Hannonia

Hannonia is a proposed, but not universally recognized, geological period in Earth's history. It is suggested as a division of the Ediacaran Period, specifically the later part of the Ediacaran.

The primary rationale behind the proposal of the Hannonia is to better define and correlate sedimentary sequences and associated fossil assemblages of the late Ediacaran, particularly those found in Namibia. The term "Hannonia" is derived from the Nama Group in Namibia, a significant geological formation yielding important Ediacaran fossils.

The period is intended to represent a time when complex, macroscopic life forms were diversifying and becoming more prevalent, leading up to the Cambrian explosion. It is often associated with the appearance of the first biomineralizing organisms and changes in ocean chemistry.

However, the formal definition and acceptance of Hannonia as a globally recognized subdivision of the Ediacaran Period remains a subject of ongoing debate within the geological and paleontological communities. There isn't universal agreement on its precise boundaries or the specific defining characteristics that would differentiate it definitively from earlier or later Ediacaran subdivisions. Alternate proposals exist for subdividing the Ediacaran, and some researchers prefer a simpler division.