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Periodic extinction of families and generaEight major episodes of biological extinction of marine families over the past 250 million years stand significantly above local background (P less than 0.05). These events are more pronounced when analyzed at the level of genus, and generic data exhibit additional apparent extinction events in the Aptian (Cretaceous) and Pliocene (Tertiary) Stages. Time-series analysis of these records strongly suggests a 26-million-year periodicity. This conclusion is robust even when adjusted for simultaneous testing of many trial periods. When the time series is limited to the four best-dated events (Cenomanian, Maestrichtian, upper Eocene, and middle Miocene), the hypothesis of randomness is also rejected for the 26-million-year period (P less than 0.0002).
Document ID
19870058475
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Raup, David M.
(Chicago Univ. Chicago, IL, United States)
Sepkoski, J. John, Jr.
(Chicago, University IL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
February 21, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 231
ISSN: 0036-8075
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Accession Number
87A45749
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG2-82
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG2-37
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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