Cenomanian

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Cenomanian

The Cenomanian age (also known as Woodbinian [depreciated by the ICS

ICS

ICS is used as an abbreviation for:...
]) is the first or earliest or oldest Geochronological "geologic age" of the Late Cretaceous

Late Cretaceous

Late Cretaceous refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period , named after the famous white chalk cliffs of southern England, which date from this time....
Epoch. Like all geological time units the Cenomanian age is associated with a Chronostratigraphic stratum

Stratum

In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguishes it from contiguous layers....
or "geologic stage" (or faunal stage

Faunal stage

In chronostratigraphy, a stage is a Geologic record laid down in an single age on the geologic timescale, which usually represents millions of years of deposition....
—see biostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy is the branch of stratigraphy which focuses on correlating and assigning relative ages of rock Stratum by using the fossil assemblages contained within them....
and geobiology

Geobiology

Broadly defined, geobiology is an interdisciplinary field of scientific research that explores interactions between the biosphere and the lithosphere and/or the Celestial body atmosphere....
) of the same name, the "Cenomanian stage" (and its relationship to the parents epochs' strata, called a series, is that it is one of many in the series).

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Encyclopedia

The Cenomanian age (also known as Woodbinian [depreciated by the ICS

ICS

ICS is used as an abbreviation for:...
]) is the first or earliest or oldest Geochronological "geologic age" of the Late Cretaceous

Late Cretaceous

Stratum

Faunal stage

In chronostratigraphy, a stage is a Geologic record laid down in an single age on the geologic timescale, which usually represents millions of years of deposition....
—see biostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy is the branch of stratigraphy which focuses on correlating and assigning relative ages of rock Stratum by using the fossil assemblages contained within them....
and geobiology

Geobiology

Cretaceous

The Cretaceous , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide, is a geologic period from circa to million years ago . In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows on the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period....
period and Cretaceous system

System (geology)

A system in the natural sciences and stratigraphy is an idealized composite unit of the geologic record made up of a succession of stratum that were laid down together within a certain corresponding geological time span, and are used in turn to date things to a certain corresponding period ....
as well.

Terminology

The strata characteristic of the geological stage were identified by various means as having been laid down during the corresponding age. The terms upper and lower refer to the strata and stage (or other larger chronostratigraphic units) whereas 'late' and 'early' generally refer to relative time measures, which is to say late or middle or early modify when within 'the age' (or hierarchically larger) time unit.

The Cenomanian units

As a unit of geologic time measure, the Cenomanian age spans the time between) as formally accepted by the International Union of Geological Sciences

International Union of Geological Sciences

The International Union of Geological Sciences is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology....
. The Cenomanian stage is the sequence of rock strata

Stratum

In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguishes it from contiguous layers....
and its fossil record which have been studied by many disciplines and are used in geochronology to date findings within the geologic age. Excepting chronozones, which are outside the hierarchy organization, stages are the smallest unit and type of chronostratigraphic layers used in the earth sciences for dating comparisons and determination.

Characteristics in the Cenomanian

The late Cenomanian represents the highest mean sea-level observed in the past six hundred million years (approximately one hundred and fifty meters above present day sea-levels). A corollary is that the highlands were at all time lows, so the landscape

Landscape

Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including physical elements such as landforms, living elements of flora and fauna, abstract elements such as lighting and weather conditions, and human elements, for instance human activity or the built environment....
on earth was one of warm broad shallow sea

SEA

See also: Sea and seasThe three-letter acronym SEA may refer to:People/organizations/businesses*Scientists and Engineers for America, a pro-science political advocacy group....
s inundating low lying land areas on the precursors to today's continent

Continent

A continent is one of several large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents ? they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia ....
s and what few lands rose above the waves were made of old mountain

Mountain

A mountain is a landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill....
s and hill

Hill

A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain, in a limited area. Hills often have a distinct Summit , although in areas with Escarpment a hill may refer to a particular section of scarp slope without a well-defined summit ....
s, upland plateau

Plateau

In geology and earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland , usually consisting of relatively flat terrain....
s, all much weathered. Tectonic mountain building was minimal, for today's configuration of continents was far from complete, so most continents were isolated by large stretches of water. Without highlands to brake winds, the climate would have been windy and waves large, adding to the weathering and depositions of strata in water regions at fast rate.

