Tortonian | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chronology | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Formerly part of | Tertiary Period/System | ||||||||||
Etymology | |||||||||||
Name formality | Formal | ||||||||||
Usage information | |||||||||||
Celestial body | Earth | ||||||||||
Regional usage | Global (ICS) | ||||||||||
Time scale(s) used | ICS Time Scale | ||||||||||
Definition | |||||||||||
Chronological unit | Age | ||||||||||
Stratigraphic unit | Stage | ||||||||||
Time span formality | Formal | ||||||||||
Lower boundary definition | LAD of the Haptophyte Discoaster kugleri | ||||||||||
Lower boundary GSSP | Monte dei Corvi Beach section, Ancona, Italy 43°35′12″N 13°34′10″E / 43.5867°N 13.5694°E | ||||||||||
Lower GSSP ratified | 2003[4] | ||||||||||
Upper boundary definition |
| ||||||||||
Upper boundary GSSP | Oued Akrech section, Rabat, Morocco 33°56′13″N 6°48′45″W / 33.9369°N 6.8125°W | ||||||||||
Upper GSSP ratified | January 2000[5] |
The Tortonian is in the geologic time scale an age or stage of the late Miocene that spans the time between 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma and 7.246 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago)[citation needed]. It follows the Serravallian and is followed by the Messinian.
The Tortonian roughly overlaps with the regional Pannonian Stage of the Paratethys timescale of Central Europe. It also overlaps the upper Astaracian, Vallesian and lower Turolian European land mammal ages, the upper Clarendonian and lower Hemphillian North American land mammal ages and the upper Chasicoan and lower Huayquerian South American land mammal ages.