Middle Triassic

Second epoch of the Triassic period

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Middle Triassic

246.7 – ~237 Ma

PreꞒ

A map of Earth as it appeared 240 million years ago during the Middle Triassic Epoch, Ladinian Age

Middle Triassic aged Muschelkalk (Schaumkalk) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Chronology

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Mesozoic

Triassic

Lopingian

Middle

Late

Early J

Olenekian

Induan

Anisian

Ladinian

Carnian

Norian

Rhaetian

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Permian-Triassic extinction event

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Smithian–Spathian boundary event[1]

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Carnian pluvial episode

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Full recovery of woody trees[2]

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Coals return[3]

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Scleractinian
corals & calcified sponges[4]

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Triassic–Jurassic extinction event

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Manicouagan impact

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Subdivision of the Triassic according to the ICS, as of 2024.[5]
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| Epoch
Stratigraphic unit| Series
Time span formality| Formal
Lower boundary definition| Not formally defined
Lower boundary definition candidates|

* FAD of the Conodont Chiosella timorensis
* Base of magnetic zone MT1n

Lower boundary GSSP candidate section(s)|

* Desli Caira, Northern Dobruja, Romania
* Guandao, Guizhou, China

Upper boundary definition| FAD of the Ammonite Daxatina canadensis
Upper boundary GSSP| Prati di Stuores, Dolomites, Italy
46°31′37″N 11°55′49″E﻿ / ﻿46.5269°N 11.9303°E﻿ / 46.5269; 11.9303
Upper GSSP ratified| 2008[6]

In the geologic timescale, the Middle Triassic is the second of three epochs of the Triassic period or the middle of three series in which the Triassic system is divided in chronostratigraphy. The Middle Triassic spans the time between 246.7 Ma and 237 Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by the Early Triassic Epoch and followed by the Late Triassic Epoch. The Middle Triassic is divided into the Anisian and Ladinian ages or stages.[7]

Formerly the middle series in the Triassic was also known as Muschelkalk. This name is now only used for a specific unit of rock strata with approximately Middle Triassic age, found in western Europe.[citation needed]

## Middle Triassic life

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Main page: Category:Middle Triassic life

Following the Permian-Triassic extinction event, the most devastating of all mass-extinctions, life recovered slowly. In the Middle Triassic, many groups of organisms reached higher diversity again, such as the marine reptiles (e.g. ichthyosaurs, sauropterygians, thallatosaurs), ray-finned fish and many invertebrate groups like molluscs (ammonoids, bivalves, gastropods).[citation needed]

During the Middle Triassic, there were not yet any flowering plants, but instead there were seed ferns and gymnosperms. Small dinosauriforms began to appear, like Nyasasaurus and the ichnogenus Iranosauripus.[citation needed]

* Mixosaurus cornalianus restoration, a Middle Triassic ichthyosaur

## References

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1. ^ Widmann, Philipp; Bucher, Hugo; Leu, Marc; et al. (2020). "Dynamics of the Largest Carbon Isotope Excursion During the Early Triassic Biotic Recovery". Frontiers in Earth Science. 8 (196): 196. Bibcode:2020FrEaS...8..196W. doi:10.3389/feart.2020.00196.
2. ^ McElwain, J. C.; Punyasena, S. W. (2007). "Mass extinction events and the plant fossil record". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 22 (10): 548–557\. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2007.09.003. PMID 17919771.
3. ^ Retallack, G. J.; Veevers, J.; Morante, R. (1996). "Global coal gap between Permian–Triassic extinctions and middle Triassic recovery of peat forming plants". GSA Bulletin. 108 (2): 195–207\. Bibcode:1996GSAB..108..195R. doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1996)108<0195:GCGBPT>2.3.CO;2. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
4. ^ Payne, J. L.; Lehrmann, D. J.; Wei, J.; Orchard, M. J.; Schrag, D. P.; Knoll, A. H. (2004). "Large Perturbations of the Carbon Cycle During Recovery from the End-Permian Extinction". Science. 305 (5683): 506–9\. Bibcode:2004Sci...305..506P. doi:10.1126/science.1097023. PMID 15273391. S2CID 35498132.
5. ^ "International Chronostratigraphic Chart" (PDF). International Commission on Stratigraphy. December 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
6. ^ Mietto, Paolo; Manfrin, Stefano; Preto, Nereo; Rigo, Manuel; Roghi, Guido; Furin, Stefano; Gianolla, Piero; Posenato, Renato; Muttoni, Giovanni; Nicora, Alda; Buratti, Nicoletta; Cirilli, Simonetta; Spötl, Christoph; Ramezani, Jahandar; Bowring, Samuel (September 2012). "The Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Carnian Stage (Late Triassic) at Prati Di Stuores/Stuores Wiesen Section (Southern Alps, NE Italy)" (PDF). Episodes. 35 (3): 414–430\. doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2012/v35i3/003. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
7. ^ "ICS - Chart/Time Scale" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-01-01. Retrieved 2025-01-14.

* GeoWhen Database - Middle Triassic

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Triassic Period

| Lower/Early Triassic| Middle Triassic| Upper/Late Triassic

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* Induan
* Olenekian

* Anisian
* Ladinian

* Carnian
* Norian
* Rhaetian

* v
* t
* 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).
See also: Geologic time scale • Geology portal • World portal

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