Tithonian
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The Tithonian is the final stage of the Late Jurassic Epoch. It spans the time between 150.8 ± 4 Ma and 145.5 ± 4 Ma (million years ago). It is followed by the Berriasian stage of the Early Cretaceous Epoch.

The name is unusual in geological stage names because it is derived from Greek mythology. Tithonus was the son of Laomedon of Troy. He fell in love with Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn and finds his place in the stratigraphy because this stage, the Tithonian, finds itself hand in hand with the dawn of the Cretaceous.


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Vertebrate Fauna

Thalattosuchians

Thalattosuchians of the Tithonian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
  1. Dakosaurus maximus
  2. Dakosaurus andiniensis

A large genus of metriorhynchid, that was a high order predator which fed on other marine reptiles

  1. The type species from Western Europe of the Late Jurassic (Early Tithonian).
  2. Argentina of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (Early Tithonian), knicknamed "Godzilla".
Dakosaurus, a marine crocodilian.
Dakosaurus, a marine crocodilian.
Geosaurus, a marine crocodilian.
Geosaurus, a marine crocodilian.
Metriorhynchus, a marine crocodilian.
Metriorhynchus, a marine crocodilian.
  1. G. giganteus
  2. G. gracilis
  3. G. suevicus:
  4. G. saltillense:
  5. G. vignaudi:
  6. G. araucanensis:
  1. Western Europe
  2. Western Europe
  3. Western Europe
  4. Mexico
  5. Mexico
  6. Argentina

A relatively small metriorhynchid genus. No known species of Geosaurus attained lengths in excess of 3 meters (10 feet). There were multiple Geosaurus species alive during the Tithonian.

  1. The type species from Western Europe of the Late Jurassic (Early Tithonian).
  2. Western Europe of the Late Jurassic (Early Tithonian). Was originally the type species of the genus Rhacheosaurus.
  3. Western Europe of the Late Jurassic (Early Tithonian)
  4. Mexico of the Late Jurassic (Early Tithonian)
  5. Mexico of the Late Jurassic (Middle Tithonian)
  6. Argentina of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (Early Tithonian)
An opportunistic carnivore that fed on fish, belemnites and other marine animals and possible carrion. Metriorhynchus grew to an average adult length of 3 meters (9.6 feet), although some individuals may have reached lengths rivaling those of large nile crocodiles.

Invertebrate Fauna

Belemnites

Belemnites of the Tithonian
Taxa Presence Location Description Images
Small belemnite fossils
Small belemnite fossils

References

Jurassic period
Lower/Early Jurassic Middle Jurassic Upper/Late Jurassic
Hettangian | Sinemurian
Pliensbachian | Toarcian		 Aalenian | Bajocian
Bathonian | Callovian		 Oxfordian | Kimmeridgian
Tithonian
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