South American land mammal age

The South American land mammal ages (SALMA) establish a geologic timescale for prehistoric South American fauna beginning 64.5 Ma during the Paleogene and continuing through to the Middle Pleistocene (0.33 Ma). These periods are referred to as ages, stages, or intervals and were established using geographic place names where fossil materials where obtained.[1]

The basic unit of measure is the first/last boundary statement. This shows that the first appearance event of one taxon is known to predate the last appearance event of another. If two taxa are found in the same fossil quarry or at the same stratigraphic horizon, then their age-range zones overlap.

Ages

Other continental ages

See also

References

  1. Flynn J. and C. C. Swisher. (1995). Cenozoic South American Land Mammal Ages: correlation to global geochronology. Geochronology Time Scales and Global Stratigraphic Correlation, SEPM Special Publication 54:317-333.
Preceded by Proterozoic Eon Phanerozoic Eon
Paleozoic Era Mesozoic Era Cenozoic Era
Cambrian Ordovician Silurian Devonian Carboniferous Permian Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous Paleogene Neogene 4ry


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