The Calabrian Stage Redefined

Home , Calabrian (stage), Discoaster, Messinian, Pliocene, Sicilian Stage, Zanclean

408 by Maria Bianca Cita1, Luca Capraro2, Neri Ciaranﬁ3, Enrico Di Stefano4, Fabrizio Lirer5, Patrizia Maiorano3, Maria Marino3, Isabella Raffi6, Domenico Rio2, Rodolfo Sprovieri4, Simona Stefanelli3, and Gian Battista Vai7 The Calabrian Stage redeﬁned

1 Università di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “Ardito Desio”, via Mangiagalli 34, 20133 Milano, Italy. E-mail: [email protected] 2 Università di Padova, Dipartimento di Geoscienze, via Giotto 1, 35137 Padova, Italy. 3 Università di Bari, Dipartimento di Geologia e Geoﬁsica, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy. 4 Università di Palermo, Dipartimento di Geologia e Geodesia, via Archiraﬁ 22, 90123 Palermo, Italy. 5 Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero (IAMC), CNR, Calata Porta di Massa, 80133 Napoli, Italy. 6 Università di Chieti-Pescara, Dipartimento di Geotecnologie per l'Ambiente ed il Territorio, via dei Vestini 31, 66013 Chieti Scalo, Italy. 7 Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-ambientali. Piazza di porta San Donato 1, 40126 Bologna, Italy.

The name Calabrian was introduced in the geological literature by the French stratigrapher Maurice Gignoux in Historical background 1910, and later described in his important monograph (633 pages) “Les formations marines pliocènes et quaternaires According to Gignoux (1910, 1913), the Calabrian was a stage rep- de l'Italie du sud et de la Sicile” published in 1913. Detailed resenting the younger part of the Pliocene series. Of the numerous stratigraphic successions investigated, that of Santa Maria di Catan- data were provided on several sections (Santa Maria di zaro was described as follows (Gignoux, 1913): “Au Monte S. Maria, Catanzaro, Caraffa, Monasterace, Palermo) and on their le plateau culminant du point 207 est occupè par des marnes fossil content. The Calabrian Stage has commonly been blanches qui recouvrent ce banc à Cyprina islandica: ce fait est used for over fifty years as the oldest subdivision of the Qua- intéressant à noter, car il nous montre d'abord que l'apparition de ce ternary, notably in the time scales of Berggren & van Cou- banc est due à une modification de la sedimentation et de la popula- tion organique et non à une émersion; et ensuite, il nous prouve que vering (1974) and Haq & Eysinga (1987). However, after le facies argileux a persisté jusqu'après le début du Calabrien: la the GSSP for the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary (P/P) was continuité de sédimentation qui relie le Pliocène ancien au Cal- approved by INQUA in 1982 and ratified by IUGS in 1984 abrien est donc ici bien manifeste”. at the Vrica section of Calabria, there was a decline in the This sequence was for a long time considered as the stratotype usage of the stage name, and an increasing tendency by section of the Calabrian (Banner & Blow, 1965; Selli, 1967; Bayliss, many Quaternary workers to question the boundary strato- 1969; Smith, 1969; Bandy & Wilcoxon, 1970; Selli, 1970; Berggren, 1971). The arenaceous, fossiliferous bed with the pelecypod Arctica type. This was because there was increasing evidence that it islandica (GG bed) was selected to mark the local base of the Cal- did not correspond to the beginning of the “ice age”. In abrian. doing so, they were not complying with the recommenda- Successively micropaleontological analyses (Sprovieri et al., tions presented at the 18th International Geological Con- 1973) proved that at this site the Calabrian sediments are transgres- gress (IGC) in London, 1948 (Oakley, 1950). sive on the underlying Pliocene marls and referable—as several sec- The purpose of this paper is to clarify the current def- tions described by Gignoux (1913) (Caraffa, Monasterace, Palermo)—to the Sicilian Stage of Doderlein (1872). Since the “pro- inition and usage of the Calabrian Stage, with a proper visional” Calabrian stratotype section at Santa Maria di Catanzaro historical background and the presentation of several could not be considered a valid representive of the P/P boundary, marine fossiliferous sections exposed on land that can be other options were considered. The section of Le Castella in the Cro- chronostratigraphically correlated with multiple criteria tone Basin Calabria (Emiliani et al., 1961) was accepted for defining including biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, isotopic the base of the Pleistocene by some authors (Berggren & Van Cou- stratigraphy, “astrocyclostratigraphy” and occasionally vering, 1974; Haq et al., 1977, among others), with the boundary related to the so-called “marker bed” where the first occurrence (FO) tephrastratigraphy. Other sections considered and of Hyalinea baltica occurs. However, also in this case several stud- equated with those from land are from the Mediterranean ies argued that some geological-stratigraphic problems affected this deep-sea record (Tyrrhenian Sea ODP Site 653, Ionian section (e.g. anomalous concentration of biological events around Sea ODP Site 964, Levantine Sea ODP Site 967, Balearic the marker bed and a hiatus just below it). Consequently this Sea ODP 975). sequence was considered unsuitable for the definition of the P/P The Calabrian Stage has a duration of approximately boundary (Ruggieri & Sprovieri, 1977; Colalongo et al., 1980; Raffi & Rio, 1980; Rio et al., 1996a). 1.1 Ma. Its base occurs in the latest part of the Olduvai After World War II, a number of new Pleistocene stages were Event; its top is coincident with the base of the following informally proposed in Italy by Ruggieri and co-authors, as follows: Ionian Stage. After a general agreement, the definition of a) Emilian (Ruggieri & Selli, 1949) the base of the Ionian Stage (in progress) will be proposed b) Santernian (Ruggieri & Sprovieri, 1975) coincident with the Brunhes/Matuyama magnetic reversal. c) Crotonian (Ruggieri, Unti, Unti & Moroni, 1977) d) Selinuntian (Ruggieri & Sprovieri, 1979) The choice of a physical parameter as a leading criterion The last was proposed as a replacement for the Calabrian with for its identification facilitates its recognition in continen- the rank of superstage and included from bottom to top the Santern- tal successions. ian, the Emilian and the Sicilian (of Doderlein, 1872) stages. None of

