Misplaced Pages

#210789

22-510: The Futaba Group is a Late Cretaceous geologic group in Japan . Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation, although none have yet been referred to a specific genus . It consists of both fluvial and shallow marine sediments. The plesiosaur Futabasaurus was found in this unit (specifically the Tamayama Formation ). This article about

44-524: A specific stratigraphic formation in Japan is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Late Cretaceous During the Late Cretaceous, the climate was warmer than present, although throughout the period a cooling trend is evident. The tropics became restricted to equatorial regions and northern latitudes experienced markedly more seasonal climatic conditions. Due to plate tectonics ,

66-595: Is defined as the place in the stratigraphic column where the ammonite Pachydiscus neubergicus first appears. The Campanian can be subdivided into Lower, Middle and Upper Subages. In the western interior of the United States, the base of the Middle Campanian is defined as the first occurrence of the ammonite Baculites obtusus (80.97 Ma) and the base of the Upper Campanian defined as the first occurrence of

88-474: Is it particularly evident that a true systematic decline was ever in place, especially with the discovery of smaller pterosaur species. Several old mammal groups began to disappear, with the last eutriconodonts occurring in the Campanian of North America . In the northern hemisphere, cimolodont , multituberculates , metatherians and eutherians were the dominant mammals, with the former two groups being

110-468: Is sometimes referred to as the "Campanian Explosion". However, it is not yet clear if the event is artificial, i.e. the low number of genera in the lower Campanian can be caused by a lower preservation chance for fossils in deposits of that age. The generally warm climates and large continental area covered in shallow sea during the Campanian probably favoured the dinosaurs. In the following Maastrichtian stage,

132-502: The Deccan Traps , both of which have been firmly dated to the time of the extinction event. In theory, these events reduced sunlight and hindered photosynthesis , leading to a massive disruption in Earth's ecology . A much smaller number of researchers believe the extinction was more gradual, resulting from slower changes in sea level or climate . Campanian The Campanian is

154-569: The Americas were gradually moving westward, causing the Atlantic Ocean to expand. The Western Interior Seaway divided North America into eastern and western halves; Appalachia and Laramidia . India maintained a northward course towards Asia. In the Southern Hemisphere, Australia and Antarctica seem to have remained connected and began to drift away from Africa and South America. Europe

176-813: The Cretaceous Period derived from the German name Kreidezeit , and T is the abbreviation for the Tertiary Period (a historical term for the period of time now covered by the Paleogene and Neogene periods). The event marks the end of the Mesozoic Era and the beginning of the Cenozoic Era. "Tertiary" being no longer recognized as a formal time or rock unit by the International Commission on Stratigraphy ,

198-847: The K-T event is now called the Cretaceous—Paleogene (or K-Pg) extinction event by many researchers. Non- avian dinosaur fossils are found only below the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary and became extinct immediately before or during the event. A very small number of dinosaur fossils have been found above the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, but they have been explained as reworked fossils , that is, fossils that have been eroded from their original locations then preserved in later sedimentary layers. Mosasaurs , plesiosaurs , pterosaurs and many species of plants and invertebrates also became extinct. Mammalian and bird clades passed through

220-604: The North American varieties. Pachycephalosaurs were also present in both North America and Asia. Dromaeosaurids shared the same geographical distribution, and are well documented in both Mongolia and Western North America. Additionally therizinosaurs (known previously as segnosaurs) appear to have been in North America and Asia. Gondwana held a very different dinosaurian fauna, with most predators being abelisaurids and carcharodontosaurids ; and titanosaurs being among

242-448: The ammonite Didymoceras nebrascense (76.27 Ma). In the Tethys domain , the Campanian encompasses six ammonite biozones . They are, from young to old: During the Campanian age, a radiation among dinosaur species occurred. In North America, for example, the number of known dinosaur genera rises from four at the base of the Campanian to forty-eight in the upper part. This development

