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Cenozoic History Timeline

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Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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1. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
0.6 Ma
33 Ma
24 Ma

2. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
50 Ma
1.5 Ma
24 Ma
0.7 Ma

3. Neanderthals evolve.
34 Ma
25 Ma
0.35 Ma
18-12 Ma

4. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
35 Ma
0.6 Ma
0.5 Ma
3 Ma

5. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.5 Ma
56 Ma
0.64 Ma
25 Ma

6. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
20 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
26 Ma
2.5 Ma

7. Australopithecines diversify.
0.3 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
4.8 Ma
6 Ma

8. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
0.6 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.7 Ma
55 Ma

9. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
18-12 Ma
34 Ma
52 Ma
0.3 Ma

10. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
3 Ma
0.7 Ma
0.3 Ma
49 Ma

11. The mammoth appears.
6 Ma
33 Ma
3 Ma
4.8 Ma

12. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
0.79 Ma
24 Ma
1.2 Ma
36 Ma

13. Whales return to the water.
24 Ma
1.7 Ma
35 Ma
49 Ma

14. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
2.7 Ma
10 Ma
36 Ma
0.2 Ma

15. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
2.6 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.6 Ma
63 Ma

16. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
0.3 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.64 Ma
36 Ma

17. start of the Pleistocene epoch - the Stone Age and the current Quaternary period; emergence of the genus Homo. Smilodon - the best known of the sabre-toothed cats - appears.
0.6 Ma
49 Ma
2.5 Ma
24 Ma

18. First bats.
6 Ma
34 Ma
55 Ma
52 Ma

19. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
30 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.3 Ma
20 Ma

20. Gastornis evolves.
2.7 Ma
37 Ma
34 Ma
56 Ma

21. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.35 Ma
34 Ma
1.5 Ma
37 Ma

22. Paraceratherium evolves.
36 Ma
0.2 Ma
50 Ma
28 Ma

23. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
0.64 Ma
63 Ma
55 Ma
24 Ma

24. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
20 Ma
36 Ma
1.2 Ma
20 Ma

25. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
2.5 Ma
3 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.7 Ma

26. First deer.
36 Ma
20 Ma
35 Ma
25 Ma

27. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
3 Ma
6.5 Ma
0.35 Ma
0.35 Ma

28. The island of theIndian subcontinent collides with Asia - thrusting up the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. Many modern bird groups appear.First whale ancestors.First rodents - lagomorphs - armadillos - sirenians - proboscideans - perissodactyls -
0.5 Ma
40 Ma
55 Ma
20 Ma

29. Neanderthals evolve.
0.35 Ma
1.7 Ma
3 Ma
1.7 Ma

30. First members of the Hominini tribe.
0.64 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
4.5 Ma
6.5 Ma

31. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
4.8 Ma
35 Ma
2.7 Ma
3 Ma

32. start of the Pleistocene epoch - the Stone Age and the current Quaternary period; emergence of the genus Homo. Smilodon - the best known of the sabre-toothed cats - appears.
20 Ma
33 Ma
2.5 Ma
56 Ma

33. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
2.7 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.35 Ma
20 Ma

34. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
0.5 Ma
0.3 Ma
24 Ma
50 Ma

35. Yellowstone caldera erupts
52 Ma
0.64 Ma
1.2 Ma
2.5 Ma

36. Gastornis evolves.
36 Ma
55 Ma
52 Ma
56 Ma

37. Insects diversify.First large horses.
40 Ma
10 Ma
2.5 Ma
26 Ma

38. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
30 Ma
0.35 Ma
20 Ma
49 Ma

39. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
28 Ma
60 Ma
35 Ma
5.5 Ma

40. Paranthropus evolve.
0.35 Ma
2.7 Ma
63 Ma
4.8 Ma

41. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
0.79 Ma
33 Ma
6.5 Ma

42. current ice age begins
1.7 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.5 Ma
2.6 Ma

43. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
28 Ma
10 Ma
15 Ma
36 Ma

44. First bats.
52 Ma
0.2 Ma
24 Ma
49 Ma

45. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
60 Ma
56 Ma
37 Ma
52 Ma

46. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
40 Ma
37 Ma
30 Ma
25 Ma

47. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
18-12 Ma
4.5 Ma
60 Ma
6 Ma

48. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.2 Ma
10 Ma
50 Ma
1.7 Ma

49. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
15 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
24 Ma
50 Ma

50. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
4.8 Ma
0.79 Ma
20 Ma
5.5 Ma