Norian


The Norian is a division of the Triassic Period. It has the rank of an age or stage. It lasted from ~227.3 to million years ago. It was preceded by the Carnian and succeeded by the Rhaetian.

Stratigraphic definitions

The Norian was named after the Noric Alps in Austria. The stage was introduced into scientific literature by Austrian geologist Edmund Mojsisovics von Mojsvar in 1869.
The Norian Stage begins at the base of the ammonite biozones of Klamathites macrolobatus and Stikinoceras kerri, and at the base of the conodont biozones of Metapolygnathus communisti and Metapolygnathus primitius. A global reference profile for the base had in 2009 not yet been appointed.
The top of the Norian is at the first appearance of ammonite species Cochloceras amoenum. The base of the Rheatian is also close to the first appearance of conodont species Misikella spp. and Epigondolella mosheri and the radiolarid species Proparvicingula moniliformis.
In the Tethys domain, the Norian Stage contains six ammonite biozones:
  • zone of Halorites macer
  • zone of Himavatites hogarti
  • zone of Cyrtopleurites bicrenatus
  • zone of Juvavites magnus
  • zone of Malayites paulckei
  • zone of ''Guembelites jandianus''

    Subages

The Norian is divided into three global subages or substages:
  • Lacian
  • Alaunian
  • Sevatian
Many older studies considered the Rhaetian to be the uppermost substage of the Norian, though it has subsequently been raised to its own stage.
The Revueltian land-vertebrate faunachron corresponds to part of the Norian, and it is probable that the Otischalkian and Adamanian LVFs are also early-middle Norian in age.

Notable formations