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these stages were defined following the procedures prescribed by the A large group of stratigraphers visited several outcrops of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) (Vai, 1996, 1997) Belice Valley near Selinunte, the Capo Rossello Pliocene template, (cf. Hedberg, 1976; Cowie et al., 1986; Remane et al., 1996). where the upper part of the Monte Narbone Formation extends Meanwhile one of the first projects of the International Geolog- beyond the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary, the Monte San Nicola ical Correlation Programme (IGCP), funded by UNESCO and IUGS, section (Monte Narbone Formation), where the Gelasian Stage was was dedicated to the Neogene/Quaternary boundary: IGCP Project about to be proposed (Rio et al., 1994) in Sicily. After crossing the 41, with Nikiforova as Project leader. The project lasted from 1974 Messina Strait, several Pleistocene and Pliocene sections were vis- to 1984 and resulted in the definition of the Vrica GSSP, which was ited at Croce Valanidi, Bianco, Singa, Santa Maria di Catanzaro, Le later approved at the INQUA Congress in Moscow in 1982. Castella, San Mauro Marchesato and Vrica. The excursion ended The difficulty of correlating the terrestrial record—which is after some well-exposed sections at the core of the Apennine fore- typically discontinuous in space and time—with the marine record, where chronostratigraphical units and their defining boundaries deep in the Agri valley of Basilicata were visited (Figure 1). Here should normally be identified, was well understood by the IGCP Pro- marine sedimentation extends into the Middle Pleistocene. Outcrops ject 41 team. visited at Santa Maria d'Anglona and Montalbano Ionico looked Three options for the boundary definition were considered, all promising, and seemed more appropriate than the nearshore San coinciding with reversals of the magnetic field in order to facilitate Mauro Marchesato area. the correlation between marine and continental deposits: Moreover, the direct comparison of the type sections of the 1) the Brunhes/Matuyama reversal at approximately 0.8 Ma, Selinuntian and Calabrian showed beyond doubt that the latter stage 2) the top of Olduvai Event at approximately 1.8 Ma, is the only one with the correlation potential required of a global 3) the Gauss/Matuyama reversal at approximately 2.6 Ma. standard of reference for its continuity and the applicability for a After years of work, Selli et al. (1977) proposed the Vrica sec- multidisciplinary approach. tion of Calabria. The proposal corresponded to the second option Nothing was published on this joint excursion, which however above and was accepted by INQUA in 1982, endorsed by ICS in had a long-lasting influence on further developments as follows: 1983, adopted by the IGC in Moscow in 1984, and ratified by IUGS 1 Proposal of the Gelasian Stage as youngest division of the in 1984. Pliocene, spanning the interval from 2.6 Ma to 1.8 Ma (Gauss/ However, no specific mention of the Calabrian Stage was made Matuyama Reversal to Olduvai Event) from type section at in the official documents, and the publication of the whole data set Monte San Nicola (Rio et al., 1994). This was selected to define arising from the IGCP Project 41 took a long time (Van Couvering, the third chronostratigraphic unit for the upper part of the ed., 1996). Thus, the only papers commonly cited in the literature are Aguirre & Pasini (1985) or Bassett (1985), where the Vrica GSSP is Pliocene, as already proposed by Rio et al. (1988; 1991); presented as the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary stratotype. This is 2 International Workshop entitled “Marine sections from the Gulf the origin of the much quoted statement that the Quaternary of Taranto (Southern Italy) as potential stratotypes for the GSSP was never defined. The hierarchical level of the Quaternary only of the Lower, Middle and Upper Pleistocene”, reported by Cita & (whether era/erathem or sub-era or period/system or whatever) was Castradori (1994; 1995) and by van Couvering (1995). It left pending. included a preliminary proposal for a Middle Pleistocene Ionian When the new Italian Commission on Stratigraphy (CIS) was Stage and an Upper Pleistocene ‘Tarantian” Stage; established in 1988, a Quaternary working group was appointed 3 IUGS ratification of Gelasian Stage (Rio et al., 1998); because it was considered of paramount importance to clarify the 4 The INQUA Subcommission on European Quaternary Stratigra- position of all the informal stages created in Italy. phy (SEQS) meeting in Bari in 2000. The participants visited the At the first meeting, it was agreed that most of the Quaternary Vrica, Montalbano, and San Mauro Marchesato sections, but did should be subdivided into formal stages, since if sedimentation is not decide on the usage of the Calabrian Stage. fully marine and continuous, there is no reason to use different criteria from those used for the Pliocene, for example. In geodynamically active areas of southern Italy and Sicily that have been uplifted quite recently, open marine sedimentation persists until at least the Middle Pleistocene around 300–200 ka BP and may extend, although discontinuously, to the last interglacial. Decisions were taken by the CIS to: a) make a careful revision of all the Quaternary marine stages defined in Italy and, b) make a joint excursion to visit the type localities described in Sicily and Calabria to discuss directly in the field the correlation potential and the international value of the sections to be selected for further studies. The first project was developed by Vai, who concluded that most stages had to be considered as “nom- ina nuda” (Vai, 1996). The second project was success- fully run in 1992, but it did not result in any written document. Figure 1 Location map of prominent land sections and ODP sites cited in the text.

