Late Jurassic

Third epoch of the Jurassic Period

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Late/Upper Jurassic

161.5 ± 1.0 – ~143.1 Ma

PreꞒ

A map of Earth as it appeared 155 million years ago during the Late Jurassic Epoch, Oxfordian Age

Chronology

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Mesozoic

Jurassic

Late T

Early

Middle

Late

Early K

Hettangian

Sinemurian

Pliensbachian

Toarcian

Aalenian

Bajocian

Bathonian

Callovian

Oxfordian

Kimmeridgian

Tithonian

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Triassic–Jurassic extinction event

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

Etymology
Chronostratigraphic name| Upper Jurassic
Geochronological name| Late Jurassic
Name formality| Formal
Usage information
Celestial body| Earth
Regional usage| Global (ICS)
Time scale(s) used| ICS Time Scale
Definition
Chronological unit| Epoch
Stratigraphic unit| Series
Time span formality| Formal
Lower boundary definition| Not formally defined
Lower boundary definition candidates| Horizon of the Ammonite Cardioceras redcliffense.
Lower boundary GSSP candidate section(s)|

* Redcliff Point, Dorset, UK
* Savouron, Provence, France

Upper boundary definition| Not formally defined
Upper boundary definition candidates|

* Magnetic—base of Chron M18r
* Base of Calpionellid zone B
* FAD of Ammonite Berriasella jacobi

Upper boundary GSSP candidate section(s)| None

The Late Jurassic is the third epoch of the Jurassic Period, and it spans the geologic time from 161.5 ± 1.0 to 143.1 ± 0.8 million years ago (Ma), which is preserved in Upper Jurassic strata.[2]

In European lithostratigraphy, the name "Malm" indicates rocks of Late Jurassic age.[3] In the past, Malm was also used to indicate the unit of geological time, but this usage is now discouraged to make a clear distinction between lithostratigraphic and geochronologic/chronostratigraphic units.

## Subdivisions

[edit]

The Late Jurassic is divided into three ages, which correspond with the three faunal stages of Upper Jurassic rock:[4]

Name | Start
(Ma) | End
(Ma)

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|

Tithonian | 149.2 ± 0.7 | 143.1 ± 0.8
Kimmeridgian | 154.8 ± 0.8 | 149.2 ± 0.7
Oxfordian | 161.5 ± 1.0 | 154.8 ± 0.8

## Paleogeography

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2008)

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By the Late Jurassic, Pangaea had broken apart into Laurasia (Eurasia and North America) to the north and Gondwana to the south, divided by the wide Tethys Ocean. During the Late Jurassic, narrow ocean basins formed separating Eastern Gondwana (Antarctica, Australia, India and Madagascar), Western Gondwana (Africa, Arabia and South America) and Laurasia. These nascent oceans – including the young Atlantic Ocean – brought increased moisture to the formerly highly arid subtropical interior of Pangaea.

Deep ocean basins covered the poles, inhibiting the formation of polar ice caps. Polar summers were ice-free. The circulation of ocean currents between the high and low latitudes contributed to a generally warmer climate than today.[5]

## Life forms

[edit]

This epoch is well known for many famous types of dinosaurs, such as the sauropods, the theropods, the thyreophorans, and the ornithopods. Other animals, such as some crocodylomorphs and the first birds, appeared in the Jurassic. Listed here are only a few of the many Jurassic animals:

Name | Description | Where found

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Allosaurus | The most common Late Jurassic theropod | North America, also present in Europe
Anurognathus | One of the smallest pterosaurs | Europe
Apatosaurus | A large herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | North America
Archaeopteryx | A bird-like maniraptoran | Europe
Barosaurus | An exceptionally long herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | North America
Brachiosaurus | A massive herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | North America
Brachytrachelopan | A small herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | South America
Brontosaurus | A large herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | North America
Camarasaurus | A large herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | North America
Camptosaurus | An ornithopod | North America and possibly Europe
Ceratosaurus | A medium-sized Jurassic carnivore | North America, Europe, and possibly Africa
Chaoyangsaurus | An early marginocephalian dinosaur | Asia
Compsognathus | A small theropod | Europe
Dakosaurus | A medium-sized sea-going crocodylomorph | Europe
Dicraeosaurus | A large herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | Africa
Diplodocus | An exceptionally long herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | North America
Dryosaurus | An ornithopod | North America
Elaphrosaurus | A medium-sized Jurassic carnivore | Africa
Epanterias | A massive carnivore (possibly just Allosaurus) | North America
Europasaurus | A small herbivorous sauropod dinosaur | Europe
Gargoyleosaurus | A thyreophoran | North America
Giraffatitan | A large sauropod (formerly recognized as a species of Brachiosaurus) | Africa
Juramaia | A basal mammal | Asia
Kentrosaurus | A thyreophoran | Africa
Liopleurodon | A medium-sized sea-going pliosaur | Europe
Maraapunisaurus | Possibly among the largest sauropod dinosaurs ever known |
Ophthalmosaurus | A very common sea-going ichthyosaur | Europe and North America
Ornitholestes | A small theropod | North America
Perisphinctes | An ammonite |
Pterodactylus | A short-tailed pterosaur | Europe
Rhamphorhynchus | A long-tailed pterosaur | Europe
Saurophaganax | A giant carnivore; possibly the largest land predator
of the Jurassic (possibly a synonym of Allosaurus) | North America
Stegosaurus | A thyreophoran | North America and Europe
Supersaurus | Possibly the longest sauropod dinosaur of them all |
Torvosaurus | A large Jurassic carnivore | North America and Europe
Tuojiangosaurus | A thyreophoran | Asia
Yangchuanosaurus | A large theropod | Asia
Yinlong | An early marginocephalian dinosaur | Asia

[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

* Geology portal
* Paleontology portal

1. ^ "International Chronostratigraphic Chart" (PDF). International Commission on Stratigraphy. December 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
2. ^ Owen 1987.
3. ^ Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G.; Schmitz, M.D.; Ogg, G.M., eds. (2012). The Geologic Timescale 2012 (volume 1). Elsevier. p. 744\. ISBN 978-0-44-459390-0.
4. ^ "International Commission on Stratigraphy". stratigraphy.org. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
5. ^ Scotese, Christopher R. (May 30, 2021). "An Atlas of Phanerozoic Paleogeographic Maps: The Seas Come In and the Seas Go Out". Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences. 49: 679–728\. doi:10.1146/annurev-earth-081320-064052. ISSN 0084-6597.

* Owen, Donald E. (March 1987). "Commentary: Usage of Stratigraphic Terminology in Papers, Illustrations, and Talks". Journal of Sedimentary Petrology. 57 (2): 363–372.
* Kazlev, M. Alan (2002-06-28). "Late Jurassic — The Malm Epoch: The Acme of the Dinosaurs". Palæos. Retrieved 2014-10-23.

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Jurassic Period

| Lower/Early Jurassic| Middle Jurassic| Upper/Late Jurassic

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* Hettangian
* Sinemurian
* Pliensbachian
* Toarcian

* Aalenian
* Bajocian
* Bathonian
* Callovian

* Oxfordian
* Kimmeridgian
* Tithonian

* v
* t
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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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