Vrica-Crotone and Montalbano Jonico sections: a potential unit-stratotype of the Calabrian Stage

A unique composite record from the Mediterranean area exposed on land and spanning the entire time interval of the Calabrian Stage is presented. The record is composed of the Vrica-Crotone section (Calabria, southern Italy) and the Montalbano Jonico section (Basilicata, southern Italy). The Vrica-Crotone section contains the proposed Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Calabrian Stage and extends from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 65 to 37 for its Calabrian portion. The Montalbano Jonico section extends from MIS 37 to 17-16. Its upper portion contains MIS 19, which is known to occur close to the Matuyama/Brunhes reversal, and may represent a suitable horizon for the definition of the GSSP of the 'Ionian' Stage. Both sections are astronomically tuned, thus providing accurate ages for the bioevents. New biostratigraphic results and radiometric data on volcaniclastic layer V3 of the Montalbano Jonico section are presented together with an updated tuning of the section. A comparison with several Mediterranean and north Atlantic deepsea cores is also shown to verify the consistency and reliability of the biostratigraphic data. The Vrica-Crotone and Montalbano Jonico sections can be considered a suitable composite record for the Calabrian unitstratotype and support the revaluation of the unitstratotype concept in addition to the GSSP approach.