New developments in the Upper Pliocene–Pleistocene stratigraphic units of the Dacian Basin (Eastern Paratethys), Romania

As a result of multidisciplinary investigations carried out, in the last two decades, the knowledge of the Pliocene and Quaternary stratigraphy from Dacian Basin has increased considerably. New lithostratigraphic units were revealed, for example: Trajkovo Fm (Romanian), Vlǎdeni Fm, Vânǎtori Fm (Pleistocene), and other units have been reassessed: Izvoarele Fm, Tuluceşti Fm (Romanian). A new biozonation based on molluscan fauna from the Late Pliocene (NSM11, NSM12) and Pleistocene (QM1-QM9) deposits made possible a more accurate subdivision and cronostratigraphical assignments and correlations. Many localities with Romanian mammal associations (Lupoaia, Drǎnic, Podari, Tetoiu, Leu etc.) were reviewed, adding new taxa in the faunal list, with implications for accurately establishing host deposit ages. These studies, together with bio-magnetostratigraphic investigations led to revision of the Romanian Stage boundaries and subdivisions (Pelendavian, Valahian) and to outline several new Pleistocene chronostratigraphic units: the Argedavian, Dinogetian, Ilfovian stages and Milcovian, Uzunian, Netindavian, Musaisian substages. Finally, one major achievement consisted in the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary relocation in the Dacian Basin, in agreement with its new position at ∼2.6 Ma in the Mediterranean realm.