Subdivisions
In the USA the Carboniferous is usually broken into Mississippian (earlier) and Pennsylvanian (later) Periods. The Mississippian is about twice as long as the Pennsylvanian, but due to the large thickness of coal bearing deposits with Pennsylvanian ages in Europe and North America, the two subperiods were long thought to have been more or less equal. The faunal stages from youngest to oldest, together with some of their subdivisions, are:
Late Pennsylvanian: Gzhelian (most recent)
- Noginskian / Virgilian (part)
Late Pennsylvanian: Kasimovian
- Klazminskian
- Dorogomilovksian / Virgilian (part)
- Chamovnicheskian / Cantabrian / Missourian
- Krevyakinskian / Cantabrian / Missourian
Middle Pennsylvanian: Moscovian
- Myachkovskian / Bolsovian / Desmoinesian
- Podolskian / Desmoinesian
- Kashirskian / Atokan
- Vereiskian / Bolsovian / Atokan
Early Pennsylvanian: Bashkirian / Morrowan
- Melekesskian / Duckmantian
- Cheremshanskian / Langsettian
- Yeadonian
- Marsdenian
- Kinderscoutian
Late Mississippian: Serpukhovian
- Alportian
- Chokierian / Chesterian / Elvirian
- Arnsbergian / Elvirian
- Pendleian
Middle Mississippian: Visean
- Brigantian / St Genevieve / Gasperian / Chesterian
- Asbian / Meramecian
- Holkerian / Salem
- Arundian / Warsaw / Meramecian
- Chadian / Keokuk / Osagean (part) / Osage (part)
Early Mississippian: Tournaisian (oldest)
- Ivorian / (part) / Osage (part)
- Hastarian / Kinderhookian / Chouteau
Read more about this topic: Carboniferous