancylus
- Pictetia
- Salfeldiella
- Zuercherella
- Lower
- Ammonitoceras
- Australiceras
- Cheloniceras
- Cicatrites
- Colombiceras
- Dufrenoya
- Eotetragonites
- Helicancylus
- Melchiorites
- Parahoplites
- Procheloniceras
- Prodeshayesites
- Pseudosaynella
- Roloboceras
- Shastoceras
- Upper
- Acanthohoplites
- Acanthoplites
- Ammonoceratites
- Argonauticeras
- Beudanticeras
- Burckhardites
- Cloioceras
- Desmoceras
- Diadochoceras
- Diodochoceras
- Eodouvilleiceras
- Epancyloceras
- Epicheloniceras
- Gabbioceras
- Gargasiceras
- Gyaloceras
- Hamites
- Hulenites
- Hypacanthoplites
- Jauberticeras
- Kazanskyella
- Knemiceras
- Mathoceras
- Mathoceratites
- Megatyloceras
- Metahamites
- Miyakoceras
- Neosilesites
- Nodosohoplites
- Nolaniceras
- Protacanthoplites
- Protanisoceras
- Sinzovia
- Somalites
- Tetragonites
- Theganoceras
- Trochleiceras
- Tropaeum
- Uhligella
†Belemnitida
- Conoteuthis
- Vectibelus
- Lower
- Parahibolites
- Peratobelus
- Tetrabelus
Nautilida
- Carinonautilus
- Heminautilus
†Orthocerida
- Upper
- Zhuralevia
†Phylloceratida
- Upper
- Euphylloceras
Sepiida
- Upper
- Adygeya
- Naefia
†Ankylosaurs
†Ankylosauria of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
| Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, USA | |||
| Ulansuhai Formation, Inner Mongolia, China | |||
| Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China | Nodosaurid with ventral armor plating | ||
| Bungil Formation, Queensland, Australia | Small (1 metre (3 feet)) primitive ankylosaur | ||
| Aptian to Albian | Cloverly Formation, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, USA | A medium-sized nodosaurid, measuring about 5 metres (16 feet) long, Sauropelta had a distinctively long tail which made up about half of its body length. Its neck and back were protected by an extensive bony body armor including characteristically large spines | |
| Mongolia | Ankylosaurid |
Birds (avian theropods)
- Boluochia zhengi
- Changchengornis hengdaoziensis
- Chaoyangia beishanensis
- Confuciusornis sanctus
- Cuspirostrisornis houi
- Jeholornis prima
- Jixiangornis orientalis
- Largirostrornis sexdentoris
- Longchengornis sanyanensis
- Longipteryx chaoyangensis
- Sapeornis chaoyangensis
Sinornis santensis/Cathayornis yandica
- Songlingornis linghensis
- Yanornis martini
- Yixianornis grabaui
†Ceratopsians
†Ceratopsia of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
| Mazong Shan, Gansu, China | A basal neoceratopsian, appears to have been bipedal and quite small (about 1 metre (3 feet) long) with a comparatively large head. Unlike many later ceratopsians it doesn't have any horns and has only a small bony frill projecting from the back of its head. | ||
| Xinminbao Group, Gansu, China, South Korea | Basal neoceratopsian | ||
| China, Mongolia, Russia | Psittacosaurid Ceratopsian | ||
| Victoria, Australia | 2-metre (7-foot) long early ceratopsian |
†Choristoderans
†Choristoderans of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Description | Images | |
Genus:
| Yixian Formation, Liaoning Province, China | |||
Genus:
| China and Japan |
Crocodylomorpha
- Sarcosuchus
Fish
- Hybodus
- Jinanichthys longicephalus
- Lycoptera davidi
- Lycoptera muroii
- Peipiaosteus pani
- Protosephurus liui
- Sinamia zdanskyi
Mammalia
Mammals of the Hauterivian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
| several species from Hauterivian to Albian | Spain, Mongolia | ||
| Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China | A long-tailed, nocturnal tetrapod (with prensile fingers and toes) which hunted insects, its food, during the night | ||
| Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China | The largest mammal known from the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic, and the one for which there is the best evidence that it fed on dinosaurs. | ||
| Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China | |||
| Flat Rocks, Victoria, Australia | The earliest known monotreme. | ||
| Yixian Formation, Hebei, China | A small mammal, barely 13 centimetres (5 inches) long. It was lightly built and fed on insects, worms and other invertebrates, probably hunting at night. Like most early mammals, Yanoconodon had short, sprawling legs and claws that were most likely used for burrowing underground or digging | ||
Zhangheotherium | Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China |
†Ornithopods
†Ornithopoda of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
| Aptian-Albian | Khukhtek Formation, Mongolia | ||
