Wordian
Encyclopedia
In the geologic timescale, the Wordian is an age or stage of the Permian
. It is the middle of three subdivisions of the Guadalupian epoch
or series
. The Wordian lasted between 268.0 ± 0.7 and 265.8 ± 0.7 million years ago (Ma). It was preceded by the Roadian
and followed by the Capitanian
.
of the North American Permian Basin. The Capitanian was first used as a stratigraphic subdivision of the Guadalupian in 1961, when both names were still only used regionally in the southern US. The stage was added to the internationally used ISC
timescale in 2001.
The base of the Wordian stage is defined as the place in the stratigraphic record where fossils of conodont
species Jinogondolella aserrata first appear. The global reference profile for this stratigraphic boundary is located at Getaway Ledge in the Guadalupe Mountains
of Texas
.
The top of the Wordian (the base of the Capitanian stage) is defined as the place in the stratigraphic record where the conodont species Jinogondolella postserrata first appears.
The Wordian stage was part of the time in which the Zechstein
was deposited in Europe.
of Jinogondolella aserrata. It contains two fusulinid
biozones:
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
. It is the middle of three subdivisions of the Guadalupian epoch
Epoch (geology)
An epoch is a subdivision of the geologic timescale based on rock layering. In order, the higher subdivisions are periods, eras and eons. We are currently living in the Holocene epoch...
or series
Series (stratigraphy)
Series are subdivisions of rock layers made based on the age of the rock and corresponding to the dating system unit called an epoch, both being formally defined international conventions of the geological timescale. A series is therefore a sequence of rock depositions defining a...
. The Wordian lasted between 268.0 ± 0.7 and 265.8 ± 0.7 million years ago (Ma). It was preceded by the Roadian
Roadian
In the geologic timescale, the Roadian is an age or stage of the Permian. It is the earliest or lower of three subdivisions of the Guadalupian epoch or series. The Roadian lasted between 270.6 ± 0.7 and 268.0 ± 0.7 million years ago...
and followed by the Capitanian
Capitanian
In the geologic timescale, the Capitanian is an age or stage of the Permian. It is also the uppermost or latest of three subdivisions of the Guadalupian epoch or series. The Capitanian lasted between and...
.
Stratigraphy
The Wordian stage was introduced into scientific literature by Johan August Udden in 1916 and was named after the Word FormationWord formation
In linguistics, word formation is the creation of a new word. Word formation is sometimes contrasted with semantic change, which is a change in a single word's meaning...
of the North American Permian Basin. The Capitanian was first used as a stratigraphic subdivision of the Guadalupian in 1961, when both names were still only used regionally in the southern US. The stage was added to the internationally used ISC
ISC
-Computing:* Initiative for Software Choice, a group of software vendors* Internet Storm Center, a program run by the SANS Institute that monitors the level of malicious activity on the internet...
timescale in 2001.
The base of the Wordian stage is defined as the place in the stratigraphic record where fossils of conodont
Conodont
Conodonts are extinct chordates resembling eels, classified in the class Conodonta. For many years, they were known only from tooth-like microfossils now called conodont elements, found in isolation. Knowledge about soft tissues remains relatively sparse to this day...
species Jinogondolella aserrata first appear. The global reference profile for this stratigraphic boundary is located at Getaway Ledge in the Guadalupe Mountains
Guadalupe Mountains
The Guadalupe Mountains are a mountain range located in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The range includes the highest summit in Texas, Guadalupe Peak, , and the "signature peak" of West Texas, El Capitan, both located within Guadalupe Mountains National Park, as well as Carlsbad Caverns...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The top of the Wordian (the base of the Capitanian stage) is defined as the place in the stratigraphic record where the conodont species Jinogondolella postserrata first appears.
The Wordian stage was part of the time in which the Zechstein
Zechstein
The Zechstein is a unit of sedimentary rock layers of Middle to Late Permian age located in the European Permian Basin which stretches from the east coast of England to northern Poland...
was deposited in Europe.
Biostratigraphy
The Wordian spans the entire conodont biozoneBiozone
Biostratigraphic units or Biozones are intervals of geological strata that are defined on the basis of their characteristic fossil taxa....
of Jinogondolella aserrata. It contains two fusulinid
Fusulinid
The Fusulinida is an extinct order within the Foraminifera in which the tests are composed of tightly packed, secreted microgranular calcite. In advanced forms the test wall is differentiated into two or more layers...
biozones:
- zone of Afganella tereshkovae
- zone of Neoschwagerina tenuis
Biodiversity
Olson’s Extinction, a worldwide loss of terrestrial vertebrate life occurred during the Early Guadalupian (Roadian, Wordian)..Literature
; 1961: The Permian ammonoids of Australia, Journal of Paleontology 35(4), pp 673-736.; 1999: Proposal of Guadalupian and Component Roadian, Wordian and Capitanian Stages as International Standards for the Middle Permian Series, Permophiles 34: pp 3-11.; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University PressExternal links
- GeoWhen Database - Wordian
- Upper Paleozoic stratigraphic chart at the website of the subcommission for stratigraphic information of the ICS