Aptian

[9] The Aptian was named after the small city of Apt in the Provence region of France, which is also known for its crystallized fruits.

The top of the Aptian (the base of the Albian) is at the first appearance of coccolithophore species Praediscosphaera columnata in the stratigraphic record.

The Lower Aptian is equivalent to the Bedoulian, and it includes the oglanensis to furcata Tethyan ammonite zones.

The Upper Aptian is equivalent to the Gargasian and Clansayesian, it includes the subnodosocostatum to jacobi Tethyan ammonite zones (Gradstein et al.

A cold episode occurred at the start of the Aptian, as evidenced by the migration of the dinoflagellates Cepadinium variabilis and Pseudoceratium nohrhansenii into lower latitudes.