Invertebrate Fauna

Belemnites

Belemnites of the Cenomanian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Hibolites

Vertebrate Fauna

Ankylosauria

Ankylosaurs of the Cenomanian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Acanthopholis Acanthopholis *Acanthopholis* is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur in the family Nodosauridae that lived during the Early Cretaceous Period around 100 million years ago....	Albian Albian Albian is a faunal stage of the Cretaceous geologic timescale.Albian is a term proposed in 1842 by A. d'Orbigny for that stage of the Cretaceous system which comes above the Aptian and below the Cenomanian .... or Aptian Aptian Aptian stage is a faunal stage of the Early Cretaceous epoch in the geologic timescale, that extends from 125.0 ? 1.0 annum to 112.0 ? 1.0 Ma , approximately.... to Cenomanian	Greesand Formation, Cambridgeshire, England	A nodosaurid with an armor of oval plates set almost horizontally into the skin, with spikes protruding from the neck and shoulder area, along the spine. Its size has been estimated to be in the range of 3 to 5.5 meters (10 to 18 ft) long and approximately 380 kilograms (840 lb) in weight.
Animantarx Animantarx *Animantarx* is a genus of nodosaurid ankylosaurian dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of western North America. Like other nodosaurs, it would have been a slow-moving quadrupedal herbivore covered in heavy Armour scutes, but without a ankylosauridae....	Cenomanian to Turonian Turonian The Turonian is a faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch . It spans the time between 93.5 ? 0.8 annum and 89.3 ? 1 Ma .The Turonien was definied by the French paleontologist Alcide d'Orbigny , who named it after the city of Tours in the French department of Indre-et-Loire....	Cedar Mountain Formation Cedar Mountain Formation The Cedar Mountain Formation is the name given to distinctive sedimentary rocks in eastern Utah that occur between the underlying Morrison Formation and overlying Naturita Formation .... , Utah, USA	thought of as a nodosaurid ankylosaur, although its precise relationships within that family are uncertain
Nodosaurus Nodosaurus *Nodosaurus* was a herbivore dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous, the fossils of which are found in North America. Two incomplete specimens have been discovered in Wyoming and Kansas, and no skulls....		Wyoming, Kansas, USA	A nodosaurid ankylosaur about 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 feet) long with bony dermal plates covering the top of its body. It may have had spikes along its side as well. It had four short legs, five-toed feet, a short neck, and a long, stiff, clubless tail.
Stegopelta Stegopelta *Stegopelta* is a genus of armored dinosaur. It is based on a partial skeleton from the Albian-Cenomanian-age Lower Cretaceous and Upper Cretaceous Belle Fourche Member of the Frontier Formation of Fremont County, Wyoming....	Late Albian Albian Albian is a faunal stage of the Cretaceous geologic timescale.Albian is a term proposed in 1842 by A. d'Orbigny for that stage of the Cretaceous system which comes above the Aptian and below the Cenomanian .... to early Cenomanian	Frontier Formation Frontier Formation The is a geological Formation in Wyoming whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.... , Wyoming, USA	A poorly known genus of nodosaurid
Tsagantegia Tsagantegia *Tsagantegia* is a genus of medium-sized Ankylosauridae dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous Mongolia, during the Cenomanian stage.The holotype specimen , a complete skull, was recovered from the Baynshiree Svita Formation , at the Tsagan-Teg locality, Dzun-Bayan, in the southeastern Gobi Desert, Mongolia....		Baynshiree Svita Formation, Dzun-Bayan, Mongolia	An ankylosaurid known from the remains of its skull
Zhejiangosaurus Zhejiangosaurus *Zhejiangosaurus* is a genus of nodosauridae dinosaur from the Cenomanian-age Upper Cretaceous Chaochuan Formation of Zhejiang, People's Republic of China....		Chaochuan Formation, Zhejiang, China	Nodosaurid
Zhongyuansaurus Zhongyuansaurus *Zhongyuansaurus* is a genus of ankylosaurian dinosaur from the Cretaceous of Ruyang, Henan, People's Republic of China. It is known from remains including skull, arm, pelvis, and tail bones....		Ruyang, Henan, China	Nodosaurid