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mitted to the International Commission on Stratigraphy, who dis- Discussion on status of the Quaternary cussed and approved it with reservations (Leuven, September 2005). The Quaternary was re-introduced into the time scale, with the rank in the XXI century of Sub-era, and its base located at the Gelasian GSSP (at 2.6 Ma). The base-Quaternary and base-Pleistocene (at the Vrica GSSP at 1.8 The UNESCO-IUGS International Stratigraphic Chart distributed at Ma) were disconnected. the 31st IGC in Rio de Janeiro does not display any stage for the Following the statement by Cita et al. (2006) the authors con- Quaternary, which is subdivided into Pleistocene and Holocene. In centrate here only on the use of formal stages defined for the last 1.8 the accompanying notes, Remane wrote (Remane, 2000) “The base Ma on the basis of a precise location of GSSP in on-land sections, in of the Pleistocene Series and the Quaternary System was formally an integrated stratigraphy where all the methodologies available defined in 1984 by a GSSP at Vrica, Italy, at a level less than 10 m have been used to allow a reliable chronological correlation of global above the top of the Olduvai magnetozone, with an age of about 1.8 significance, of both marine and terrestrial sediments. Ma. In recent years, there was a strong move among continental Quaternary stratigraphers to redefine the base of the Pleistocene at a level corresponding to the top of the Matuyama magnetozone, at The proposed GSSP for the base of the about 2.6 Ma, thus incorporating the newly established Gelasian Stage in the Pleistocene and the Quaternary. With such a change the Calabrian Pleistocene would be made to coincide with the Ice Age. Following the instructions of IUGS, a joint vote of Neogene and the Quaternary The silty claystones exposed in the badlands of the Vrica section subcommissions of ICS was organised in 1998. The demand for (Figure 2b) have been intensively investigated in the last twenty changing the boundary failed to obtain the necessary qualified years. The numerous studies reflect the progress in Neogene inte- majority. In January 1999, the Vrica GSSP was therefore formally grated stratigraphy: cf. Selli et al. (1977), Colalongo et al. (1980), reconfirmed by IUGS as the one defining the base of the Pleistocene Pasini & Colalongo (1982), Tauxe et al. (1983), Backman et al. and the Quaternary”. (1983), Aguirre & Pasini (1985), Bassett (1985), Howell et al. What happened between 1994 and 2000? (1990), Azzaroli et al. (1996), Rio et al. (1996a), and Lourens et al. Why the communications between IUGS and INQUA deterio- (1996a; 1996b). rated in such a way that INQUA refused to accept the formal ratifi- Name of boundary: Base of Calabrian. cation by IUGS of a decision proposed at the INQUA 1982 Moscow Rank of boundary: Stage/Age. Congress, and wanted the Quaternary to start at 2.5 or 2.6 Ma instead Position of the unit: Stage of the Pleistocene Series, between the of at 1.8 Ma? underlying Gelasian and the overlying Ionian Stages. Is the concept of Ice Age myth or reality? Type locality of the Global Stratotype Section and Point: Vrica, Science is evolving, and stratigraphy has undergone an incredi- Crotone, Calabria, Italy. The Vrica section is located 4 km south bly rapid development over the last 20–30 years, with the explo- of the town of Crotone, close to Capo Colonne, in the March- ration of the oceans by scientific drilling, with coring in the ice caps esato Peninsula, Calabria, Italy (Figure 2a, 2b). on Greenland and Antarctica, with drilling continuous sedimentary Latitude: 39°02'18.61” north; Longitude: 17°08'05.79” east. successions in endorheic lakes. The application of palaeomagnetic Accessibility: The section is freely and easily accessible. stratigraphy to the study of loess sequences in Mongolia first allowed Conservation: The extensive badlands represent an excellent expo- them to be dated with a certain degree of accuracy. These discover- sure distant from human activities. Therefore, it will remain ies had a strong impact on the INQUA position to extend the base of well-exposed in the near future. the Quaternary to the Gauss/Matuyama magnetic reversal, which, as The section: It consists of open marine deposits of an outcropping already stated, was one of the three options originally considered by portion of a Late Cenozoic sedimentary basin. It is composed of the IGCP Project 41. three easily correlated segments: A, B (where the boundary stra- Increasing evidence obtained both from the terrestrial record (southern extension of the glacial fronts in the Northern Hemisphere, the onset of loess deposition in China) and from the oceans (the presence of ice-rafted debris in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, isotopic evidence of progressive cooling) indicated that a combination of palaeogeographic (closure of the Panama isthmus), palaeoceanographic (enhancement of meridian currents) and extra- terrestrial forcing resulted in a rapid collapse of the already deteriorating Pliocene climatic conditions, corroborating the concept of the “ice age” as indicated in the Northern Hemisphere. The INQUA/IUGS relationships under- went an unprecedented decline after the 32nd IGC held in Florence, when the Geologic Time Scale distributed by Gradstein et al. (2004) omitted Quaternary, with the Neogene extend- ing to the present, inclusive of the Pleistocene and the Holocene. The Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary was placed at the Vrica GSSP at 1.8 Ma. The reaction was immediate and triggered a number of scientific or quasi-scientific publications. An ad hoc task group was appointed Figure 2a Location of the Vrica boundary stratotype section. A, B, and C are the to address the problem. After a couple of meet- component segments of the section. The dot on segment B represents the position of the ings a document was rapidly prepared and sub- Calabrian GSSP (modified from the ICS website www. stratigraphy.org).

