Messinian

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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.

[edit] See also

• List of fossil sites (with link directory)

[edit] References

• GeoWhen Database - Messinian
• Messinian online - living in an evaporitic world - Mediterranean area

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