Toarcian Stage, uppermost of the four divisions of the Lower Jurassic Series, representing all rocks formed worldwide during the Toarcian Age, which occurred between 182.7 million and 174.1 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. The Toarcian Stage overlies the Lower Jurassic Pliensbachian Stage and underlies the Aalenian Stage of the Middle Jurassic Series.
The stage’s name is derived from the village of Thouars (known as Toarcium in ancient Roman times) in western France. The standard succession is better known from the Lorraine region of northeastern France, where about 100 metres (330 feet) of marls and shales with nodular limestones are represented. In northwestern Europe there are two ammonite zones each in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Toarcian, ranging from the Tenuicostatum Zone to the Levesquei Zone. Many Toarcian ammonites are distributed widely around the world, which allows for better global correlations of Toarcian rocks than for those of some other Jurassic stages. However, some differences in species’ longevities and their definitions in various regions complicate correlation efforts.