Lutetian
Encyclopedia
The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene
. It spans the time between and . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian
and is followed by the Bartonian
. Together with the Bartonian
it is sometimes referred to as the Middle Eocene subepoch. Less often, the Middle Eocene is not used and the Lutetian is united with the Ypresian
in the Early Eocene.
, the Latin name for the city of Paris
. The Lutetian stage was introduced in scientific literature by French geologist Albert de Lapparent in 1883.
The base of the Lutetian stage is at the first appearance of the foram genus
Hantkenina. An official reference profile (GSSP) for the base of the Lutetian had in 2009 not yet been established. Two candidates are located in Spain
.
The top of the Lutetian (the base of the Bartonian) is at the first appearance of calcareous nannoplankton species Reticulofenestra reticulata.
The Lutetian overlaps with the Geiseltalian and lower Robiacian European Land Mammal Mega Zones (The Lutetian stage spans the Mammal Paleogene zones 11 through 15.), the upper Bridgerian and Uintan
North American Land Mammal Ages
, the upper Arshantan
and Irdinmanhan
Asian Land Mammal Ages
and the Mustersan
and lower Divisaderan
South American Land Mammal Ages. It is also coeval with the middle Johannian regional stage of Australia
and the upper Ulatisian and lower Nanzian regional stages of California
.
.; 1883: Traité de Géologie, Paris.
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
. It spans the time between and . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian
Ypresian
In the geologic timescale the Ypresian is the oldest age or lowest stratigraphic stage of the Eocene. It spans the time between and , is preceded by the Thanetian age and is followed by the Eocene Lutetian age....
and is followed by the Bartonian
Bartonian
The Bartonian is, in the ICS's geological timescale, a stage or age in the middle Eocene epoch or series. The Bartonian age spans the time between and . It is preceded by the Lutetian and is followed by the Priabonian age.-Stratigraphic definition:...
. Together with the Bartonian
Bartonian
The Bartonian is, in the ICS's geological timescale, a stage or age in the middle Eocene epoch or series. The Bartonian age spans the time between and . It is preceded by the Lutetian and is followed by the Priabonian age.-Stratigraphic definition:...
it is sometimes referred to as the Middle Eocene subepoch. Less often, the Middle Eocene is not used and the Lutetian is united with the Ypresian
Ypresian
In the geologic timescale the Ypresian is the oldest age or lowest stratigraphic stage of the Eocene. It spans the time between and , is preceded by the Thanetian age and is followed by the Eocene Lutetian age....
in the Early Eocene.
Stratigraphic definition
The Lutetian was named after LutetiaLutetia
Lutetia was a town in pre-Roman and Roman Gaul. The Gallo-Roman city was a forerunner of the re-established Merovingian town that is the ancestor of present-day Paris...
, the Latin name for the city of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The Lutetian stage was introduced in scientific literature by French geologist Albert de Lapparent in 1883.
The base of the Lutetian stage is at the first appearance of the foram genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Hantkenina. An official reference profile (GSSP) for the base of the Lutetian had in 2009 not yet been established. Two candidates are located in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The top of the Lutetian (the base of the Bartonian) is at the first appearance of calcareous nannoplankton species Reticulofenestra reticulata.
The Lutetian overlaps with the Geiseltalian and lower Robiacian European Land Mammal Mega Zones (The Lutetian stage spans the Mammal Paleogene zones 11 through 15.), the upper Bridgerian and Uintan
Uintan
The Uintan North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology , typically set from 46,200,000 to 42,000,000 years BP lasting . It is usually considered to fall within the Eocene epoch...
North American Land Mammal Ages
North American Land Mammal Ages
The North American Mammal Ages establishes a geologic timescale for prehistoric North American fauna beginning 66.5 Ma during the Paleocene and continuing through to the Late Pleistocene...
, the upper Arshantan
Arshantan
The Arshantan age is a period of geologic time within the Early Eocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with Asian Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Bumbanian age and precedes the Irdinmanhan age....
and Irdinmanhan
Irdinmanhan
The Irdinmanhan age is a period of geologic time within the Middle Eocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with Asian Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Arshantan and precedes the Sharamurunian age....
Asian Land Mammal Ages
Asian land mammal ages
The Asian Land Mammal Ages establishes a geologic timescale for prehistoric Asian fauna beginning 58.7 Mya during the Paleogene and continuing through to the Middle Pleistocene...
and the Mustersan
Mustersan
The Mustersan age is a period of geologic time within the Eocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Casamayoran and precedes the Divisaderan age....
and lower Divisaderan
Divisaderan
The Divisaderan age is a period of geologic time within the Eocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Mustersan and precedes the Tinguirirican age....
South American Land Mammal Ages. It is also coeval with the middle Johannian regional stage of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the upper Ulatisian and lower Nanzian regional stages of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Literature
; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University PressCambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
.; 1883: Traité de Géologie, Paris.
External links
- GeoWhen Database - Lutetian
- Paleogene timescale, at the website of the subcommission for stratigraphic information of the ICS
- Stratigraphic chart of the Paleogene, at the website of Norges Network of offshore records of geology and stratigraphy