The Aalenian () is a subdivision of the Middle Jurassic Epoch/Series of the geologic timescale that extends from about 174.7 ±0.8 annum to about 170.9 ±0.8 Ma (million years ago). It was preceded by the Toarcian and succeeded by the Bajocian.[See Gradstein et al. (2004) for a detailed version of the geologic timescale]
Stratigraphic definitions
The Aalenian takes its name from the town of
Aalen, some 70 km east of
Stuttgart in
Germany. The town lies at the northeastern end of the
Swabian Jura. The name Aalenian was introduced in scientific literature by
Switzerland geologist
Karl Mayer-Eymar in 1864.
The base of the Aalenian is defined as the place in the stratigraphic column where the ammonite genus Leioceras first appears. The global reference profile (GSSP) is located 500 meters north of the village of Fuentelsaz in the Spain province of Guadalajara.[Cresta et al. (2001)] The top of the Aalenian (the base of the Bajocian) is at the first appearance of ammonite genus Hyperlioceras.
In the Tethys Ocean, the Aalenian contains four ammonite :
-
zone of Graphoceras
-
zone of Brasilia bradfordensis
-
zone of Ludwigia murchisonae
-
zone of Leioceras opalinum
Notes
Literature
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; 2004: A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
-
; 2001: The Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Toarcian-Aalenian Boundary (Lower-Middle Jurassic), Episodes 24(3): pp 166–175.
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; 1864: Tableau synchronistique des terrains jurassiques. 1 Tabelle, Zürich.
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; 2002: A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (entry on cephalopoda), Bulletins of American Paleontology 364, p 560.
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