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Global correlation potential. The stable oxygen isotope record of planktonic and benthic foraminiferal tests, combined with high-resolution magnetostratigraphy and calcareous plankton biostratigraphy, represent the best tools for the accurate recognition of the GSSP of the Calabrian Stage globally. It coincides with the MIS 65–64 transition, in the upper part of the Olduvai normal polarity interval (C 2N), between the LO of Discoaster brouweri (below) and the LO of Globigerinoides obliquus extremus (above) and below the FO of medium-sized Gephyrocapsa (including G. oceanica) and Globigerinoides tenellus. It coincides with what was accepted as the GSSP of the Pleistocene Series until 2006 (Figures 3, 4, 5). Regional correlation potential. For this purpose, both primary calcareous plankton events listed above and the FCO (first common occurrence) of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma sx can be used in the Mediterranean marine record to allow correlations with Figure 2b Lithological sequence of B segment of Vrica stratotype the GSSP. Using the well-established Calabrian biological events section showing the prominent sapropel layers: b, c, d, e, f, g and (Table 1) combined with magnetostratigraphic, cyclostratigraphic, h. The GSSP of the Calabrian Stage is fixed (dashed line) at the oxygen-isotope stratigraphical evidence from the well-known Plio- top of level “e” (modified from ICS web site www. Pleistocene land-sections and ODP sites, the base of the Calabrian stratigraphy.org). Stage can unambiguously be correlated with the Vrica stratotype section (Figures 3, 4, and 5). totype was fixed) and C. They cover a thickness of about 300 m and comprise epibathyal, fossiliferous, silty marl claystone Calcareous plankton biostratigraphy (dark grey or blue-grey in colour) with interbedded repeated grey-pink sapropelic layers. Rare sandy strata and three volcanic Calcareous nannofossils were studied by Nakagawa (1977), ash layers (including level “m”) also occur within the section Nakagawa et al. (1977; 1980), Cati & Borsetti (1980) and Backman (Aguirre & Pasini, 1985; Pasini & Colalongo, 1994). et al. (1983) from the Vrica section. Some small discrepancies exist Sediment accumulation rates are high. In the interval encom- on the position of the events recognised that encompass the GSSP. passing the GSSP (Discoaster brouweri LO [last occurrence]– Backman et al. (1983), Lourens et al. (1996b), Rio et al. (1996a) and Gephyrocapsa oceanica s.l. FO), using the nannofossil biochronol- Lourens et al. (1998) identified using quantitative methods the posi- ogy and the magnetostratigraphical data of Tauxe et al. (1983), sed- tion of the extinction levels taking into account the effect of rework- iment accumulation ranges between a minimum rate of 25 cm/kyr ing. The section ranges from Zone MNN 18 (pars) to MNN19e and a maximum rate of 34 cm/kyr (Rio et al., 1996a). (pars) in terms of zonation of Rio et al., 1990a; from zone NN18 Calabrian Stage GSSP definition. The base of the marine (pars) to NN 19 (pars) of Martini (1971); from sub-zone CN12d claystone that conformably overlies the sapropelic bed “e”, within (pars) to CN 13b (pars) of Okada & Bukry (1980). The main events Segment B in the Vrica section, is proposed here as the GSSP for the near the GSSP are the LO of Discoaster brouweri, recorded in seg- base of the Calabrian Stage (Figure 2b). This level coincides with the ment A of the section, about 70 m below the boundary stratotype, GSSP of the Pleistocene Series ratified by IUGS in 1984 (Aguirre & and the FO of medium-sized Gephyrocapsa in segment B at about Pasini, 1985; Bassett, 1985), but rejected as base of the Quaternary 26 m above the GSSP (just above sapropel “h”). Upwards the by INQUA (1995). This lithological level represents the primary appearance of large-sized Gephyrocapsa was found just below marker for the recognition of the boundary and it has been assigned an astronomical age of 1.806 Ma on the basis of sapropel calibration sapropel “o”. The LO of C. macintyrei is halfway between sapropel (Lourens et al., 2004). It coincides with the transition between “h” and “n” (Figure 3). The exits of H. sellii and large-sized Gephy- Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 65–64 and with the Mediterranean Pre- rocapsa are found at almost the same level, about 10 m above sapro- cession Related Sapropel (MPRS) layer 176 (Lourens et al., 1996a; pel “v” represented in the highest Crotone segment (Zijderveld et al., Lourens et al., 1998) (Figure 3). 1991; Lourens et al., 1996b; 1998). Secondary markers are represented by distinctive calcareous Planktonic foraminifera have been studied by Pasini et al. plankton biological events of widely distributed taxa. The boundary (1975), Selli et al. (1977), Spaak (1983), and Lourens et al. (1996b). The section (including the Crotone segment) ranges from the top- falls between the LO of Discoaster brouweri (below) and the LO of most part of M Pl 5b Zone to G. truncatulinoides excelsa Zone (Cita, Globigerinoides obliquus extremus (above) and below the FOs of 1975, emended). The GSSP occurs about 22 m below the FO of Glo- medium-sized Gephyrocapsa (incl. G. oceanica) and Globigeri- bigerina cariacoensis near the base of the marker bed “f”. noides tenellus. It virtually coincides with the first increase in abun- The first increase in abundance of left-coiled Neogloboquadrina dance of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma sx. pachyderma that occurs 3 m above the marker bed “e” (Lourens et al., From a palaeomagnetic point of view, the boundary falls about 1996b) is another useful event for the recognition of the boundary. 10 m below the top of the Olduvai normal polarity Subchron In terms of benthic foraminifera, the FO of Hyalinea baltica (Zijderveld et al., 1991) (Figure 3). occurs below the sapropel “q” just above the LO of Islandiella ion- Completeness of the section. The orbital tuning of the sedi- ica and below the Bolivinita quadrilatera FO (Verhallen, 1991) mentary cycles integrated with the sequences of the calcareous (Figure 3). plankton biological events indicate that the section is continuously developed up to its top (including the Crotone segment according to Zijderveld et al., 1991; Lourens et al., 2004) that coincides with Magnetostratigraphy MIS 37 (Lourens et al., 1996a; 1996b; 1998) (Figure 3). It is corre- Magnetostratigraphic studies were carried out by Tauxe et al. latable, cycle by cycle, with the ODP Sites 964, 967, 975 (Lourens (1983) and Nakagawa (1979), but the most reliable results were et al., 1998) demonstrating its completeness. In addition, the tuning obtained by Zijderveld et al. (1991), based on a highly resolved set provides an accurate age of 1.806 Ma (Lourens et al., 2004) for the of unweathered cored samples. Following their conclusions, the primary marker of the P/P boundary stratotype and then of the Cal- Olduvai magnetic polarity Chronozone (C 2N) begins about 10 m abrian GSSP (Lourens et al., 2004) (Figures 3 and 4). below the selected marker bed “e” and its top was recognised about

