Worldwide ammonite correlation at the Pliensbachian Stage and Substage Boundaries (Lower Jurassic)

A critical review and worldwide correlation of ammonite biostratigraphy at the Pliensbachian Stage and Substage boundaries (Lower Jurassic) reveals key insights for global chronostratigraphic framework. The study establishes that the base of the Pliensbachian Stage, defined by the ammonite association Bifericeras donovani and Apoderoceras sp., marks a significant boundary at Wine Haven, Yorkshire Coast (UK), coinciding with the Taylori Subchronozone. While the Lower-Upper Pliensbachian boundary remains undefined without a GSSP, potential candidates are identified across Euroboreal and Tethyan domains, including Dorset, UK, and regions in Spain, France, Italy, and Hungary. The research underscores ammonites as the most reliable fossil group for precise biostratigraphic correlation in the Lower Jurassic, building upon Oppel's foundational work (1856-58) to refine global chronostratigraphy.

Meister, C. (2010). Worldwide ammonite correlation at the Pliensbachian Stage and Substage Boundaries (Lower Jurassic). Stratigraphy, 7(1), 83–101. https://doi.org/10.29041/strat.07.1.06