Chapter A5 Langhian, serravallian, and tortonian historical stratotypes

• Published in: Developments in Palaeontology and Stratigraphy Vol. 15; pp. 57 - 87
• Main Authors: Rio, D., Cita, M.B., Iaccarino, S., Gelati, R., Gnaccolini, M.
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Science & Technology 1995
• ISBN: 9780444824981; 0444824987
• ISSN: 0920-5446
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-5446(06)80009-9

This chapter discusses Langhian, Serravallian, and Tortonian historical stratotypes. Chronostratigraphy does represent a basic common language of communication in Earth Sciences. However, most chronostratigraphic units of the standard Geologic Time Scale lack an appropriate and rigid definition in the rock stratigraphic record usable on a global basis, severely hampering the reason of being of the Chronostratigraphy. Specifically, the standard Neogene (Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene) stages, defined in the Mediterranean marine stratigraphic record, are rarely used in practical work outside the type region. Even in the Mediterranean domain, Neogene stages and subdivisions are often intended in a different and conflicting manner, with deleterious consequences in scientific communication. One of the most urgent tasks of the International Commission of Stratigraphy (ICS) is to prompt an international agreement on the subdivision of the Chronostratigraphic scale and the establishment of rigorous definitions of the boundaries between the various rank subdivisions. To this purpose the ICS has recommended that stages, the basic chronostratigraphic unit of the standard Chronostratigraphic scale, in prospect recognizable worldwide, be defined by using Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of their bases.