Serravallian Stage

The Serravallian Stage (13.8–11.6 Ma) is the fourth age in the Miocene epoch, occurring before the Tortonian, and after the Langhian

The Paratethys Sea, was cut off from the ocean forming the the largest inland sea/ megalake in Earth's history
- The sea covered more than 2.8 million square kilometers, from the eastern Alps to what is now Kazakhstan
- Paratethys during this time was an open-marine environments with salinities between 12 and 14%
- Brackish and lacustrine basins turned into ventilated seas
- Today's Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Lake Urmia, Namak Lake and others are remnants of the Paratethys Sea