In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Aptian extinction, exploring its many facets and learning more about its impact on different aspects of society. From its origin to its relevance today, we will take a detailed look at Aptian extinction and its influence on the environment around it. Through an exhaustive analysis, we will discover the different perspectives that exist around Aptian extinction, as well as its importance in the development of different fields of study. Without a doubt, Aptian extinction is a fascinating topic that deserves to be explored and analyzed in depth, which is why we will be diving into its depths throughout this article.
The Aptian extinction was an extinction event of the early Cretaceous Period. It is dated to c. 116 or 117 million years ago, in the middle of the Aptian stage of the geological time scale, and has sometimes been termed the mid-Aptian extinction event as a result.
It is classified as a minor extinction event, rather than a major event like the famous Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event that brought about the end of the "age of dinosaurs" and the Mesozoic Era. The Aptian event is most readily detected among marine rather than terrestrial fossil deposits. Nonetheless, "From a palaeobotanical perspective, the Aptian Extinction Event is an episode of importance, deserving a higher status among other minor events."
The Aptian event may have been causally connected with the Rahjamal Traps volcanism episode in the Bengal region of India, associated with the Kerguelen hotspot of volcanic activity. (At the time in question, c. 116–117 Ma, India was located in the southern Indian Ocean; plate tectonics had not yet moved the Indian landmass into its present position.) Note that the stegosaur group of dinosaurs went extinct around this time. Wuerhosaurus, probably the last of the stegosaurs, lived during this time. The tritylodonts, the last surviving relatives (but not members) of the mammals went extinct around this time too. These extinctions may be associated with this event.[citation needed]