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Cenozoic History Timeline

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Match each statement with the correct term.
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1. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
52 Ma
36 Ma
34 Ma
60 Ma

2. 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.
0.7 Ma
15 Ma
37 Ma
2.5 Ma

3. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
1.7 Ma
33 Ma
28 Ma
49 Ma

4. Insects diversify.First large horses.
0.79 Ma
0.7 Ma
10 Ma
1.2 Ma

5. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.7 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.2 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

6. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
20 Ma
36 Ma
1.2 Ma
0.2 Ma

7. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
4.5 Ma
1.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
3 Ma

8. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
60 Ma
0.6 Ma
10 Ma
33 Ma

9. Cats evolve.
5.4-6.3 Ma
34 Ma
60 Ma
18-12 Ma

10. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
60 Ma
24 Ma
1.5 Ma
1.7 Ma

11. First Nimravids.
0.2 Ma
37 Ma
1.5 Ma
15 Ma

12. First Nimravids.
30 Ma
37 Ma
30 Ma
18-12 Ma

13. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
24 Ma
2.7 Ma
52 Ma
25 Ma

14. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
1.2 Ma
2.5 Ma
40 Ma
15 Ma

15. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
15 Ma
50 Ma
40 Ma
1.7 Ma

16. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
26 Ma
1.7 Ma
30 Ma
63 Ma

17. current ice age begins
5.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.6 Ma
37 Ma

18. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
10 Ma
1.5 Ma
0.79 Ma
1.2 Ma

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

20. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
2.6 Ma
52 Ma
60 Ma

21. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
5.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.5 Ma
40 Ma

22. Whales return to the water.
49 Ma
0.64 Ma
30 Ma
0.64 Ma

23. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.7 Ma
28 Ma
0.5 Ma
63 Ma

24. The mammoth appears.
3 Ma
4.8 Ma
49 Ma
1.5 Ma

25. 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.
1.2 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.6 Ma
50 Ma

26. First members of the Hominini tribe.
60 Ma
6.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
20 Ma

27. 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 -
33 Ma
26 Ma
6.5 Ma
55 Ma

28. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
18-12 Ma
10 Ma
25 Ma
3 Ma

29. Gastornis evolves.
20 Ma
56 Ma
0.35 Ma
25 Ma

30. The mammoth appears.
4.8 Ma
0.7 Ma
25 Ma
15 Ma

31. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
2.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
25 Ma
15 Ma

32. First members of the Hominini tribe.
49 Ma
0.6 Ma
6.5 Ma
2.5 Ma

33. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
0.7 Ma
1.2 Ma
56 Ma
0.7 Ma

34. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
30 Ma
55 Ma
60 Ma
0.79 Ma

35. Whales return to the water.
1.2 Ma
0.6 Ma
49 Ma
37 Ma

36. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
55 Ma
30 Ma
1.2 Ma
0.3 Ma

37. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
24 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
55 Ma
26 Ma

38. First deer.
25 Ma
4.8 Ma
1.5 Ma
49 Ma

39. Australopithecines go extinct.
30 Ma
50 Ma
1.7 Ma
56 Ma

40. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
20 Ma
63 Ma
40 Ma

41. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
1.7 Ma
10 Ma
1.5 Ma
56 Ma

42. current ice age begins
0.79 Ma
2.7 Ma
0.35 Ma
2.6 Ma

43. Neanderthals evolve.
18-12 Ma
2.6 Ma
50 Ma
0.35 Ma

44. Australopithecines diversify.
60 Ma
10 Ma
4.8 Ma
6 Ma

45. First bats.
52 Ma
30 Ma
20 Ma
28 Ma

46. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
3 Ma
0.3 Ma
20 Ma
1.5 Ma

47. Gastornis evolves.
52 Ma
1.7 Ma
24 Ma
56 Ma

48. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
4.5 Ma
37 Ma
1.2 Ma
0.7 Ma

49. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
40 Ma
2.6 Ma
52 Ma
30 Ma

50. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
60 Ma
10 Ma
4.5 Ma