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. 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
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
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

Show less time

Show linear time

International Chronostratigraphic Timescale			Cenozoic Subepochs	South American Land Mammal Ages		European Faunal Zones	North American Mammal Subages/Zones			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	Lujanian			Sheridanian				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		Sanandresian		MN 17					1.8
Neogene	Pliocene	Piacenzian	Late Pliocene	Vorohuean		MN 16					2.58
				Chapadmalalan		MN 16					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
				Huayquerian		MN 13					4.9 *
	Miocene	Messinian	Late Miocene			MN 13					5.333
		Tortonian				MN 12					7.246
						MN 11					7.75
				Chasicoan		MN 11					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 *
				Colloncuran		MN 6					13.7 *
		Langhian		Colloncuran		MN 5					13.82
		Langhian		Friasian		MN 5					15.4 *
		Burdigalian	Early Miocene	Friasian		MN 4					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
				Divisaderan			Late Chadronian/Middle Chadronian/Early Chadronian			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	Riochican					Cf3/Cf2/Cf1	Clarkforkian	56
				Riochican					Ti6/Ti5/Ti4/Ti3/Ti2/Ti1	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 *
				Tiupampan					Pu3/Pu2/Pu1	Puercan	63.8
											66