Ypresian Stage

stratigraphy
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Ypresian Stage, oldest division of Eocene rocks, representing all rocks deposited worldwide during the Ypresian Age (56 million to 47.8 million years ago) of the Paleogene Period (66 million to 23 million years ago). The Ypresian Stage is named for exposures in the region of Ypres, Belgium.

The Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the lower boundary of this stage, ratified by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) in 2003, is located within the Dababiya Section approximately 25 km (16 miles) south of Luxor, Egypt. The lower boundary of the Ypresian Stage coincides with the base of the dinoflagellate (single-celled, aquatic organisms with two dissimilar flagellae and exhibiting traits of both plants and animals) Apectodinium augustum. The upper boundary matches the first occurrence of the foraminiferan (pseudopod-using unicellular organism protected by a test or shell) Hantkenina nuttalli. The Ypresian Stage precedes the Lutetian Stage and overlies the Thanetian Stage.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.