Lutetian

The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between 48.6±0.2 and 40.4±0.2 Ma. The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian.^[1] Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes referred to as the Middle Eocene subepoch. Less often, the Middle Eocene is not used and the Lutetian is united with the Ypresian in the Early Eocene.

Stratigraphic definition

The Lutetian was named after Lutetia, the Latin name for the city of Paris. The Lutetian stage was introduced in scientific literature by French geologist Albert de Lapparent in 1883.

The base of the Lutetian stage is at the first appearance of the foram genus Hantkenina. An official reference profile (GSSP) for the base of the Lutetian had in 2009 not yet been established. Two candidates are located in Spain.^[2]

The top of the Lutetian (the base of the Bartonian) is at the first appearance of calcareous nannoplankton species Reticulofenestra reticulata.

The Lutetian overlaps with the Geiseltalian and lower Robiacian European Land Mammal Mega Zones (The Lutetian stage spans the Mammal Paleogene zones 11 through 15.^[3]), the upper Bridgerian and Uintan North American Land Mammal Ages, the upper Arshantan and Irdinmanhan Asian Land Mammal Ages and the Mustersan and lower Divisaderan South American Land Mammal Ages. It is also coeval with the middle Johannian regional stage of Australia and the upper Ulatisian and lower Nanzian regional stages of California.

References

Footnotes

Literature

• Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G. & Smith, A.G.; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
• de Lapparent, A.A.C.; 1883: Traité de Géologie, Paris. (French)

External links

• GeoWhen Database - Lutetian
• Paleogene timescale, at the website of the subcommission for stratigraphic information of the ICS
• Stratigraphic chart of the Paleogene, at the website of Norges Network of offshore records of geology and stratigraphy