A possible palaeogeographical reconstruction of the Miocene Mediterranean. North to the left. *Red = current coastline *S = Sorbas basin, Spain *R = Rifean corridor *B = Betic corridor *G = Strait of Gibraltar *M = Mediterranean sea
Messinian is the last age of the Miocene epoch. It spans the time between 7.246 ± 0.005 Ma and 5.332 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago). It is named after the Messinian evaporite deposit, which was named after Messina in Sicily.
The Messinian stage saw the start, at around 6 million years ago, of the Messinian salinity crisis, which brought about repeated desiccations of the Mediterranean Sea basin over the ensuing few million years.
See also
References
|