| Aptian/Albian | Eumeralla Formation, Victoria, Australia | 2-to-3-metre (7-to-10-foot) long hypsilophodont | |
| Quantou Formation, Jilin, China | As a small basal ornithopod, Changchunsaurus would have been a swift bipedal herbivore, feeding close to the ground. | ||
| Barremian-?Aptian | Bernissart, Belgium; ?England; ?Germany | A lightly constructed iguanodont, about 6 metres (20 feet) long, estimated to weigh about 1 tonne (1 long ton; 1 short ton) | |
| Mazong Shan, Gansu, China | Primitive hadrosaur or iguanodont | ||
| Europe | Worldwide distributed, type genus of the Iguanodontia. 10 metres (33 feet) long | ||
| Niger | 9-metre (30-foot) long heavily built Iguanodont | ||
| Atherfield, England, UK | formerly known as Iguanodon atherfieldensis | ||
| Lakota Formation, South Dakota, USA | A genus intermediate between Camptosaurus and more derived iguanodonts. | ||
| Echkar Formation, Niger | 7-metre (23-foot) long hadrosauroid, possibly with a sail on the back | ||
| Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah | A genus of advanced iguanodont | ||
| Victoria, Australia | 1.8-metre (6-foot) long hypsilophodontid | ||
| Xinminbao Group, Gansu, China | A hypsilophodontid or other basal ornithopod, Siluosaurus would have been a bipedal herbivore. | ||
| Cloverly Formation, Wyoming and Montana, Antlers Formation, Oklahoma, Twin Mountains Formation, Texas, USA | 8-metre (26-foot) long early iguanodont | ||
| Aptian to Albian | Purgatoire Formation, Colorado, USA | An iguanodont described as intermediate in derivation between Camptosaurus and Iguanodon | |
| Cloverly Formation, Montana, USA | Hypsilophodont |
†Plesiosaurs
†Plesiosaurs of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
*†Callawayasaurus
| Paja Formation, Colombia | 8-metre (26-foot) long elasmosaurid | ||
| Aptian to Albian | Boyaca, Colombia | Among the largest pliosaurs, body-length estimates put the total length of Kronosaurus at 9 to 10 metres (30 to 33 feet) | |
| Australia | Relatively small cryptocleidid, around 2.5 metres (8 feet) long, identified by the three crest-ridges on its skull. |
†Pterosaurs
- Amblydectes
- Anhanguera
- Araripedactylus dehmi
- Araripesaurus castilhoi
- Arthurdactylus conandoylei
- Boreopterus cuiae
- Brasileodactylus araripensis
- Cearadactylus atrox
- Chaoyangopterus zhangi
- Dsungaripterus weii
- Dsungaripterus brancai
- Eoazhdarcho liaoxiensis
- Eopteranodon lii
- Gegepterus changi
- Haopterus gracilis
- Hongshanopterus lacustris
- Huaxiapterus benxiensis
- Huaxiapterus corollatus
- Huaxiapterus jii
- Istiodactylus latidens
- Istiodactylus sinensis
- Jidapterus edentus
- Liaoningopterus gui
- Liaoxipterus brachyognathus
- Lonchodectes
- Longchengpterus zhaoi
- Ludodactylus sibbicki
- Nemicolopterus crypticus
- Nurhachius ignaciobritoi
- Ornithocheirus simus
- Ornithocheirus mesembrinus
- Pricesaurus megalodon
- Santanadactylus
- Sinopterus dongi
- Sinopterus gui
- Tapejara navigans
- Tapejara wellnhoferi
- Thalassodromeus sethi
- Tropeognathus mesembrinus
- Tropeognathus robustus
- Tupandactylus imperator
†Sauropods
†Sauropods of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
| Itapecuru Formation, Maranhão, Brazil | A genus of 12 metres (39 feet) long diplodocoid. | ||
| Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah; Paluxy Formation, Texas | A brachiosaurid | ||
| Napai Formation, Guangxi, China | Probably a basal titanosaur, known by fragmentary postcranial remains | ||
| Malawi | Titanosaurid which fossils consist solely of parts of a lower mandible and a few teeth | ||
| Argentina | A basal titanosaurid | ||
| Malawi | One of the few titanosaurs for which skull material has been found | ||
| Elrhaz Formation, Niger | Diplodocoid dinosaur, one of the most common genera found in the rich fossil vertebrate fauna of the Elrhaz Formation | ||
| Twin Mountains Formation, Texas, USA | A basal titanosauriform | ||
| Sao Khua Formation, Thailand | |||
| Antlers Formation, Oklahoma, USA | The last known giant brachiosaurid; extrapolations indicate that the head of Sauroposeidon could reach 17 metres (56 feet) in height, making it the tallest known dinosaur. With an estimated length of 30 metres (98 feet) and a mass of 36 to 40 tonnes (35 to 39 long tons; 40 to 44 short tons) it also ranks among the longest and heaviest. | ||
| Grès Supérior Formation, Laos | A basal titanosaur, known from the remains of two or three individuals. | ||
| Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, USA | A titanosaur, known from an incomplete skeleton of an adult and a juvenile |
†Stegosaurs
†Stegosauria of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
| Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, China | 7-metre (23-foot) long stegosaurid |
†Non-Avian Theropods
†Non Avian Theropods of the Aptian | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Taxa | Presence | Location | Description | Images |
| Texas, Oklahoma, ?Maryland, USA | Likely an apex predator, up to 12 metres (39 feet) long. Classification disputed (Carcharodontosaurid or Allosaurid) | ||
| Yixian Formation | |||
| Cloverly Formation, Montana and Wyoming, Antlers Formation, Oklahoma, Potomac Formation, Maryland, USA | 3-to-4-metre (10-to-13-foot) long carnivorous dromaeosaurid | ||
| Chubut Province, Argentina | Possibly ceratosaurian | ||
| Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China | Large (1.8 metres (6 feet) long) compsognathid | ||
| Marree Formation, South Australia, Australia | A little-known maniraptoran known primarily from a single fossilized tibia, which had been fossilized through a rare process in which the bone through hydration turned to opal. Apart from the tibia, the first find included some small probable fibula fragments. Later a foot digit was referred that might have come from the same species, but the assignment is dubious. The tibia is broken into about ten larger pieces and roughly 33 centimetres (13 inches) long. It is very slender in build and shows the impression of the ascending process of the astragalus, an ankle bone itself lost. The process seems to have been very long and narrow. Kakuru is believed to have been carnivorous, was bipedal and about 2 to 3 metres (7 to 10 feet) in length. This small dinosaur seems to have had long, slender legs. | ||
| Elrhaz Formation, Niger | Earliest-known abelisaurid | ||
| Jiufotang Formation, Liaoning, China | Small (90 centimetres (35 inches) long) feathered dromaeosaurid, possibly the same species as Microraptor zhaoianus | ||
"Nanshiungosaurus" bohlini | ||||
| Isle of Wight, England, UK | 7.5-metre (25-foot) long allosaurid | ||
| Yixian Formation, Liaoning, China | Primitive oviraptosaur, possibly synonymous with Incisivosaurus | ||
| Jiufotang Formation, Liaoning, China | Caudipterid oviraptosaur | ||
| China | 1-metre (3-foot) long troodontid | ||
| Liaoning, China | 1.2-metre (4-foot) long compsognathid, fossilized with traces of color pigmentation in its feathers | ||
| Tenere, Niger | 12-metre (39-foot) long spinosaurid | ||
| Chubut Province, Argentina | 12-metre (39-foot) long carcharodontosaurid | ||
| North America | The largest known dromaeosaurid | ||
| Aptian | Yixian Formation, China | A 9-metre (30-foot) tyrannosauroid and the largest dinosaur with feathers preserved |
See also
- Aptian extinction
References
Notes
^ http://www.stratigraphy.org/index.php/ics-chart-timescale
^ Gradstein et al. (2004)
^ Li, Yong-Xiang; Bralower, Timothy J.; Montañez, Isabel P.; Osleger, David A.; Arthur, Michael A.; Bice, David M.; Herbert, Timothy D.; Erba, Elisabetta; Premoli Silva, Isabella (2008-07-15). "Toward an orbital chronology for the early Aptian Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE1a, ~ 120 Ma)". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 271 (1–4): 88–100. Bibcode:2008E&PSL.271...88L. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.055..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ Leckie, R.; Bralower, T.; Cashman, R. (2002). "Oceanic anoxic events and plankton evolution: Biotic response to tectonic forcing during the mid-Cretaceous" (PDF). Paleoceanography. 17 (3): 1–29. Bibcode:2002PalOc..17.1041L. doi:10.1029/2001pa000623.
^ Archangelsky, Sergio. "The Ticó Flora (Patagonia) and the Aptian Extinction Event." Acta Paleobotanica 41(2), 2001, pp. 115-22.
^ Mortimer, Mickey. "List of Dromaeosaurids". Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
Literature
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Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G. & Smith, A.G.; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
d'Orbigny, A.C.V.M.; 1842: Paléontologie française: Terrains crétacés, vol. ii. (in French)
External links
- GeoWhen Database - Aptian
Mid-Cretaceous timescale, at the website of the subcommission for stratigraphic information of the ICS- Stratigraphic charts of the Lower Cretaceous: [1] and [2], at the website of Norges Network of offshore records of geology and stratigraphy