The Santonian stage and substages

Journal article

The recognition of the Coniacian-Santonian boundary is easy with good correlation of macro- and microfossil evidence. The Santonian Working Group (SWG) recommends the lowest occurrence of Cladoceramus undulatoplicatus (Roemer) as the marker for the Coniacian-Santonian boundary. As yet, the SWG cannot make a formal proposal for a Boundary Stratotype Section, because the biostratigraphy must be better known and integrated first. Three candidates for Boundary Stratotype Section, Olazagutia Quarry (Navarra, Spain), Seaford Head (Sussex, England) and Ten Mile Creek (Dallas, Texas, USA) were selected for further decision. To achieve a useful subdivision of the Santonian into substages a better understanding of taxa ranges and correlation through different biogeographic realms is needed. Formal proposals for subdivision would be premature at present, but a three-fold division is favoured.

Authors: Lamolda, M; Hancock, J; Burnett, J; Collom, C; Christensen, W

• Journal: Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belqique, Sciences de la Terre
• Volume: 66
• Issue: SUPPL.
• Pages: 95-102
• Publication date: 1996-01-01
• ISSN: 0374-6291
• Language: English
• Keywords: Nannofossils; Upper Cretaceous; Inoceramids; Foraminifera; Crinoids; Santonian; Stratotypes; Ammonites; Biostratigraphy; Chronostratigraphy; Belemnites