The
Furongian (which represented approximately the old notions of
Late Cambrian,
Merioneth,
Croixian, or
Potsdamian) is the third and final
geological epoch of the
Cambrian Period. It spans the time between 501 ± 2
Ma and 488.3 ± 1.7 Ma (million years ago). It has been proposed to divided it three
ICS stages, of which only the first (
Paibian) is actually defined. Rocks of the Late Cambrian epoch are referred to as Upper Cambrian strata. During the Furongian, trilobites proliferated; they serve as useful
index fossils. Mollusks also became more diverse and new groups such as the
graptolites and the
conodonts, probable early chordates, also appeared during the Furongian epoch.
References
See also