Messinian

Formerly part ofTertiaryPeriod/SystemEtymologyName formalityFormalUsage informationCelestial bodyEarthRegional usageGlobal (ICS)Time scale(s) usedICS Time ScaleDefinitionChronological unitAgeStratigraphic unitStageTime span formalityFormalLower boundary definition

• First regular occurrence of the Planktonic ForaminiferGloborotalia miotumida
• FAD of the Haptophyte

Lower boundary GSSPOued Akrech section, Rabat, Morocco
33°56′13″N6°48′45″W / 33.9369°N 6.8125°W / 33.9369; -6.8125Lower GSSP ratifiedJanuary 2000Upper boundary definitionBase of the Thvera magnetic event (C3n.4n), which is only 96 ka (5 precession cycles) younger than the GSSPUpper boundary GSSPHeraclea Minoa section, Heraclea Minoa, Cattolica Eraclea, Sicily, Italy
37°23′30″N13°16′50″E / 37.3917°N 13.2806°E / 37.3917; 13.2806Upper GSSP ratified2000

The Messinian is in the geologic timescale the last age or uppermost stage of the Miocene. It spans the time between 7.246 ± 0.005 Ma and 5.333 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago). It follows the Tortonian and is followed by the Zanclean, the first age of the Pliocene.

The Messinian overlaps the TurolianEuropean Land Mammal Mega Zone (more precisely MN 12 and 13) and the Pontian Central European Paratethys Stage. It also overlaps the late Huayquerian and early MontehermosanSouth American Land Mammal Ages, and falls inside the more extensive HemphillianNorth American Land Mammal Age.

During the Messinian, around 6 million years ago, the Messinian salinity crisis took place, which brought about repeated desiccations of the .