Skip to content
Rhaetian
EntityQ530828· pop 25· linked from 437 articles

Also known as Rhaetian Age, Rhaetian Stage

The Rhaetian is the latest age of the Triassic Period (in geochronology) or the uppermost stage of the Triassic System (in chronostratigraphy). It was preceded by the Norian and succeeded by the Hettangian (the lowermost stage or earliest age of the Jurassic). The base of the Rhaetian lacks a formal GSSP, though candidate sections include Steinbergkogel in Austria (since 2007) and Pignola-Abriola in Italy (since 2016). The end of the Rhaetian (and the base of the overlying Hettangian Stage) is more well-defined. According to the current ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy) system, th

Key facts

Geologic timespan.name
Rhaetian
Geologic timespan.color
Rhaetian
Geologic timespan.time_start
205.7
Geologic timespan.time_start_prefix
~
Geologic timespan.time_end
201.4
Geologic timespan.time_end_uncertainty
0.2
Geologic timespan.image_map
File:205Ma Mollweide.png
Geologic timespan.caption_map
Mollweide map of Earth 205 million years ago, with black outlines depicting countries in their locations
Geologic timespan.timeline
Triassic
Geologic timespan.name_formality
Formal
Geologic timespan.celestial_body
earth
Geologic timespan.usage
Global (ICS)
Geologic timespan.timescales_used
ICS Time Scale
Geologic timespan.chrono_unit
Age
Geologic timespan.strat_unit
Stage
Geologic timespan.timespan_formality
Formal
Geologic timespan.lower_boundary_def
Not formally defined
Geologic timespan.lower_def_candidates
FAD of the Conodont Misikella posthernsteini Near FAD of the Ammonite genus Cochloceras Near FAD of the Conodont Epigondolella mosheri Near FAD of the Radiolarian Proparvicingula moniliformis

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Show 3 more facts
sRGB color hex triplet
E8C2D8
start time
208500000-
end time
201300000-
Sources (1)

via Wikidata · CC0

~21 min read

Article

14 sections
Contents
  • Stratigraphic definitions
  • Index fossils and biotic events
  • GSSP candidates
  • Rhaetian-Hettangian boundary
  • Duration
  • Norian-Rhaetian boundary: "short Rhaetian" hypotheses
  • Norian-Rhaetian boundary: "long Rhaetian" hypotheses
  • Norian-Rhaetian boundary: Recent compromises
  • Rhaetian-Hettangian boundary
  • Notable formations
  • See also
  • References
  • Literature
  • External links

The Rhaetian is the latest age of the Triassic Period (in geochronology) or the uppermost stage of the Triassic System (in chronostratigraphy). It was preceded by the Norian and succeeded by the Hettangian (the lowermost stage or earliest age of the Jurassic). The base of the Rhaetian lacks a formal GSSP, though candidate sections include Steinbergkogel in Austria (since 2007) and Pignola-Abriola in Italy (since 2016). The end of the Rhaetian (and the base of the overlying Hettangian Stage) is more well-defined. According to the current ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy) system, the Rhaetian ended ± 0.2 Ma (million years ago).

In 2010, the base of the Rhaetian (i.e. the Norian-Rhaetian boundary) was voted to be defined based on the first appearance of Misikella posthernsteini, a marine conodont. However, there is still much debate over the age of this boundary, as well as the evolution of M. posthernsteini. The most comprehensive source of precise age data for the Late Triassic comes from astrochronologically-constrained terrestrial strata of the Newark basin in the eastern United States. Correlating the Newark basin to marine sections encompassing the Norian-Rhaetian boundary is mainly achieved via magnetostratigraphy, though such correlations are subject to debate and revision. Some authors have suggested that the Rhaetian lasted less than 5 million years using magnetostratigraphy from Turkish strata and a presumed gap or unconformity in Newark strata. However, both of these lines of evidence have been met with skepticism.

Gallery (3)

On the map

2 mapped locations

Connections

Categories