uppermost of two divisions of the Middle Triassic Series, representing those rocks deposited worldwide during Ladinian time (237 million to 228 million years ago) in the Triassic Period. The stage name is derived from the Ladini people of the Dolomites in northern Italy. The stratotypes for the Ladinian are the Buchenstein and Wengen beds of the Dolomites. The Ladinian is subdivided into two substages, which in ascending order are the Fassanian and Longobardian. Ladinian marine strata are correlated worldwide by five distinct ammonoid cephalopod biozones (biozone), all of which have designated type localities in North America. These zones cannot be used for nonmarine strata, however. The Ladinian Stage underlies the Carnian Stage of the Upper Triassic Series and overlies the Anisian Stage of the Middle Triassic Series.