Spätdevonische

Spätdevonische is the term used in German-language geology and paleontology to designate the Late Devonian epoch of the Paleozoic Era, roughly 383 to 359 million years ago. It marks the final part of the Devonian Period and spans two International Chronostratigraphic Units: the Frasnian (about 382.7–372.2 Ma) and the Famennian (about 372.2–359.2 Ma).

During the spätdevonische, climate and sea level were variable. Early in the interval, greenhouse conditions and higher sea levels supported extensive marine habitats and reef systems. Toward the end, cooler conditions and episodes of ocean anoxia contributed to ecological stress and a major biotic turnover known as the Frasnian–Famennian crisis, which affected corals, trilobites, brachiopods, and other groups.

Biologically, the late Devonian saw significant developments on land and in the oceans. Forests of tall arborescent lycopsids and the emergence of early seed plants promoted soil formation and changes in atmospheric composition. Vertebrate life advanced with the diversification of lobe-finned fishes and the early evolution of tetrapods, precursors to land-dwelling vertebrates. In marine environments, reef-builders declined during the crisis, while other groups persisted and diversified.

The spätdevonische serves as a key framework for describing rocks, fossils, and events from this interval. It is used to study paleoclimate, paleoecology, and the transition from the Devonian’s marine-dominated ecosystems to the broader ecological shifts leading into the Early Carboniferous.