The Hauterivian is, in the geologic timescale, an age in the Early Cretaceous

Early Cretaceous

The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous...

 epoch

Epoch (geology)

An epoch is a subdivision of the geologic timescale based on rock layering. In order, the higher subdivisions are periods, eras and eons. We are currently living in the Holocene epoch...

 or a stage in the Lower Cretaceous series

Series (stratigraphy)

Series are subdivisions of rock layers made based on the age of the rock and corresponding to the dating system unit called an epoch, both being formally defined international conventions of the geological timescale. A series is therefore a sequence of rock depositions defining a...

. It spans the time between 136.4 ± 2 Ma and 130 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago). The Hauterivian is preceded by the Valanginian

Valanginian

In the geologic timescale, the Valanginian is an age or stage of the Early or Lower Cretaceous. It spans between 140.2 ± 3.0 Ma and 136.4 ± 2.0 Ma...

 and succeeded by the Barremian

Barremian

The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale between 130.0 ± 1.5 Ma and 125.0 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous epoch...

.

Stratigraphic definitions

The Hauterivian was introduced in scientific literature by Swiss

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 geologist Eugène Renevier

Eugène Renevier

Eugène Renevier Swiss geologist, was born at Lausanne, Switzerland, as a descendant of a noble family.In 1857 he became professor of geology and paleontology in the University of Lausanne...

 in 1873. It is named after the Swiss town of Hauterive

Hauterive, Neuchâtel

Hauterive is a municipality in the district of Neuchâtel in the Français canton of Neuchâtel.-History:Hauterive is first mentioned about 1148 as arta ripa. The village's beginnings were first recorded in 1443 when monks founded the monastery Fontaine-André.-Geography:Hauterive has an area, , of...

 at the shore of Lake Neuchâtel

Lake Neuchâtel

Lake Neuchâtel is a lake in Romandy, Switzerland . The lake lies mainly in the canton of Neuchâtel, but is also shared by the cantons of Vaud, of Fribourg, and of Bern....

.

The base of the Hauterivian is defined as the place in the stratigraphic column

Stratigraphic column

A stratigraphic column is a representation used in geology and its subfield of stratigraphy to describe the vertical location of rock units in a particular area....

 where the ammonite

Ammonite

Ammonite, as a zoological or paleontological term, refers to any member of the Ammonoidea an extinct subclass within the Molluscan class Cephalopoda which are more closely related to living coleoids Ammonite, as a zoological or paleontological term, refers to any member of the Ammonoidea an extinct...

 genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Acanthodiscus

Acanthodiscus

Acanthodiscus is an extinct ammonoid cephalopod genus from the order Ammonitida and included in the persphinctacean family Berriasellidae. The type, named by Bruguière ,1779, is Acanthodiscus radiatus.-Description:...

first appears. A reference profile for the base (a GSSP) had in 2009 not yet been established. The top of the Hauterivian (the base of the Barremian) is at the first appearance of ammonite species Spitidiscus hugii.

In the ammonite biostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy is the branch of stratigraphy which focuses on correlating and assigning relative ages of rock strata by using the fossil assemblages contained within them. Usually the aim is correlation, demonstrating that a particular horizon in one geological section represents the same period...

 of the Tethys domain

Tethys Ocean

The Tethys Ocean was an ocean that existed between the continents of Gondwana and Laurasia during the Mesozoic era before the opening of the Indian Ocean.-Modern theory:...

, the Hauterivian contains seven ammonite biozone

Biozone

Biostratigraphic units or Biozones are intervals of geological strata that are defined on the basis of their characteristic fossil taxa....

s:

• zone of Pseudothurmannia ohmi
• zone of Balearites balearis
  Balearites
  Balearites is an extinct genus of cephalopod belonging to the Ammonite subclass....
  
  
• zone of Plesiospitidiscus ligatus
• zone of Subsaynella sayni
• zone of Lyticoceras nodosoplicatus
• zone of Crioceratites loryi
  Crioceratites
  Crioceratites is an ammonite genus from the Early Cretaceous belonging to the Ancylocerataceae.Crioceritites is coiled in an open, normally equiangular spiral with an oval or subquadrate whorl section...
  
  
• zone of Acanthodiscus radiatus
  Acanthodiscus
  Acanthodiscus is an extinct ammonoid cephalopod genus from the order Ammonitida and included in the persphinctacean family Berriasellidae. The type, named by Bruguière ,1779, is Acanthodiscus radiatus.-Description:...
  
  

Aves (birds)

Birds of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Gallornis	Disputed Berriasian Berriasian In the geological timescale, the Berriasian is an age or stage of the Early or Lower Creteceous. It is the oldest or lowest subdivision in the entire Cretaceous. It spanned between 145.5 ± 4.0 Ma and 140.2 ± 3.0 Ma... -Hauterivian	Auxerre Auxerre Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000... , Yonne, France
Iberomesornis Iberomesornis Iberomesornis is a monotypic genus of enantiornithine bird of the Cretaceous of Spain.In 1985 the fossil of Iberomesornis was discovered by Armando Díaz Romeral in the Early Cretaceous Calizas de La Huérguina Formation at Las Hoyas, Cuenca Province, east central Spain, which dates to the late...	Hauterivian to Barremian Barremian The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale between 130.0 ± 1.5 Ma and 125.0 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous epoch...	La Huérgina Formation, Castilla-la-Mancha, Spain

