The Ìgbà Ẹlẹ́fun tabi Ìgbà Ẹfun (Cretaceous) (play /krɪˈtʃəs/), derived from the Latin "creta" (chalk), usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide (chalk), is a geologic period and system from circa 145.5 ± 4 to 65.5 ẹgbẹgbẹ̀rún ọdún sẹ́yìn million years (Ma) ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic Period and is followed by the Paleogene Period of the Cenozoic Era. It is the youngest period of the Mesozoic Era, and at 80 million years long, the longest period of the Phanerozoic Eon. The end of the Cretaceous defines the boundary between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras.

Ìgbà Ẹlẹ́fun
145.5–65.5 ẹgbẹgbẹ̀rún ọdun sẹ́yìn
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Mean atmospheric O2 content over period duration ca. 30 Vol %[1]
(150 % of modern level)
Mean atmospheric CO2 content over period duration ca. 1700 ppm[2]
(6 times pre-industrial level)
Mean surface temperature over period duration ca. 18 °C[3]
(4 °C above modern level)




Ìgbà Ẹlẹ́fun
Lower/Early Cretaceous Upper/Late Cretaceous
Berriasian | Valanginian | Hauterivian
Barremian | Aptian | Albian
Cenomanian | Turonian | Coniacian
Santonian | Campanian | Maastrichtian
Preceded by Proterozoic Eon 542 Ma - Phanerozoic Eon - Present
542 Ma - Paleozoic Era - 251 Ma 251 Ma - Mesozoic Era - 65 Ma 65 Ma - Cenozoic Era - Present
Kámbríà Ọ̀rdòfísíà Sílúríà Dẹfoníà Eléèédú Pẹ́rmíà Tríásíkì Jùrásíkì Ẹlẹ́fun Ìbíniàtijọ́ Ìbíniọ̀tun Quaternary