Aptian

Fifth age of the Early Cretaceous

Aptian

~121.4 – ~113.0 Ma

PreꞒ

Chronology

−140 —

−130 —

−120 —

−110 —

−100 —

−90 —

−80 —

−70 —

Mesozoic

Cretaceous

Early

Late

Tithonian

Berriasian

Valanginian

Hauterivian

Barremian

Aptian

Albian

Cenomanian

Turonian

Coniacian

Santonian

Campanian

Maastrichtian

Danian

| | ←|

K-Pg mass
extinction

|

Subdivision of the Cretaceous according to the ICS, as of 2024.[1]
Vertical axis scale: Millions of years ago

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| Not formally defined
Lower boundary definition candidates|

* Base of magnetic polarity chronozone M0r.
* Near FAD of the Ammonite Paradeshayesites oglanlensis

Lower boundary GSSP candidate section(s)| Gorgo a Cerbara, Piobbico, Central Apennines, Italy
Upper boundary definition| FAD of the Planktonic Foraminifer Microhedbergella renilaevis
Upper boundary GSSP| Col de Pré-Guittard section, Arnayon, Drôme, France
44°30′28″N 5°17′50″E﻿ / ﻿44.5079°N 5.2973°E﻿ / 44.5079; 5.2973 [2]
Upper GSSP ratified| April 2016[3]
Palaeogeography of the Earth in Aptian.

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 121.4 ± 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.[4]

The Aptian partly overlaps the upper part of the Western European Urgonian Stage.

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,[5][6][7] being marked by enhanced silicate weathering,[8] as well as ocean acidification.[9] The Aptian extinction was a minor extinction event hypothesized to have occurred around 116 to 117 Ma.[10]

## Stratigraphic definitions

[edit]

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.[citation needed]

### Subdivision

[edit]

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). In modern formal chronostratigraphy the Aptian is divided into Lower and Upper sub-stages. The Lower Aptian is almost equivalent to the Bedoulian (without the Dufrenoyia furcata Zone), and it includes the 3 "Deshayesites" ammonite zones. The Upper Aptian spans the Gargasian and Clansayesian intervals, it includes the furcata to jacobi Tethys ammonite zones (Moullade et al. 2011 [11]).

## Lithostratigraphic units

[edit]

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.

## Climate

[edit]

A cold episode occurred at the start of the Aptian, as evidenced by the migration of the dinoflagellates Cepadinium variabilis and Pseudoceratium nohrhansenii into lower latitudes.[12] A decline in global pCO2 occurred from about 1,000 ppm to 800 ppm from the start of the Aptian to the C10 positive carbon isotope excursion.[13] During the late Aptian, pCO2 was between 515 ± 79 and 1029.8 ± 158 ppm as evidenced by the stomatal density of Pseudofrenelopsis capillata.[14]

## See also

[edit]

* Aptian extinction

## References

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ "International Chronostratigraphic Chart" (PDF). International Commission on Stratigraphy. December 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
2. ^ Granier, Bruno (2017). Some key Lower Cretaceous sites in Drôme (SE France). doi:10.4267/2042/62543. ISBN 978-2-916733-13-5.
3. ^ Kennedy, J.W.; Gale, A.S.; Huber, B.T.; Petrizzo, M.R.; Bown, P.; Jenkyns, H.C. (2017). "The Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Albian Stage, of the Cretaceous, the Col de Pré-Guittard section, Arnayon, Drôme, France" (PDF). Episodes. 40 (3): 177–188\. doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2017/v40i3/017021.
4. ^ Gradstein et al. (2004)
5. ^ Blok, C. N.; Ineson, J.; Anderskouv, K.; Fantasia, A.; Sheldon, E.; Thibault, N.; Jelby, M. E.; Adatte, T.; Bodin, S. (1 September 2022). "Latitude-dependant climate changes across the Aptian Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 601 111085\. Bibcode:2022PPP...60111085B. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111085. S2CID 249328937.
6. ^ 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 (15 July 2008). "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.2008.03.055.1–4&rft.pages=88-100&rft.date=2008-07-15&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.055&rft_id=info:bibcode/2008E&PSL.271...88L;&rft.aulast=Li&rft.aufirst=Yong-Xiang&rft.au=Bralower,+Timothy+J.&rft.au=Montañez,+Isabel+P.&rft.au=Osleger,+David+A.&rft.au=Arthur,+Michael+A.&rft.au=Bice,+David+M.&rft.au=Herbert,+Timothy+D.&rft.au=Erba,+Elisabetta&rft.au=Premoli+Silva,+Isabella&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Aptian" class="Z3988">
7. ^ Leckie, R.; Bralower, Timothy J.; Cashman, R. (2002). "Oceanic anoxic events and plankton evolution: Biotic response to tectonic forcing during the mid-Cretaceous" (PDF). Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology. 17 (3): 1–29\. Bibcode:2002PalOc..17.1041L. doi:10.1029/2001pa000623.
8. ^ Lechler, Maria; Von Strandmann, Philip A. E. Pogge; Jenkyns, Hugh C.; Prosser, Giacomo; Parente, Mariano (15 December 2015). "Lithium-isotope evidence for enhanced silicate weathering during OAE 1a (Early Aptian Selli event)". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 432: 210–222\. Bibcode:2015E&PSL.432..210L. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2015.09.052. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
9. ^ Erba, Elisabetta; Bottini, Cinzia; Weissert, Helmut J.; Keller, Christina E. (23 July 2010). "Calcareous Nannoplankton Response to Surface-Water Acidification Around Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a". Science. 329 (5990): 428–432\. Bibcode:2010Sci...329..428E. doi:10.1126/science.1188886. PMID 20651148. S2CID 19498439. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
10. ^ Archangelsky, Sergio. "The Ticó Flora (Patagonia) and the Aptian Extinction Event." Acta Paleobotanica 41(2), 2001, pp. 115-22.
11. ^ Moullade, Michel; Granier, Bruno; Tronchetti, Guy (2011). "The Aptian Stage: Back to fundamentals". Episodes. 34 (3): 148–156\. doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2011/v34i3/002.
12. ^ Boukhamsin, Hani; Peyrot, Daniel; Lang, Simon; Vecoli, Marco (January 2022). "Low-latitude ?upper Barremian–lower Aptian palynoflora and paleovegetation of the Biyadh Formation (Arabian Plate, eastern margin of northern Gondwana): evidence for a possible cold snap". Cretaceous Research. 129 104995\. Bibcode:2022CrRes.12904995B. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104995. Retrieved 1 November 2024 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
13. ^ Ludvigson, G.A.; Joeckel, R.M.; Murphy, L.R.; Stockli, D.F.; González, L.A.; Suarez, Celina A.; Kirkland, James I.; Al-Suwaidi, A. (September–December 2015). "The emerging terrestrial record of Aptian-Albian global change". Cretaceous Research. 56: 1–24\. Bibcode:2015CrRes..56....1L. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.11.008. Retrieved 1 November 2024 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
14. ^ Degani-Schmidt, Isabela; Guerra-Sommer, Margot; Carvalho, Ismar de Souza (June 2023). "Stomatal numbers of Pseudofrenelopsis capillata (Cheirolepidiaceae, Coniferales) in the peri-equatorial late Aptian Crato Formation (Santana group, Araripe Basin, Brazil) and their paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental significance". Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 126 104331\. Bibcode:2023JSAES.12604331D. doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2023.104331. Retrieved 1 November 2024 – via Elsevier Science Direct.