†Ornithischians

Ornithischians of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus Psittacosaurus is a genus of psittacosaurid ceratopsian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period of what is now Asia, about 130 to 100 million years ago. It is notable for being the most species-rich dinosaur genus...
Valdosaurus Valdosaurus Valdosaurus is a genus of bipedal herbivorous iguanodont ornithopod dinosaur found on the Isle of Wight and elsewhere in England. It lived during the Early Cretaceous.-Discovery and naming:...		Isle of Wight, England	A dryosaurid

Mammalia (mammals)

Mammals of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Eobaatar Eobaatar Eobaatar is a genus of extinct mammal from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia and Spain. It was a member of the also extinct order Multituberculata, and lived at the same time as some dinosaurs. It lies within the suborder Plagiaulacida and family Eobaataridae. The genus Eobaatar was named by...	several species from Hauterivian to Albian Albian The Albian is both an age of the geologic timescale and a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early/Lower Cretaceous epoch/series. Its approximate time range is 112.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 99.6 ± 0.9 Ma...	Spain, Mongolia

†Plesiosaurs

Plesiosaurs of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Leptocleidus Leptocleidus Leptocleidus is an extinct genus of pliosaurid plesiosaur, belonging to the family Leptocleididae. It is the only known pliosaur to be found in sediments on the Isle of Wight.-Etymology:In short, the term Leptocleidus means "slender clavicle"...

†Pterosauria

Pterosaurs of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Dendrorhynchoides Dendrorhynchoides Dendrorhynchoides was a genus of anurognathid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, near Beipiao, Chaoyang, Liaoning, China...	Disputed, considered Tithonian Tithonian In the geologic timescale the Tithonian is the latest age of the Late Jurassic epoch or the uppermost stage of the Upper Jurassic series. It spans the time between 150.8 ± 4 Ma and 145.5 ± 4 Ma...  by some

†Sauropods

Sauropods Sauropoda Sauropoda , or the sauropods , are an infraorder of saurischian dinosaurs. They had long necks, long tails, small heads , and thick, pillar-like legs. They are notable for the enormous sizes attained by some species, and the group includes the largest animals to have ever lived on land...  of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Histriasaurus Histriasaurus Histriasaurus was a genus of dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous . Its fossils, holotype WN V-6, were found in Croatia, and described in 1998 by Dalla Vecchia. It was a diplodocoid sauropod, related to, but more primitive than, Rebbachisaurus...
Aragosaurus Aragosaurus Aragosaurus was a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period of Galve, province of Teruel, in the autonomous territory of Aragón, Spain....

†Theropods (non-avian)

Non-Avian Theropods Theropoda Theropoda is both a suborder of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs, and a clade consisting of that suborder and its descendants . Dinosaurs belonging to the suborder theropoda were primarily carnivorous, although a number of theropod groups evolved herbivory, omnivory, and insectivory...  of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Afrovenator Afrovenator Afrovenator is a genus of megalosaurid theropod dinosaur from the mid Jurassic Period of northern Africa. It was a bipedal predator, with a mouthful of sharp teeth and three claws on each hand...
Ginnareemimus Ginnareemimus Kinnareemimus is a genus of ornithomimosaurian theropod dinosaur from Thailand. It is known only from incomplete remains including vertebrae, partial pubic bones, metatarsals, and an incomplete fibula...	Valanginian Valanginian In the geologic timescale, the Valanginian is an age or stage of the Early or Lower Cretaceous. It spans between 140.2 ± 3.0 Ma and 136.4 ± 2.0 Ma...  to Hauterivian	Thailand
Harpymimus Harpymimus Harpymimus is a basal ornithomimosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period of what is now Mongolia. Unlike later, more derived ornithomimosaurs, Harpymimus still possessed teeth, although they appear to have been restricted to the dentary of the lower jaw.-Discovery and naming:In...	Hauterivian to Barremian Barremian The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale between 130.0 ± 1.5 Ma and 125.0 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous epoch...	Shinekhudug Formation, Eastern Gobi province, Mongolia
Ligabueino Ligabueino Ligabueino is a genus of noasaurid dinosaur named after Italian doctor Giancario Ligabue. It is known only from an extremely fragmentary specimen, measuring 70 cm long. In spite of initial reports that it was an adult, the unfused vertebrae indicate that the specimen was a juvenile...

†Ammonites

Ammonites of the Hauterivian
Taxa	Presence	Location	Description	Images
Abrytasites Abrytasites Abrytasites is an extinct genus of cephalopod belonging to the Ammonite subclass. There are two described species of Abrytasites, A. thieuloyi and A. neumayri. This animal lived 130-136.4 million years ago during the Hauterivian in what is now Czech Republic.-External links:**...
Acanthodiscus Acanthodiscus Acanthodiscus is an extinct ammonoid cephalopod genus from the order Ammonitida and included in the persphinctacean family Berriasellidae. The type, named by Bruguière ,1779, is Acanthodiscus radiatus.-Description:...		Argentina
Abrytasites Abrytasites Abrytasites is an extinct genus of cephalopod belonging to the Ammonite subclass. There are two described species of Abrytasites, A. thieuloyi and A. neumayri. This animal lived 130-136.4 million years ago during the Hauterivian in what is now Czech Republic.-External links:**...		Czech Republic

External links

• GeoWhen Database - Hauterivian
• Mid-Cretaceous timescale, at the website of the subcommission for stratigraphic information of the ICS
• Stratigraphic chart of the Lower Cretaceous, at the website of Norges Network of offshore records of geology and stratigraphy
• Hauterivian Microfossils: 25+ images of Foraminifera