Absolute ages of Quaternary radiolarian datum levels in the equatorial Pacific

Radiolarian assemblages were examined in two Quaternary cores (V24-58; RC11-209) from the tropical Padific Ocean. Eight radiolarian datum levels were identified in each core, and “absolute” ages were estimated for these levels by interpolation between paleomagnetic reversal boundaries previously established for the cores. The tropical radiolarian zonation for the Quaternary proposed by Nigrini (1971) appears to be most useful in terms of the reliability and ease of identification of the proposed zonal boundaries. Our estimated ages for the base of each of these zones are: Buccinosphaera invaginata Zone (Zone 1): 210,000 yr BP; Collosphaera tuberosa Zone (Zone 2): 370,000 yr BP; Amphirhopalum ypsilon Zone (Zone 3): 940,000 yr BP; Anthocyrtidium angulare Zone (Zone 4): 1,700,000 yr BP.A comparison of our age estimates with those of Quaternary radiolarian datum levels in cores from other regions suggests that significant diachroneity on a scale of up to several hundred thousand years may exist for some (and perhaps all) of these “events.” Diachroneity is most readily studied and documented in late Neogene cores where the absolute ages of the magnetic polarity reversals are known most precisely, but may also exist (though difficult to recolve) in earlier Cenozoic sediments. The existence of such diachroneity, if demonstrated through further studies, would have significant implications for our understanding of evolutionary patterns of planktonic communities in different biogeographic regions.