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Figure 3 Comparative and correlative stratigraphic framework of lithology, biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy of the Vrica boundary stratotype section and of other Mediterranean land sections and ODP sites in which the Calabrian Stage is well represented. Based upon: Vrica-Crotone, Singa, Lourens et al. (1996a); Capo Rossello, Di Stefano et al. (1993); Ficarazzi, Di Stefano & Rio ( 1981), Sprovieri (1993); Valle di Manche, Massari et al. (2002); Capraro et al. (2005); Montalbano Ionico, Ciaranﬁ et al. (2001); Monte San Nicola, Channell et al. (1992); Sprovieri (1993); ODP Site 975, Murat (1999); ODP Site 964, Emeis et al. (2000); ODP Site 967, Kroon et al. (1998).

10 m above the GSSP (Figure 3). At present it can Table 1 List of calcareous plankton and benthic foraminiferal biohorizons detectable be considered the best suitable conclusion. A good in the Calabrian stratigraphic interval of the Mediterranean marine record and their correspondence between the astronomical ages and age estimates [Ma], based on recent biochronolgy. isotope-stage assignments at Vrica and those obtained independently in different extra-Mediter- ranean records (Shackleton et al., 1990) is pointed out.

Oxygen isotope stratigraphy A very detailed stable oxygen isotope curve was reported by Lourens et al. (1996b) using calcite tests of surface planktonic foraminifera species Glo- bigerinoides ruber (Lourens, 1994). The results cover the Vrica section and were developed also on its younger extension represented by the Crotone segment. The base of the Calabrian falls just below MIS 64 (Zijderveld et al., 1991; Lourens et al., 1992). The highest marine isotope stage recognised at the top of the Vrica-Crotone section is MIS 37 (Figure 5). It occurs above sapropel v. According to Lourens et al. (1996b), the identiﬁcation of these isotope stages, and their correlation to the obliquity, is consistent with the astronomical calibration proposed by Shackleton et al. (1990). A different iden- tiﬁcation of isotope stages was proposed by Com- bourieu-Nebout et al. (1990) using a more reduced set of samples. The entire oxygen isotope record of the Cal- abrian Stage can be compiled, by means of a correlative framework, using data obtained from the

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Ficarazzi (Vergnaud-Grazzini et al., 1994), Montalbano Ionico (Ciaranﬁ et al., 2001; Ciaranﬁ et al., 2008) and Valle di Manche (Rio et al., 1996b; Massari et al., 2002; Capraro et al., 2005) sections, or using the continuous isotope record from ODP Sites 964, 967, 975 (Howell et al., 1998; Kroon et al., 1998; De Kaenel et al., 1999) (Fig- ure 5).

Astrocyclostratigraphy and extra-terrestrial forcing The cyclic marl-sapropel alterna- tions that extensively characterise the Neogene lithostratigraphical record on land in Sicily and Calabria (Monte San Nicola, Rossello area, Vrica-Crotone, Singa) and in the ODP Sites 964, 967, 969 were linked to every fluctuation of the Earth's precessional parameter. As a consequence, a well-established, continuous astrochronology for this sedimentary record has been developed by Hilgen (1991a; 1991b); Lourens et al. (1996a); Lourens et al. (1996b); and Lourens et al. (1998). The proposed astronomical calibration, developed over a decade of activity, provides very detailed numer- ical ages for all limestone-marl and marl-sapropel couplets that occur in the Mediterranean Plio-Pleistocene sequences. Sapropels occur in distinct clusters that are connected to the Earth's eccentricity cycle. Instead, individual sapropels have been related to minimum peak values of the preces- sion and coded as Mediterranean Pre- cession-Related Sapropels (MPRS). On this basis, all other geological events recorded in the astronomically tuned sections can be easily placed in time with a great accuracy. According to Lourens et al. (1998), a detailed Pleistocene sapropel correlation between the Vrica and Singa sections with ODP 967 and 969 sites, corroborated by the calcareous planktonic biostratigraphy, proves that the Vrica stratotype section (including the Crotone segment) represents a continuous reference succession (Figure 4). A highly resolved cycle to cycle correlation framework, developed Figure 4 Magnetostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and cyclostratigraphy from the Vrica boundary between all the main Mediterranean stratotype section compared to other coeval land section and ODP sequences in the Lower-Middle Pleistocene sequences, Mediterranean region (modified from Lourens et al., 1998). is useful for the recognition of the Cal- abrian Stage. A. Calcareous nannofossil events: tDbA—top Discoaster brouweri in Hole A, tDbc—top D. brouweri in Hole A complete comparison of the C, tDb—top D. brouweri, tCm—top Calcidiscus macintyrei, blG—base large Gephyrocapsa, tHs—top sapropel patterns with the relative bios- Helicosphaera sellii, tlG—top large Gephyrocapsa. tratigraphical datums during this time B. Planktonic foraminifera and Hyalinea baltica. c—influxes of Globorotalia crassaformis, bHb—base H. baltica, t—influx of Globorotalia truncatulinoides, N. sp. (sin.)—Neogloboquadrina sp. (sinistral). interval has been compiled in Figures 4 and 5.

