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Episodes 2004; 27(1): 21-32

Published online March 1, 2004

https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2004/v27i1/003

Copyright © International Union of Geological Sciences.

The Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Cenomanian Stage, Mont Risou, Hautes-Alpes, France

W.J. Kennedy1, A.S. Gale2, J.A. Lees3, M. Caron4

1Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, U.K.
2Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BP, U.K. and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime Campus, Chatham, Kent ME4 4AW, U.K.
3Research School of Geological and Geophysical Sciences, Birkbeck College and University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
4Institut de Géologie, Université de Fribourg, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Following the unanimous recommendation of the International Commission on Stratigraphy, the Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Cenomanian Stage is defined at a level 36 metres below the top of the Marnes Bleues Formation, a level that corresponds to the the first appearance of the planktonic foraminiferan Rotalipora globotruncanoides Sigal, 1948, on the south side of Mont Risou, east of Rosans, Haute-Alpes, France, where it can be placed in the context of a series of secondary marker levels based on nannofossils, planktonic foraminifera, ammonites, and an ornate δ13C curve.