### Literature

[edit]

* Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G. & Smith, A.G.; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
* Orbigny, A.C.V.M. d'; 1842: Paléontologie française: Terrains crétacés, vol. ii. (in French)

## External links

[edit]

* 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

* v
* t
* e

Cretaceous Period

| Lower/Early Cretaceous| Upper/Late Cretaceous

|

* Berriasian
* Valanginian
* Hauterivian
* Barremian
* Aptian
* Albian

* Cenomanian
* Turonian
* Coniacian
* Santonian
* Campanian
* Maastrichtian

* v
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* e

Geological history of Earth

Cenozoic Era
(present–66.0 Ma)|

| Quaternary (present–2.58 Ma)|

* Holocene (present–11.7 ka)
* Pleistocene (11.7 ka–2.58 Ma)

|

Neogene (2.58–23.0 Ma)|

* Pliocene (2.59–5.33 Ma)
* Miocene (5.33–23.0 Ma)

Paleogene (23.0–66.0 Ma)|

* Oligocene (23.0–33.9 Ma)
* Eocene (33.9–56.0 Ma)
* Paleocene (56.0–66.0 Ma)

Mesozoic Era
(66.0–252 Ma)|

| Cretaceous (66.0–145 Ma)|

* Late (66.0–100 Ma)
* Early (100–145 Ma)

|

Jurassic (145–201 Ma)|

* Late (145–164 Ma)
* Middle (164–174 Ma)
* Early (174–201 Ma)

Triassic (201–252 Ma)|

* Late (201–237 Ma)
* Middle (237–247 Ma)
* Early (247–252 Ma)

Paleozoic Era
(252–539 Ma)|

| Permian (252–299 Ma)|

* Lopingian (252–260 Ma)
* Guadalupian (260–272 Ma)
* Cisuralian (272–299 Ma)

|

Carboniferous (299–359 Ma)|

* Pennsylvanian (299–323 Ma)
* Mississippian (323–359 Ma)

Devonian (359–419 Ma)|

* Late (359–383 Ma)
* Middle (383–393 Ma)
* Early (393–419 Ma)

Silurian (419–444 Ma)|

* Pridoli (419–423 Ma)
* Ludlow (423–427 Ma)
* Wenlock (427–433 Ma)
* Llandovery (433–444 Ma)

Ordovician (444–485 Ma)|

* Late (444–458 Ma)
* Middle (458–470 Ma)
* Early (470–485 Ma)

Cambrian (485–539 Ma)|

* Furongian (485–497 Ma)
* Miaolingian (497–509 Ma)
* Series 2 (509–521 Ma)
* Terreneuvian (521–539 Ma)

Proterozoic Eon
(539 Ma–2.5 Ga)|

| Neoproterozoic (539 Ma–1 Ga)|

* Ediacaran (539–635 Ma)
* Cryogenian (635–720 Ma)
* Tonian (720 Ma–1 Ga)

|

Mesoproterozoic (1–1.6 Ga)|

* Stenian (1–1.2 Ga)
* Ectasian (1.2–1.4 Ga)
* Calymmian (1.4–1.6 Ga)

Paleoproterozoic (1.6–2.5 Ga)|

* Statherian (1.6–1.8 Ga)
* Orosirian (1.8–2.05 Ga)
* Rhyacian (2.05–2.3 Ga)
* Siderian (2.3–2.5 Ga)

Archean Eon (2.5–4 Ga)|

* Neoarchean (2.5–2.8 Ga)
* Mesoarchean (2.8–3.2 Ga)
* Paleoarchean (3.2–3.6 Ga)
* Eoarchean (3.6–4 Ga)

Hadean Eon (4–4.6 Ga)|

ka = kiloannum (thousand years ago); Ma = megaannum (million years ago); Ga = gigaannum (billion years ago).
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