PBDB Timescale

Cenozoic Subepochs

The interval definitions in this timescale are derived from the following sources:

W. B. Harland, R. L. Armstrong, A. V. Cox, L. E. Craig, A. G. Smith and D. G. Smith. 1990. A Geologic Time Scale 1989. view
F. M. Gradstein, J. G. Ogg, and A. G. Smith. 2004. A Geologic Time Scale 2004 1-589 view
F. F. Steininger, W. A. Berggren, D. V. Kent, R. L. Bernor, S. Sen and J. Agusti. 1996. Circum-Mediterranean Neogene (Miocene and Pliocene) marine-continental chronologic correlations of European mammal units. The Evolution of Western Eurasian Neogene Mammal Faunas (eds. R. L. Bernor, V. Fahlbusch, and H.-W. Mittmann) view
M. O. Woodburne. 1987. A prospectus of the North American Mammal Ages. In: Woodburne, M. O. (ed.), Cenozoic Mammals of North America. University of California Press, Berkelery, CA 285-290 view
J. Alroy. 2000. New methods for quantifying macroevolutionary patterns and processes. Paleobiology 26(4):707-733 view
F. J. Prevosti, C. O. Romano, A. M. Forasiepi, S. Hemming, R. Bonini, A. M. Candela, E. Cerdeño, M. C. Madozzo Jaén, P. E. Ortiz, F. Pujos, L. Rasia, G. I. Schmidt, M. Taglioretti, R. D. E. MacPhee, and U. F. J. Pardiñas. 2021. New radiometric 40Ar–39Ar dates and faunistic analyses refine evolutionary dynamics of Neogene vertebrate assemblages in southern South America. Scientific Reports 2021(11):9830 view
J. J. Flynn and C. C. Swisher, III. 1995. Cenozoic South American Land Mammal Ages: correlation to global geochronology. Geochronology Time Scales and Global Stratigraphic Correlation, SEPM Special Publication 54:317-333 view
A. D. Barnosky, M. Holmes, R. Kirchholtes, E. Lindsey, K.C. Maguire, A.W. Poust, M.A. Stegner, J. Sunseri, B. Swartz, J. Swift, N.A. Villavicencio and G. Wogan. 2014. Prelude to the Anthropocene: Two new North American Land Mammal Ages (NALMAs). The Anthropocene Review I(3):225-242 view

There are 13 timescales which overlap this one. show

Interval boundaries marked with * have been interpolated based on the differences between the ages for international timescale boundaries quoted in the source and the currently accepted ages for those boundaries.

Interval names marked with † are no longer in current use.

This timescale is used in the definition of 13391 collections

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International Chronostratigraphic Timescale			Cenozoic Subepochs	European Faunal Zones	North American Mammal Subages/Zones			South American Land Mammal Ages		North American Land Mammal Ages
Quaternary	Holocene	Meghalayan								Saintaugustinean	0
		Meghalayan								Santarosean	0.0004
		Northgrippian									0.0042
		Greenlandian									0.0082
	Pleistocene	Late Pleistocene	Late Pleistocene		Sheridanian			Lujanian			0.0117
		Late Pleistocene	Late Pleistocene							Rancholabrean	0.014
		Chibanian	Middle Pleistocene							Rancholabrean	0.129
					Cudahyan/Sappan					Irvingtonian	0.21
								Ensenadan			0.3 *
		Calabrian	Early Pleistocene								0.774
					Senecan/Rexroadian					Blancan	1.4
								Sanandresian	Uquian †		1.7 *
		Gelasian		MN 17				Sanandresian			1.8
Neogene	Pliocene	Piacenzian	Late Pliocene	MN 16				Vorohuean			2.58
				MN 16				Chapadmalalan			2.9 *
				MN 15							3.2
		Zanclean	Early Pliocene								3.6
								Montehermosan			3.7 *
				MN 14							4.2
				MN 14	Late Hemphillian/late Early Hemphillian/early Early Hemphillian					Hemphillian	4.7
				MN 13				Huayquerian			4.9 *
	Miocene	Messinian	Late Miocene	MN 13							5.333
		Tortonian		MN 12							7.246
				MN 11							7.75
				MN 11				Chasicoan			7.9 *
				MN 10							8.7
				MN 10	Late Clarendonian/Early Clarendonian					Clarendonian	9.4
				MN 9							9.7
								Mayoan			9.9 *
								Laventan			10.9 *
				MN 7 + 8							11.1
		Serravallian	Middle Miocene								11.63
					late Late Barstovian/early Late Barstovian/Early Barstovian					Barstovian	12.5
				MN 6							12.8 *
				MN 6				Colloncuran			13.7 *
		Langhian		MN 5				Colloncuran			13.82
		Langhian		MN 5				Friasian			15.4 *
		Burdigalian	Early Miocene	MN 4				Friasian			15.98
								Santacrucian			16.2 *
					Late Hemingfordian/Early Hemingfordian					Hemingfordian	16.3
				MN 3							16.9
								Colhuehuapian			17.4 *
					late Late Arikareean/early Late Arikareean/late Early Arikareean/early Early Arikareean	Harrisonian				Arikareean	18.5
				MN 2							20
		Aquitanian									20.44
								Deseadan			20.9 *
				MN 1							22.4
Paleogene	Oligocene	Chattian	Late Oligocene								23.03
						Monroecreekian					23.1 *
						Geringian					24.7 *
		Rupelian	Early Oligocene								27.82
								Tinguirirican			28.9 *
										Whitneyan	29.5
										Orellan	31.8
	Eocene	Priabonian	Late Eocene		Late Chadronian/Middle Chadronian/Early Chadronian					Chadronian	33.9
					Late Chadronian/Middle Chadronian/Early Chadronian			Divisaderan		Chadronian	35.9 *
										Duchesnean	37
		Bartonian	Middle Eocene							Duchesnean	37.71
		Bartonian			Late Uintan/Early Uintan					Uintan	39.7
		Lutetian									41.2
								Mustersan			41.9 *
					Twinbuttean/Blacksforkian/Gardnerbuttian					Bridgerian	46.2
		Ypresian	Early Eocene								47.8
								Casamayoran			47.9 *
					Lostcabinian/Lysitean/Graybullian/Sandcouleean		Wasatchian			50.5
							Cf3/Cf2/Cf1			Clarkforkian	54.9
	Paleocene	Thanetian	Late Paleocene				Cf3/Cf2/Cf1	Riochican		Clarkforkian	56
							Ti6/Ti5/Ti4/Ti3/Ti2/Ti1	Riochican		Tiffanian	56.2
								Itaboraian			56.9 *
								Peligran			58.9 *
		Selandian	Middle Paleocene								59.2
		Selandian	Middle Paleocene				To3/To2/To1			Torrejonian	60.9
		Danian	Early Paleocene								61.6
								Tiupampan			62.4 *
							Pu3/Pu2/Pu1	Tiupampan		Puercan	63.8
											66