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Figure 5 Comparison of oxygen isotope stages and sapropel patterns in the Vrica section and in other Mediterranean, land sections and ODP sequences with the astronomical target curve (La, 90). Based on: Vrica-Crotone, Lourens et al. (1996b); Singa, Lourens et al. (1992); Capo Rossello, faunistic cycles, Di Stefano et al. (1993); Ficarazzi, Vergnaud-Grazzini et al. (1994); Valle di Manche, Capraro et al. (2005); Montalbano Ionico, Ciaranfi et al. (2001; 2008); Monte San Nicola, faunistic cycles, Sprovieri (1993); ODP Site 975, Pierre et al. (1999); ODP Site 964, Howell et al. (1998); ODP Site 967, Kroon et al. (1998). The asterisk indicates faunal cycles or isotope stages not plotted in time. Pollen and spore records A revision of the Ionian Sea tephrachronology has recently been presented by Lourens (2004) within the orbitally tuned sapro- The pollen content of the Vrica sediments was investigated by pel chronology and oxygen isotope record from KC01, KC01B and Combourieu-Nebout et al. (1990). According to their conclusions, ODP Site 964 deep-sea cores. This provides identification of the an important floral change coincides with the former P/P boundary most important tephra layers (33 units) that occurred during the last stratotype. From sapropel “a” to “e”, the long forest phase of sub- tropical to temperate-warm climate can be detected (the occurrence 1.1 Ma. The tephra named I 31 to I 33 from cores KC01B and ODP of Taxodiaceae, Palmae, etc.). This is referable to a long interglacial Site 964 are those recorded in the Calabrian Stage as here proposed, “Tiglian Stage”, as recognised in Northern Europe. but they could not be associated to known tephra strata from land. From the GSSP up to the top of the Vrica section, an increase of Three ash layers are present in the Vrica section, the oldest herbaceous taxa (mainly Artemisia), of cool and xeric climate, is being deposited between i-cycles 172 and 170, the second (level “m” recorded. The forest taxa decrease regularly, whereas high-altitude in Aguirre & Pasini, 1985) and the third between i-cycles 168 and trees increase. This phase, in which the steppic elements suggest a 160 (Figures 3, 4). cooler and drier period in the Mediterranean region, is referred to the In the Montalbano Ionico section, nine volcaniclastic strata “Eburonian” glacial stage of Northern Europe by Combourieu- (V1–V9) have been identified (Ciaranfi et al., 1996; 2001) and their Nebout et al. (1990). interpolated astronomical ages (Ciaranfi et al., 2008) allow a possible correlation to Lourens' (2004) tephrachronology. In particular, Calabrian tephrachronology in the Mediterranean tephra layers V1 up to V4 fall within the Calabrian Stage, while region tephra layers V5 up to V9 occur within the subsequent Ionian. The orbitally tuned age of 785.38 ka obtained for the V4 layer Tephrachronological correlation between Quaternary deep-sea falls in the middle part of MIS 19 (Ciaranfi et al., 2008). This allows sediments in the central-eastern Mediterranean and the terrestrial a possible correlation to the Pitagora ash, that also occurs within Quaternary sediments provides a uniquely detailed tephrostrati- MIS 19 and nearly coincident with the Brunhes–Matuyama bound- graphical framework, improving the tephra-based stratigraphy in the Mediterranean region (Ryan, 1972; Cita et al., 1977; Keller et al., ary at the Valle di Manche section in the Crotone Basin (Capraro et 1978; McCoy & Cornell, 1990; Wulf et al., 2004). A tephrachrono- al., 2005) (Figures 3 and 6). The Montalbano Ionico V4 layer could logical standard sequence for the eastern Mediterranean area was be correlated for petrographical composition (potassic trachyte, Cia- first proposed by Narcisi & Vezzoli (1999) with the identification of ranfi et al., 1996) and age (Ciaranfi et al., 2008) to the volcaniclastic tephra layers which represent first-order marker horizons for the layer recorded below the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary in the Mediterranean area. coeval lacustrine deposits of the Sant' Arcangelo basin (Sabato et al.,

