| System (period) | Series | Stage (age) | Lower boundary, Ma | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordovician | Lower | Tremadocian | 485.4±1.9 | |
| Cambrian | Furongian | Stage 10 | ~489.5 | |
| Jiangshanian |  ~494
| |||
| Paibian | ~497
| |||
| Miaolingian | Guzhangian | ~500.5
| ||
| Drumian | ~504.5
| |||
| Wuliuan | ~509
| |||
| Series 2 | Stage 4 | ~514 | ||
| Stage 3 | ~521 | |||
| Terreneuvian | Stage 2 | ~529 | ||
| Fortunian | 538.8±0.2
| |||
| Ediacaran | older | |||
| Subdivisions and "golden spikes" according to IUGS as of September 2023[1] | ||||
The Terreneuvian is a first series of the Cambrian system, the Paleozoic erathem and the Phanerozoic eonothem, corresponding to the Terreneuvian epoch of the Cambrian period of the Paleozoic era of the Phanerozoic eon. It lasted from 538.8 ± 0.2 Ma (million years ago) to approximately 521 Ma (IUGS 2023). It started after the Ediacaran period of the Precambrian and lasted until the second, still unnamed epoch of the Cambrian. The beginning of the Cambrian explosion is associated with this epoch.
Definition[]
Trichophycus pedum, a marker of the base of the Terreneuvian
The Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Terreneuvian series, the Fortunian stage, the Cambrian system and the whole Phanerozoic eonothem was ratified in 1992. The beginning of the epoch is related to the first appearance of the ichnospecies Trichophycus pedum. The type section is located in Fortune Head on the island of Newfoundland near the continental Canada.[2]
Subdivisions[]
The Terreneuvian divided into two stages: Fortunian and still unnamed Stage 2. In geochronology, both correspond to the same ages.
Paleogeography[]
Terreneuvian geography
During this epoch, the supercontinent Rodinia, located in the southern hemisphere, collapsed. New land masses, loosely coinciding with modern continents, drifted north. The largest Terreneuvian continent was Gondwana, consisting of modern South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia and Hindustan. Other continents of the time include Laurentia (modern North America), the separate Siberia and Baltica (most part of modern Europe).
Terreneuvian life[]
Halkieria reconstruction
The beginning of this era is associated with the Cambrian explosion, one of the largest biological radiations in the history of the Earth. All living phyla of animals probably appeared during this epoch. Many, if not all, Terreneuvian animals lived in the seas. Fossil specimens include primitive molluscs (Halkieria), annelids (Sabellidites), indeterminate echinoderms, arthropods (Fritzaspis) cnidarians (Hexaconularia) and various organisms with unknown classification such as Maotianshania, Zhijinites and Spirellus. The first chordates also known from the Terreneuvian. Hertzina, the oldest known conodont, existed in this epoch.
The Tereneuvian is also called the "pre-trilobitic" since the earliest trilobites are known from the unnamed Series 2.
References[]
- ↑ "Latest version of international chronostratigraphic chart". International Commission on Stratigraphy. https://stratigraphy.org/chart#latest-version.
- ↑ "GSSP Table - Paleozoic Era". https://timescalefoundation.org/gssp/index.php?parentid=77.