Gelasian Stage

Age of horses

The Gelasian Stage (2.58–1.80 Ma) is the first age in the Pleistocene, occurring after the Piacenzian (Pliocene), and before the Calabrian.

Geologic Age

  • 2.58–1.80 Ma

Eon / Era / Period / Epoch

What happened during this time?

  • Gelasian species, which are more suited for colder and more open environments, replace the Piacenzian species

  • "Elephant-Equus Event," named for the conspicuous change from Piacenzian elephants to Gelasian horses as the dominant open-country ungulate (Azzaroli 1995)

    • This event is reflected by rapid changes in pollen, foraminifera, and mollusk indicators from the same time

  • Large, flightless carnivorous bird, Titanis goes extinct during this time.