SECTION 10

#1733085776211

264-519: The boundary with few extinctions, and evolutionary radiation from those Maastrichtian clades occurred well past the boundary. Rates of extinction and radiation varied across different clades of organisms. Many scientists hypothesize that the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinctions were caused by catastrophic events such as the massive asteroid impact that caused the Chicxulub crater , in combination with increased volcanic activity , such as that recorded in

286-401: The dominant herbivores. Spinosaurids were also present during this time. Birds became increasingly common, diversifying in a variety of enantiornithe and ornithurine forms. Early Neornithes such as Vegavis co-existed with forms as bizarre as Yungavolucris and Avisaurus . Though mostly small, marine Hesperornithes became relatively large and flightless, adapted to life in

308-640: The fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous Epoch on the geologic timescale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). In chronostratigraphy , it is the fifth of six stages in the Upper Cretaceous Series . Campanian spans the time from 83.6 (± 0.2) to 72.1 (± 0.2) million years ago. It is preceded by the Santonian and it is followed by the Maastrichtian . The Campanian

330-636: The most common mammals in North America. In the southern hemisphere there was instead a more complex fauna of dryolestoids , gondwanatheres and other multituberculates and basal eutherians ; monotremes were presumably present, as was the last of the haramiyidans , Avashishta . Mammals, though generally small, ranged into a variety of ecological niches, from carnivores ( Deltatheroida ), to mollusc-eater ( Stagodontidae ), to herbivores (multituberculates, Schowalteria , Zhelestidae and Mesungulatidae ) to highly atypical cursorial forms ( Zalambdalestidae , Brandoniidae ). True placentals evolved only at

352-531: The numerous teleost fishes, which in turn evolved into new advanced and modern forms ( Neoteleostei ). Ichthyosaurs and pliosaurs , on the other hand, became extinct during the Cenomanian-Turonian anoxic event . Near the end of the Cretaceous Period, flowering plants diversified. In temperate regions, familiar plants like magnolias , sassafras , roses , redwoods , and willows could be found in abundance. The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event

374-407: The open sea. Though primarily represented by azhdarchids , other forms like pteranodontids , tapejarids ( Caiuajara and Bakonydraco ), nyctosaurids and uncertain forms ( Piksi , Navajodactylus ) are also present. Historically, it has been assumed that pterosaurs were in decline due to competition with birds, but it appears that neither group overlapped significantly ecologically, nor

396-433: The very end of the epoch; the same can be said for true marsupials . Instead, nearly all known eutherian and metatherian fossils belong to other groups. In the seas, mosasaurs suddenly appeared and underwent a spectacular evolutionary radiation. Modern sharks also appeared and penguin-like polycotylid plesiosaurs (3 meters long) and huge long-necked elasmosaurs (13 meters long) also diversified. These predators fed on

418-537: Was a large-scale mass extinction of animal and plant species in a geologically short period of time, approximately 66  million years ago (Ma). It is widely known as the K–T extinction event and is associated with a geological signature, usually a thin band dated to that time and found in various parts of the world, known as the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary (K–T boundary). K is the traditional abbreviation for

440-574: Was a series of outcrops near the village of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne in the same region. The base of the Campanian Stage is defined as a place in the stratigraphic column where the extinction of crinoid species Marsupites testudinarius is located. A GSSP was ratified for the base of the Campanian in October 2022, having been placed in Bottaccione, Gubbio , Italy . The top of the Campanian stage

462-460: Was an age when a worldwide sea level rise covered many coastal areas. The morphology of some of these areas has been preserved: it is an unconformity beneath a cover of marine sedimentary rocks . The Campanian was introduced in scientific literature by Henri Coquand in 1857. It is named after the French village of Champagne in the department of Charente-Maritime . The original type locality

SECTION 20

#1733085776211

484-504: Was an island chain. Populating some of these islands were endemic dwarf dinosaur species. In the Late Cretaceous, the hadrosaurs , ankylosaurs , and ceratopsians experienced success in Asiamerica (Western North America and eastern Asia). Tyrannosaurs dominated the large predator niche in North America. They were also present in Asia, although were usually smaller and more primitive than

#210789