Editing Cretaceous (section)

===Subdivisions===

The Cretaceous is divided into [[Early Cretaceous|Early]] and [[Late Cretaceous]] [[epoch (geology)|epochs]], or Lower and Upper Cretaceous [[series (stratigraphy)|series]]. In older literature, the Cretaceous is sometimes divided into three series: [[Neocomian]] (lower/early), [[Gallic epoch|Gallic]] (middle) and [[Senonian]] (upper/late). A subdivision into 12 [[stage (stratigraphy)|stages]], all originating from European stratigraphy, is now used worldwide. In many parts of the world, alternative local subdivisions are still in use.

From youngest to oldest, the subdivisions of the Cretaceous period are:<ref>Cohen, K.M., Finney, S.C., Gibbard, P.L. & Fan, J.-X. (2013; updated) [https://stratigraphy.org/ICSchart/ChronostratChart2024-12.pdf The ICS International Chronostratigraphic Chart]. Episodes 36: 199–204.</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Subdivisions of the Cretaceous
|-
! rowspan=2|Epoch !! rowspan=2|Age/Stage !! Start<br>''(base)'' !! rowspan="2" |Definition !!rowspan=2|Etymology
|-
! align="center" |([[Megaannum|Mya]])
|-
|[[Paleocene]]
|[[Danian]]
|66
|
|
|-
| rowspan="6" style="background-color: {{period color|late cretaceous}};" | [[Late Cretaceous]]|| style="background-color: {{period color|maastrichtian}};" | [[Maastrichtian]]|| align="center" | 72.2 ± 0.2 || top: iridium anomaly at the [[Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary]]<br>base:first occurrence of ''[[Pachydiscus|Pachydiscus neubergicus]]''
| [[Maastricht Formation]], [[Maastricht]], Netherlands
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|campanian}};" | [[Campanian]]|| align="center" | 83.6 ± 0.2 || base: last occurrence of ''[[Marsupites|Marsupites testudinarius]]''|| [[Champagne (province)|Champagne]], France
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|santonian}};" | [[Santonian]]|| align="center" | 85.7 ± 0.2 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Cladoceramus|Cladoceramus undulatoplicatus]]''|| [[Saintes, Charente-Maritime|Saintes]], France
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|coniacian}};" | [[Coniacian]]|| align="center" | 89.8 ± 0.3 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Cremnoceramus|Cremnoceramus rotundatus]]''|| [[Cognac, France|Cognac]], France
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|turonian}};" | [[Turonian]]|| align="center" | 93.9 ± 0.2 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Watinoceras|Watinoceras devonense]]''|| [[Tours]], France
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|cenomanian}};" | [[Cenomanian]]|| align="center" | 100.5 ± 0.1 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Rotalipora|Rotalipora globotruncanoides]]''|| ''Cenomanum''; [[Le Mans]], France
|-
| rowspan="6" style="background-color: {{period color|early cretaceous}};" | [[Early Cretaceous]]|| style="background-color: {{period color|albian}};" | [[Albian]]|| align="center" | 113.2 ± 0.3 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Praediscosphaera|Praediscosphaera columnata]]''|| [[Aube (river)|Aube]], France
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|aptian}};" | [[Aptian]]|| align="center" | 121.4 ± 0.6 || base: [[magnetic anomaly]] M0r || [[Apt, Vaucluse|Apt]], France
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|barremian}};" | [[Barremian]]|| align="center" | 125.77 ± 1.5 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Spitidiscus|Spitidiscus hugii]]'' and ''S. vandeckii''|| [[Barrême]], France
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|hauterivian}};" | [[Hauterivian]]|| align="center" | 132.6 ± 0.6 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Acanthodiscus]]''|| [[Hauterive, Neuchâtel|Hauterive]], Switzerland
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|valanginian}};" | [[Valanginian]]|| align="center" | 137.05 ± 0.2 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Calpionellites|Calpionellites darderi]]''|| [[Valangin]], Switzerland
|-
| style="background-color: {{period color|berriasian}};" | [[Berriasian]] || align="center" | 143.1 ±0.6 || base: first occurrence of ''[[Berriasella|Berriasella jacobi]]'' (traditionally);<br>first occurrence of ''[[Calpionella|Calpionella alpina]]'' (since 2016) || [[Berrias-et-Casteljau|Berrias]], France
|-
|}