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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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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

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

2. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
2.5 Ma
36 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.2 Ma

3. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
35 Ma
33 Ma
34 Ma

4. 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.
49 Ma
2.5 Ma
24 Ma
2.6 Ma

5. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
35 Ma
3 Ma
0.7 Ma
20 Ma

6. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
5.5 Ma
1.5 Ma
15 Ma
4.5 Ma

7. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
49 Ma
0.79 Ma
55 Ma
10 Ma

8. Whales return to the water.
3 Ma
49 Ma
18-12 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

9. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
35 Ma
24 Ma
5.5 Ma
1.2 Ma

10. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
5 Ma
24 Ma
0.6 Ma
28 Ma

11. 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 -
0.2 Ma
52 Ma
55 Ma
6 Ma

12. Whales return to the water.
26 Ma
3 Ma
1.7 Ma
49 Ma

13. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
2.5 Ma
6.5 Ma
36 Ma
0.2 Ma

14. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
24 Ma
18-12 Ma
6.5 Ma
63 Ma

15. 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.
5.5 Ma
56 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.5 Ma

16. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
3 Ma
0.79 Ma
1.2 Ma
20 Ma

17. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
0.64 Ma
1.2 Ma
15 Ma
56 Ma

18. Paranthropus evolve.
55 Ma
0.5 Ma
2.7 Ma
63 Ma

19. First bats.
6 Ma
52 Ma
0.2 Ma
30 Ma

20. First deer.
1.2 Ma
4.8 Ma
5.5 Ma
25 Ma

21. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
6.5 Ma
56 Ma
24 Ma

22. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
56 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.3 Ma
10 Ma

23. Insects diversify.First large horses.
3 Ma
49 Ma
0.7 Ma
10 Ma

24. Emergence of the first true elephants.
6.5 Ma
4.5 Ma
26 Ma
2.6 Ma

25. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
37 Ma
4.8 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
25 Ma

26. First members of the Hominini tribe.
6.5 Ma
30 Ma
6 Ma
34 Ma

27. First creodonts.
63 Ma
40 Ma
28 Ma
28 Ma

28. First creodonts.
63 Ma
18-12 Ma
5.5 Ma
2.7 Ma

29. Yellowstone caldera erupts
40 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.64 Ma
36 Ma

30. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
1.2 Ma
5 Ma
50 Ma
3 Ma

31. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
60 Ma
36 Ma
3 Ma
50 Ma

32. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
0.7 Ma
30 Ma
15 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

33. Cats evolve.
0.35 Ma
1.5 Ma
0.7 Ma
34 Ma

34. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
20 Ma
6.5 Ma
33 Ma
1.5 Ma

35. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.5 Ma
6.5 Ma
0.3 Ma
0.35 Ma

36. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
24 Ma
30 Ma
40 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

37. Cats evolve.
6 Ma
34 Ma
50 Ma
56 Ma

38. Paraceratherium evolves.
28 Ma
0.7 Ma
15 Ma
0.6 Ma

39. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
4.8 Ma
0.2 Ma
30 Ma
0.7 Ma

40. current ice age begins
0.35 Ma
2.6 Ma
36 Ma
0.6 Ma

41. Gastornis evolves.
0.7 Ma
56 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.5 Ma

42. First bats.
60 Ma
52 Ma
0.64 Ma
34 Ma

43. First members of the Hominini tribe.
35 Ma
5 Ma
6.5 Ma
52 Ma

44. Paranthropus evolve.
3 Ma
0.64 Ma
1.2 Ma
2.7 Ma

45. Yellowstone caldera erupts
37 Ma
0.64 Ma
36 Ma
6 Ma

46. Australopithecines diversify.
1.7 Ma
2.7 Ma
6 Ma
0.5 Ma

47. First Nimravids.
0.2 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
37 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

48. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
5.4-6.3 Ma
20 Ma
1.5 Ma
4.5 Ma

49. Neanderthals evolve.
0.35 Ma
60 Ma
1.5 Ma
63 Ma

50. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
6 Ma
6.5 Ma
33 Ma
2.6 Ma