Zanclean

The Zancleum is in the Earth's lower stratigraphic level of the Pliocene ( Neogene ). It is therefore also referred to as Pliocene (or Lower Pliocene ). It started ( geochronological ) before approximately 5,333 and ended about 3.6 million years ago and thus lasted about 1.7 million years. It's the Messinian, the top step of the Miocene ahead and is detached from the Piacenzium.

Naming and history

The Zancleum stage is after the pre-Roman name of Messina ( Sicily), Zankle named. The name and the stage was proposed by Giuseppe Seguenza in 1868.

Definition and GSSP

The basis of the level of the top of the magnetic polarity chronozone C3R was defined ( approximately 100,000 years before the Thvera normal - polar Subchronozone C3n.4n ). In addition, the boundary is close to the calcareous nannoplankton Aussterbehorizont the -art Triquetrorhabdulus rugosus ( = base of CN10b zone) and the first appearance of calcareous nannoplankton - type Ceratolithus acutus. The upper limit was based on the magnetic polarity chronozone C2An ( Gaussian Chrono zone) and the extinction of planktonic foraminifera species Globorotalia margaritae and Pulleniatina primalis set. The "Global Stratotype Section and Point" ( GSSP is about one type of profile ) is close to the ancient city Heraclea Minoa (Sicily, Italy).