European land mammal age

Periods of the Cenozoic

−70 —

–

−65 —

–

−60 —

–

−55 —

–

−50 —

–

−45 —

–

−40 —

–

−35 —

–

−30 —

–

−25 —

–

−20 —

–

−15 —

–

−10 —

–

−5 —

–

0 —

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Mesozoic

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Quaternary

Paleogene

Neogene

An approximate timescale of the Cenozoic.
Axis scale: millions of years ago.

The European Land Mammal Mega Zones (abbreviation: ELMMZ, more commonly known as European land mammal ages or ELMA) are zones in rock layers that have a specific assemblage of fossils (biozones) based on occurrences of fossil assemblages of European land mammals. These biozones cover most of the Cenozoic, with particular focus having been paid to the Neogene and Paleogene systems (i.e. rock layers which are 65.5 to 2.588 million years old), the Quaternary has several competing systems. In cases when fossils of mammals are abundant, stratigraphers and paleontologists can use these biozones as a more practical regional alternative to the stages of the official ICS geologic timescale. European Land Mammal Mega Zones are often also confusingly referred to as ages, stages, or intervals.^[1]

^ According to Steininger (1999), it is better to just use ELMMZ's in a biostratigraphic sense

[1] According to Steininger (1999), it is better to just use ELMMZ's in a biostratigraphic sense

[1]