Ornithopoda

Ornithopods of the Cenomanian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Anabisetia Anabisetia *Anabisetia* is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of Patagonia, South America. It was a small bipedal herbivore, almost seven feet long....		Cerro Lisandro Formation Cerro Lisandro Formation The Lisandro Formation, alternatively known as the Cerro Lisandro Formation, is a geologic formation with outcrops in the Neuqu?n Province province of Argentina.... , Neuquén, Argentina	A small bipedal herbivore, almost seven feet (2 meters) long
Bihariosaurus Bihariosaurus *Bihariosaurus* was a genus of camptosaurid dinosaur from Late Cretaceous Romania. The type species, Bihariosaurus bauxiticus, was described by Marinescu in 1989....		Bihor Bihor Bihor may mean:* Bihor County, in Romania* Bihor Mountains, in Romania* Bihor, Montenegro* Bihor , in Montenegro... , Romania	An iguanodont similar to Camptosaurus Camptosaurus *Camptosaurus* is a genus of plant-eating, beaked dinosaurs of the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Period . The name means 'bent lizard', because, when standing on all fours, its body must have been arched ....
Eolambia Eolambia *Eolambia* was an iguanodontian dinosaur from the mid-Cretaceous Period . The name comes from the Ancient Greek eos/??? meaning 'dawn' or 'morning', implying 'early'....	Albian Albian Albian is a faunal stage of the Cretaceous geologic timescale.Albian is a term proposed in 1842 by A. d'Orbigny for that stage of the Cretaceous system which comes above the Aptian and below the Cenomanian .... -Cenomanian	Utah, USA	An iguanodont
Gadolosaurus Gadolosaurus "Gadolosaurus" is the informal name given to a genus of ornithopod dinosaur from late Cretaceous-age rocks in Mongolia. Though the name was made public in 1979, it has never been formally described, and the name is considered a nomen nudum....		Mongolia
Notohypsilophodon Notohypsilophodon *Notohypsilophodon* was a genus of hypsilophodont ornithopod dinosaur. It was described as the only hypsilophodont known from South America, although this assessment is not universally supported, and Gasparinisaura is now believed to have been a hypsilophodont as well....	Cenomanian-Turonian Turonian The Turonian is a faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch . It spans the time between 93.5 ? 0.8 annum and 89.3 ? 1 Ma .The Turonien was definied by the French paleontologist Alcide d'Orbigny , who named it after the city of Tours in the French department of Indre-et-Loire....	Bajo Barreal Formation Bajo Barreal Formation The is a geological Formation in Chubut, Argentina whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.... , Chubut, Argentina	A hypsilophodontid or other basal ornithopod, Notohypsilophodon would have been a bipedal herbivore. Its size has not been estimated
Protohadros Protohadros *Protohadros* is a genus of dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous , 95 million years ago.Gary Byrd, a part-time paleontology, discovered fossils of this ornithopod in 1994 at Flower Mound, Texas, Denton County, north-central Texas....		Flower Mound, Texas, USA	A primitive hadrosauroid, Protohadros reached 6 m (19.5 ft) in length and had many hadrosaur-like features
Shuangmiaosaurus Shuangmiaosaurus *Shuangmiaosaurus* is a genus of dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period. It was an iguanodont which lived in China. The type species, Shuangmiaosaurus gilmorei, was described by You, Ji, Li, and Li in 2003, who originally assigned the genus to Hadrosauroidea....	Cenomanian-Turonian Turonian The Turonian is a faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch . It spans the time between 93.5 ? 0.8 annum and 89.3 ? 1 Ma .The Turonien was definied by the French paleontologist Alcide d'Orbigny , who named it after the city of Tours in the French department of Indre-et-Loire....	China	A poorly known iguanodont Iguanodont Iguanodonts were herbivorous dinosaurs that lived from the mid-Jurassic to Late Cretaceous. Some members include Camptosaurus, Callovosaurus, Iguanodon, and Ouranosaurus....

