South American Land Mammal Age
Encyclopedia
The South American Mammal Ages (SALMA) establish a geologic timescale for prehistoric South America
n 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.
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.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
beginning 64.5 Ma during the Paleogene
Paleogene
The Paleogene is a geologic period and system that began 65.5 ± 0.3 and ended 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and comprises the first part of the Cenozoic Era...
and continuing through to the Middle Pleistocene
Middle Pleistocene
The Middle Pleistocene, more specifically referred to as the Ionian stage, is a period of geologic time from ca. 781 to 126 thousand years ago....
(0.33 Ma). These periods are referred to as ages, stages, or intervals and were established using geographic place names where fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
materials where obtained.
The basic unit of measure is the first/last boundary statement. This shows that the first appearance event of one taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
is known to predate the last appearance event of another. If two taxa are found in the same fossil quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
or at the same stratigraphic horizon, then their age-range zones overlap.
Ages
- LujanianLujanianThe Lujanian age is a period of geologic time within the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages...
: Lower boundary 0.8 Ma. Upper boundary 0.011 Ma. - EnsenadanEnsenadanThe Ensenadan age is a period of geologic time within the Early Pleistocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Uquian and precedes the Lujanian age....
: Lower boundary 1.2 Ma. Upper boundary 0.8 Ma. - UquianUquianThe Uquian age is a period of geologic time within the Pliocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Montehermosan and precedes the Ensenadan age....
: Lower boundary 3 Ma. Upper boundary 1.2 Ma. - ChapadmalalanChapadmalalanThe Chapadmalalan age is a period of geologic time within the Pliocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Montehermosan and precedes the Uquian age....
: Lower boundary 4 Ma. Upper boundary 3 Ma. - MontehermosanMontehermosanThe Montehermosan age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Huayquerian and precedes the Chapadmalalan age....
: Lower boundary 6.8 Ma. Upper boundary 4 Ma. - HuayquerianHuayquerianThe Huayquerian age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Mayoan and precedes the Montehermosan age....
: Lower boundary 9 Ma. Upper boundary 6.8 Ma. - ChasicoanChasicoanThe Chasicoan age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Mayoan and precedes the Huayquerian age....
: Lower boundary 10 Ma. Upper boundary 9 Ma. - MayoanMayoanThe Mayoan age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Laventan and precedes the Chasicoan age....
: Lower boundary 11.8 Ma. Upper boundary 10 Ma. - LaventanLaventanThe Laventan age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Colloncuran and precedes the Mayoan age....
: Lower boundary 13.8 Ma. Upper boundary 11.8 Ma. - ColloncuranColloncuranThe Colloncuran age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Friasian and precedes the Laventan age....
: Lower boundary 15.5 Ma. Upper boundary 13.8 Ma. - FriasianFriasianThe Friasian age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Santacrucian and precedes the Colloncuran age....
: Lower boundary 16.3 Ma. Upper boundary 15.5 Ma. - SantacrucianSantacrucianThe Santacrucian age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Colhuehuapian and precedes the Friasian age....
: Lower boundary 17.5 Ma. Upper boundary 16.3 Ma. - ColhuehuapianColhuehuapianThe Colhuehuapian age is a period of geologic time within the Miocene epoch of the Neogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Deseadan and precedes the Santacrucian age....
: Lower boundary 21.0 Ma. Upper boundary 17.5 Ma. - DeseadanDeseadanThe Deseadan age is a period of geologic time within the Oligocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Tinguirirican and precedes the Colhuehuapian age....
: Lower boundary 29.0 Ma. Upper boundary 21.0 Ma. - TinguiriricanTinguiriricanThe Tinguirirican age is a period of geologic time within the Oligocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Divisaderan and precedes the Deseadan age....
: Lower boundary 36.0 Ma. Upper boundary 29.0 Ma. - DivisaderanDivisaderanThe Divisaderan age is a period of geologic time within the Eocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Mustersan and precedes the Tinguirirican age....
: Lower boundary 42.0 Ma. Upper boundary 36.0 Ma. - MustersanMustersanThe Mustersan age is a period of geologic time within the Eocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Casamayoran and precedes the Divisaderan age....
: Lower boundary 48.0 Ma. Upper boundary 42.0 Ma. - CasamayoranCasamayoranThe Casamayoran age is a period of geologic time within the Eocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Riochican and precedes the Mustersan age....
: Lower boundary 54.0 Ma. Upper boundary 48.0 Ma. - RiochicanRiochicanThe Riochican age is a period of geologic time within the Paleocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Itaboraian and precedes the Casamayoran age....
: Lower boundary 57.0 Ma. Upper boundary 54.0 Ma. - ItaboraianItaboraianThe Itaboraian age is a period of geologic time within the Paleocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Peligran and precedes the Riochican age....
: Lower boundary 59.0 Ma. Upper boundary 57.0 Ma. - PeligranPeligranThe Peligran age is a period of geologic time within the Paleocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Tiupampan and precedes the Itaboraian age....
: Lower boundary 62.5 Ma. Upper boundary 59.0 Ma. - TiupampanTiupampanThe Tiupampan age is a period of geologic time within the Paleocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with South American Land Mammal Ages. It precedes the Peligran age....
: Lower boundary 64.5 Ma. Upper boundary 62.5 Ma.
Other continental ages
- Asian Land Mammal Age
- European Land Mammal Age
- North American Land Mammal Age