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2005). The other tephra layers V1, V2 and V3 recorded in the Mon- remnant portion of the Calabrian Stage. The palaeontological con- talbano Ionico section do not so far seem to be correlatable with the tent of the entire sequence has been extensively studied from a bios- published tephra chronology. tratigraphical and paleoecological point of view (Ciaranfi et al., 1996; 2001; D'Alessandro et al., 2003; Maiorano et al., 2004; Cia- Auxiliary sections on land ranfi & D'Alessandro, 2005; Girone, 2005; Stefanelli et al., 2005). On the basis of the oxygen isotope and sapropel stratigraphies The Pliocene-Lower Pleistocene sections of Singa in Calabria recently developed (Ciaranfi et al., 2008), the Calabrian interval is and Capo Rossello in Sicily are the best auxiliary outcrops for the easily identified. It ranges from the base of the section, where the Calabrian GSSP, duplicating the Vrica sequence (Figures 3 and 5). minor positive fluctuation below MIS 36 occurs, to the V4 volcanic In detail, the Singa section is considered to be the best for the excel- ash (Figures 5 and 6). On the basis of its continuity, sedimentation lent palaeomagnetic and astrocyclic record (Zachariasse et al., 1990; rate and exposure conditions, the Montalbano Ionico section repre- Zijderveld et al., 1991; Hilgen, 1991a; Lourens et al., 1992; Lourens et sents the most suitable section in which the GSSP of the Ionian Stage al., 1996b). The lower levels of the Calabrian Stage, corresponding to could be fixed, although a magnetostratigraphic control is currently the interval ranging from MIS 65 to 49 and between sapropelic layers lacking. In the Valle di Manche candidate section (Figure 6) the Cal- C 0–C 13 (Verhallen, 1987), are well represented in the section. abrian/Ionian boundary coincides with the Matuyama/Brunhes The Capo Rossello section extends above the Zanclean/Piacen- boundary and with MIS 19 (Rio et al., 1996b; Capraro et al., 2005). zian Rossello composite section (Hilgen and Langereis, 1988; Lan- gereis and Hilgen, 1991) to well beyond the Plio/Pleistocene bound- Unit stratotype of the Calabrian Stage ary (Cita & Decima, 1975; Gartner, 1977; Rio et al., l984; Di Stefano et al., 1993; Caruso, 2004). The section is represented by a long The recent advance in tuning sedimentary cycles suggests the marly interval (referable to the upper part of the Monte Narbone For- introduction of the unit-stratotype concept (Hilgen et al., 2006). In fact the developments in integrated high-resolution stratigraphy mation) with a black laminite at the base that coincides with the base from both deep-sea marine successions and deep-water land-based of the Gelasian Stage, just below the Discoaster pentaradiatus LO sections, invalidate arguments against the concept of unit-stratotype (Di Stefano et al., 1993). The highest marls, also Calabrian in age, (uncertainties in time-correlation between the historical stages and/ contain the FO of large Gephyrocapsa and are referable to MNN 19d or in their continuity). (pars). The sequence is shallowing upwards and is capped uncon- According to these authors a stage can be defined “not only by formably by a yellow, thick calcarenitic bed with Arctica islandica. its boundaries stratotype, but also by its content” and the section that Even if no oxygen isotope and magnetic data were available, the P/P accommodates its GSSP may serve as a Unit Stratotype. boundary could be biostratigraphically identified at about 160 m Unfortunately, neither the Vrica section, nor the other sections above the base, a few metres below the highest laminite level. Here described (Singa, Capo Rossello, Monte San Nicola and Montalbano it coincides with the G. ruber abundance fluctuation 64 (Di Stefano Ionico) extend to the upper boundary of the stage. et. al, 1993) (Figure 3). The Globigerinoides abundance fluctuations Only in the deep-sea sequences recovered during ODP Legs (mainly represented by G. ruber) have been directly numbered and 107, 160 and 161 (Sites 653, 964, 967, and 975) is a continuous compared with marine isotope stages in the sedimentary record of stratigraphical interval that represents the entire time interval of the ODP Site 964 (Sprovieri et al., 1998; Howell et al., 1998). In this Calabrian Stage found. The content and significance in terms of iso- record, fluctuation 64 occurs in coincidence with MIS 64 and with tope stratigraphy, calcareous planktonic biostratigraphy and the FCO of N. pachyderma left coiling. cyclostratigraphy have been extensively investigated (Rio et al., The lower to middle part of the Montalbano Ionico section, in 1990a, b; Lourens et al., 1998; Sprovieri et al., 1998; Howell et al., the core of the Apennine fore-deep (Ciaranfi et al., 1979; Casnedi et 1998; Kroon et al., 1998; De Kaenel et al., 1999). In all these sites al., 1982) (Figures 3 and 5), contains the succession representing the the time correlative levels with the GSSP of the Calabrian and with

Figure 6 Integrated stratigraphical framework for four selected land sections (Italy) which represent all the oxygen-isotope records for the Calabrian Stage compared with standard Atlantic and Paciﬁc benthic foraminiferal ! 18O stacks.