Sauropoda

Sauropods of the Cenomanian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Argentinosaurus Argentinosaurus *Argentinosaurus* is a genus of sauropod dinosaur first discovered by Guillermo Heredia in Argentina. The generic name means "silver lizard", in reference to the country in which it was discovered ....		Río Limay Formation, Neuquén, Argentina
Brachiosaurus Brachiosaurus *Brachiosaurus* , meaning "arm lizard", from the Ancient Greek brachion/??a???? meaning "arm" and sauros/sa???? meaning "lizard", was a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic Period and possibly the Early Cretaceous Period ....	? Brachiosaurus nougaredi	Wargla, Algeria

Theropoda

Theropods of the Cenomanian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Bahariasaurus Bahariasaurus *Bahariasaurus* was originally thought to be a very large carnivorous dinosaur. It is probably synonymous with Deltadromeus, another predatory dinosaur from the Cretaceous of Africa....		Bahariya Oasis Bahariya Oasis El-Waha el-Bahariya or Bahariya is an oasis in Egypt. It is approximately 300 km away from Cairo and the least technologically advanced Oasis in the country.... , Egypt; Niger
Carcharodontosaurus Carcharodontosaurus *Carcharodontosaurus* was a gigantic carnivore Carcharodontosauridae dinosaur that lived around 98 to 93 million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period ....		Morocco; Niger
Deltadromeus Deltadromeus *Deltadromeus* is a genus of theropod dinosaur from Northern Africa. This carnivore had long, unusually slender hind limbs for its size, suggesting that it was a swift runner....		Morocco
Mapusaurus Mapusaurus *Mapusaurus* was a giant carnosaurian dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of what is now Argentina. It was similar in size to its close relative Giganotosaurus, with the largest known specimens measuring over 12.2 meters in length and weighing over 3 tons....		Huincul Formation Huincul Formation The Huincul Formation is a geologic formation that outcrops in Rio Negro Province and Neuquen Province provinces of Argentina. It is the second formation in the R?o Limay Subgroup, the oldest subgroup within the Neuqu?n Group.... , Argentina
Siamosaurus Siamosaurus *Siamosaurus* is a genus of theropod dinosaur from Early Cretaceous Thailand. The size of the animal is unknown, but it may have reached a length of about 9.1 meters ....		Thailand
Sigilmassasaurus Sigilmassasaurus *Sigilmassasaurus* is a genus of tetanurae theropod dinosaur from the middle of the Cretaceous Period of northern Africa. Not much is known about this dinosaur, but it was almost definitely a bipedal carnivore like most other theropods....		Tafilalt Tafilalt Tafilalt or Tafilet is a region and the most important oasis of the Morocco Sahara; it is also considered one of the largest oasis in the world, the oasis is entirely located along the Ziz River.... , Morocco
Spinosaurus Spinosaurus *Spinosaurus* is a genus of Theropoda dinosaur which lived in what is now North Africa, from the Albian to early Cenomanian faunal stage of the Cretaceous Period , about 100 to 93 annum....		Bahariya Oasis, Egypt; Tunisia; Morocco
Unenlagia Unenlagia Unenlagia was a genus of theropod dinosaur of the family Dromaeosauridae. Unenlagia, which lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous, was a member of the strange and extremely bird-like Gondwanan sub-family of dromaeosaurs called unenlagiines, and was closely related to dinosaurs such as Buitreraptor and Neuquenraptor...		Comahue, Argentina

Cenomanian

Terminology

The Cenomanian units

Characteristics in the Cenomanian

Invertebrate Fauna

Belemnites

Vertebrate Fauna

Ankylosauria

Ornithopoda

Sauropoda

Theropoda

Geologic Formations

Related other topics

External links