Global Stratotype Section and Point

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Global Stratotype Section and Point

geology

Also known as: GSSP marker, Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point, global standard section and point marker, golden spike(Show More)

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June 29, 2026

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A Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) is a specific location in the rock record used to define a boundary between geological time units. These points are crucial for establishing a standardized global geologic time scale.1234

Stratigraphy, the study of rock layers, uses GSSPs to correlate rock sequences across different regions and determine their age relationships. The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) are key organizations in defining and ratifying these boundary stratotypes. For example, GSSPs have been established for boundaries within the Tertiary Period, such as the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary and the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. The Gelasian Stage, for instance, has a GSSP that defines the base of the Pleistocene Series and the Quaternary System.4123

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Guzhangian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in the carbonate rock beds of the Huaqiao Formation in the Wuling Mountains of Hunan, China. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the trilobite Lejopyge laevigata in the fossil record. The Guzhangian…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in the carbonate rock beds of the Huaqiao Formation in the Wuling Mountains of Hunan, China. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the trilobite Lejopyge laevigata in the fossil record. The Guzhangian…
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Gzhelian Stage
To date, no Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) section for the base of this stage has been submitted to the ICS.
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To date, no Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) section for the base of this stage has been submitted to the ICS.
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Hirnantian Stage
…on Stratigraphy (ICS) established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in the dark brown shales of the Wufeng Formation near the village of Wangijiawan, Hubei, China. It marks the first appearance of the graptolite Normalograptus extraordinarius in the fossil record. Other important fossils…
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…on Stratigraphy (ICS) established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in the dark brown shales of the Wufeng Formation near the village of Wangijiawan, Hubei, China. It marks the first appearance of the graptolite Normalograptus extraordinarius in the fossil record. Other important fossils…
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Homerian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of the Homerian Stage in 1980. The GSSP is located in Whitwell Coppice near Homer, on the northern bank of a small stream that flows into a tributary of Sheinton Brook. It has been set into…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of the Homerian Stage in 1980. The GSSP is located in Whitwell Coppice near Homer, on the northern bank of a small stream that flows into a tributary of Sheinton Brook. It has been set into…
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Katian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in the chert of the Bigfork Chert Formation on Black Knob Ridge near Atoka, Okla., U.S. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the graptolite Diplacanthograptus caudatus in the fossil record. Other graptolites…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in the chert of the Bigfork Chert Formation on Black Knob Ridge near Atoka, Okla., U.S. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the graptolite Diplacanthograptus caudatus in the fossil record. Other graptolites…
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Ludfordian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of the Ludfordian Stage in Sunnyhill Quarry, a silty limestone quarry near the town of Ludlow, Shropshire, England. The GSSP has been placed in a thin shale seam amid the limestone, which marks the base of…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of the Ludfordian Stage in Sunnyhill Quarry, a silty limestone quarry near the town of Ludlow, Shropshire, England. The GSSP has been placed in a thin shale seam amid the limestone, which marks the base of…
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Paibian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in Huaqiao Formation in the Wuling Mountains of Hunan, China. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the trilobite Glyptagnostus reticulatus in the fossil record. The Paibian Stage underlies Stage 9 of the…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in Huaqiao Formation in the Wuling Mountains of Hunan, China. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the trilobite Glyptagnostus reticulatus in the fossil record. The Paibian Stage underlies Stage 9 of the…
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Pragian Stage
…International Commission on Stratigraphy, the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the lower boundary of this stage is in the section of Veklá Chuchle in southwestern Prague. The Lochkovian Stage underlies the Pragian. The top of the Pragian Stage is defined by the base of the overlying division, the…
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…International Commission on Stratigraphy, the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the lower boundary of this stage is in the section of Veklá Chuchle in southwestern Prague. The Lochkovian Stage underlies the Pragian. The top of the Pragian Stage is defined by the base of the overlying division, the…
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Rhuddanian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of the Rhuddanian Stage within the shale of the Birkhill Shale Formation in Dob’s Linn near Moffat, Scotland. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the graptolites Akidograptus ascensus and Parakidograptus praematurus. The Rhuddanian Stage overlies…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of the Rhuddanian Stage within the shale of the Birkhill Shale Formation in Dob’s Linn near Moffat, Scotland. The GSSP marks the first appearance of the graptolites Akidograptus ascensus and Parakidograptus praematurus. The Rhuddanian Stage overlies…
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Roadian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this interval within the limestone portion of the Cutoff Formation located in the Guadalupe Mountains of Texas, U.S. The GSSP coincides with the appearance of the conodont Jinogondolella nankingensis in the fossil record. Other important…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this interval within the limestone portion of the Cutoff Formation located in the Guadalupe Mountains of Texas, U.S. The GSSP coincides with the appearance of the conodont Jinogondolella nankingensis in the fossil record. Other important…
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Rupelian Stage
The Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the lower boundary of this stage, ratified by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) in 1992, is located in the Massignano section, which lies in a quarry about 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Ancona, Italy. This lower…
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The Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the lower boundary of this stage, ratified by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) in 1992, is located in the Massignano section, which lies in a quarry about 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Ancona, Italy. This lower…
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Sandbian Stage
…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in a deposit of shale and mudstone along a section of the Sularp Brook at Fåglesång near Lund, Skåne, Sweden. The GSSP is set about 1.4 metres (4.6 feet) below a thin phosphorite…
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…Commission on Stratigraphy established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this unit in a deposit of shale and mudstone along a section of the Sularp Brook at Fåglesång near Lund, Skåne, Sweden. The GSSP is set about 1.4 metres (4.6 feet) below a thin phosphorite…
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Silurian Period
Silurian boundaries
…point (GSSP) marker, or “golden spike.” This work is being done by The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) and its committees or working groups, which are under the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).
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…point (GSSP) marker, or “golden spike.” This work is being done by The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) and its committees or working groups, which are under the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).
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Wordian Stage
…on Stratigraphy (ICS) established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this interval in the Cherry Canyon Formation of the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, U.S. The GSSP is located in a deposit of carbonate mudstone and coincides with the appearance of the conodont Jinogondolella aserrata in…
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…on Stratigraphy (ICS) established the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defining the base of this interval in the Cherry Canyon Formation of the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, U.S. The GSSP is located in a deposit of carbonate mudstone and coincides with the appearance of the conodont Jinogondolella aserrata in…
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