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the Matuyama/Brunhes boundary can be recognised. As shown in Berggren, W.A., and Van Couvering, J.A., 1974, The Late Neogene: Elsevier, Figure 5, Sites 967 and 975 can be considered the best resolved pp. 1–216. sequences. However, Site 964 is here proposed as the Calabrian Unit Capraro, L., Asioli, A., Backman, J., Bertoldi, R., Channell, J.E.T., Massari, F., and Rio, D., 2005, Climatic patterns revealed by pollen and oxygen isotope Stratotype because of its proximity to the Vrica section and to the records across the Matuyama/Brunhes Boundary in central Mediterranean Ionian GSSP candidate sections (Montalbano Ionico and Valle di (Southern Italy): Geological Society of London, Special Publications, v. Manche, see Cita et al., 2006). 247, pp. 159–182. Caruso, A., 2004, Climatic changes during Late Pliocene and Early Pleis- tocene at Capo Rossello (Sicily, Italy): response from planktonic foraminifera, in Coccioni R., Galeotti S., Lirer F., eds, Proceedings of the Conclusion First Italian Meeting on Environmental Micropaleontology: Grzybowski Foundation Special publication, v. 9, pp. 17–36. Casnedi R., Crescenti U., and Tonna M., 1982, Evoluzione dell'Avanfossa adri- A formal redefinition of the Calabrian Stage originally defined by atica meridionale nel Plio-Pleistocene sulla base di dati del sottosuolo: Gignoux in 1910 is here proposed. The GSSP of the Calabrian Stage Memorie della Società Geologica Italiana, v. 24, pp. 243–260. in the Vrica section corresponds to the GSSP where the Plio/Pleis- Castradori, D., 1993, Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and biochronol- tocene boundary was defined and ratified (Aguirre & Pasini, 1985; ogy in eastern Mediterranean deep-sea cores: Rivista Italiana di Paleon- tologia e Stratigrafia, v. 99, pp. 107–126. Bassett, 1985). This point is well constrained in terms of calcareous Cati F., and Borsetti A.M., 1980, Calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy of plankton biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and marine isotope the Vrica section (Calabria, Southern Italy): Giornale di Geologia, v. 43, stratigraphy. An astronomical age of 1.806 Ma was recently calcu- pp. 365–384. lated. Consequently the base of the Calabrian Stage can be easily Channell, J.E.T., Di Stefano, E., and Sprovieri, R., 1992, Calcareous plankton detected both in the tuned Mediterranean and extra-Mediterranean biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy and paleoclimatic history of the Plio- marine record using highly resolved integrated stratigraphies. Pleistocene Monte S. Nicola section (Southern Sicily): Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana, v. 31, pp. 351–382. The Calabrian Stage is extensively well represented in the Ciaranfi, N., Maggiore, M., Pieri P., Rapisardi, L., Ricchetti, G., and Walsh, N., Mediterranean sequences, both on land (Singa, Capo Rossello, 1979, Considerazioni sulla tettonica della Fossa Bradanica: Prog. Fin. Geo- Monte San Nicola, etc.) and at selected ODP Sites. Site 964 in the dinamica del CNR, v. 251, pp. 73–95. Ionian Sea (Calabrian Ridge) is here indicated as an informal refer- Ciaranfi, N., Marino, M., Sabato, L., D'Alessandro, A., and De Rosa, R., 1996, ence (auxiliary section) for the Calabrian unit-stratotype, since it Studio geologico stratigrafico di una successione infra e mesopleistocenica contains the complete Calabrian succession, and is precisely corre- nella parte sud-occidentale della Fossa bradanica (Montalbano Jonico, Basilicata): Bollettino della Società Geologica Italiana, v. 115, pp. lated, cycle by cycle, biological event by biological event, with the 379–391. record on land. Ciaranfi, N., D'Alessandro, A., and Marino, M., 1997, A candidate section for the Lower-Middle Pleistocene Boundary (Apennine Foredeep, Southern Italy), in Naiwen, W., and Remane, J., eds: Proc. 30th Int. Geol. Congr., v. Acknowledgements 11, pp. 201–211. Ciaranfi, N., D'Alessandro, A., Girone, A., Maiorano, P., Marino, M., Soldani, D., and Stefanelli, S., 2001, Pleistocene sections in the Montalbano Jonico The present paper is sponsored by the Italian Commission on Stratig- area and the potential GSSP for Early-Middle Pleistocene in the Lucania raphy, chaired by the senior author. We thank the very careful revi- Basin (Southern Italy), in Ciaranfi, N., Pasini, G., and Rio, D., eds, The sion of Phil Gibbard, chair of the Quaternary Subcommission of ICS, meeting on the Plio/Pleistocene boundary and the Lower/Middle Pleis- tocene transition: type areas and sections (Bari, 25–29 september 2000): that improved the quality of the text. The supportive encouragement Memorie di Scienze Geologiche, v. 53, pp. 67–83. of Brad Pillans, chair of the INQUA Stratigraphy and Chronology Ciaranfi, N. and D'Alessandro, A., 2005, Overview of the Montalbano Jonico Commission and of Jim Ogg, general secretary of ICS is acknowl- area and section: a proposal for a boundary stratotype for the lower-middle edged. Enrico Di Stefano played a fundamental role in the prepara- Pleistocene, Southern Italy Foredeep: Quaternary International, v. 131, pp. tion of the various versions of the text, and followed the entire work 5–10. with tireless patience and dedication. 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Domenico Rio is Professor of Paleon- Gian Battista Vai is Professor of tology and Head of the Department of Geology and Stratigraphy at the Uni- Geosciences of the University of versity of Bologna. He has been a Padova (Italy). He has been working on member of the IGCP Board (1980– calcareous nannofossil, Mediterranean 86), and of several subcommissions of Neogene stratigraphy and Northern the International Commission on Apennines geology, and in deep-sea Stratigraphy: Silurian Subcommis- sediments from various oceans. He was sion (1964–72), Devonian Subcom- co-chief scientist of ODP Leg 172 mission (1974–90), Quaternary Sub- (North Atlantic Sediment Drifts) in commission (1995–2000), Neogene 1997 and was Chairman of the Sub- Subcommission (2000–present). His commission of Neogene Stratigraphy research interests are broad and mul- (1996–2000). His present research tiple, spanning from Paleozoic strati- topics are the Pleistocene climatic graphy and regional geology of the variability in the Mediterranean marine Carnian Alps to Messinian evaporitic stratigraphic record and the biotic facies, the anatomy of the Apenninic responses to the extreme climatic Mountain Chain, History of Geology, events in the Cenozoic pelagic record Thematic maps, Principles of strati- of the Tethys ocean. graphic nomenclature, Quaternary stratigraphy.

Rodolfo Sprovieri is Professor of Micropaleontology at the Univer- sity of Palermo. His research inter- Note added in proofs ests cover biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the Neogene and The present paper was submitted for publication to Episodes in Sep- Quaternary. Several papers deal tember 2007 after long and sometimes difficult negotiations within with the biostratigraphy and the Italian Commission on Stratigraphy aiming to reach a consensus chronostratigraphy of the Pleis- shared by all the specialists in marine successions. The publication of tocene. He is co-author of the the article has been delayed because the ﬁrst 2008 issues of Episodes Gelasian Stage. He served as ship- were dedicated to the 33rd International Geological Congress held in board member (micro-paleontol- Oslo. The June issue (vol.31, 2) was entirely dedicated to the Quater- ogy) during DSDP Leg 107 in the nary, a hot topic of the Congress, and M.B.Cita was invited to con- Tyrrhenian basin. He is corre- tribute with a short summary paper on the marine stages deﬁned in sponding member of the Neogene Italy (Cita, 2008). Three important papers from the same issue (Ogg Subcommission of the International and Pillans, 2008; Head et al., 2008 and Gibbard and Pillans, 2008) Commission of Stratigraphy. use the Calabrian consistently. They are not discussed here, but the reader is invited to make reference to them.

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