The Tithonian was introduced in scientific literature by German stratigrapher Albert Oppel in 1865. The name Tithonian is unusual in geological stage names because it is derived from Greek mythology. Tithonus was the son of Laomedon of Troy and fell in love with Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn. His name was chosen by Albert Oppel for this stratigraphical stage because the Tithonian finds itself hand in hand with the dawn of the Cretaceous.[3]
The top of the Tithonian stage (the base of the Berriasian stage and the Cretaceous system) is marked by the first appearance of small globular calpionellids of the species Calpionella alpina, at the base of the Alpina Subzone .
Subdivision
The Tithonian is often subdivided into Lower/Early, Middle and Upper/Late substages or subages. The Late Tithonian is coeval with the Portlandian stage of British stratigraphy.
The Tithonian stage contains seven ammonite biozones in the Tethys domain, from top to base:
In the ocean of Tethys, the Tithonian has a calcareous facies with a typical cephalopod fauna. The Solnhofen limestone of southern Germany, which is known for its fossils (especially Archaeopteryx), is of Tithonian age.
The smallest and the earliest well-known ankylosaur. Its skull measures only 29 cm in length, and its total body length is an estimated three to four meters.
The most common and most highly studied theropod dinosaur.
AllosaurusArchaeopteryx chasing a juvenile Compsognathus.It is believed that the Port Waikato creature was similar to Compsognathus longipes, shown here.LourinhanosaurusOstafrikasaurusStokesosaurusTanycolagreusTorvosaurusVeterupristisaurus
The late Jurassic is notable for the first appearance in the fossil record of birds, in the form of Archaeopteryx, found in limestone quarries in Germany.
known from a single specimen consisting of an associated partial skeleton represented by a complete pelvis as well as a partially complete leg, and neck, back, and tail vertebrae.
Torvosaurus was a very large megalosaurid predator, with an estimated maximum body length of 10 m (33 ft) and mass of 3.6–4.5 tonnes (4–5 short tons) for both its species, making Torvosaurus among the largest land carnivores of the Jurassic. Thomas Holtz estimated it at 12 meters (39 feet). Claims have been made indicating even larger sizes.
The earliest known carcharodontosaurid, possibly sister to Acrocanthosaurus. Estimated to have been about 8.5 m (28 ft)-10 m (33 ft) in length; teeth that may belong to Veterupristisaurus indicate sizes in excess of 12 meters and 6 tonnes.[5]
Wellnhoferia is a genus of early prehistoric bird-like theropod dinosaur closely related to Archaeopteryx, possibly a synonym of Archaeopteryx lithographica.
Fruitadens was a heterodontosaurid and the smallest known ornithischian dinosaur, weighing less than 2 pounds (0.91 kg) and measuring a little over 2 feet (0.61 m) in length. It is also one of the latest surviving heterodontosaurids known.
Camptosaurus could be more than 7.9 meters (26 feet) long, and 2.0 meters (6.6 feet) tall at the hips. They had heavy bodies but, as well as walking on four legs (quadrupedal), could also rear up to walk on two legs (bipedal). This genus is closely related to iguanodontid and hadrosaurid dinosaurs. It probably ate cycads with its beak.
Averaging around 9 metres (30 feet) long and 4 metres (13 feet) tall, the quadrupedal Stegosaurus is one of the most easily identifiable dinosaurs, due to the distinctive double row of kite-shaped plates rising vertically along its arched back and the two pairs of long spikes extending horizontally near the end of its tail.
A relatively small metriorhynchid genus. No known species of Geosaurus attained lengths in excess of 3 meters (9.8 feet). There were multiple Geosaurus species alive during the Tithonian.
The type species from Western Europe of the Late Jurassic (Early Tithonian).
Western Europe of the Late Jurassic (Early Tithonian).
^Molina Pérez & Larramendi (2016). Récords y curiosidades de los dinosaurios Terópodos y otros dinosauromorfos. Barcelona, Spain: Larousse. p. 261. ISBN9780565094973.
Literature
Gradstein, F.M.; Ogg, J.G. & Smith, A.G.; (2004): A Geologic Time Scale 2004, Cambridge University Press.
Oppel, C.A.; 1865: Die Tithonische Etage, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Geologischen Gesellschaft, 1865: pp 535–558. (in German)
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